CARTERSVILLE, GA – A new season awaits NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series competitors as the 2014 season for the Touring Division opens with five races in five straight nights in the Bubba’s Army Winternationals at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL on January 28 through February 1.
The first four races will be $2,000-to-win 40-lap events on January 28, 29, 30 and 31, and the finale on February 1 will be a 50-lap event paying $3,000-to-win. Drivers will earn NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Division points from their best totals in three of the five races.
The dawn of a new season raises a plethora of new and unanswered questions that may take the entire season to be revealed. Who will emerge as the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series title contenders? Who will be the new faces running for the coveted NeSmith Cup in 2014?
The Bubba’s Army Winternationals races will set the stage in the battle for the 2014 $20,000 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Championship. A total of 72 drivers competed in the Bubba’s Army Winternationals for the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS last year, and two drivers were able to carry their momentum earned in the five events throughout the 2013 season.
Last season, the top two drivers in the point standings, 2013 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN and the second-place driver and Rookie of the Year Kyle Bronson of Brandon, FL both won Winternationals races at Bubba Raceway Park.
Are Johnson and Bronson good at Bubba Raceway Park? That’s one question that can be answered.
In addition to their victories in last year’s Bubba’s Army Winternationals, they also showed what they are made of in last November’s World Championship Race. Johnson took a provisional, started 23rd and finished sixth in the 100-lap race. Bronson was running third and cut down a tire on lap 15. He changed the tire, restarted on the tail of the field and finished third.
Ronny Lee Hollingsworth of Northport, AL left Bubba Raceway Park on the “Right Foot” last season, as he became a familiar face in the Bubba Raceway Park Winner’s Circle after parking his race car there three out of the five nights. His BRP momentum waned by season’s end, however, and he finished sixth in the final 2013 point standings.
Tait Davenport of Benton, KY had a steady season to finish third in the 2013 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National points chase, but he didn’t get off to a good start last year after failing to post a top ten finish in the first five races. Davenport has a clean slate in front of him and a better performance at BRP this season could make him a 2014 title contender right out of the box.
Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS has been regular Top 10 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Division driver for the last four seasons. Stokes finished fourth in last year’s standings, but like Davenport, he got off to a sluggish start in the first five races last year.
Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL finished fifth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series standings last season, and he had success last season at Bubba Raceway Park in the Winternationals with three top five finishes and four top ten finishes in the five races.
Josh Adkins of Talladega, AL had a good rookie season in 2013 with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, and he will begin his sophomore season at Bubba Raceway Park, a track he has had success at in the past. Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS was ninth in the points chase last season, and will begin another run for the NeSmith Cup at BRP with a brand new race car.
Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN ran a limited schedule last season, but still ended up tenth in the point standings. Gentry says he’s all in to run for his third title in 2014 with a new race car out of a new shop.
The Florida contingent of drivers always make their presence know when they compete at Bubba Raceway Park in NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series competition. Two Florida drivers expected for the Bubba’s Army Winternationals are two former Chevrolet Performance World Championship Race winners, Ivedent Lloyd Jr. of Ocala, FL (2012) and Doug Horton of Wimamma, FL (2010).
Shan Smith of Dade City, FL has a series career win and Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL has led laps in series competition at Bubba Raceway Park. Bryan Bernhardt of Clearwater, FL is the defending NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Late Model Champion at Bubba Raceway Park. Tyler Clem of St. Petersburg, FL will be looking to become the youngest driver in the history of the series to qualify for a main event at the age of 11.
The sister series of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, the Northern States RUSH Series will also be well-represented for the Bubba’s Army Winternationals. The top two driver in the 2013 RUSH point standings, Champion Mike Pegher Jr. of Wexford, PA and runner-up Ryan Montgomery of Fairmont, WV will be joined by 12-year-old Michael Lake, the youngest driver in the nine-year history of the series to qualify for a NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS event last year.
One of the unanswered questions at the beginning of a new NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season is; who will be the new face in the quest for the 2014 NeSmith Cup? Last season, the top three drivers in the point standings either had no intentions of running the entire season, or were new to the series.
Last year, Johnson had no intentions of racing for the championship, but last week he walked away from the Annual Awards Banquet with the 2013 NeSmith Cup and the $20,000 check from the $50,000 point fund. Johnson is the all-time career win leader in the history of the series with 17 victories, but 2013 was his first full season with the series.
Bronson was a new name in the series last season, and wrote his name in the history book as the Championship Runner-Up and the 2013 Rookie of the Year. Davenport made his first run with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series last season, and after a third-place finish in the point standings with one win, carries a lot of momentum into the 2014 season.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series officials have added two additional Provisional starting spots in all five main events at Bubba Raceway Park. As usual, the 23rd and 24thstarting spots are Provisionals for the top two Top 15 Drivers from the 2013 NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS point standings that fail to transfer to the main event through Heat Race or B-Main competition.
The 25th starting spot in the main events all five nights will be a Provisional for the highest point driver from the Top 15 of the 2013 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point standings. The 26th starting spot in the main events all five nights will be a Provisional for the highest point driver from the Top 15 of the 2013 RUSH Series National point standings.
The on track action at Bubba Raceway Park will begin on Monday night with an open practice session from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. On Tuesday, NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Pre-Race Registration and Technical Inspection will take place from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Drivers Meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with Hot Laps at 7 p.m. and Racing at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdaythrough Saturday.
Drivers are encouraged to register as early as possible on Tuesday, as all drivers will be required to fill out 2014 paperwork before their race cars can be inspected for competition.
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 atwww.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 all-new 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.
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. RockAuto.com is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Racecar Engineering is the Official Parts Supplier of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Renegade Race and Performance Fuels are a series Associate Sponsor and fuel supplier. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2013 are Dominator Race Products, 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.