OCALA, FL – Ronny Lee Hollingsworth is on a roll in NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Rock Auto.com Speedweeks Presented By Racecar Engineering action at Bubba Raceway Park. Right Foot Ronny made it two straight on Wednesday night with a win in the 40-lap main event driving the Sparks Motorsports Special.
Hollingsworth claimed his ground in the Bubba Raceway Park Victory Lane and hoisted the $2,000 check after taking a 2.340 second margin of victory over Walker Arthur of Forest, VA, who finished second in the Cecil B. Arthur Beef Farms Special. Justin McRee of Cottondale, AL took the third spot in the High Roller Race Cars Special.
After the first two nights of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series competition, Hollingsworth has a perfect 200 points and holds a 14 point advantage over McRee, who is in the second spot in the points chase with 186. Hollingsworth made it a “clean sweep” on Wednesday night by setting fast time honors, winning his ten-lap heat race, and taking the main event.
Shan Smith of Dade City, FL was fourth in the Outlaw Race Parts TNT and defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Champion Chase Washington of Houlka, MS finished fifth in the Jerry Inmon Racing Special. Ryan Montgomery of Fairmount, WV started 18th in the Central Supply Warrior and finished sixth to earn the Hedman Husler of the Race Award.
Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL took the seventh spot in the Harrod Logging Special and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN was eighth in the Eads Farms/Hardy & Associates Warrior. Jeff Mathews of Valrico, FL drove the CURS Warrior to a ninth-place finish. Austin Kirkpatrick of Ocala, FL rounded out the top ten in the Sonny’s BBQ Special and was the Rookie of the Race.
Hollingsworth started of the evening by out-timing the 66 entrants with a lap around Bubba Raceway Park in 14.913 seconds to take the Smiley’s Racing Products Fast Time Award and earn the pole position for the third heat. Hollingsworth won that race, and then drew the number three pill for his starting spot in the main event.
Tait Davenport of Benton, KY drove the Murtco Special to the win in the second ten-lap heat race and then drew the number one pill for the pole position in the main event. Brad Smith of Clemmons, NC won the first ten-lap heat race and drew the number two pill for the outside front row starting spot in the Smiley’s Racing Products Special.
At the drop of the green flag for the 40-lap main event, Davenport took the lead followed by Smith, Hollingsworth, Arthur and McRee. The top four drivers battled for the lead in the opening laps of the race. Smith got an outside run on Davenport coming off the second turn on lap five, and took the lead going down the back stretch.
Smith tried to pull away, but couldn’t shake Davenport, Arthur and Hollingsworth. Davenport stayed glued to the inside groove of the speedway, but Bubba Raceway Park featured multi-grooves and drivers used all of them, as Arthur and Hollingsworth challenged Davenport for second running the outside cushion of the race track.
Arthur sailed around the outside of Davenport on lap seven to take the second spot, and Hollingsworth passed Davenport for third on lap nine. Smith began to encounter lapped traffic by lap ten, as Arthur, Hollingsworth and Davenport closed the gap. Hollingsworth was able get by Arthur for second on lap 11 coming off the fourth turn.
As the lead quartet came off the fourth turn on lap 12, Smith spun to bring out the first of two caution flags. That misfortune earned Smith the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck of the Race Award.
Smith’s spin also gave Hollingsworth the lead, which he would never relinquish. Doubled up behind Hollingsworth for the restart were Arthur, Davenport, Nolan Dalton of Morgantown, WV in the Kahuna Motorsports Warrior, McRee, Mathews, Shan Smith, Kirkpatrick, Lloyd and Montgomery. Arthur was able to stay close to Hollingsworth after the restart, but the lead duo pulled away from Davenport.
The field was slowed for the final time on lap 24 when Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL stalled the Brandon Ford Warrior in turn two. Hollingsworth led Arthur, Davenport, McRee, Mathews, Shan Smith, Kirkpatrick, Montgomery, Gentry, and Lloyd back to the green flag.
Hollingsworth and Arthur once again pulled away from Davenport, who would begin to fade in the second half of the race. McRee threw a slider at Davenport in turn two on lap 25 to take over the third spot, and Shan Smith passed Davenport for fourth on lap 26. With ten laps to go, Hollingsworth held a full straightaway advantage over Arthur.
Behind the two leaders, McRee and Shan Smith would begin a side-by-side battle for the third spot on lap 35 that went on for the remainder of the race. Hollingsworth would enter lapped traffic on lap 36, but he had a big enough lead over Arthur that it didn’t come into play.
