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PENTON, AL – For the past six days in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, it has been good to be King – Ryan King of Seymour, TN that is – and he’s not yet willing to give up the throne. King drove the Brian King Roofing Stinger to his second straight NeSmith Late Model win on Friday night at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL.
That followed up King’s first career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win that came last Saturday night at Cochran Motor Speedway in Cochran, GA. The Penton race was also the second straight NeSmith Late Model event where King set Fast Time and started from the pole position.
King turned Penton Raceway in 14.616 seconds in time trials, and then led all 40 laps of the race on Friday night to collect the $2,000 top prize and pull off a clean sweep of the racing program where he was also the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race.
The win on Friday night at Penton Raceway also moved King into the second spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings behind point leader Ronnie Johnson, who is looking for his third straight title.
“This win wasn’t as easy as it looked because the track was pretty rough, and it was all I could do to hang on,†King said. “We’re on a roll here, and I just hope we can keep it up. That first win was pretty awesome, the second win is even better, and if we can make it three in a row, that would be off the chart.â€
Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL finished second in the Panama City Cycles Rocket for his best NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series finish of the 2015 season. Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN took the third spot in the #H2 Duayne Hommel Tribute Car Rebel Diesel Rocket. The top three finishers in the race were Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Candidates.
Shep Lucas of McKenzie, AL was fourth in the Lucas Farms Special and Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL finished fifth in the Edge’s Gas Company Special. Cody Martin of Christiana, TN started 20th in the Martin Motorsports Warrior and finished sixth to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award.
Justin Shipley of Douglasville, GA took the seventh spot in the Rogers Mechanical Special and Tom Maddox of Centre, AL was eighth in the Race Vinson Engines Trak-Star. Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL finished ninth in the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR and the 13-year-old driver was the Sunoco Young Gun of the Race. Joe Noogin of Boaz, AL rounded out the top ten in the Noogin Body Shop GRT.
Caution flags slowed the event ten times, with the most dramatic ones involving top ten drivers. King took the lead at the start of the race followed by Lucas, Johnson, Crane, and Ronnie Cooper of McKenzie, TN in the Ronnie Cooper Trucking. Asphalt late model ace Bubba Pollard of Gay, GA spun the Pollard Motorsports Rocket in two on lap two while running seventh.
On the restart, Maddox spun out of the ninth spot and then on the next restart, Cord Dodgen of LaFayette, AL spun the Jeff Dodgen Logging Special out of the sixth spot. The third time was a charm, especially for Crane, who came from fifth to get by Lucas for the second spot.
Cooper and Johnson got by Lucas for third and fourth respectively on lap three. Cooper’s charge to the front would end on lap four when he spun in turn two to bring out the caution flag. Johnson was also collected and cut down a tire. Cooper was done for the night, but Johnson would return and restart at the tail of the field.
King had Crane, Lucas, Edge, Henderson, Chris Wilson of Crossville, TN in the Dale’s Auto Sales Rocket, and Skinner doubled up behind him for the restart. The race went green for two more laps before Taylor Mitcham of LaFayette, AL spun the Mitcham Auto Parts Trak-Star in turn two while running seventh. A lap 14 restart saw Wilson spin out of the sixth spot.
King led Crane, Lucas, Edge, Henderson, Shipley, Skinner, Noogin, and Maddox down for the restart, and Crane hooked a rut in turn one that got his car airborne. While Crane landed his machine, the field bowed up on the bottom groove of the track, except for Henderson, who sailed around the outside, and into the third spot.
The halfway point of the race on lap 20 saw King with a half straightaway advantage over Crane. King took on heavy lapped traffic by lap 25, but Crane could not gain any ground on the leader. With four laps to go, King again was in heavy lapped traffic, but this time, Crane closed the gap to within three car-lengths.
