CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will open the Bubba’s Army Winternationals at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL with a busy schedule of running four races over three days of racing. Rounds 2, 3 and 4 of the Rock Auto.com Winter Shootout will happen on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Saturday will feature a double-header, as the $10,000-to-win 100-lap 11th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race will also take place. The Qualifying and Heat Races took place on November 20, 2015 to fill the front half of the main event that was rained out on November 21, 2015 and rescheduled for Saturday night.
Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL set Fast Time and won the first Heat Race in November to earn the pole position for the 11th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race. Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL won the second heat race, and starts outside Bronson in the front row. Dennis Franklin of Gaffney, SC and Keith Nosbisch of Valrico, FL will make up row two after winning heat races three and four respectively.
Also making the “Sweet 16” of drivers qualifying for the 100-lap main event in November were Trent Ivey of Union, SC, Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL, Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL, Cale Conley of Vienna, WV, Ryan King of Seymour, TN, Ryan Crane of Panama City, FL, three-time NeSmith Late Model Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN, Doug Horton of Wimauma, FL, Marcus Minga of Shannon, MS, Tom Maddox of Centre, AL, Michael Lake of Uniontown, PA and Monte Skinner of Saraland, AL.
The on track action is scheduled to begin on Wednesday night with an Open Practice session from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The pit gate opens at 4 p.m. The first three races will be a part of the eight-race RockAuto.com Winter Shootout. William Thomas of Phenix City, AL won the opening Round at the Icebowl on January 10 at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be in action on Thursday night with a $2,000-to-win 40-lap race. NeSmith Late Model Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection will begin at 2 p.m. with the Drivers Meeting at 6 p.m. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m. Drivers are encouraged to be at Registration early in order to complete their 2016 NeSmith Racing paperwork.
Friday’s show will consist of the $2,500-to-win 50-lap main event. NeSmith Late Model Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection will begin at 3 p.m., with the Drivers Meeting at 6 p.m. Hot laps are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m.
The third RockAuto.com Winter Shootout race at Bubba Raceway Park on Saturday will be a daytime show. NeSmith Late Model Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection will begin at 11 a.m., with the Drivers Meeting at 1 p.m. Hot laps are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. with racing at 2 p.m.
Following point leader Thomas in the Top 10 of the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout point standings are Ray Cook of Brasstown, NC, Edge, Jimmy Elliott of Cleveland, TN, John Ownbey of Cleveland, TN, Sunoco Young Guns Champion 14-year-old Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL, Ethan Hunter of Chattanooga, TN, King, Greg Martin of Oliver Springs, TN and Brandon Williams of Crossville, TN.
At the completion of the daytime race on Saturday, the grandstand will be cleared, and the track reworked for the nighttime show. The NeSmith Late Models will pick up where they left off in November with a pair of B-Main races to fill starting positions 17 through 24 for the main event.
Among the drivers still on the outside looking in for the 11th Annual Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race is the defending race champion Walker Arthur of Forest, VA. Arthur starts the first B-Main race from the pole position, with 13-year-old Sunoco Young Gun Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL alongside on the outside of the front row.
The front row for the second B-Main race has Evan Ellis of Plantersville, MS on the pole with Justin Shipley of Douglasville, GA on the outside. The Drivers Meeting for the Saturday night race is scheduled for 7 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m.
Bubba Raceway Park is located north of Ocala, FL at 9050 N.W. Gainesville Road, Ocala, FL 34482. For more information call 352-622-9400, or visit the track web site at www.bubbaracewaypark.com and on Facebook at Bubba Raceway Park.
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.
PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE 11TH ANNUAL CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE AT BUBBA RACEWAY PARK IN OCALA, FL ON 11/20/15:
GROUP QUALIFYING:
GROUP 1:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 40b Kyle Bronson Brandon, FL Rocket 14.875 15.314 14.875
2 88 Trent Ivey Union, SC Mastersbilt 15.706 15.335 15.335
3 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA Mastersbilt 15.816 15.497 15.497
4 30 Ryan King – R Seymour, TN Stinger 15.798 15.529 15.529
5 23 Jimmy Mac Mooresville, NC Barry Wright 18.422 15.740 15.740
6 03 Phillip Cobb Dover, FL Barry Wright 16.037 15.874 15.874
7 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS Rocket 15.972 15.887 15.887
8 15 Jason Britton – R Alexander City, AL Pierce 16.050 16.671 16.050
9 33s Carter Stokes New Smyrna Bch, FL Rocket NT NT NT
GROUP 2:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 02 Keith Nosbisch Valrico, FL Rocket 15.528 15.286 15.286
2 11 Doug Horton Wimauma, FL Warrior 15.413 15.486 15.413
3 H2 Matt Henderson – R Loudon, TN Rocket 15.561 15.896 15.561
4 14c Cale Conley Vienna, WV Pierce 16.110 15.584 15.584
5 08 Justin Shipley Douglasville, GA Team 17 16.035 15.702 15.702
6 00m Monte Skinner Saraland, AL Capital 16.062 16.272 16.062
7 5b Brian Johnson Riverview, FL Warrior 16.375 16.075 16.075
8 41k John Kellum Jacksonville, FL Mastersbilt 17.219 16.671 16.671
9 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS HRRC 17.673 17.157 17.157
GROUP 3:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 RJ1 Michael Lake – Y Uniontown, PA Rocket 15.647 15.223 15.223
2 2 Dennis Franklin Gaffney, SC Longhorn 15.663 15.489 15.489
3 58 Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL Barry Wright 15.898 15.549 15.549
4 03 Chris O’Connor Cantonment, FL HRRC 15.707 15.962 15.707
5 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Trak Star 16.025 15.739 15.739
6 73 Evan Ellis Plantersville, MS Barry Wright 15.857 16.255 15.857
7 5s Blake Spencer St. Augustine, FL GRT 16.769 15.924 15.924
8 14 Braeden Dillinger – Y Dawson, PA Warrior 16.359 15.981 15.981
9 45 Bobby Richardson Eustis, FL Mastersbilt 16.144 16.141 16.141
GROUP 4:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL Mastersbilt 15.539 15.089 15.089
2 14 Tyler Clem – R/Y St. Petersburg, FL Rocket 15.490 16.800 15.490
3 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr, Ocala, FL Snow Bros 15.493 15.846 15.493
4 85 Tom Maddox Centre, AL Trak-Star 15.950 15.650 15.650
5 12 Ashton Winger – Y Senoia, GA Rocket 16.518 15.733 15.733
6 00 Russell Brown Jr. Valdosta, GA Brown 16.038 15.767 15.767
7 10c Ryan Crane – R Panama City, FL Rocket 15.889 15.830 15.830
8 B69 Bryan Bernhardt Clearwater, FL Rocket 16.157 16.234 16.157
9 10 Ronnie Cooper McKenzie, TN Black Diamond 16.754 16.318 16.318
HEAT RACES (10 Laps – Top 4 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST HEAT: 1. Bronson; 2. Ivey; 3. King (R); 4. Minga; 5. Arthur; 6. Mac; 7. Cobb; 8. Britton (R); 9. Stokes DNS.
2ND HEAT: 1. Edge; 2. Lloyd; 3. Crane (R); 4. Maddox; 5. Clem (R/Y); 6. Bernhardt; 7. Winger (Y); 8. Brown; 9. Cooper.
3RD HEAT: 1. Franklin; 2. Whitener; 3. R. Johnson; 4. Lake (Y); 5. Ellis; 6. Spencer; 7. O’Connor; 8. Dillinger; 9. Richardson.
4TH HEAT: 1. Nosbisch; 2. Conley; 3. Horton; 4. Skinner; 5. Shipley; 6. Kellum; 7. Henderson (R); 8. Blount; 9. B. Johnson.
“SWEET 16” STARTING LINE-UP FOR 11TH ANNUAL CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE ON 1/30/16:
ROW 1:
40b Kyle Bronson, Brandon, FL – 18 Chase Edge, LaFayette, AL
ROW 2:
2 Dennis Franklin, Gaffney, SC – 02 Keith Nosbisch, Valrico, FL
ROW 3:
88 Trent Ivey, Union, SC – 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr., Ocala, FL
ROW 4:
58 Mark Whitener, Middleburg, FL – 14 Cale Conley, Vienna, WV
ROW 5:
30 Ryan King, Seymour, TN – 10c Ryan Crane, Panama City, FL
ROW 6:
5 Ronnie Johnson, Chattanooga, TN – 11 Doug Horton, Wimauma, FL
ROW 7:
19 Marcus Minga, Shannon, MS – 85 Tom Maddox, Centre, AL
ROW 8:
RJ1 Michael Lake, Uniontown, PA – 00m Monte Skinner, Saraland, AL
B-MAIN STARTING LINE-UPS (Laps TBA – Top 3 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST B-MAIN:
87 Walker Arthur – 14c Tyler Clem
23 Jimmy Mac – B69 Bryan Bernhardt
03c Phillip Cobb – 12 Ashton Winger
15 Jason Britton (R) – 00 Russell Brown Jr.
33c Carter Stokes – 10 Ronnie Cooper
2ND B-MAIN:
73 Evan Ellis – 08 Justin Shipley
5s Blake Spencer – 41k John Kellum
03 Chris O’Connor – H2 Matt Henderson
14d Braeden Dillinger – 121 Michael Blount
45 Bobby Richardson – 5 Brian Johnson
NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain and Performance Dealer six 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. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. Beyea Headers is the NeSmith Late Model Hard Charger Sponsor. Sunoco Race Fuels is the Official Race Fuel of the NeSmith Late Models. Panama City Cycles is the Official ATV Provider of the NeSmith Late Models. AR Bodies is an Associate Sponsor of the NeSmith Late Models. NeSmith Late Model Contingency Sponsors for 2015 are CrateInsider.Com, Integra Racing Shocks, Image Screen Printing, and Gresham Race Parts. 2015 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.