Thomas Awarded NeSmith Late Model Win At Cochran Motor Speedway

**NeSmith Racing** · 03-25-2018, 02:04 AM

COCHRAN, GA – Third generation driver Jimmy Thomas of Phenix City, AL was awarded the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win on Friday night at Cochran Motor Speedway driving the Five Star Hyundai Scorpion in the 40-lap RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series race. It was the first NeSmith Late Model career win for Thomas.

Thomas did not lead a lap on the race track and took the checkered flag in second-place, but ended up with the victory in the Post-Race Technical Inspection. The engine in the Certified Energy, Inc. Rocket of apparent winner Jimmy Sharpe Jr. of Soperton, GA was found to have incorrect pistons and was disqualified.

Joseph Brown of Cataula, GA finished second in the Lewis Auto Sales Special, and Terrance Nowell of Phenix City, AL took the third spot in the Harrod Logging Special. Travis Pennington of Stapleton, GA was fourth in the U.S. Duffie Site Prep Special, and Ashton Winger of Senoia, GA drove the Keyser Manufacturing Rocket to a fifth-place finish.

Payton Freeman of Commerce, GA took the sixth spot in the Freeman Plumbing Special and Larry Harrod of Plains, GA finished seventh in the Harrod Logging Special. Eighth went to Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and Chad Stapleton of Edinburgh, IN was ninth in the SSI/Jason Clarkson Logging Special.

Three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN rounded out the top ten in the Josh Roberts Trucking Special. Johnson is still in the running for the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Championship, and trails point leader Jimmy Elliott of Cleveland, TN by 24 points. Elliott finished 12th in the Mighty Muffler and Brake Special.

In preliminary action, Nowell was the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Fast Qualifier. Nowell topped the 30-car field with a lap around Cochran Motor Speedway in 14.561 seconds. Nowell picked up $100 from race promoter Brian Hester. The two 12-lap B-Main Races were won by Winger and Edge.

The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series returns to Cochran Motor Speedway on Saturday night for a $4,000-to-win, 50-lap main event that will be the finale of the 2018 RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series.

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.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROCKAUTO.COM WINTER SHOOTOUT ROUND 5 AT COCHRAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY IN COCHRAN, GA ON 3-23-18:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 5 22 Jimmy Thomas Phenix City, AL 40 $2,000
2. 2 92 Joseph Brown Cataula, GA 40 $1,000
3. 1 27t Terrance Nowell Phenix City, AL 40 $700
4. 7 01 Travis Pennington Stapleton, GA 40 $550
5. 9 12 Ashton Winger Senoia, GA 40 $500
6. 11 F1 Payton Freeman Commerce, GA 40 $425
7. 8 27 Larry Harrod Plains, GA 40 $375
8. 10 18e Chase Edge Lafayette, AL 40 $350
9. 6 32 Chad Stapleton Edinburgh, IN 40 $325
10. 13 85 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 40 $300
11. 15 22a Austin Burns Georgetown IN 39 $275
12. 12 J39 Jimmy Elliott Cleveland, TN 39 $250
13. 19 6r Shane Riner Guyton, GA 39 $225
14. 22 14 Will Herrington Cochran, GA 39 $200
15. 21 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL 39 $175
16. 20 9 Ches Chester Twin City, GA 37 $150
17. 17 18 Ben Faircloth Swainsboro, GA 23 $140
18. 24 66 Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA 13 $125
19. 16 1n Jordy Nipper Gray, GA 12 $125
20. 20 30 Kale Hardy Nicholson, GA 11 $125
21. 18 3 Cody Smith Holt, FL 9 $125
22. 14 110 Ricky Culpepper Hamilton, GA 7 $125
23. 4 00 Russell Brown Jr. Valdosta, GA 0 $125
24. 3 26 Jimmy Sharpe Jr. Soperton, GA 40 $0/DQ-ENG