In other preliminary action, Arthur, Mathews and McRee won the fourth, fifth and sixth ten-lap heat races respectively. The three 12-lap B-Main Races were won by AES Racing teammates Dennis Franklin of Chesnee, SC and Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, GA, and Jake Teague of Oliver Springs, TN in the Wade’s Body Shop Special. Darren Peters of Fort Erie, ON Canada won the ten-lap Last Chance Race in the Billy Bones BBQ Rocket.
Thursday night will see Night Three of the Rock Auto.com Speedweeks Presented By Racecar Engineering for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series at Bubba Raceway Park with a 40-lap $2,000-to-win main event. Hot Laps will begin at 6 p.m. with Qualifying at 7 p.m., and racing to follow.
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 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 2 AT BUBBA RACEWAY PARK IN OCALA, FL ON 1/30/13:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 3 18 Ronny Hollingsworth Northport, AL 40 $2,000
2. 4 87 Walker Arthur Forest, VA 40 $1,000
3. 6 25 Justin McRee Cottondale, AL 40 $700
4. 10 17ss Shan Smith Dade City, FL 40 $550
5. 11 38 Chase Washington Houlka, MS 40 $500
6. 18 12 Ryan Montgomery Fairmont, WV 40 $525
7. 7 21 Ivedent Lloyd Ocala, FL 40 $375
8. 12 56 David Earl Gentry Murfreesboro, TN 40 $350
9. 5 33 Jeff Mathews Valrico, FL 40 $325
10. 16 11k Austin Kirkpatrick (R) Ocala, FL 40 $300
11. 20 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA 40 $275
12. 22 R1 Riley Hickman Cleveland, TN 40 $250
13. 1 18d Tait Davenport Benton, KY 40 $225
14. 9 51 Mack McCarter Gatlinburg, TN 40 $200
15. 21 117 Jake Teague Oliver Springs, TN 40 $175
16. 27 1p Darren Peters Fort Erie, ON CAN 40 $150
17. 19 2 Dennis Franklin Chesnee, SC 40 $140
18. 25 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA 40 $125
19. 24 29 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN 40 $125
20. 14 11 Doug Horton Bruceton Mills, WV 40 $125
21. 13 110 Brent Barrett Cleveland, MS 39 $125
22. 26 27 Larry Harrod Plains, GA 38 $125
23. 23 2s Andrew Satterlee Rochester Mills, PA 35 $125
24. 15 17s Jeff Smith Chatsworth, GA 23 $125
25. 17 40 Kyle Bronson Brandon, FL 22 $125
26. 8 D2 Nolan Dalton Morgantown, WV 18 $125
27. 2 68 Brad Smith Clemmons, NC 15 $125
ENTRIES: 66
SMILEY’S RACING PRODUCTS FAST QUALIFIER: Hollingsworth, 14.913 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Turner and Harrod
LEAD CHANGES: 2
LAP LEADERS: T. Davenport, 1-4; B. Smith, 5-11; Hollingsworth, 12-40
LAPS LED: Hollingsworth, 29; B. Smith, 7; T. Davenport, 4
HEDMAN HUSLER OF THE RACE AWARD: Montgomery (started 18th and finished 6th)
ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Kirkpatrick
DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD: B. Smith
PRC JUST MISSED IT AWARD: Johnny Stokes
RACECAR ENGINEERING 5TH-PLACE AWARD: Washington
KRC 6TH-PLACE AWARD: Montgomery
STEALTH RACING CARBURETORS 7TH-PLACE AWARD: Lloyd
RACECAR ENGINEERING 8TH-PLACE AWARD: Gentry
MODERN IMAGES 9TH-PLACE AWARD: Mathews
KRC 10TH-PLACE AWARD: Kirkpatrick
MIKE’S CUSTOM TANKS 11TH-PLACE AWARD: J. Davenport
SHORTY’S SHOCK SERVICE 12TH-PLACE AWARD: Hickman
SCHOENFELD HEADERS 13TH-PLACE AWARD: T. Davenport
J.T. KERR RACING EQUIPMENT 14TH-PLACE AWARD: McCarter
