Tuesday, July 13, 2010

GEORGIA STOCK CAR RACING JULY 15, 2010

GEORGIA STOCK CAR RACING JULY 15, 2010 Send news to Dale Terry ddrrtt@earthlink.net Thanks to Atlanta Motor Speedway for sponsoring this issue ---- SCHEDULE (more events below) ---- THURSDAY 7/15: Lavonia Thursday Night Thunder, incl. FASTRAK LMs and Faster Pastor race. Racing at 7:00. $10. FRIDAY 7/16: Swainsboro: Ray Cook 's Southern Nationals Super Late Models $5300 To Win Adults-$20 (No Racing - Saturday, July 17, 2010) http://www.swainsbororaceway.com/ Boyd's: Southern All Stars ‘Summer Slammer 40’ featuring a forty-lap, $4,000 to win main event for super late models, and a host of local racing classes. Crate Late Models $800 to win. www.BoydsSpeedway.com www.SouthernAllStarsRacingSeries.com Anderson: Anderson Motor Speedway: Late Model Stocks and local divisions Oglethorpe: Late models and local classes www.ospracing.net SATURDAY 7/17: New Senoia Raceway: Crate Late Model Championship $2000 To WIN 40 Lap Main Event! $100 Entry Fee. Gates Open at 5:00pm and Racing Starts at 7:00pm. http://www.newsenoiaraceway.com Toccoa: Three Classes of Latemodels and some very competitive support classes will be worth the small $10 admission this week!! North Georgia: competition in Limiteds, Crates, Mod Hobbies, Econo Hobbies, Mod Ponies, Stock Ponies and Front Runners! Super Late Models will have this week off. www.northgaspeedway.net Talladega: NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series: a pair of $1,000-to-win races. www.nesmithracing.com Watermelon Capital: Pro Challenge Series, Bandoleros, Legends, Mini Stock, Pure Stock, Super Street and Claimers. http://www.watermeloncapitalspeedway.com Dixie: USCS Outlaw Sprint Cars & Full Racing Program at 7:30. $15 adults. www.dixiespeedway.com Montgomery: Show Me the Money IV late models 125 laps http://www.montgomeryspeedway.com/ Waycross: National Late model Series 40 laps $3000 to win. http://www.wayxspeedway.com http://www.nlmss.com 441/Dublin: RW / B / PS / SS / LM / CLM http://www.441speedway.com Hartwell: Modified Street Div. Challenge, plus full racing program (no Limiteds this week) www.hartwellspeedway.com Lanier: off this week South Georgia: Goodyear Racing Series, incl. Sportsmen, Hobbie, Thunder Cars, Wild-Ones. Adm. $5. http://racesgmp.com SUNDAY 7/18: Rome: Southern Nationals Series Super LMs - $5,300 to win TUESDAY 7/20: East Alabama: Tuesday Night Thunder, Ray Cook Southern Nationals Super Late Models http://www.eamsdirt.com/ THURSDAY 7/22: Atlanta Motor Speedway: Thursday Thunder and the annual Faster Pastor race FRIDAY 7/23: Lanier: Drifting, Dragging, and Spectator Racing. http://www.lanierspeedway.com/ SATURDAY 7/24: Lanier: Christmas in July, featuring the Red Top Auto Auction Super 6 Series Race #5 http://www.lanierspeedway.com/ North Georgia: Super Late Models 40 laps $3,000 to win Southern Regional Racing Series by PPM Racing Products. www.northgaspeedway.net More than 250 drivers from 35 states and two foreign countries have registered for the Legends Million this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, a one-of-a-kind grassroots race featuring a total purse of $1 million. They come from as far west as Snohomish, Wash., as far north as Alberta, Canada, and two drivers will even be making a journey across the Atlantic Ocean from the Netherlands, trying to find glory on Charlotte Motor Speedway's frontstretch quarter-mile oval. The winner of the Legends Million will earn a purse of at least $250,000. Legends Million at Charlotte Motor Speedway - Fast Facts Nearly 300 drivers from 36 states and two foreign countries have registered for the event. The A-Feature winner is guaranteed to take home $250,000 The final spot in the feature is assured $10,000. Entry Fee: $600 The Legends Million A-Feature is scheduled for 100 laps. Caution laps will count during the first 50-lap segment. At the completion of Lap 50, the field will be given a 15-minute break to add fuel, make adjustments, change a maximum of two tires, and replace bumpers as necessary. In the final 50-lap segment, caution laps will not count. Four students from the UNC at Charlotte’s engineering program are entered Three Pistone brothers and a cousin will compete The Bandolero Triple Crown gives Bandolero racers the opportunity to race all three days. A Bandolero engine, chassis, body, set of tires, and racing gear are just a few of the awards Three Legends divisions: Young Lions/Semi-Pro, Masters, and The Legends Million, which is open to all drivers. Each division will run heat races and an A-Main race, with the Legends Million A-Feature serving as the grand finale of the three-day event. The winners of the Masters and Semi-Pro/Young Lions division A-Main races will earn $30,000 and $25,000, respectively. Youngest entry: 12-year-old Gray Gaulding, from Statesville, N.C. Oldest: 72-year-old Will Cagle. He has recorded more than 900 career victories and claimed more than 30 track and series championships racing modified stock cars in the Northeast. 