ENTRIES: 30
KNOWLES RACE PARTS AND BODIES FAST QUALIFIER: Nowell, 14.561 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: None:
LEAD CHANGES: 3
LAP LEADERS: Nowell, 1-2; Sharpe, 3-27; J. Brown, 28; Sharpe, 29-40*
LAPS LED: Sharpe, 37*; Nowell, 2; J. Brown, 1
(* - Sharpe failed Post-Race Technical Inspection due to incorrect pistons in his engine)
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER OF THE RACE: Herrington (started 22nd and finished 14th)
CAUTIONS: 4
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .501 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 19 Minutes and 45.654 Seconds
NEXT EVENT: March 24, Cochran Motor Speedway, $4,000-to-win, 50-laps

KNOWLES RACE PARTS AND BODIES QUALIFYING (Top 8 Transfer To Main Event):

POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TIME
1 27t Terrance Nowell Phenix City, AL Longhorn 14.561
2 92 Joseph Brown Cataula, GA Blk Diamond 14.588
3 26jr Jimmy Sharpe Jr. Soperton, GA Rocket 14.734
4 00 Russell Brown Jr. Valdosta, GA Brown 14.748
5 22 Jimmy Thomas Phenix City, AL Scorpion 14.768
6 32 Chad Stapleton Edinburg, IN Club 29 14.813
7 01 Travis Pennington Stapleton, GA Longhorn 14.822
8 27 Larry Harrod Plains, GA Longhorn 14.822
9 21 Corey Dunn Milledgeville, GA CVR 14.822
10 18e Chase Edge Lafayette, AL Mastersbilt 14.838
11 22 Austin Burns Georgetown, IN Club 29 14.926
12 J39 Jimmy Elliott Cleveland, TN Longhorn 14.936
13 12 Ashton Winger Senoia, GA Rocket 14.942
14 110 Ricky Culpepper Hamilton, GA Longhorn 14.943
15 F1 Payton Freeman Commerce, GA Capital 14.954
16 1n Jordy Nipper Gray, GA Longhorn 15.014
17 85 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Capital 15.015
18 3 Cody Smith Holt, FL Rocket 15.016
19 10 Pearson Lee Williams Dublin, GA Longhorn 15.042
20 9 Ches Chester Twin City, GA Rocket 15.053
21 3d Chesley Dixon Swainsboro, GA Barry Wright 15.064
22 99 Travis Carter Valdosta, GA Brown 15.067
23 6r Shane Riner Guyton, GA Rocket 15.098
24 14 Will Herrington Cochran, GA CVR 15.149
25 18 Ben Faircloth Swainsboro, GA Longhorn 15.211
26 66 Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA Rocket 15.246
27 5 Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL Warrior 15.287
28 J1 Joshua Bishop Statesboro, GA Longhorn 15.311
29 30 Kale Hardy Nicholson, GA Capital 15.365
30 6jr Parker Martin Milledgeville, GA Longhorn 15.772

B-MAINS (12 Laps – Top 8 Transfer To Main Event):

1ST B-MAIN: 1. Winger; 2. Freeman; 3. Johnson; 4. Burns; 5. Faircloth; 6. Riner; 7. Dykes; 8. Hardy; 9. Dixon; 10. Williams; 11. Dunn DQ.

2ND B-MAIN: 1. Edge; 2. Elliott; 3. Culpepper; 4. Nipper; 5. Smith; 6. Chester; 7. Herrington; 8. Knowles; 9. Carter; 10. Martin; 11. Bishop.

NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is one of the nation’s top GM Powertrain and Performance Dealer seven years running, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. Sunoco Race Fuels is the Official Race Fuel of the NeSmith Late Models. RockAuto.com is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. Beyea Headers the NeSmith Late Model Hard Charger Sponsor. Knowles Race Parts and Bodies is the Official Parts Supplier for the NeSmith Late Models. Cruise With The Champions is the Official Vacation and Rookie of the Year Sponsor for the NeSmith Late Models. David Smith Carburetors is the Official Carburetor of NeSmith Racing. Freestyle Graphix is the Official Wrap, Banner, and Sign Company of NeSmith Racing. NeSmith Late Model Contingency Sponsors for 2017 are Out-Pace Performance, CrateInsider.Com, Gresham Racing Parts, Knowles Racing Parts and Bodies, and FreeStyle Graphix. 2017 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.