Instead of engaging the lapped traffic and risk opening the door for Crane, King covered the bottom groove of the track, and took a .528 second margin of victory under the checkered flag for his second straight win. The next event for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race on Saturday night 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.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 14 AT PENTON RACEWAY IN PENTON, AL ON 8/7/15:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 1 30 Ryan King (R) Seymour, TN 40 $2,125
2. 4 10 Ryan Crane (R) Panama City, FL 40 $1,125
3. 8 H2 Matt Henderson (R) Loudon, TN 40 $825
4. 2 57 Shep Lucas McKenzie, AL 40 $550
5. 10 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 40 $625
6. 20 21m Cody Martin (R) Christiana, TN 40 $550
7. 16 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA 40 $375
8. 9 11t Tom Maddox Centre, AL 40 $350
9. 13 11 Cruz Skinner (Y) Oxford, AL 40 $325
10. 14 21n Joe Noogin Boaz, AL 40 $300
11. 21 22 Will Roland (Y) Jasper, GA 40 $275
12. 3 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 39 $375
13. 12 66d Dylan Knowles Lanett, AL 39 $225
14. 23 5c Mike Combs Odenville, AL 39 $200
15. 17 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 32 $300
16. 11 10w Chris Wilson Crossville, TN 27 $150
17. 22 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL 20 $140
18. 15 105 Taylor Mitcham LaFayette, AL 12 $125
19. 6 26 Bubba Pollard Gay, GA 12 $125
20. 18 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL 6 $125
21. 5 10c Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN 3 $125
22. 7 18d Cord Dodgen LaFayette, AL 2 $125
23. 19 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 1 $125
ENTRIES: 30
FAST QUALIFIER: King, 14.616 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: None
LEAD CHANGES: None
LAP LEADER: King, 1-40
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: King
SUNOCO YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Skinner
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Martin (started 20th and finished 6th)
INTEGRA SHOCKS FIFTH-PLACE AWARD: Edge
CRATE INSIDER.COM SIXTH-PLACE AWARD: Martin
GRESHAM RACE PARTS SEVENTH-PLACE AWARD: Shipley
IMAGE SCREEN PRINTING NINTH-PLACE AWARD: Skinner
AR BODIES TENTH-PLACE AWARD: Noogin
CAUTIONS: 10
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .528 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 42 Minutes and 28.408 Seconds
NEXT RACE: August 8, East Alabama Motor Speedway, Phenix City, AL 50-laps, $2,500-to-win
QUALIFYING:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 30 Ryan King - R Seymour, TN Stinger 14.701 14.616 14.616
2 57 Shep Lucas McKenzie, TN Barry Wright 14.715 14.644 14.644
3 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Mastersbilt 14.711 14.794 14.711
4 10 Ryan Crane - R Panama City, FL Rocket 14.883 14.819 14.819
5 10 Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN Rocket 14.826 14.967 14.826
6 26 Bubba Pollard Gay, GA Rocket 15.329 14.871 14.871
7 18d Cord Dodgen LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 14.997 14.877 14.877
8 H2 Matt Henderson - R Loudon, TN Rocket 14.973 14.892 14.892
9 11t Tom Maddox Centre, AL Trak-Star 15.341 14.903 14.903
10 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 14.933 15.191 14.933
11 10w Chris Wilson Crossville, TN Rocket 14.988 15.091 14.988
12 66d Dylan Knowles Lanett, AL Rocket 15.190 15.024 15.024
13 11 Cruz Skinner - Y Oxford, AL CVR 15.067 15.123 15.067
14 21n Joe Noogin Boaz, AL GRT 15.129 15.365 15.129
15 105 Taylor Mitcham LaFayette, AL Trak-Star 15.145 15.218 15.145
16 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA Team 17 15.512 15.172 15.172
17 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 15.215 15.775 15.215
18 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL Warrior 15.461 15.338 15.338
19 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS HRRC 15.435 15.367 15.367
20 21m Cody Martin - R Christiana, TN Warrior 15.379 15.743 15.379
21 22 Will Roland - Y Jasper, GA Warrior 15.784 15.435 15.435
22 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL GRT 15.761 15.926 15.761
23 5c Mike Combs Odenville, AL TSR 15.916 16.744 15.916
24 38c Chip Brindle Chatsworth, GA Brindle NT NT NT
25 101 Forrest Trent Talbott, TN Rocket NT NT NT
26 25 Hunter Carter Blackshear, GA Mastersbilt NT NT NT
27 1r Riley Hickman Cleveland, TN CVR NT NT NT
28 222 Mike Boland Cuba, AL Trak-Star NT NT NT
29 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS Barry Wright NT NT NT
30 232 Jamey Boland Cuba, AL Trak-Star NT NT NT
NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 8/7/15:
1. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 1,200
2. 30 Ryan King (R) – 1,092
3. 18 Chase Edge – 1,086
4. H2 Matt Henderson (R) – 1,042
5. 10 Ryan Crane (R) – 982
6. 21m Cody Martin (R) – 916
7. 19 Marcus Minga – 748
8. 5d Rodgerick Dykes – 488
9. 14 Cale Conley – 482
10. 87 Walker Arthur – 464
11. 14c Tyler Clem (R/Y) – 438
12. 25 Justin McRee – 432
13. 33b Eric Cooley – 370
14. 4 Jeremy Faircloth – 356
15. 19t William Thomas – 348
16. 2x Nick Lyons – 332
17. 11 Cruz Skinner (Y) – 310
18. 1 Johnny Stokes – 304
19. 17 Adam Gauldin – 294
19. 22 Will Roland (Y) - 294
R – Denotes Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Candidate
Y – Denotes Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series Driver
That followed up King’s first career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win that came last Saturday night at Cochran Motor Speedway in Cochran, GA. The Penton race was also the second straight NeSmith Late Model event where King set Fast Time and started from the pole position.