1986 Daytona 500 Geoff Bodine is entered. Bodine’s car will showcase his commitment to helping the Alzheimer’s Association, and he has pledged to donate his winnings to the group. Georgians (partial): Beau Slocumb, Casey Roderick, Doug Stevens, Evan and Justin Swilling, Andrew Smith, Will Prance, Sean Rayhall, Kyle Plott, Zack Kittle, Paul Kelley, Taylor Hull, Austin Hill, and Adam Gay. Several more, including Mason Massey, will compete in the Masters and Young Gun/Semi-Pro combined division. SPEED will televise the Legends Million live on Saturday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. http://www.charlottemotorspeedway.com www.uslegendscars.com. A full field of top Super Late Model cars and stars will be on hand this Saturday when the US Auto Sales 100 CRA Super Series takes the green flag at Gresham Motorsports Park. Heading the list of pre-entries for the event will be Augie Grill and Jimmy Garmon. Grill, a Hayden, AL, native, won the season-opening CRA event at GMP on March 13 while Garmon was the most recent Super Late Model division winner on June 19. With their victories, both drivers earned an automatic starting spot in the World Crown 300 at GMP November 14. Saturday’s winner will also be awarded a spot. Other top drivers expected include rising young star Ryan Blaney, son of NASCAR driver Dave Blaney; current NASCAR K&N Pro Series driver Jody Lavender; NASCAR Camping World Truck Series veteran Ryan Lawler; T.J. Reid, who will pilot a Kyle Busch Motorsports entry, Bubba Pollard, Jeff Fultz, Jason Hogan, Russell Fleeman, and Stephen Nasse. In addition to the CRA headline event, Saturday’s US Auto World Series of Speed at GMP will include Outlaw Late Models, Trucks, Renegades, Mini-Stocks and Mini-Cup feature races. Features start at 7:30. Adults $20. Seniors (55 and older) and Active Military Personnel $18. Children 6-12 are $10. Children 5 and under will be admitted free and, as always, parking is free. Two-for-one tickets will be on sale Thursday at the track, starting at 7:00 p.m., during the Opening Ceremonies for the Dizzy Dean 13-Year-Old Baseball World Series. Gresham Motorsports Park is located right off I-85 at Exit 140, in Jefferson. GA. US Auto Sales 100 Pre-Entries 10 Ryan Blaney High Point, NC 18 Bubba Pollard Senoia, GA 23 Jimmy Weller Hubbard, OH 29 Allen Karnes Sharpsburg, GA 36 Rodney Benefield Flowery Branch, GA 49 Ryan Lawler Mooresville, NC 51 T.J. Reid Acworth, GA 58 Don Young Hopkinsville, KY 67 Jeff Fultz Troutman, NC 70 Greg Simpson Gainesville, GA 79 Bill Hoose Cumming, GA 82 Donnie Wilson Oklahoma City, OK 92 Jason Hogan Cleveland, GA 97 Jimmy Garmon Hoschton, GA 98 Russell Fleeman Dacula, GA 09 Randy Gentry Easley, SC 112 Augie Grill Hayden, AL 115 Jody Lavender Mooresville, NC 151 Stephen Naase Pinellas Park, FL http://www.greshammotorsportspark.com/ Late Model young gun TJ Reaid, of Acworth, is heading back to Greshams Saturday, looking to improve on a good run the last time he competed. Reaid finished 5th in the CRA Super Late Model/WearCrete Racing 150 at Hickory Motor Speedway in the Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. "We had some really bad luck prior to the race at Hickory and had a pretty good run and we're looking to build on that," said Reaid Reaid considers Gresham Motorsports Park his home track. "In my rookie year of asphalt late model racing, we had several great runs there including a couple pole positions with the now defunct Georgia Asphalt Series," added Reaid. Another Gresham's contender, Bubba Pollard was fast qualifier and dominated the Timber 100 Viper Super Late Model event Saturday night at South Alabama Speedway, taking the win over the eight-car field. Timber 100 Official Results 1. 18 - Bubba Pollard (Senoia, GA) 2. 41 - Chris Davidson (Pearland, TX) 3. 