COLUMBUS, MS – Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS was in the right place at the right time to win the 4th Annual NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Fall Nationals Invitational 30-lap Race on Friday night at Columbus Speedway driving the 78 Towing and Recovery Victory Circle. Cooley took the lead in lapped traffic on lap 20 and pulled away for the win.
Cooley took his second-straight series win at Columbus Speedway after earning an invitation to the race by winning the Columbus Speedway/Magnolia Motor Speedway Track Championship and placing fourth in the 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region point standings.
“It was great winning a NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring race here, but to win two in a row is really special,” Cooley said. “We’ll be back tomorrow night to try and make it three-in-a-row.”
The Fall Nationals Invitational win is another accomplishment during the 2009 season for Cooley, as he also won the $20,000 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Championship. At 18-years-old, Cooley is the youngest National Champion in the history of dirt late model racing.
Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA led the first 19 laps of the race, and finished second driving the Turner Excavating DWB. Turner got caught behind the lapped car of Randall Beckwith of Kilmichael, MS in turn four on lap 20, and Cooley went to the outside to take the lead.
Turner was also the McLeod Construction Fast Qualifier with a lap around the ¼-mile clay oval in 14.909 seconds, and then went on to win the first ten-lap heat race to earn the pole position for the main event.
Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL finished third in the Century Carriers Trak-Star, and Evan Ellis of Plantersville, MS took the fourth spot in the Ellis Certified Welders Trak-Star. The 2009 and three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS was fifth in the Boland Performance Trak-Star.
The 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Rookie of the Year Ben McCreary of Baldwyn, MS drove the Waddle Trucking Mastersbilt to a sixth-place finish, and Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS finished seventh in the Lamar Auto Salvage Trak-Star.
Mark Stokes of Steens, MS was eighth in the Kountry Kitchen Trak-Star. Kelly Leonard of Opelika, AL took the ninth spot in the East Alabama Power Services Scorpion, and Lee Burdett of Hueytown, AL rounded out the top ten in the Struts GRT.
Turner took the lead at the drop of the green flag followed by Cooley, Ellis, McRee and Keeton. By lap seven, Turner was already beginning to lap the cars on the tail of the lead lap. The first of two caution flags came out on lap ten when Jimmy Elkins Jr. of Talladega, AL in the Millennium Mechanical Mastersbilt and Paul Walters of Valley, AL in the Gary Davis Construction GRT tangled on the front straightaway.
Turner led the field down for the double-file restart, and McRee was able to drive under Ellis for the third spot coming off the second turn, and Blount advanced from ninth to seventh. Lap 18 saw Turner once again encounter lapped traffic, as Cooley began to erase the ten car-length lead Turner enjoyed.
When Turner closed in on Beckwith’s Hi-Grade Farm Supply Rocket on the bottom of the race track in turn three on lap 20, Cooley went to the outside. Beckwith got sideways in front of Turner, causing the leader to slow just enough for the high flying Cooley to take the lead coming off the fourth turn.
Jay Burchfield of Columbus, MS spun the Burchfield’s Body Shop Barry Wright in turn two on lap 21 to bring out the final caution flag of the race. Cooley led Turner, McRee, Ellis, and Keeton down for the restart. When the green flag came out, Cooley pulled away, and nine laps later took the checkered flag with over a half-straightaway lead over Turner.
