Diekemper Awarded OSP NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Win

[crusapr]

SAVANNAH, GA – Robert Diekemper of Bloomingdale, GA in the Baird Transport Special was awarded the victory on Friday night in the $2,000-to-win Rumble On The River 40 for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour at Oglethorpe Speedway Park after the Budweiser Rocket of apparent winner Brandon Overton of Appling, GA was found to have an illegally chemically treated right-rear tire during the post-race technical inspection.

Diekemper followed Overton from the second lap to the checkered flag, but moved into the winner’s circle after the disqualification of Overton. Chris Cantrell of Chester, SC was second in the Canco Rocket and Bob Robertson of Evans, GA took the third spot in the Huddle House Special.

Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN finished fourth in the Eads Farms/Dixon Plumbing Special, and NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS point leader Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC started 22nd and finished fifth in the AES Special to earn the Hedman Husler of the Race Award.

Chesley Dixon of Swainsboro, GA was sixth in the Central Fence Company Rocket and Mark Rosner of Maryville, TN drove the J.T. Racing Equipment Stinger to the seventh spot. Brad Comer of Gray, GA finished eighth in the Central Carpet Special, and Ches Chester of Twin City, GA was ninth in the Chester Timber Special. Steve Cooke of Mt. Airy, NC in the AES Special rounded out the top ten.

Frank Wilson of Harold, FL was 14th in the Wilson Lumber Trak-Star to earn the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Race Award. In preliminary events, Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA was the fast qualifier among the 26 entrants with a lap around the ½-mile dirt oval in 19.205 seconds. The two 12-lap B-Main races were won by Mitch Fulford of Montrose, GA in the Dublin Tire Company Rocket and Ben Faircloth of Swainsboro, GA in the Faircloth Forrest Products GRT.

Turner took the lead at the start of the race from the pole position followed by Overton and Diekemper. Turner pushed up the banking in turn one on lap two, which opened the door for Overton to take the lead, and Diekemper got under Turner in turn four to make what would turn out to be the winning pass.

The handling problems plaguing Turner’s Hedman Husler would only get worse, and he dropped back to the eighth spot by lap five. Overton began lapping the cars on the tail end of the lead lap by lap six.

The top five drivers on lap seven were Overton, Diekemper, Cantrell, Albert Cosnahan of Stillmore, GA in the Braddy Electric GRT, and Brian Connor of Augusta, GA in the Lazor’s Trailers Special. Cosnahan passed Cantrell for the third spot on lap 14.

The first of two caution flags came out on lap 16 when Mark Tice of Avon, MS in the Precision Marine Trak-Star hit the wall at the head of the front straightaway. After making a 12-hour tow to get to the race, that misfortune earned Tice the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award.

Overton lined up at the head of the field for the double-file restart with the second through tenth-place cars of Diekemper, Cosnahan, Cantrell, Chester, Robertson, Connor, Turner, Rosner, and Comer respectively doubled up behind him. When the green flag came out, Cosnahan drove around the outside of Diekemper for second in turn one, and they swapped the spot again in turn four.

When Diekemper retook the second spot on lap 16 in turn four, be brought Cantrell with him for third on the inside. Robertson was on the move by taking over the fifth spot on lap 18. Gentry climbed up to the ninth position on lap 19, and Breuer made his first appearance in top ten on lap 20 at the halfway point of the race.

Gentry moved up to take over the eighth place on lap 22, and Breuer continued his march through the field by moving up to ninth on lap 25. Just as the leaders were beginning to negotiate lapped traffic, Fulford cut down a right-rear tire on lap 31 to bring out the second yellow flag of the race.

The top ten for the restart to begin the ten-lap dash to the finish saw Overton leading, followed by Diekemper, Cantrell, Cosnahan, Robertson, Chester, Gentry, Breuer, Rosner, and Comer. When the green flag came out, Robertson began putting the pressure on Cosnahan for the fourth spot.

As they came off the fourth turn, Cosnahan and Robertson made contact several times before Robertson was able to wrestle the fourth spot away from Cosnahan down the front straightaway. Gentry took over the fifth spot on lap 33, and Breuer moved up to take the sixth position on lap 38.

Overton took the checkered flag with a 1.426 second advantage over Diekemper, but the second-place driver made up that difference and then some in the tech area after the race was completed. The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour now moves to Screven Motor Speedway in Sylvania, GA for a $2,500-to-win 50-lap event on Saturday night.

For more information 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.

[grandma48]

Great write up on race!!

[fred 49]

bout time they cought him seem thats the only way that clown runs good well (the wolf pack gang ) is to dope there tires i d like to see them ban anyone one that dopes tire

[grandma48]

Good weekend of racing!!