KINSER AIR FILTERS 15TH-PLACE AWARD: Teague
AR BODIES 16TH-PLACE AWARD: Peters
CAUTIONS: 2
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 2.340 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 19 Minutes and 9.434 Seconds
SMILEY’S RACING PRODUCTS QUALIFYING:
| GROUP 1: | |||||||
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER | HOMETOWN | CHASSIS | LAP 1 | LAP 2 | TIME |
|
1 |
110 | Brent Barrett | Cleveland, MS | GRT |
15.299 |
15.319 |
15.299 |
|
2 |
68 | Brad Smith | Clemmons, NC | Lazer |
15.838 |
15.498 |
15.498 |
|
3 |
21 | Ivedent Lloyd Jr. | Ocala, FL | Scorpion |
15.502 |
NT |
15.502 |
|
4 |
R1 | Riley Hickman | Cleveland, TN | Mastersbilt |
16.015 |
15.550 |
15.550 |
|
5 |
C11 | Cliff Williams | Star, MS | Trak-Star |
15.770 |
15.714 |
15.714 |
|
6 |
99jr | Phillip Pittman | Vidalia, GA | Rocket |
15.814 |
15.735 |
15.735 |
|
7 |
2 | Dennis Franklin | Chesnee, SC | Barry Wright |
15.870 |
15.735 |
15.735 |
|
8 |
97 | David McDonald | Brighton, ONT Can | Rocket |
16.178 |
15.758 |
15.758 |
|
9 |
10 | Matthew Turner | Dawsonville, GA | Stinger |
15.855 |
15.882 |
15.855 |
|
10 |
32 | Phillip Cobb | Dover, FL | Barry Wright |
15.952 |
15.894 |
15.894 |
|
11 |
1 | Johnny Stokes | Columbus, MS | GRT |
16.220 |
16.047 |
16.047 |
|
12 |
14k | Karl Willard | Cochran, GA | Rocket |
16.296 |
16.351 |
16.296 |
| GROUP 2: | |||||||
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER | HOMETOWN | CHASSIS | LAP 1 | LAP 2 | TIME |
|
1 |
18d | Tait Davenport | Benton, KY | Longhorn |
15.259 |
15.453 |
15.259 |
|
2 |
7f | Jason Fitzgerald | Middleburg, FL | GRT |
15.787 |
15.402 |
15.402 |
|
3 |
1p | Darren Peters | Fort Erie, ON CAN | Rocket |
15.600 |
15.445 |
15.445 |
|
4 |
51p | John Polasini | Leland, MS | Mastersbilt |
15.662 |
15.467 |
15.467 |
|
5 |
19 | Josh Adkins – R | Talladega, AL | Barry Wright |
15.481 |
15.663 |
15.481 |
|
6 |
33s | Sid Scarbrough | Florence, MS | Barry Wright |
15.735 |
15.563 |
15.563 |
|
7 |
D2 | Noland Dalton | Morgantown, WV | Warrior |
15.889 |
15.614 |
15.614 |
|
8 |
11 | Doug Horton | Bruceton Mills, WV | Warrior |
15.822 |
15.649 |
15.649 |
|
9 |
K2 | John Over | Uniontown, PA | Warrior |
15.819 |
15.754 |
15.754 |
|
10 |
27 | Larry Harrod | Plains, GA | Scorpion |
15.868 |
15.801 |
15.801 |
|
11 |
54 | Dalton Myers | Riverview, FL | Snow Bros. |
16.018 |
16.060 |
16.018 |
| GROUP 3: | |||||||
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER | HOMETOWN | CHASSIS | LAP 1 | LAP 2 | TIME |
|
1 |
18 | Ronny Hollingsworth | Northport, AL | Barry Wright |
14.913 |
14.964 |
14.913 |
|
2 |
17s | Jeff Smith | Chatsworth, GA | Warrior |
15.660 |
15.315 |
15.315 |
|
3 |
51 | Mack McCarter | Gatlinburg, TN | CVR |
15.361 |
15.342 |
15.342 |
|
4 |
94 | Wendell Chavous – R | Hephzibah, GA | Barry Wright |
15.496 |
15.348 |
15.348 |
|
5 |
311 | Kenneth Monahan – R | Lakeland, FL | CVR |
15.604 |
15.507 |
15.507 |
|
6 |
2s | Andrew Satterlee | Rochester Mills, PA | Rocket |
15.666 |
15.544 |
15.544 |
|
7 |
7k | Jak Kicklighter | Savannah, GA | Barry Wright |
15.674 |
15.605 |
15.605 |
|
8 |
49 | Jonathan Davenport | Blairsville, GA | Bloomquist |
15.816 |
15.758 |
15.758 |
|
9 |
27L | Michael Lake | Uniontown, PA | Warrior |
15.846 |
15.936 |
15.846 |
|
10 |
