CARTERSVILLE, GA – The 2012 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season began in full force over the weekend with 92 different drivers competing in seven races with an average event car count of 16. With seven different winners in seven races, there is a seven-way tie for the point lead after Week 1 competition.

The 2011 and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS is looking to pick up in the new National points format where he left off last season under the Regional format. McDuffie topped an 18-field to take the win on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park driving the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star.

Chase Washington of Houlka, MS opened the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season with a win in the Jerry Inmon Racing Special over a 23-car field on Friday night at Jackson Motor Speedway in Jackson, MS. Mickey Trosclair of Lulling, LA took the win on Saturday night at Pike County Speedway in McComb, MS driving the Trosclair Racing Special.

Albany Motor Speedway in Albany, GA held its first NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series event on Saturday night with 19-year-old Stevie Banchette of Marianna, FL taking the victory in the Strictly Performance Race Cars Special. Greg Martin of Oliver Springs, TN drove the Biff Motorsports Special to victory on Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway in Seymour, TN.

Chris Ragan of Ramer, TN in the Ragan Racing Trak-Star was the winner on Saturday night at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, MS. Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL rounds out the seven-way tie for the point lead with a Sunday night win over a 26-car field at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS driving the Summit Resource Development Trak-Star.

Four drivers are tied for the eighth spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings with second-place finishes during Week 1 competition. The 2010 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS was “Mr. Second-Place” during week one action.

Stokes had three second-place finishes over the weekend at Jackson Motor Speedway in Friday night, Columbus Speedway on Saturday night, and Magnolia Motor Speedway on Sunday night in the Bassett Hound Motorsports GRT. That puts “Dr. Dirt” one point out of first-place.

Lavon Sloan of Moultrie, GA finished second at Albany Motor Speedway in the Weeks Farm Machinery Special, Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS took the second spot at Pike County Speedway in the Billy Riels Racing GRT, and Cory Hedge(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) of Loudon, TN drove the Eagle Racing Engines Rocket to a second-place finish at 411 Motor Speedway.

Saturday night events at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL and Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL were rained out. The complete NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings can be found at www.nesmithracing.com on the Weekly Racing Series web site.

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. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.