Wooten Wins First Ever NeSmith Street Stock Race At Golden Isles Speedway

BRUNSWICK, GA – Local favorite Brian Wooten became the answer to a trivia question for the future, as he won the first-ever NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division race held on Wednesday night at Golden Isles Speedway. Wooten passed Ronald Dunn of Corinth, MS with five laps to go to take the victory worth $2,000 in the opening night of the Super Bowl of Racing.

Dunn towed his Dunn Motorsports High Roller Race Cars “House Car” to South Georgia and appeared to be the class of the field early on in the evening. Dunn was only one of a few drivers that used the top groove at Golden Isles Speedway, and he easily won his Heat Race to earn the pole position for the main event.

When the green flag fell for the 25-lap feature race, Dunn took command running the top shelf of the 4/10-mile clay oval, and was able to open up a half straightaway lead over Kyle Livingood and Joe Corley, who battled early on for the second spot, followed by Garrett McDonald and Wooten. A caution flag on lap eight for a spin by Colby Hall, closed up the field, as two of the front runners had trouble.

Both Livingood and Corley cut down tires and went to the pits under the caution period. That moved McDonald, Donnie Ashford and Wooten up to second, third and fourth respectively for the restart. Wooten was able to get past Ashford for third when the green flag came back out, and he then moved up to battle McDonald for second, while Dunn once again pulled out to a big lead.

A lap 17 caution flag for another spin by Hall tighten the field up more time with eight laps to go. When the green flag came out, Wooten got around McDonald for second, and this time stayed right with Dunn to battle for the lead. Dunn held on to the outside cushion, while Wooten took the short way around in the bottom groove.

Wooten was able to make the pass the lead coming off the fourth turn on lap 20, and then lead the last five laps to the checkered flag. Dunn had to settle for second, with Ashford taking the third spot, and McDonald finishing fourth. Ronnie Newsome was fifth with Livingood coming back from his unscheduled pit stop to finish sixth. Brian Grantham was seventh and Shaun Washam finished eighth, and Corley recovered from his cut tire to claim the ninth spot. Lee Newsome rounded out the top ten.

NeSmith Racing sent two of their key people to Golden Isles Speedway on Wednesday night to oversee the first-ever NeSmith Performance Street Stock Division race at the track, as Technical Director Tim Sims scrutinized the cars after the race, and Announcer Roby Helm called the action over the track’s Public Address System.

Wooten’s Chevrolet Camaro and Dunn’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo were both powered by Chevrolet Performance 602 Racing Engines available for $3,495 from NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC in Claxton, GA, with free next-day delivery anywhere in the country.

Golden Isles Speedway will sanction with the NeSmith Performance Street Stock Division in 2016, as their drivers will run for both a track point fund and a $5,000 National point fund that pays $2,000 to the National Champion and pays back ten places at the end of the season. For 27 weeks between March 21 and September 25, Golden Isles Speedway competitor will compete against drivers at 20 other track throughout the country using a points system that will count their best 14 finishes during the season.

NeSmith Racing’s NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be at Golden Isles Speedway for the Super Bowl of Racing with Friday night and this Saturday night with two big shows. Friday night’s race will be Round 4 of the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series and will be 50 laps paying $2,500-to-win. Round 5 on Saturday night will be 50 laps and pay $3,000-to-win.

Top NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series entrants that have already been seen at Golden Isles Speedway, or are expected for RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series action include point leader Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL, Round 1 winner William Thomas of Phenix City, AL, Round 2 winner Josh Richards of Shinnston, WV, Round 3 winner Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL, Ryan King of Seymour, TN, former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Cale Conley of Vienna, WV, and second-generation driver Hudson O’Neal of Martinsville, IN,

Top local favorites expected to compete with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series at the Super Bowl of Racing include Blackshear, GA drivers Cecil Eunice, Hunter Carter and Ryan Carter, along with Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL and Blake Spencer of St. Augustine, FL.

The schedule for both Friday and Saturday has the pit gate opening at 12 noon with NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is set for 4:30 p.m. with Hot Laps at 5 p.m., and racing to follow.

Golden Isles Speedway is located 12 miles west of I-95 at Exit 29 on U.S. Highway 82. The physical address for Golden Isles Speedway is 101 Speedway Drive, Waynesville, GA 31566. For more information call 912-778-3767, or visit the track web site at www.goldenislesspeedway.com. You can also like their Facebook Page at Golden Isles Speedway Park.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.

NeSMITH PERFORMANCE PARTS STREET STOCK DIVISION RESULTS FROM THE SUPER BOWL OF RACING AT GOLDEN ISLES SPEEDWAY IN BRUNSWICK, GA ON 2/3/16:

FEATURE RACE – 25 LAPS:

1. 81 Brian Wooten
2. 17 Ronald Dunn
3. 66 Donnie Ashford
4. 23g Garrett McDonald
5. 38 Ronnie Newsome
6. 122 Kyle Livingood
7. 8g Brian Grantham
8. 12 Shaun Washam
9. X Joe Corley
10. 8 Les Newsome
11. HR8 Chris Keller
12, 3d Makayla Tyrell
13. 88 Colby Hall
14. 96 Luke Johns
15. 87 Jack Hill
16. 52 Dale Mimbs
17. 28 Piearce Thrift DNS

HEAT RACES – 8 LAPS:

1ST HEAT: 1. Dunn; 2. Livingood; 3. McDonald; 4. Washam; 5. L. Newsome; 6. R. Newsome; 7. Johns; 8. Thrift; 9. Keller.

2ND HEAT: 1. Corley; 2. Wooten; 3. Grantham; 4. Ashford; 5. Tyrell; 6. Hall; 7. Hill; 8. Mimbs.


NeSmith Performance Parts at NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain and Performance Dealer six years running, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division.