CARTERSVILLE, GA – Week 23 of the 27-week 2018 Durrence Layne Weekly Racing Series season has brought us a new point leader in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model Division, and also tightened up the battle for the National Championship. The top three drivers in the Late Model standings are now separated by just four points.

The complete Durrence Layne Weekly Racing Series Week 23 results for each track are listed below, and the complete point standings for each of the four Divisions have been posted at www.durrencelayneracing.com. That takes you to the Launch Page where you can click on the Divisions you’re looking for.

Evan Ellis of Plantersville, MS drove to his 13th 50-point win of the season on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS to net on a 45 and bring his best 14-week total to 697 points, and move to the top of the standings. Ellis is three points away from a perfect season point total of 700 that is represented by 14 weekly 50-point wins.

Sid Scarbrough of Florence, MS has been stuck on a best 14-week total of 694 points ever since his last 50-point win on July 14, or Week 16. Scarbrough has spent the last seven weeks of Durrence Layne Weekly Racing Series competition trying to net on a 49, which means he needs a 50-point win to increase his point total. Scarbrough did not get a win in Week 23 competition and is now second in the standings.

Steve Russell of Pontotoc, MS moved to within a point of Scarbrough after finishing second on Sunday night at ECM Speedway in Arkadelphia, AL and netting on a 48. Russell netted one point to bring his best 14-week total to 693 points. The defending Durrence Layne Weekly Racing Series National Late Model Champion Josh Leonard of Gibbon, NE is fourth in the standings with a best 14-week total of 685 points.

Leonard failed to net on a 45 after an eighth-place finish on Friday night at Salina Speedway in Salina, KS. Tootie Arnold of Meadeville, MS and Seth McCormack of Muscle Shoals, AL are tied for the fifth spot in the Late Model standings, as each driver has a best 14-week total of 683 points. Arnold has the tie-breaker advantage with five 50-point wins to four 50-point wins for McCormack.

Arnold took a 39-point second-place finish on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS, and was unable to net on a 47. McCormack finished third on Sunday night at ECM Speedway to net on a 45.

Ricky Idom of Hattiesburg, MS can start dusting off a place in his trophy case for the 2018 Durrence Layne Weekly Racing Series Street Stock National Championship trophy, as there are just a couple of mathematical opportunities left open that could be closed within a week to give “The Hippie” the title.

Idom already has a perfect best 14-week total of 700 points to lead the Durrence Layne Performance Parts Street Stock Division standings. So what does he do to top that? Win races, and he took his 17th of the season on Friday night at Hattiesburg Speedway.

Lee Ray of Columbus, MS is second in the Street Stock standings with a best 14-week total of 691 points. Ray finished fourth on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway, and he was unable to net on a 49. Chad Winkles of Hartselle, AL is third in the standings with a best 14-week total of 682 points. Winkles finished fourth on Sunday night at Duck River Raceway Park in Lewisburg, TN to net on a 45.

David Williamson of Seminary, MS is fourth in the Street Stock standings with a best 14-week total of 679 points. Williamson drove to a third-place finish on Friday night at Hattiesburg, Speedway to net on a 42. Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS is fifth with a best 14-week total of 671 points. Blount finished fifth on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway and was unable to net on a 46.

Hayden Duncan of Leighton, AL continues to lead the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model Sportsman Division standings with a best 14-week total of 697 points. Duncan finished 13th on Sunday night at ECM Speedway and failed to net on a 48. Bryson Mitchell of Russellville, AL is second with a best 14-week total of 690 points. Mitchell finished fifth at ECM Speedway on Sunday night and failed to net on a 48.

Cole Brown of Cullman, AL picked up his seventh Late Model Sportsman win of the season on Sunday night at ECM Speedway to net on a 47. Brown is third in the standings with a best 14-week total of 687 points.

Blake Ray of Russellville, AL is third with a best 14-week total of 679 points. Ray netted on a 46 with a second-place finish on Sunday night at ECM Speedway. Tony Shelton of Steens, MS moved into the fifth spot of the Late Model Sportsman National standings after taking his seventh win of the season on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway to net on a 43. Shelton has a best 14-week total of 677 points.

Oakley Gillespie of Five Points, TN continues to lead the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Modified Sportsman Division standings with a best 14-week total of 624 points. Gillespie netted on a 39 with a 49-point second-place finish on Sunday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.

Gillespie has a 15-point lead on Casey Dunavan of Medina, TN and Andy Davis of Odenville, AL, who are tied for the second spot in the standings. Each driver has a best 14-week total of 609 points. The drivers that are second through fifth in the Modified Sportsman Division National standings are separated by just two points.

Dunavan finished 10th on Sunday night at Talladega Short Track to earn 41 points and net on a 36. Davis drove to his sixth win of the season on Sunday night at Talladega Short Track to net on a 39. Tracy Terrell of Russellville, AL is fourth with a best 14-week total of 608 points.

Terrell finished fourth on Sunday night at Talladega Short Track to net on a 37. Justin Angle of Anniston, AL is fifth in the Modified Sportsman Division standings with a best 14-week total of 607 points. Angle had his worse finish of the season on Sunday night at Talladega Short Track with a 41-point 11th-Place finish, but he was still able to net on a 38.

NeSmith Racing is now Durrence Layne Racing! For more information and rules about the Durrence Layne Racing Divisions, visit the series web site at www.durrencelayneracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at Durrence Layne Racing. You can follow us on Twitter @DurrenceLayneRacing.