CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour returns to action this weekend for the Spring Nationals on Friday night at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL and on Saturday night at New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA, Rounds 6 and 7 of the 2011 season for America’s Most Affordable Dirt Late Model Series.

The competition begins on Friday night at Penton Raceway with the $2,000-to-win Spring Nationals 40. The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series cars and stars will take to the 3/8-mile clay oval for time trials, qualifying races and the main event.

On Saturday night at New Senoia Raceway it will be the $2,500-to-win Spring Nationals “Slick” 50, a tribute race to Georgia dirt late model Hall of Fame driver Leon “Slick” Sells of Villa Rica, GA.

Sells’ career spanned over 30 years and he posted countless victories at tracks throughout the Peach State. He is currently enshrined in the Georgia Motorsports Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, GA. Sells will be at New Senoia Raceway this Saturday night to meet and greet the race fans and sign autographs. Sells won the first two races ever held at New Senoia Raceway.

A stellar field of over 30 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series drivers from seven different states will be in action this weekend at Penton Raceway on Friday night and New Senoia Raceway this Saturday night trying to build the same kind of legend for themselves that Leon Sells did during his racing career.

Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC leads the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings with 454 points. Breuer took his first win of the season after the last series event at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS on April 9. Breuer has one win, three top five finishes and five top ten finishes in the first five races of the season.

Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN is second in the series points chase after two top fives and four top tens in five starts totaling 430 points. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA is third in the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS standings with 408 points after one top five and three top tens in five races.

Known as the Ironman of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, Turner will be attempting to compete in his 113th and 114th consecutive series events. Turner has competed in every event the series has held since its inception in 2005. Turner also has a few wins at New Senoia Raceway in 2010 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series competition.

Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is fourth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series standings with 326 points, and Steve Cooke of Mt. Airy, NC is fifth with 300 points. In addition to the overall point standings that pay $20,000 to the series champion at the end of the season, several drivers are also battling for the $5,000 2011 VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year Award.

Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL leads the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year standings and is eighth overall in the touring standings with 280 points. This weekend is an exciting time Edge both on and off the track.

Edge will be competing at his two home tracks this weekend where the defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage (OMG) East Region Champion has wins this season in NeSmith Chevrolet WRS competition. Edge took a win at Penton Raceway on April 22, and at New Senoia Raceway last Saturday night.

Edge celebrated his 18th birthday on Monday, and will graduate from high school with honors before Friday night’s race. It is unknown whether Edge will graduate with his firesuit on under his cap and gown in an effort to get to the track in time to qualify on Friday night.

Mark Tice of Avon, MS is second in the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year standings and is ninth in the overall series standings with 274 points. Also competing for the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year honors are Frank Wilson of Harold, FL, Tootie Arnold of Bude, MS, Jake Knight of Georgetown, MS, and Tony Lawson of Laurel, MS.

Wilson and Arnold will looking to race their way into the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series standings along with Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS, and Chase Washington of Houlka, MS. Other travelers expected this weekend are Justin McRee of Tuscaloosa, AL and Mark Rosner of Maryville, TN.

Russ Ogletree of Phenix City, AL and Craig Scott of Newnan, GA will lead the tough local contingent of NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage (OMG) East Region drivers into the pair of NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series touring events. Ogletree has three wins this season at New Senoia Raceway and Scott has a pair of wins at Penton Raceway.

Other top local favorites expected this weekend at Penton Raceway and New Senoia Raceway are Dana Eiland of Salem, AL, defending New Senoia Raceway Track Champion Parrish Duncan of Newnan, GA, Doug Ludwig of Grantville, GA, Trey White of Jenkinsburg, GA, Marty Lunsford of Newnan, GA, and Tod Darda of LaGrange, GA.

This Friday night at Penton Raceway, gates open at 4 p.m. Central Time with NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Registration and Pre-Race Technical Inspection from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. and racing is scheduled for 8 p.m. Central Time.

This Saturday night at New Senoia Raceway, gates open at 4 p.m. with NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Registration and Pre-Race Technical Inspection from 4 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is set for 6:45 p.m., and racing is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Competitors are notified that mufflers are required for competition at New Senoia Raceway on Saturday night. Competitors may use any external muffler, like the Schoenfeld 112535. No insert mufflers and no hulled out mufflers are permitted. For answers to any additional technical questions about this event, please contact NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Competition/Technical Director Tim Sims at 256-794-4047.

The Howard Johnson Hotel in Newnan, GA is the Official NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Host Hotel for the Spring Nationals. The Howard Johnson Hotel, located at 1310 Highway 29 South at I-85, is offering series fans and competitors a special discount rate of $42 per night. Call 770-683-1499 to make reservations and ask for the special racing discount rate.

For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, Penton Raceway and New Senoia Raceway, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing, or the tracks’ Facebook Pages at Penton Raceway and New Senoia Raceway.


NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain Dealer four years running, and is also the nation’s number one volume dealer of Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC cars, trucks, SUVs and vans with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. GM Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hoosier Race Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. VP Racing Fuel is the Official Racing Fuel of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hedman Hedders is the Official Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and the Hedman Husler Award sponsor. Old Man’s Garage (OMG) is the sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2011 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering, KRC, QA 1 Precision Products, Maximum Signs and Graphics, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, Integra Racing Shocks, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Cofield Racing Starters, Kinser Air Filters, Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, and Stinger Race Cars.