CARTERSVILLE, GA – Week 24 competition in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series saw a change for the second spot in the National point standings and the numbers tighten up as just eight points separate second through fifth in the points chase with three weeks left in the 2015 season. National Champion Michael Arnold of Hattiesburg, MS took the week off as drivers battled for the nine spots behind him.

Mike Palasini Jr. of Leland, MS drove the MP Trucking Special to his eighth NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS to net nine points and move up to the second spot in the standings. Palasini has a best 14 week total of 693 points after eight wins and 16 top five finishes in 20 races.

Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL held the second spot going into the weekend, and went on the road in search of netting on a 47. That meant that the 14-year-old Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point leader had to finish third or better to net one point, Skinner traveled to Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS on Friday night, Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS on Saturday night, and Greenville Speedway on Sunday night.

The best Skinner could do was a fourth-place finish on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway and he was unable to net any points and dropped to third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings with a best 14 week total of 689 points. Skinner has seven wins, 16 top five finishes, and 19 top ten finishes in 22 races driving the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR.

Robbie Starnes of Livingston, TX kept pace in the battle for the National Championship Runner-Up honors with his fifth win of the season on Friday night at Battleground Race Park in Highlands, TX in the Lonestar Hydro Maintenance Special. Starnes followed that up with win number six of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series season on Sunday night at the Southern Crate Late Model Series co-sanctioned race at Golden Triangle Speedway in Beaumont, TX.

Starnes was able to net two points and is fourth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 687 points. Starnes has six wins, 19 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 21 races.

The 2013 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series National Champion Noah Daspit of Kiln, MS drove the Billy Riels Racing Special to his seventh win of the season on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway to stay in the hunt for the second spot. Daspit is fifth in the standings with a best 14 week total of 685 points after seven wins, 14 top five finishes and 19 top ten finishes in 22 races.

Greg Fore of Greenville, MS is sixth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 679 points after four wins, 13 top five finishes and 17 top ten finishes in 20 races. Fore finished second on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway in the Washington Body Shop GRT to net four points.

Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS is seventh in the standings with a best 14 week total of 675 points after one win, 19 top five finishes and 21 top ten finishes in 22 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series races. Lee drove the Billy Riels Racing Special to a second-place finish on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway to net three points.

Joseph Joiner of Milton, FL finished sixth on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway in the Three Trade Consultants Special, but was unable to net any points. Joiner, who also leads the NeSmith Panhandle Challenge Series point standings, is eighth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 668 points after two wins, 16 top five finishes and 19 top ten finishes in 20 races.

Cole Daffron of Pell City, AL is ninth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 654 points after 11 top five finishes and 14 top ten finishes in 16 races. Daffron finished 15th on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in the TSR Race Cars Warrior and was unable to net any points. The 17-year-old driver is also second in the Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series point standings for NeSmith Late Model drivers 18 years of age and younger.

Bobby Jordan of McCarley, MS rounds out the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series standings with a best 14 week total of 649 points after two wins, ten top five finishes, and 14 top ten finishes in 24 races. Jordan did not start the feature race on Sunday night at Greenville Speedway in the SMJ Race Parts Trak-Star and he did not net any points.

In other NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Week 24 action, Darrick Klima of Belleville, KS drove the Dirt Racing Source Special to his third win of the season on Friday night at Salina Speedway in Salina, KS. Kevin Sitton of Baytown, TX captured his eighth win of the season on Saturday night in the Southern Crate Late Model Series co-sanctioned event at 171 Speedway in Leesville, LA driving the Mirage Construction Special.

Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL drove the Freeman Farms Trak-Star to his third NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series win of the season on Saturday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway. Dusty Leonard of Marysville, KS picked his fourth win of the season on Saturday night in the NeSmith/NCRA race at 81 Speedway in Wichita, KS driving the Brice Leonard Insurance Special. Scott Phillips of Salina, KS took his first win of the season on Sunday night in the NeSmith/NCRA race at Belleville Speedway in Belleville, KS in the Kansas Home Movers Special.

The battle for the 2015 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge Series Championship is beginning to tighten up, as Shaw gave Three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Champion Trak-Star Race Cars built by Boland Performance of Cuba, AL its 13th win of the season and a move to within four points of the current point leader four-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufactures Challenge Champion GRT Race Cars of Greenbrier, AR, who has 17 wins on the season.

Rocket Chassis of Shinnston, WV is third with nine wins and CVR Race Cars of Lenoir City, TN is fourth with seven wins. Warrior Race Cars built by Goddard Performance of Knoxville, TN is still looking for their first win of the season.

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