King turned Penton Raceway in 14.616 seconds in time trials, and then led all 40 laps of the race on Friday night to collect the $2,000 top prize and pull off a clean sweep of the racing program where he was also the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race.
The win on Friday night at Penton Raceway also moved King into the second spot in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings behind point leader Ronnie Johnson, who is looking for his third straight title.
“This win wasn’t as easy as it looked because the track was pretty rough, and it was all I could do to hang on,†King said. “We’re on a roll here, and I just hope we can keep it up. That first win was pretty awesome, the second win is even better, and if we can make it three in a row, that would be off the chart.â€
Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL finished second in the Panama City Cycles Rocket for his best NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series finish of the 2015 season. Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN took the third spot in the #H2 Duayne Hommel Tribute Car Rebel Diesel Rocket. The top three finishers in the race were Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Candidates.
Shep Lucas of McKenzie, AL was fourth in the Lucas Farms Special and Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL finished fifth in the Edge’s Gas Company Special. Cody Martin of Christiana, TN started 20th in the Martin Motorsports Warrior and finished sixth to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award.
Justin Shipley of Douglasville, GA took the seventh spot in the Rogers Mechanical Special and Tom Maddox of Centre, AL was eighth in the Race Vinson Engines Trak-Star. Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL finished ninth in the Skinner’s Body Shop CVR and the 13-year-old driver was the Sunoco Young Gun of the Race. Joe Noogin of Boaz, AL rounded out the top ten in the Noogin Body Shop GRT.
Caution flags slowed the event ten times, with the most dramatic ones involving top ten drivers. King took the lead at the start of the race followed by Lucas, Johnson, Crane, and Ronnie Cooper of McKenzie, TN in the Ronnie Cooper Trucking. Asphalt late model ace Bubba Pollard of Gay, GA spun the Pollard Motorsports Rocket in two on lap two while running seventh.
On the restart, Maddox spun out of the ninth spot and then on the next restart, Cord Dodgen of LaFayette, AL spun the Jeff Dodgen Logging Special out of the sixth spot. The third time was a charm, especially for Crane, who came from fifth to get by Lucas for the second spot.
Cooper and Johnson got by Lucas for third and fourth respectively on lap three. Cooper’s charge to the front would end on lap four when he spun in turn two to bring out the caution flag. Johnson was also collected and cut down a tire. Cooper was done for the night, but Johnson would return and restart at the tail of the field.
King had Crane, Lucas, Edge, Henderson, Chris Wilson of Crossville, TN in the Dale’s Auto Sales Rocket, and Skinner doubled up behind him for the restart. The race went green for two more laps before Taylor Mitcham of LaFayette, AL spun the Mitcham Auto Parts Trak-Star in turn two while running seventh. A lap 14 restart saw Wilson spin out of the sixth spot.
King led Crane, Lucas, Edge, Henderson, Shipley, Skinner, Noogin, and Maddox down for the restart, and Crane hooked a rut in turn one that got his car airborne. While Crane landed his machine, the field bowed up on the bottom groove of the track, except for Henderson, who sailed around the outside, and into the third spot.
The halfway point of the race on lap 20 saw King with a half straightaway advantage over Crane. King took on heavy lapped traffic by lap 25, but Crane could not gain any ground on the leader. With four laps to go, King again was in heavy lapped traffic, but this time, Crane closed the gap to within three car-lengths.
