NeSmith Late Models Ready For The Labor Day Shootout At The Mag

CARTERSVILLE, GA – The top drivers in the Southeast will converge on Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS this Saturday and Sunday for the Labor Day Shootout. There will be main events both nights on the “Black Ice” that will be Rounds 18 and 19 of the 2015 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season.

Saturday night will be highlighted by a 40-lap $2,000-to-win race that has a set 24-car field from a May 24 rainout. In addition to that race, there will also be a $1,000-to-win NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series race open to all competitors. Sunday night’s race will be a 40-lap $2,000-to-win event, also open to all competitors.

The NeSmith Performance Parts Street Stock Division will also provide race fans with wheel-to-wheel high speed entertainment with $1,000-to-win races on both Saturday night and Sunday night.

The defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN will arrive at Magnolia Motor Speedway with a 90-point lead in the National standings in quest of his unprecedented third straight title. Johnson will start 12th in Saturday night’s race looking for his second win of the season.

Ryan King of Seymour, TN is second to Johnson in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series points chase and has turned in five top five finishes in his last six races, including two wins. King is also the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year point leader. King will start from the 13th starting spot on Saturday night.

Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL is third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model point standings, 40 points behind King. Edge will be looking for his second win of the season on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway starting from the eighth starting spot.

Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN is fourth in the NeSmith Late Model National point standings, six points behind Edge, with one win on the season in the #H2 Duayne Hommel Tribute Car. Henderson has four top five finishes in his last five races, and the second-place driver in the Rookie of the Year points will start Saturday night’s race from the third starting spot.

Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL is fifth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings and third in the Rookie points chase. Crane will start the Saturday night race from the fifth starting spot. Marcus Minga of Shannon, MS is seventh in the standings and starts the Saturday night race from the 24th starting spot.

Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS is ninth in the point standings and is ready to roll at his home track on Saturday night from the 11th starting position.

Youth is also served in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series through the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series program for NeSmith Late Model drivers 18 years of age and younger. Will Roland, a 13-year-old Young Gun from Jasper, GA, is tenth in the National point standings. Roland did not qualify for the Saturday race, but he will be ready to go on Sunday.

There are two Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series drivers that are qualified for the Saturday race, with 15-year-old Bryant Marsh of Corinth, MS starting 14th and 17-year-old Josh Banes of Learned, MS starting 22nd.

The top two drivers in the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point standings, 14-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL and 17-year-old Cole Daffron of Pell City, AL, are expected for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series race on Saturday night along with Roland. They’ll all be competing in the Sunday night show.

Other traveling drivers in the field for the Saturday night race and expected to also compete in the Sunday night show are Saturday night polesitter Mike Boland of Cuba, AL, Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL starting fourth, Ashley Newman of Ripley, TN starting seventh, Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS starting 15th, Kevin Sitton of Baytown, TN starting 17th, and Monte Skinner of Saraland, AL starting 19th.

As always, Magnolia Motor Speedway presents the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series regulars with a tough local contingent of drivers representing the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series.

The 2012 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion Chase Washington of Houlka, MS starts the Saturday night race in the 16th starting spot, and the 2010 West Region Champion Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS starts the Saturday night race from the 23rd starting spot.

The 2015 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS is expected at Magnolia Motor Speedway this weekend. On Saturday night, Arnold will be looking to set a new Weekly Racing Series single-season record with a win that would give him a victory at seven different sanctioned tracks.

Also competing over the weekend and qualified for the Saturday night race are NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series drivers Kyle Shaw of Millport, AL, who starts sixth, Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL starting ninth, Jamey Boland of Cuba, AL starting tenth, Doug Sanchagrin of Florence, MS starting 20th, and Randall Beckwith of Kilmichael, MS starting 22nd.

The on track action begins on Friday night with an Open Practice Session from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. On both Saturday and Sunday, the pit gate opens at 3 p.m. with NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is set for 6 p.m. and hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Magnolia Motor Speedway is located west of Columbus, MS at 495 U.S. Highway 45 South, Columbus, MS 39701, just south of U.S. Highway 82. For more information call 662-328-0376, or visit the track web site at www.magnoliadirt.com. You can also like their Facebook page at Magnolia Motor Speedway.

For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. 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.

STARTING LINE-UP FOR THE SATURDAY NIGHT MAY 24 MAKE-UP RACE AT MAGNOLIA MOTOR SPEEDWAY IN COLUMBUS, MS:

222 Mike Boland – 73 Evan Ellis
H2 Matt Henderson (R) – 25 Justin McRee
10 Ryan Crane (R) – 2s Kyle Shaw
73n Ashley Newman – 18 Chase Edge
1s Jeremy Shaw – 232 Jamey Boland
33b Eric Cooley – 5 Ronnie Johnson
30 Ryan King (R) – 1b Bryant Marsh (Y)
121 Michael Blount – 1m Chase Washington
20 Kevin Sitton – 21m Cody Martin (R)
00 Monte Skinner – 34 Doug Sanchagrin
4j Josh Banes (Y) – 84 Randall Beckwith
1 Johnny Stokes – 19 Marcus Minga


NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. 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 Late Models. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. Beyea Headers is the NeSmith Late Model Hard Charger Sponsor. Sunoco Race Fuels is the Official Race Fuel of the NeSmith Late Models. Panama City Cycles is the Official ATV Provider of the NeSmith Late Models. AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. NeSmith Late Model Contingency Sponsors for 2015 are CrateInsider.Com, Integra Racing Shocks, Image Screen Printing, and Gresham Race Parts. 2015 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.