92 - Jason Hogan (Cleveland, GA) 4. 1 - Keith Cahela (Boaz, AL) 5. 40 - Dave Mader III (Irvington, AL) 6. 5 - Chase Oliver (Crossville, AL) 7. 16 - David Hodges, Jr. (Lake Park, GA) 8. 99 - Dale Little (Satsuma, AL) Bubba Pollard set a new track record of 15.092 sec. for the Super Late Models at South Alabama Speedway. www.Z3Sports.com www.bubbapollard.com. Ray Cook's Southern Nationals Super Late Model Series has four shows in the area: Fri., July 16 | Swainsboro Raceway (Swainsboro, Georgia) - $5,300 to win Sat., July 17 | Screven Motor Speedway (Sylvania, Georgia) - $5,300 to win Sun., July 18 | Rome Speedway (Rome, Georgia) - $5,300 to win Tues., July 20 | East Alabama Motor Speedway (Phenix City, Alabama) - $3,500 to win www.SouthernNationalsSeries.com The Screven Southern Nationals show is part of the track's 11th annual Rebel Yell, and fans can see racing on the high banked oval, on the drag strip, and on the new mud drag strip - all for a single $10 admission (undr 12 free). www.screvenmotorspeedway.com Dixie has the Full USCS Outlaw Sprint Cars & Full Racing Program Saturday at 7:30. Grandstand : $15 adults / kids 8 yrs & under Free / 9 - 17yrs $6. www.dixiespeedway.com http://www.watermeloncapitalspeedway.com International Speedway Corp. (Daytona, Auto Club Speedway, Martinsville, Phoenix, Talladega, Richmond and Darlington) has seen ticket revenue drop 18.9 percent for its events through May and expects ticket revenues to be down as much as 15 percent in all of 2010. ISC reported admissions revenue down from $91.5 million to $74.2 million. Customers continue to purchase tickets much closer to the event than in the past as they wait to make sure they have the financial means to attend and with the knowledge races won’t be sold out. ISC’s average ticket price was reduced 4-6 percent for 2010. www.InsiderRacingNews.com and www.StockCarGazette.com. The Speed Report on that channel stated that there will be changes to the Sprint Cup schedule in 2011. Atlanta, Fontana, and NHMS will all lose a Cup race. Among those gaining a Cup race are Kansas, Kentucky and Vegas. www.The MotorSportsNews.Net Sean Rayhall, of Winston, is having a banner year in racing for 2010. Just halfway through the season, the talented teen racer splits his time on the track between racing series in the SCCA Formula Car and Legends Car, and had collected some very impressive statistics to date. Between the Legends Racing and Open Wheel Series, with a total of 46 races, Rayhall has 31 wins and 9 second place finishes. This gives him an 87% record of finishing 1st or 2nd. His current record also includes 20 poles, 35 fastest laps and 6 track records. Next: the Legends Million Dollar Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Thursday Thunder will return on Thursday, July 22 for the annual Faster Pastor race, an intermission race featuring local church leaders competing in bomber stock cars. Tickets for the event cost just $5 for adults, $1 for children ages six through 11, and children ages five and under are admitted free of charge. Atlanta Motor Speedway’s Friday Night Drags will run as scheduled this week on Friday, July 16. Feature Winners at Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thursday Thunder Week 7: Bandits: Alex Coffey Outlaws: John Holleman Young Lions: Sean Rayhall Semi-Pro: Jake Armstrong Masters: Brian Weimer Pro: Taylor Hull Roadsters: Skip Nichols www.atlantamotorspeedway.com Mike Trivette, long time driver and car builder, passed away at his home in Buford this week. Mike, son of former Nascar racer and legendary car builder, EJ Trivette, built and drove race cars on both dirt and pavement in everything from enduros to late models. He won over 300 races in a career that spanned over 30 years. Mike worked for several Nascar teams over the years and continued to be involved in racing with his son, Jody, who is a very competitive asphalt racer in the street stock division. Mike will be remembered as a racer that gave it his all. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. Casey Roberts was able to capture the checkered flag and $3500 in the Clash South’s first ever appearance at Lavonia Speedway Saturday. One of the notorious Georgia Bandits, Roberts was able to rein supreme in his home state against 22 of the best super late models the southeast has to offer. Roberts was followed by Brent Dixon, Dennis Franklin, Jamie Oliver, and Jim Rasey. After the fourth race in the Clash South, Ricky Weeks still shows the way by 172 points over Jim Rasey in second. Rasey has a 16 point advantage over the 84 of Jay Sessoms in third. Randy Harmon is currently fourth in Clash South points and rounding out your top five is Mike Gault. Next: August 21 at Lavonia Speedway for another 35 lap, $3,500 to win feature event. Dixie Speedway Results 7-10-10 SUPER LATE MODEL: 59 - Dale Thurman 24 - Frank Ingram 26 - Tony Knowles 21 - Lamar Haygood 19 - Wayne Echols LTD LATE MODEL: 119 - Mike McConnell 21 - Danny Carter 82 - Randall Powell 17 - Bryne Duren 17 - Justin Hammett CRATE LATE MODEL: 23 - Curtis Cline c87 - Chris Fennell 22 - Alan Brewer 17 - Richie Williams 119 - Tom Cleghorn CRUISER: 24 - Danny Griffin/Russ Childs North Georgia Results 7/10 Supers 1.Kevin Gibson 2.Aaron Ridley 3.David Payne 4.Gary McPherson Limited 1.Brian Jackson 2.Devin Dilbeck 3.Tod Hernandez Crates 1.Jeff Smith 2.Randy Hill 3.Craig Burrows Jonathan Davenport earned another $10,000 payday Saturday night by winning the West Virginia State Championship at West Virginia Motor Speedway. The Blairsville, GA, driver was fast qualifier and started the FASTRAK National Touring event from the sixth position. David Smith of Inman, S.C., advanced from his 10th-place starting position to finish second, while Max Blair of Centerville, Pa., finished third. Kenny Peoples of Rural Retreat, Va., finished fourth ahead of Mark Banal of St. Clairsville, Ohio in the fifth position. The event attracted 37 of the top FASTRAK drivers from across the country to the high-banked, 5/8-mile oval. 2008 Super Late Model track champion Jeff Maupin carried an in-car camera for Speedway Videos on Saturday, July 10 during Fan Appreciation Night at "The Gap." Video courtesy of track videographer Richard Ford. Have your speakers turned on and click this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3FKOTiHzxs Promotion idea: Fans will get into Kalamazoo Speedway (MI) this Saturday for $9 to witness a topless Modified show and other divisions. Beer and Hotdogs will also be a $1 a piece. Promotion idea: Anderson (IN) Motor Speedway has the CRA Redbud 300 Mon., July 26, with $5000 to win - that's 300 laps in a quarter-mile track. At halfway, teams may change two, three, or four tires. The race restarts with two-tire changers up front, and four-tire teams at the rear. Chase Elliott and Ken Schrader are entered. Kyle Busch won last year. East Alabama Motor Speedway - Phenix City, Alabama < 32nd Annual Alabama State Championships September 23-26, 2010 Late Model - $7,000 to win Sportsman - $5,000 Crate Late Model - $5,000 Super Street - $3,000 Modified - $3,000 Hobby - $3,000 4-Cylinder - $3,000 Bomber - $3,000 Cruiser - $1,500 Plus 6ft Tall Beautiful Trophies in ALL Divisions! < 36th Annual National 100 November 11-14, 2010 Late Model - $20,000 - Plus $50 Per Lap To Lap Leader Possible To Win $25,000 - Late Model $1,200 To Start Sportsman - $5,000 Crate Late Model - $5,000 Super Street - $3,000 Modified - $2,000 Hobby - $2,000 4-Cylinder - $2,000 Bomber - $2,000 Cruiser - $1,500 Plus 6ft Tall Beautiful Trophies in ALL Divisions! www.eamsdirt.com Youngsters Still Have To Win to Get Noticed By Elgin Traylor - http://www.speed51.com Association to the right people is a good way to get a ticket into the NASCAR Racing world. Names like Elliott, Kenseth and Blaney have already proven themselves in NASCAR’s top three series and now the second-generation wave of drivers with those same last names are coming through. This is a time when the sport is driven on money and any association to a familiar name is golden. The sad part of today’s NASCAR world is that a fat checkbook can get your kid just about anywhere, even when they can’t drive a hot nail through a snow bank. Three kids who often get dumped into the ‘daddy’s got money’ category are Chase Elliott, Ross Kenseth, and Ryan Blaney. Sometimes overlooked though is their talent while their names are hyped up for short track series and promoters. One thing rings true. All three youngsters can drive and all three likely have a destined future in NASCAR. “We have a lot to learn and we know that,” said Chase Elliott who is the youngest of the three at 14. “That’s why we come to places like Berlin to race because we know that this is a very talented field of drivers. We don’t always get to race against competition like that.” Elliott has had a breakout