Instead of engaging the lapped traffic and risk opening the door for Crane, King covered the bottom groove of the track, and took a .528 second margin of victory under the checkered flag for his second straight win. The next event for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be a 50-lap $2,500-to-win race on Saturday night 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.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 14 AT PENTON RACEWAY IN PENTON, AL ON 8/7/15:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 1 30 Ryan King (R) Seymour, TN 40 $2,125
2. 4 10 Ryan Crane (R) Panama City, FL 40 $1,125
3. 8 H2 Matt Henderson (R) Loudon, TN 40 $825
4. 2 57 Shep Lucas McKenzie, AL 40 $550
5. 10 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 40 $625
6. 20 21m Cody Martin (R) Christiana, TN 40 $550
7. 16 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA 40 $375
8. 9 11t Tom Maddox Centre, AL 40 $350
9. 13 11 Cruz Skinner (Y) Oxford, AL 40 $325
10. 14 21n Joe Noogin Boaz, AL 40 $300
11. 21 22 Will Roland (Y) Jasper, GA 40 $275
12. 3 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 39 $375
13. 12 66d Dylan Knowles Lanett, AL 39 $225
14. 23 5c Mike Combs Odenville, AL 39 $200
15. 17 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 32 $300
16. 11 10w Chris Wilson Crossville, TN 27 $150
17. 22 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL 20 $140
18. 15 105 Taylor Mitcham LaFayette, AL 12 $125
19. 6 26 Bubba Pollard Gay, GA 12 $125
20. 18 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL 6 $125
21. 5 10c Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN 3 $125
22. 7 18d Cord Dodgen LaFayette, AL 2 $125
23. 19 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 1 $125
ENTRIES: 30
FAST QUALIFIER: King, 14.616 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: None
LEAD CHANGES: None
LAP LEADER: King, 1-40
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: King
SUNOCO YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Skinner
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER AWARD: Martin (started 20th and finished 6th)
INTEGRA SHOCKS FIFTH-PLACE AWARD: Edge
CRATE INSIDER.COM SIXTH-PLACE AWARD: Martin
GRESHAM RACE PARTS SEVENTH-PLACE AWARD: Shipley
IMAGE SCREEN PRINTING NINTH-PLACE AWARD: Skinner
AR BODIES TENTH-PLACE AWARD: Noogin
CAUTIONS: 10
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .528 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 42 Minutes and 28.408 Seconds
NEXT RACE: August 8, East Alabama Motor Speedway, Phenix City, AL 50-laps, $2,500-to-win
QUALIFYING:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 30 Ryan King - R Seymour, TN Stinger 14.701 14.616 14.616
2 57 Shep Lucas McKenzie, TN Barry Wright 14.715 14.644 14.644
3 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Mastersbilt 14.711 14.794 14.711
4 10 Ryan Crane - R Panama City, FL Rocket 14.883 14.819 14.819
5 10 Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN Rocket 14.826 14.967 14.826
6 26 Bubba Pollard Gay, GA Rocket 15.329 14.871 14.871
7 18d Cord Dodgen LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 14.997 14.877 14.877
8 H2 Matt Henderson - R Loudon, TN Rocket 14.973 14.892 14.892
9 11t Tom Maddox Centre, AL Trak-Star 15.341 14.903 14.903
10 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 14.933 15.191 14.933
11 10w Chris Wilson Crossville, TN Rocket 14.988 15.091 14.988
12 66d Dylan Knowles Lanett, AL Rocket 15.190 15.024 15.024
13 11 Cruz Skinner - Y Oxford, AL CVR 15.067 15.123 15.067
14 21n Joe Noogin Boaz, AL GRT 15.129 15.365 15.129
15 105 Taylor Mitcham LaFayette, AL Trak-Star 15.145 15.218 15.145
16 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA Team 17 15.512 15.172 15.172
17 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 15.215 15.775 15.215
18 5d Rodgerick Dykes Smith Station, AL Warrior 15.461 15.338 15.338
19 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS HRRC 15.435 15.367 15.367
20 21m Cody Martin - R Christiana, TN Warrior 15.379 15.743 15.379
21 22 Will Roland - Y Jasper, GA Warrior 15.784 15.435 15.435
22 17 Adam Gauldin Talladega, AL GRT 15.761 15.926 15.761
23 5c Mike Combs Odenville, AL TSR 15.916 16.744 15.916
24 38c Chip Brindle Chatsworth, GA Brindle NT NT NT
25 101 Forrest Trent Talbott, TN Rocket NT NT NT
26 25 Hunter Carter Blackshear, GA Mastersbilt NT NT NT
27 1r Riley Hickman Cleveland, TN CVR NT NT NT
28 222 Mike Boland Cuba, AL Trak-Star NT NT NT
29 33b Eric Cooley Fulton, MS Barry Wright NT NT NT
30 232 Jamey Boland Cuba, AL Trak-Star NT NT NT
NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 8/7/15:
1. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 1,200
2. 30 Ryan King (R) – 1,092
3. 18 Chase Edge – 1,086
4. H2 Matt Henderson (R) – 1,042
5. 10 Ryan Crane (R) – 982
6. 21m Cody Martin (R) – 916
7. 19 Marcus Minga – 748
8. 5d Rodgerick Dykes – 488
9. 14 Cale Conley – 482
10. 87 Walker Arthur – 464
11. 14c Tyler Clem (R/Y) – 438
12. 25 Justin McRee – 432
13. 33b Eric Cooley – 370
14. 4 Jeremy Faircloth – 356
15. 19t William Thomas – 348
16. 2x Nick Lyons – 332
17. 11 Cruz Skinner (Y) – 310
18. 1 Johnny Stokes – 304
19. 17 Adam Gauldin – 294
19. 22 Will Roland (Y) - 294
R – Denotes Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Candidate
Y – Denotes Sunoco Young Guns Challenge Series Driver