SEYMOUR, TN – 411 Motor Speedway will present a $1,500-to-win 30 lap NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Series Old Man’s Garage (OMG) East Region event this Thursday night. For several East Tennessee drivers, it will be a welcome opportunity to get back into the OMG East Region point battle that pays $5,000-to-win at the end of the season.

Maryville, TN drivers David Crabtree, Bobby Giffin, Brian Ownby and Robby Moses will be looking to pick up where they left off on May 14 when they were all NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage East Region Championship contenders.

Mitch McCarter has stepped up and has given these drivers an opportunity to get back in the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS OMG East Region championship hunt. This has been a well-received move by the series and its East Tennessee members.

“The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series drivers are elated that Mitch McCarter has given them an opportunity to compete for Regional points at 411 Motor Speedway this Thursday night,” NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Director Roby Helm said. “We’re looking forward to working with Mitch McCarter and his staff at 411 Motor Speedway, and we’re optimistic about building something for these drivers in the coming weeks.”

Helm said if things go well on Thursday night, McCarter is planning several mid-week shows during the summer that could include running NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage East Region events.

The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series is designed for weekly dirt late model racers to compete for a regional point fund against drivers from other series tracks throughout the Southeast through a points system without leaving their home track. The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season runs from April 1 through October 2.

During the 27-week NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season a driver can run as many races as they wish during each week, but only their highest event point total counts for that week. Their Regional point totals take their top 14 weekly point totals plus up to 100 bonus points for perfect attendance and participation in NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring events.

Drivers receive 25 bonus points for each four straight weeks of perfect attendance at one track, and they also receive 25 bonus points for participating in NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring event across the Southeastern United States. NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage (OMG) East Region tracks are located in Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.

The top ten drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage East Region point standings at the end of the 27-week season will collect money out of the point fund and the 2011 NeSmith Chevrolet WRS OMG East Region Champion will receive $5,000. Several East Tennessee drivers were right in championship hunt after the first seven weeks of the season.

After the seventh week of the season on May 14, Crabtree was fifth in the OMG East Region point standings, just 18 points out of first place. Crabtree has two wins, and six top five finishes in six starts. Giffin was sixth in the OMG East Region point standings, Ownby was seventh, and Moses was ninth.

The 411 Motor Speedway Thursday night race will begin Week 12 of the 2011 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series. Helm said the East Tennessee drivers still have plenty of time to get back into the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS Old Man’s Garage East Region championship battle.

“There are still 16 weeks left in the 2011 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season, and the East Tennessee drivers already have six weeks with bonus points in the books,” Helm said. “In 2008, the driver that became the West Region Champion didn’t start running for points until the end of June, so anything is possible.”

Crabtree, Giffin, Ownby, and Moses each have a total of 50 bonus points already in the books, 25 for competing in a NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Touring race, and 25 points for four weeks of perfect attendance. Each driver also had two more weeks of perfect attendance at another track prior to May 14.

Helm said East Tennessee drivers that have accumulated perfect attendance races will be allowed to carry those races to 411 Motor Speedway on Thursday night, and in future races there, in an effort to collect their next 25 perfect attendance bonus points.

There are several other East Tennessee drivers that can climb up the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage East Region point standings. Mark Rosner of Maryville, TN has been competing with the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Touring since May 14, and he has already accumulated his 100 East Region Bonus Points.

Veteran Patrick Duggan of Lenoir City, TN has an East Region win this season, and he was just outside the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage East Region point standings after Week 7. Brad Coffey of Maryville, TN was another driver just outside the OMG East Region point standings after Week 7.

Other East Tennessee drivers with OMG East Region wins this season include Greg Martin of Oliver Springs, TN with two wins, and Kayne Hickman of Soddy Daisy, TN with one win. Chris Wilson of Crossville, TN has a NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Touring event victory this season.

NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series officials are expecting a good field of drivers for the Thursday night special event at 411 Motor Speedway. Other drivers expected are Maryville, TN drivers Hunter Best, David Young, James Kelso, Jason Ritchey, Chris Ritchey and Jamison Settlemyre, along with Jake Teague of Oliver Springs, TN, Weston Gantte of Dandridge, TN, Mike Weeks of Friendsville, TN, Mark Vineyard of Powell, TN, Jason Trammel of Knoxville, TN, and Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN.

On Thursday night, the 411 Motor Speedway gates open at 5 p.m. with the drivers meeting set for 6:30 p.m. and hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m. with time trials to follow. The entry fee for the Thursday night event at 411 Motor Speedway is $75.

411 Motor Speedway is located one-mile south of U.S. Highway 441 on U.S. Highway 411, 13 miles south of Knoxville, TN and 13 miles east of Maryville, TN. For more information call 865-257-7223, or visit the track web site at www.411motorspeedway.net.

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.


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, 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.