year with six wins in the Late Model ranks in the south. He has victories at tracks Like Gresham, Hickory, Five Flags and Montgomery on his list of achievements. Chase has a solid backing from Ford, Red Bull and Aarons. Tom Hessert took charge early and drove to his first career ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards victory in the Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway, along the way giving Cunningham Motorsports its second win of 2010 and its second consecutive triumph at the central Iowa track. Casey Roderick finished seventh, and Max Gresham was tenth. Mark Gibson, of Winder, was 38th, not completing a lap. Kyle Fowler, of Smyrna, Ga., was 22nd in a Toyota. Casey Roderick, the up-and-coming driver from Lawrenceville, Ga., who is part of Bill Elliott's Driver Development program, kicked off his five-race ARCA tour with a solid seventh-place finish against a strong field of contenders in Saturday's Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway. Roderick and the Bill Elliott team started the season running a mix of Late Model and ARCA races, but changed directions in late May to focus on the ARCA events as they will provide Roderick with TV exposure as well as the big-track experience he'll need to step up to NASCAR's elite divisions. But the change also meant the team had some catching up to do, as team owner Bill Elliott explains: "A lot goes in to the preparation of these cars, and it takes a lot of time and focus to come into the middle of a season in a class that is as strong as ARCA is today and run competitively," Elliott said. "I am proud of the effort that everyone put forward and feel like we came away with the knowledge we need to go to the next event even stronger." Roderick's team also had to deal with a last-minute crew chief change as regular crew chief Jim Barfield's mother passed away suddenly just as the team was preparing to leave for Iowa. Ricky Turner, Chase Elliott's crew chief, filled in for Barfield, while young Elliott took over the spotter's duties, replacing his father who was running the Wood Brothers' No. 21 Ford in the Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. Despite having no crew members with experience at the Iowa track, Roderick immediately put the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Dodge in the top ten on the practice speeds chart and maintained his presence among 40 drivers there during both practice sessions. Roderick and Turner worked through changes to the chassis set-up, trying combinations for qualifying and for the race. Roderick qualified and started 19th and finished with a very respectable 7th place finish. "I want to thank Phoenix Racing and Bill Elliott Racing for helping to get everything ready and putting in a good effort," Roderick said. "I feel like we will be even better prepared for the next event. I was happy with everything. We needed longer runs. From 45 to 65 laps on the tires I really hit it. Roderick's next ARCA race is the South Jersey Building Trades 150 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, followd by 8/27 Chicagoland Speedway, 9/30 Kansas Speedway, and 10/9 Rockingham Speedway. All are on SPEED Channel. Promotion idea: Cars will be on starting grid (pit row) by white flag lap of the previous race, if not, will go to the rear of field. http://racesgmp.com 2010 World of Outlaws Late Model Series Point Standings as of July 10 – 28 A-Mains completed (rank/driver/points/deficit to leader): 1. Josh Richards 3732 2. Tim McCreadie 3714 (-18) 3. Darrell Lanigan 3686 (-46) 4. Steve Francis 3616 (-116) 5. Austin Hubbard 3538 (-194) 6. Shane Clanton 3520 (-212) 7. Rick Eckert 3474 (-258) 8. Tim Fuller 3468 (-264) 9. Chub Frank 3402 (-330) 10. Clint Smith 3316 (-416) Rookie Austin Hubbard, of Seaford, Del., was declared the winner of Friday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series A-Main at River Cities (ND) Speedway after rain forced officials to call the event complete short of its scheduled 50-lap distance. Hubbard previously won on March 20 at Screven Motor Speedway. Clint Smith, of Senoia, Ga., was seventh, and Shane Clanton, of Fayetteville, was eighth. In front of the largest crowd in the history of Magnolia Motor Speedway, Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, FL won his third consecutive Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series main event. He earned $20,000 