ADAIRSVILLE, GA – It’s going to be a busy July 4th Week for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series with three races in four days. The Salute To America Nationals begins Wednesday night at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL, and then moves to Cochran Motor Speedway in Cochran, GA for a pair of races.

Talladega Short Track opens the Salute To America Nationals for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series on Wednesday night for a $2,500-to-win $250-to-start 50-lap race, Round 6 of the 2019 season.

Round 7 will be held on Friday night at Cochran Motor Speedway with a $2,000-to-win $200-to-start 40-lap race, and Round 8 at Cochran Motor Speedway will be on Saturday night with a $2,500-to-win $250-to-start 50-lap race.

For the top three in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National point standings, it’s going to be a Showdown at a pair of race tracks where the trio as had much past success.

Jake Knowles of Rome, GA is the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National point leader. Knowles won the season opener on April 26 at Talladega Short Track in the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Special, and the 2018 National Championship Runner-Up followed that up with a second-place finish at TST in Round 2 on April 27.

Knowles has accumulated 470 points after one win, four top five finishes and five top six finishes in the first five races of the 2019 season. Knowles has a pair of Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year candidates just behind him in the National point standings that have impressive resumes at Talladega Short Track and Cochran Motor Speedway.

Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL is second in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings, and he also leads the Cruise With The Champions points chase. Talladega Short Track is Skinner’s home track where he has several wins. The 17-year-old driver was the 2015 VP Race Fuels Young Guns Challenge Series Champion at age 13 for drivers 18 years of age and younger.

Skinner has 422 points in the first five Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring races with two top five finishes and four top ten finishes driving the Skinner’s Body Shop Special. Skinner picked up a Durrence Layne Late Model Touring win at TST last season, and would love another one to stay in the hunt for the Durrence Layne Cup and the $10,000 that goes with it.

Wil Herrington of Hawkinsville, GA is third in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National point standings and is second in the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year points. Herrington’s home track is Cochran Motor Speedway, and the 23-year-old driver grew up just five minutes from the track.

Herrington has a helmet full of wins at Cochran Motor Speedway, including a Durrence Layne Late Model victory. In the first five races of the 2019 season has Herrington with one win coming on May 26 at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS, two top three finishes and four top eight finishes driving the Middle Georgia Roofing CVR.

While Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had their Hole In The Wall Gang, the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series has the Hohenwald Gang. The fourth and fifth-place drivers in the National points chase live close to each other in Hohenwald, TN, and race close to each other on the track.

Hohenwald, TN drivers Tyler Wood and Oakley Johns are fourth and fifth respectively in the point standings. Wood has 392 points after three top ten finishes in the Johns Timber Special, and his teammate Johns has 390 points after one top three finish and two top ten finishes in the first five races. Johns’ father Donald Johns is also a member of the Hohenwald Gang and is 12th in points.

Jake Rainey of Hiram, GA is also a part of the Youth Movement in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. The 15-year-old driver is sixth in the National standings, third in the VP Racing Fuels Young Guns Challenge Series standings, and third in the Cruise With the Champions Rookie of the Year points. Rainey is tied with Oakley Johns and T.J. Brittain of Centre, AL for fifth in the National points chase with 390 points.

Rainey has one top three finish and two top ten finishes driving the Wren’s Body Shop Special, and Brittain has one top four finish and three top eight finishes driving the Brittain Hauling Warrior in the first five Durrence Layne National Touring Late Model races. Marcus Minga of Shannon, MS is eighth with 368 points in the B&M Salvage Rocket.

David Kay of Munford, AL is ninth in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings with 292 points going into Round 6 at his home track, Talladega Short Track, and Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Year Candidate Jadon Frame of Decherd, TN rounds out the top ten of the standings with 290 points.

Along with Kay, top Durrence Layne Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model competitors at Talladega Short Track include Adam Gauldin of Sylacauga, AL, Mike Combs of Odenville, AL, and still competing in the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model Division at Talladega Short Track at age 86 is the legendary Hall of Fame driver Red Farmer of Hueytown, AL.

The Durrence Layne Racing Youth Movement is also alive and well at Cochran Motor Speedway. One of the top Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model Division drivers at the Middle Georgia track is 14-year-old Parker Martin of Milledgeville, GA. Martin drove to his first career Late Model win earlier this year at Cochran Motor Speedway.

Tyler Sanders of Cochran, GA picked up a Durrence Layne Chevrolet Winter Shootout win at Cochran Motor Speedway on March 9. Along with Martin and Sanders, other top Cochran Motor Speedway regulars include Corey Dunn of Milledgeville, GA Shane Riner of Guyton, GA, and Jordy Nipper of Gray, GA.

On Wednesday at Talladega Short Track, the gates open at 4 p.m. with Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., with Hot Laps set for 6:30 p.m. The Durrence Layne Performance Parts Street Stock Division will also race for $1,000-to-win at TST.

Talladega Short Track is located at 4343 Speedway Blvd., Eastaboga, AL 36260. For more information call 256-831-1413, or visit the track’s brand new web site at www.talladegashorttrack.com. You can also like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/talladegashorttrackracewaypark/.

On Friday and Saturday at Cochran Motor Speedway, the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection will be from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow.

Cochran Motor Speedway is located at 241 Jim Wimberly Road, Cochran, GA 31014. For more information call 478-456-4036, or visit the track web site at www.cochranspeedway.com. You can also Like them on Facebook at Cochran Motor Speedway.

For complete point standings, more information and rules about the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, 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.


Durrence Layne Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models and the Pacesetter Award Sponsor at Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events. Durrence Layne Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is one of the nation’s top GM Powertrain and Performance Dealers, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models. VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants is the Official Race Fuel and Lubricant of the Durrence Layne Late Models, sponsor of the VP Lubricants Starting Box, and the VP Lubricants Slick Move of the Race Award at Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events. Knowles Race Parts and Bodies is the Official Parts Supplier for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models and the Hard Charger Award Sponsor at National Touring events. Boyd Bilt Fabrication is the Fast Qualifier Sponsor at Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events. Keyser Manufacturing is the Hard Luck Award Sponsor at Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events. Cruise With The Champions is the Rookie of the Year Sponsors of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. KRC Power Steering is a Heat Race Sponsor for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. David Smith Carburetors is the Official Carburetor of Durrence Layne Racing. Fullmoon Graphics is the Official Wrap, Banner, and Sign Company of Durrence Layne Racing. 2019 Chassis Sponsors are Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.