EASTABOGA, AL – Riley Hickman of Cleveland, TN swept the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Salute To America Nationals opening race Thursday night at Talladega Short Track driving the Hickman Manufacturing CVR “House Car.” Hickman set fast time among the 40 entrants, and then led all 40 laps of the main event to becoming the 11th different winner in 12 races.

“This is Chip Vineyard’s “House Car” at CVR race cars, and they just had a perfect set up tonight,” Hickman said. “These NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series races are never easy to win, but having a race car like I had tonight makes it a little harder for the competition to catch you.”

The defending and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN finished second in the NeSmith Chevrolet Special and extended his point lead over Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL to 100 points. The third spot went to 13-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL in the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR.

Skinner, who is the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point leader for NeSmith Late Model drivers 18 years of age and younger, was also the second fastest qualifier. Josh Adkins of Talladega, AL took the fourth spot in CRM Motors GRT, and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS was fifth in the Bryson Motorsports/Cooley Transport Special.

Joe Noogin of Boaz, AL finished sixth in the Noogin Body Shop GRT, and Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN drove the Rebel Diesel H2 Duayne Hommel Tribute Car to a seventh-place finish and was the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race. The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, GA was eighth in the BDR Loopers and Clips Special.

Adam Cummings of Odenville, AL took the ninth spot in the Cummings Racing GRT, and Forrest Trent of Talbott, TN rounded out the top ten in the Trent Logging Rocket. Cody Martin of Christiana, TN started 22nd and finished 12th to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award driving the Martin Motorsports Warrior.

In preliminary action, Hickman set fast time honors among the 40 entrants with a lap around Talladega Short Track in 15.132 seconds. The three ten-lap B-Main races were won by Noogin, Jimmy Thomas of Phenix City, AL in the Five Star Hyundai Special, and 13-year-old Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series driver Will Roland of Jasper, GA in the Roland Tire Warrior.

Hickman took the lead at the drop of the green flag with Skinner in the second spot. Johnson and Brindle went three-wide on the opening lap with Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year point leader Ryan King of Seymour, TN in the middle aboard the Brian King Roofing Stinger.

As the three-wide battle for third came off the fourth turn, all three cars got together, and King spun to the right and made heavy contact with the wall with the right-front corner of his race car. That triggered a multi-car tangle that completely blocked the front straightaway, and necessitated a complete restart of the race.

King was done for the night, but all other cars involved were able to restart. When the green flag came out for the second time, it was once again Hickman taking the lead followed by Skinner, Johnson, Brindle and Adkins. By the fifth lap, Hickman showed just how strong of a race car he had, as he pulled out to a 15 car-length lead over Skinner.

The second caution flag of the race came out on lap seven when Larry Harrod of Plains, GA, who was running tenth, spun the Harrod Logging Special in turn two. Doubled up behind Hickman for the Dixie Style Double File Restart were Skinner, Johnson, Brindle, Adkins, Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS in The Strength Center Special, Henderson, Cooley, Trent and Noogin in second through tenth respectively.

There were wholesale position changes on the restart with Johnson driving around the outside of Skinner to take the second spot, Adkins got by Brindle for fourth, and Henderson took over the sixth spot from Arnold. Cooley dropped Arnold back to the eighth spot on lap ten.

Hickman had opened up a half straightaway lead after the restart on lap eight, but by lap 15, Johnson was beginning to chip away at the leader’s advantage. Hickman was in heavy lapped traffic by lap 17, but he wasn’t there long, as Adam Gauldin of Talladega, AL spun the Adam Gauldin Racing GRT in turn two on lap 17.

The top ten for the restart had Hickman leading, with Johnson, Skinner, Adkins, Brindle, Henderson, Cooley, Arnold, Trent and Noogin doubled up behind the leader in second through tenth respectively. Cooley got by Henderson for sixth on the restart, and Arnold passed Henderson for seventh on lap 18.

At the halfway point in the race on lap 20, Hickman had pulled out to a half straightaway lead over Johnson. That was closed up on lap 22 when Arnold brought out the fourth and final caution flag of the race with a spin in turn two. During the caution period, Arnold rammed Henderson’s car. That sent Arnold to the pit area disqualified from the race.

After the restart, Cooley passed Brindle for the fifth spot on lap 25, and Noogin climbed up to the seventh spot. Hickman once again opened up a half straightaway lead on Johnson by lap 28. Hickman encountered lapped traffic on lap 33, but Johnson was unable to mount a challenge, as Hickman took a 2.489 margin of victory under the checkered flag to collect the $2,000 check.

The next stop for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Division will be Night 2 of the Salute To America Nationals with a 40-lap $2,000-to-win race at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL. The third and final Salute To America Nationals race will be on Saturday night with a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL.

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.