11p | Jorden Peters | Fort Erie, ON CAN | Rocket |
15.875 |
16.038 |
15.875 |
|
11 |
91 | Billy Tedford | Thaxton, MS | Trak-Star |
16.277 |
15.936 |
15.936 |
| GROUP 4: | |||||||
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER | HOMETOWN | CHASSIS | LAP 1 | LAP 2 | TIME |
|
1 |
2c | Joey Coulter | Concord, NC | Rocket |
15.183 |
15.596 |
15.183 |
|
2 |
17ss | Shan Smith | Dade City, FL | TNT |
15.218 |
15.618 |
15.218 |
|
3 |
87 | Walker Arthur | Forest, VA | Mastersbilt |
15.351 |
15.356 |
15.351 |
|
4 |
11k | Austin Kirkpatrick – R | Ocala, FL | Barry Wright |
15.586 |
15.426 |
15.426 |
|
5 |
5 | Ronnie Johnson | Chattanooga, TN | Mastersbilt |
15.864 |
15.607 |
15.607 |
|
6 |
1s | Jeremy Shaw – R | Millport, AL | Trak-Star |
15.845 |
15.658 |
15.658 |
|
7 |
9 | Ches Chester | Twin City, GA | Barry Wright |
15.708 |
15.732 |
15.708 |
|
8 |
21f | Todd Frank | Mellen, WI | Rocket |
15.742 |
15.821 |
15.742 |
|
9 |
1c | Mike Pegher Jr. | Cranberry, PA | Rocket |
15.921 |
16.338 |
15.921 |
|
10 |
19m | Marcus Minga | Shannon, MS | Rocket |
16.261 |
16.099 |
16.099 |
|
11 |
4g | Bob Gardner | Metamora, IL | Rayburn |
17.420 |
16.527 |
16.527 |
| GROUP 5: | |||||||
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER | HOMETOWN | CHASSIS | LAP 1 | LAP 2 | TIME |
|
1 |
25 | Justin McRee | Cottondale, AL | HRRC |
15.109 |
15.014 |
15.014 |
|
2 |
40b | Kyle Bronson | Brandon, FL | Warrior |
15.192 |
15.174 |
15.174 |
|
3 |
22 | Cecil Eunice | Blackshear, GA | Snow Bros. |
15.394 |
15.804 |
15.394 |
|
4 |
21m | Cody Martin – R | Christiana, TN | Warrior |
15.665 |
15.419 |
15.419 |
|
5 |
38 | Chase Washington | Houlka, MS | Barry Wright |
15.568 |
15.444 |
15.444 |
|
6 |
14 | Johnny Collins | Jacksonville, FL | Mastersbilt |
16.026 |
15.477 |
15.477 |
|
7 |
25B | Greg Belyea | Frankford, ON CAN | Rocket |
15.578 |
15.613 |
15.578 |
|
8 |
29 | Jason Welshan | Maryville, TN | Mastersbilt |
15.873 |
15.772 |
15.772 |
|
9 |
10c | Ronnie Cooper | McKenzie, TN | Rocket |
15.966 |
16.260 |
15.966 |
|
10 |
72 | Frank Wilson | Harold, FL | Trak-Star |
16.219 |
16.859 |
16.219 |
|
11 |
45 | Bobby Richardson | Eustis, FL | Mastersbilt | NT | NT | NT |
| GROUP 6: | |||||||
| POS | CAR # | DRIVER | HOMETOWN | CHASSIS | LAP 1 | LAP 2 | TIME |
|
1 |
33 | Jeff Mathews | Valrico, FL | Warrior |
15.863 |
15.171 |
15.171 |
|
2 |
56 | David Earl Gentry | Murfreesboro, TN | Warrior |
15.400 |
15.198 |
15.198 |
|
3 |
117 | Jake Teague | Oliver Springs, TN | Bloomquist |
15.473 |
15.412 |
15.412 |
|
4 |
12 | Ryan Montgomery | Fairmont, WV | Warrior |
15.479 |
15.438 |
15.438 |
|
5 |
24 | Mark Tice | Avon, MS | Mastersbilt |
15.660 |
15.502 |
15.502 |
|
6 |
73 | Greg Robertson | Waynesboro, VA | Rocket |
15.514 |
15.584 |
15.514 |
|
7 |
121 | Michael Blount | Sumrall, MS | GRT |
15.630 |
15.757 |
15.630 |
|
8 |
47 | Shannon Lee | Lumberton, MS | GRT |
15.705 |
15.643 |
15.643 |
|
9 |
66k | Scott Knowles | Lanett, AL | Warrior |
16.009 |
15.945 |
15.945 |
|
10 |
51w | Randy Walters | Laurel, MS | Rayburn |
16.209 |
16.186 |
16.186 |
HEAT RACES (10 Laps – Top 3 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST HEAT: 1. B. Smith; 2. Lloyd; 3. Barrett; 4. Hickman; 5. Franklin; 6. Williams; 7. Stokes; 8. Pittman; 9. McDonald; 10. Cobb; 11. Willard; 12. Turner.