by winning the "Clash at the Mag" Presented by the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, on Saturday Night. Pearson took the lead on lap 30 and held off defending series champion, Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, TN for the win. Ray Cook finished third in the D&R Racing, #53 MasterSbilt. Dale McDowell passed Jimmy Owens on the final lap to claim fourth. The event was taped by SPEED and will air on Saturday July 31. www.lucasdirt.com Drizzling rain and the threat of inclement weather forced cancellation of Friday (7/9) night's racing activities at Anderson Motor Speedway. The decision was made to reschedule the return of the Late Model Stocks for Friday night, July 16th. Also on the racing card for July 16th will be the Double Dozen BM Modified Shootout and the regular racing program (Mini Stocks, Renegades, Super Renegades). The Double Dozen Shootout will feature two 12 lap mains with double points and double purses awarded. Racing will begin at 8PM. Rainchecks from July 9th will be honored on July 16th. The Georgia Super Mini Cups will return to Anderson Motor Speedway on Friday, July 23rd The Ken-Ten pro late model tour races at the Nashville Fairgrounds for 125 laps Sat., and they'll be back there Labor Day Weekend. Sammy Sanders won both halves of the Ken-Ten Twin 50s at Beech Grove July 2 - with 20 cars entered. http://www.ken-tenprolatemodelseries.com Jeff Letson won the last Southern Superstars late model series race at Sayre, AL. Lee Hansard, of Tyron, GA, was second and Bobby Castleberry, of Rossville, ninth. The series pays $2000 to win 100 lap races (with 16 or more cars), and $200 to start. 13 cars raced at Sayre. The Southern Superstars return to action July 31st at Sayre for another 100 lap race. They'll race on the infield quartermile at Atlanta Motor Speedway Friday, Sept. 3. http://www.superstarsracing.com/ 7-10-10 Results North Georgia Speedway < Crates 17S Jeff Smith 17H Randy Hill 23 Craig Burrows 9A Phillip Anderson 77 Scott Boyd 12 Darrell Owenby 3D Jim Bob Davis B5 Jimmy Webb 42 Allen Jolly 14 Aaron Wilson J23 Justin Clemments 41 Lee Deal < Limited B4 Brian Jackson 30 Devin Dilbeck T6 Todd Hernandez 71 Spenser Singleton 41 Jamie Lunsford 06 Roger Dickson 1 T4rig Parrish 24 BJ Pasiley 11 Lee Gray 31 Choate 28 Neely B39 Brian Burke 45 Robbie Hair 87 Pilcher 11 Davy Davis 328 Kieth Jackson 11 Chip Burke < Super M45 Kevin Gibson 525 Aaron Ridley 8 David Payne 29 Gary Mac 44 Doug Kilgore 00 Johnny chastian 18 Seth Wimpy 99 Derek Ellis 13 Mashburn 00Tyler Adams http://wp.me/pnL8f-ar Ronnie Johnson, of Chattanooga, took his 13th career win with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour on Saturday night in the Thunder On The Mountain 50 at Mountain Raceway Park driving the Miller Brothers Coal Mastersbilt. The victory kept the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee’s streak alive of winning at least one race in each of the series’ six seasons. It was a typical Ronnie Johnson night, as he arrived at the track late, qualified 23rd quick without hot laps, came from seventh to third in his Qualifying Race, started the main event from 15th, took the lead with seven laps to go from early race leader Greg Martin of Oliver Springs, TN, and pulled away to the checkered flag with over a three second margin of victory. Brian Kinnersley, of Blairsville, was seventh, Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, was 10th, Larry Harrod of Plains, was 17th, and Tyler Millwood, of Kingston was 24th. NeSMITH CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES NATIONAL POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 7/10/10: 1. 33c Eric Cooley – 1,358 2. 77 Matthew Turner – 1,298 3. 25 Justin McRee – 1,218 4. 47 Shannon Lee (R) – 1,110 5. 88 Charlie Henderson (R) – 1,098 6. 27 Larry Harrod (R) – 1,062 On a super fast Tri-County Race Track, Morganton driver Bobby Panter and Warne’s Danny Ledford raced to a one-two Late Model finish Saturday night. Panter and Ledford set the two fastest times. Copperhill driver Jason Deal made a quick move in the GM Performance Late Model feature and visited Victory Lane in front of Kevin Bradshaw, Kevin Sutton, Kurt English, Tony Ledford and Sam Parris. Racing returns to Tri-County Saturday night with the running of the GM Performance Mid-Season Championship. www.tricountyracetrack.com

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