CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Division $20,000 Championship battle heads to Mississippi for two races this weekend, and after over a month off, the drivers are chomping at the bit to get it on. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA leads two-time series champion David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, TN by 18 points.
Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS will open the double racing weekend with the $2,500-to-win 7th Annual Coca-Cola 50 on Saturday night. Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS will host the $2,000-to-win Black Ice 40 on Sunday night. The two races will be Rounds 19 and 20 of the 2012 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season.
Turner, Gentry and third-place Larry Harrod of Plains, GA have been title contenders in the past. Turner had been a championship runner-up, and a third-place finisher in two seasons. Gentry is a two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Champion and was the championship runner-up last season. Harrod finished fourth in the 2010 standings when he was the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year.
Turner, who is the only driver to compete in all 142 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series races held since the series inception in 2005, likes the position he’s in with four races left on the 2012 NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS schedule.
“I like being the one who is being chased because I’ve been the chaser long enough,” Turner said. “We’ve run good at both Whynot and Magnolia, and our goal this weekend is to stay out of trouble and be there at the end.”
Gentry is looking forward to challenging Turner for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Championship, not just at Whynot Motorsports Park and Magnolia Motor Speedway, but also in October at Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS, and in December at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL.
“Our car is dialed in and ready to go, so I feel pretty good about this weekend,” Gentry said. “Matthew has been some tough competition this season, but I’ve really enjoyed racing with him. We’ve got our fingers crossed for this weekend and know that to have a chance to win our third championship, we’ve got to finish the races.”
Harrod is third in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series points chase, and trails Gentry by 56 points, but he is determined to compete for the series title in the final four races right down to the final checkered flag.
“As long as we’ve got a mathematical chance to win the championship, we’re going all out, and race as hard as we can to the last corner of the last lap of the last race,” Harrod said. “I think we have a good shot at winning both races this weekend. We’ve won at Whynot, and we’ve led a lot of laps and had some good finishes at Magnolia.”
On paper, Turner, Gentry and Harrod are pretty evenly matched at both Whynot Motorsports Park and Magnolia Motor Speedway in past NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series competition.
In 13 starts at Whynot Motorsports Park, Turner has three top five finishes, and nine top ten finishes. His average finish is ninth. In five starts at Magnolia Motor Speedway, Turner has two top five finishes, three top ten finishes, and his average finish is ninth.
Gentry has one win in eight starts at Whynot Motorsports Park to go with four top five finishes and five top ten finishes. His average finish is ninth. In three starts at Magnolia Motor Speedway, Gentry has two top five finishes, three top ten finishes, and an average finish of fifth.
Harrod has one win and two top ten finishes in five starts at Whynot Motorsports Park where his average finish is 12th. At Magnolia Motor Speedway, Harrod has four starts with two top five finishes, three top ten finishes, and an average finish of 6th.
Chris Cantrell of Chester, SC is fourth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series standings, just ten points behind Harrod. Cantrell also leads the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year point standings. Cantrell has had some past success at Whynot Motorsports Park with one Fast Time Award.
The 2011 VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL is fifth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point standings. Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS is sixth in the point standings, and Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS is seventh.
There will be some tough competition for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring drivers from some of the top non-touring NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series drivers that will be defending their home turf on Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park and on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway.
Two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS leads the local Whynot Motorsports Park NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series contingent that includes Justin McRee of Cottondale, AL, who has a couple of NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Touring Division wins at WMP on his resume, Tody Ratcliff of Meridian, MS, Randy Boyd of Marion, MS, Wiley Williams of Stonewall, MS, Tim Dees of Meridian, MS, and Larry Murphy of Meridian, MS.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series point leader Chase Washington of Houlka, MS leads the local Magnolia Motor Speedway contingent that includes the third-place NeSmith Chevrolet WRS driver Jeremy Shaw of Millport, AL, Tony Gray of Coker, AL, Kyle Shaw of Millport, AL, and two drivers that have had success at both tracks, Jamey Boland of Cuba, AL and Daniel Bridgemon of Meridian, MS.
In addition to the $2,500-to-win 7th Annual Coca-Cola 50 this Saturday night for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Division at Whynot Motorsports Park, the track has announced there will also be a $1,000-to-win I-20 Challenge Series Modified Race this Saturday night, plus heat and feature races for the WMP Street Stocks and Pure Stocks.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will compete in Qualifying, B-Main Races and the 50-lap Feature Race this Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park. The gates will open at 3 p.m. with NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS pre-race Registration and Technical Inspection from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The drivers meeting is set for 5:30 p.m. with racing to follow.
Whynot Motorsports Park is located south of Meridian, MS at 4773 J.W. Reynolds Road, Meridian, MS 39301 off State Road 19. For more information call 601-344-3010, or visit the track web site at www.whynotmotorsportspark.com.
The Microtel Inn and Suites at 518 Bonita Lake Drive in Meridian, MS is the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Official Host Hotel for the $2,500-to-win 7th Annual Coca-Cola 50 this Saturday night at Whynot Motorsports Park. The Microtel Inn and Suites is offering NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS fans and competitors a special discount rate of $60 per night.
To make reservations call the Microtel Inn and Suites at 601-553-8100 and ask for the Whynot Motorsports Park special discount rate. The Microtel Inn and Suites is located centrally to shopping and restaurants within walking distance. The Bonita Lake Mall is located across the street from the Microtel Inn and Suites.
There will also be a full program with Qualifying, B-Main Races and the 40-lap Feature Race this Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. The pit gate opens at 3 p.m. with NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS pre-race Registration and Technical Inspection from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The drivers meeting is set for 6 p.m. with racing to follow.
Magnolia Motor Speedway is located west of Columbus, MS at 495 U.S. Highway 45 South, Columbus, MS 39701, just south of U.S. Highway 82. For more information call 662-328-0376, or visit the track web site at www.magnoliadirt.com.
The Wingate Inn in Columbus, MS, located just south of U.S. Highway 82 at the Military Road exit, is the Official Host Hotel for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series $2,000-to-win Black Ice 40 on Sunday night at Magnolia Motor Speedway.
The Wingate Inn is offering NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS fans and competitors a special discount rate of $75 per night. The Wingate Inn has an indoor pool and Jacuzzi, and offers a free hot breakfast. To make reservations call 662-327-9999 and ask for the Columbus Speedway discount rate.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing 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.