Alabama Double Racing Weekend Ahead For Chevy Super Series

CARTERSVILLE, GA – The Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series is set for Rounds 4 and 5 of the 2016 season. One of the two races is one of the premier events in the State of Alabama. Penton Raceway in Penton, AL will open the weekend with a 30-lap $2,000-to-win race. East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL will host the Annual Jimmy Thomas Memorial.

The Jimmy Thomas Memorial presented by Wendy’s honors the patriarch of a Hall of Fame racing family that is now in its third generation of race track promoters and competitors. Jimmy Thomas began his racing career in the 1940s, and he built East Alabama Motor Speedway in 1973. Thomas successfully promoted the facility until his death in 1980.

The children of Jimmy Thomas, Billy, Bobby, Ben and Beverly have since been involved with the track through the years while Billy had his own successful racing career, and Ben still has a successful dirt late model chassis business. Billy’s son William Thomas, who was the first Chevy Super Series National Champion in 2013, has now begun to get involved in running the track.

Along with William, this year’s 50-lap $3,000-to-win Jimmy Thomas Memorial for the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series will feature another third-generation racing Thomas, the patriarch’s namesake, grandson Jimmy Thomas.

Penton Raceway hosted the very first Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series race on August 2, 2013, and that inaugural race was won by William Thomas, who also won the second race the next night at East Alabama Motor Speedway. A pair of current title contenders has also had success at Penton Raceway and East Alabama Motor Speedway.

The defending and two-time Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN used a Penton Raceway win in 2014 to help capture his first championship. Johnson is currently fourth in the Chevy Super Series point standings going into this weekend’s pair of races.

Jake Knowles of Rome, GA picked up a Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series win at East Alabama Motor Speedway in 2014. Knowles is currently second in the Chevy Super Series point standings.

Point leader Tyler Crowder of Lamont, FL tuned up for the Jimmy Thomas Memorial presented by Wendy’s by winning the East Alabama Motor Speedway Late Model feature race last Saturday night. The EAMS Late Model rules allow competitors to use the Chevrolet Performance CT 525 Racing Engine based on the production LS3 Engine.

East Alabama Motor Speedway is a good fit for the all-aluminum $7,195 Chevrolet Performance CT 525, as the first three finishers in last Saturday night’s EAMS Late Model feature were powered by the Corvette Engine. Phenix City, AL drivers Montana Dudley and Lavon Sparks were second and third respectively.

Crowder, who holds an eight-point lead over Knowles in the Chevy Super Series point standings, has been the National Championship Runner-Up in the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series point standings for the past two seasons. Crowder has one of the best finishing records in the history of the series, but he is still looking for his first Chevy Super Series win.

Also in action this weekend looking for a Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series Golden Helmet Trophy will be Tim Busha of Boaz, AL, Jadon Frame of Winchester, TN, the father and son team of Ross and Adam Martin of Talladega, AL, Mario Gresham of Rome, GA, Ryan King of Anniston, AL, and Oliver Gentry of Newnan, GA.

Five drivers have thrown their respective hats in the ring for the 2016 Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Award in the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. Austin Smith of Rome, GA leads the Rookie point standings after the first three races followed by Chad Wallace of LaGrange, GA, Colby Kilgore of Dalton, GA, Barry Goodman of Spring City, TN, and Ryan King of Seymour, TN.

On Friday at Penton Raceway, the pit gate opens at 4 p.m. with Chevrolet Performance Super Dirt Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Drivers Meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., and Racing is set for 7:30 p.m.

Penton Raceway is located at 2120 County Road 108, Lafayette, AL 36862. For more information call 334-864-0666, or visit the track web site at www.pentonraceways.com. You can also Friend them on Facebook at Penton Raceway.

Competitors and fans will be Road Closed signs on County Road 108 approaching Penton Raceway from both directions. Officials from the Chambers County Highway Department have advised Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series officials that the road can be used to get to Penton Raceway, but motorists should proceed with caution, as there are no lines painted on the new pavement, and everyone is asked to keep their speed down to 25 t0 30 miles per hour.

On Saturday at East Alabama Motor Speedway, the pit gate opens at 3 p.m., with Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Drivers Meeting is set for 7 p.m. and Racing is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Bandit’s Bail Bonds Inc. will present the Fast Time Award for the Jimmy Thomas Memorial Race this Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway for the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. The fast qualifier will start the 50-lap $3,000-to-win win main event from the pole position.

East Alabama Motor Speedway is on Eastern Daylight Time and is located at 4238 U.S. Highway 80 West, Phenix City, AL 36870. For more information call 334-297-2594, or visit the track web site at www.eamsdirt.com. You can also Friend them on Facebook at East Alabama Motor Speedway.

For more information about the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.525superseries.com, or visit the series on Facebook at Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series.


Chevrolet Performance Parts is the Title Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. Sunoco Race Fuel is the Official Race Fuel of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. Panama City Cycles is the Official ATV Provider of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. Schaeffer’s Oil Presented By Chad Wallace is the Official Oil of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. AR Bodies is an Official Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. Cruise With The Champions is an Official Sponsor of the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series. Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2015 are CrateInsider.Com, Gresham Racing Parts, Beyea Headers, Image Screen Printing, and Schoenfeld Headers.