2ND HEAT: 1. T. Davenport; 2. Dalton; 3. Horton; 4. Adkins (R); 5. D. Peters; 6. Myers; 7. Fitzgerald; 8. Over; 9. Scarbrough; 10. Polasini; 11. Harrod.
3RD HEAT: 1. Hollingsworth; 2. McCarter; 3. J. Smith; 4. J. Davenport; 5. Chavous (R); 6. J. Peters; 7. Satterlee; 8. Tedford; 9. Monahan (R); 10. Kicklighter; 11. Lake.
4TH HEAT: 1. Arthur; 2. S. Smith; 3. Kirkpatrick (R); 4. Johnson; 5. Coulter; 6. Pegher; 7. Chester; 8. Shaw (R); 9. Gardner; 10. Minga; 11. Frank.
5TH HEAT: 1. McRee; 2. Washington; 3. Bronson; 4. Collins; 5. Cooper; 6. Martin (R); 7. Eunice; 8. Belyea; 9. Wilson; 10. Welshan; 11. Richardson.
6TH HEAT: 1. Mathews; 2. Gentry; 3. Montgomery; 4. Teague; 5. Lee; 6. Blount; 7. Robertson; 8. Tice; 9. Walters; 10. Knowles.
B-MAINS (12 Laps – Top 3 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST B-MAIN: 1. Franklin; 2. Hickman; 3. Stokes; 4. Williams; 5. D. Peters; 6. Pittman; 7. Myers; 8. Harrod; 9. Turner; 10. Over; 11. McDonald; 12. Scarbrough; 13. Polasini; 14. Cobb; 15. Fitzgerald DNS; 16. Willard DNS; 17. Adkins (R) DQ.
2ND B-MAIN: 1. J. Davenport; 2. Satterlee; 3. Johnson; 4. Coulter; 5. Pegher; 6. Monahan (R); 7. Chester; 8. Tedford; 9. J. Peters; 10. Lake; 11. Minga; 12. Shaw (R); 13. Kicklighter; 14. Chavous (R); 15. Gardner; 16. Frank DNS.
3RD B-MAIN: 1. Teague; 2. Welshan; 3. Cooper; 4. Martin (R); 5. Blount; 6. Robertson; 7. Belyea; 8. Eunice; 9. Tice; 10. Knowles; 11. Collins; 12. Wilson; 13. Lee; 14. Richardson DNS; 15. Walters DNS.
LAST CHANCE RACE (10 Laps – Winner Transfers To Main Event): 1. D. Peters; 2. Martin (R); 3. Tice; 4. Coulter; 5. Polasini; 6. J. Peters; 7. Cooper; 8. Robertson; 9. Gardner; 10. Kicklighter.
NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 1/30/13:
1. 18 Ronnie Lee Hollingsworth – 200
2. 25 Justin McRee – 186
3. 49 Jonathan Davenport – 172
4. 33 Jeff Mathews – 172
5. 17ss Shan Smith – 172
6. 56 David Earl Gentry – 166
7. 87 Walker Arthur – 164
8. 117 Jake Teague – 156
9. 40 Kyle Bronson – 148
10. 21 Ivedent Lloyd – 140
11. 10 Matthew Turner – 138
12. 5 Ronnie Johnson – 136
13. 110 Brent Barrett – 136
14. 12 Ryan Montgomery – 136
15. 38 Chase Washington – 136
16. 2 Dennis Franklin – 134
17. 11 Doug Horton – 132
18. 27 Larry Harrod – 120
19. 51 Mack McCarter – 118
20. 11k Austin Kirkpatrick (R) – 116
R – Denotes Rookie of the Year Candidate
NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. 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 Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hedman Hedders is the Official Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and the Hedman Husler Award sponsor. Bilstein Shocks is the Official Spec Shock of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Old Man’s Garage is the sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Old Man’s Garage Weekly Racing Series. RockAuto.com and VP Racing Fuels are Official Sponsors of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2013 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering, KRC, Stealth Racing Carburetors, Modern Images, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Schoenfeld Headers, J.T. Kerr Racing Equipment, Kinser Air Filters, AR Bodies, Velocita Racewear, and Performance Rod & Custom. 2013 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, Stinger Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.