The three ten-lap heat races were won by Turner, Cooley, and Larry Boutwell of Baker, FL in the McLeod Construction TNT. Boutwell pulled off the track from his third starting spot just before the green flag came out with electrical problems. The ten-lap B-Main was won by the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS in the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour will be in action at Columbus Speedway on Saturday night with the non-points Fall Nationals Open 40-lap $2,500-to-win race. The pit gate opens at 10 a.m., and racing action is scheduled for 2 p.m.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE WEEKLY RACING SERIES FALL NATIONALS INVITATIONAL AT COLUMBUS SPEEDWAY IN COLUMBUS, MS ON 11/27/09:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 2 33c Eric Cooley Fulton, MS 30 $2,000
2. 1 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA 30 $1,100
3. 7 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 30 $700
4. 5 73 Evan Ellis Plantersville, MS 30 $550
5. 4 22 Lucky Keeton Toomsuba, MS 30 $500
6. 6 21 Ben McCreary Baldwyn, MS 30 $425
7. 12 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 30 $375
8. 11 2 Mark Stokes Steens, MS 30 $350
9. 10 03 Kelly Leonard Opelika, AL 30 $325
10. 15 B97 Lee Burdett Hueytown, AL 30 $300
11. 16 47 Shannon Lee Lumberton, MS 30 $275
12. 13 33 Sid Scarbrough Florence, MS 30 $250
13. 19 760 Jim McDuffie Meridian, MS 30 $225
14. 14 66k Scott Knowles Lanett, AL 30 $200
15. 8 88 Charlie Henderson Cottondale, AL 30 $175
16. 9 25b Jay Burchfield Columbus, MS 30 $150
17. 20 118 Randy Boyd Marion, MS 30 $140
18. 21 P19 Paul Walters Valley, AL 30 $125
19. 23 20 Kelly Lovorn Calhoun City, MS 30 $125
20. 18 07 Jimmy Elkins Jr. Talladega, AL 30 $125
21. 17 84 Randall Beckwith Kilmichael, MS 29 $125
22. 22 15 Bradley Blaylock Winona, MS 29 $125
23. 24 R7 Rodney Barber Saucier, MS 17 $125
24. 3 58 Larry Boutwell Baker, FL 0 $125
ENTRIES: 32
McLEOD CONSTRUCTION FAST QUALIFIER: Turner, 14.909 Seconds
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Turner, 1-19; Cooley, 20-30
LAPS LED: Turner, 19; Cooley, 11
CAUTIONS: 2
TIME OF THE RACE: 13 Minutes and 3.348 Seconds
McLEOD CONSTRUCTION QUALIFYING:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TRK LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA DWB NAT 14.928 14.909 14.909
2 73 Evan Ellis Plantsville, MS Trak Star WR 15.274 15.209 15.209
3 58 Larry Boutwell Baker, FL TnT NAT 15.216 15.238 15.216
4 03 Kelly Leonard Opelika, AL Scorpion EAMS 15.587 15.259 15.259
5 33c Eric Cooley Fulton, MS Victory Circle WR 15.480 15.303 15.303
6 21m Ben McCreary Baldwyn, MS Mastersbilt CM 15.773 15.338 15.338
7 22 Lucky Keeton Toomsuba, MS Trak Star WR 15.414 15.368 15.368
8 88 Charlie Henderson Cottondale, AL Mastersbilt HMP 30.755 15.392 15.392
9 B97 Lee Burdett Hueytown, AL GRT TST 15.448 15.406 15.406
10 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL Trak Star WMP 15.640 15.422 15.422
11 66k Scott Knowles Lanett, AL Warrior ER 15.668 15.477 15.477
12 48 Tody Ratcliff Meridian, MS GRT WMP 15.509 15.691 15.509
13 33 Sid Scarbrough Florence, MS GRT HMP 15.652 15.519 15.519
14 2 Mark Stokes Steens, MS Trak Star CM 15.520 15.950 15.520
15 25b Jay Burchfield Columbus, MS Barry Wright CM 15.791 15.552 15.552
16 00 J.D. Pass Brandon, MS Trak Star JMS 15.947 15.557 15.557
17 760 Jim McDuffie Meridian, MS Trak Star WMP 15.937 15.568 15.568
18 07 Jimmy Elkins Jr. Talladega, AL Mastersbilt ER 15.569 15.757 15.569
19 118 Randy Boyd Marion, MS Trak Star WR 15.614 16.261 15.614
20 84 Randall Beckwith Kilmichael, MS Rocket CMS 15.700 15.722 15.700
21 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS Trak Star HMP 15.811 15.727 15.727
22 47L Shannon Lee Lumberton, MS Trak Star WR 15.815 15.753 15.753
23 P19 Paul Walters Valley, AL GRT PR 15.817 15.867 15.817
24 08 Brett Delk Columbus, MS Trak Star CM 15.878 15.849 15.849
25 15 Clint Patterson Pontotoc, MS Mastersbilt CMS 16.078 15.890 15.890
26 15 Bradley Blaylock Winona, MS Stinger CMS 15.992 15.964 15.964
27 C55 David Carpenter Greenwood, MS GRT CMS 16.085 16.614 16.085
28 28 Wiley Williams Stonewall, MS GRT WMP 16.093 16.274 16.093
29 20 Kelly Lovorn Calhoun City, MS GRT CM 16.288 16.218 16.218
30 8 Zack Owens Kosciusko, MS Pierce JMS 17.374 16.513 16.513
31 K18 Kaleb Killens Poplarville, MS Trak Star PCS 16.605 16.518 16.518
32 R7 Rodney Barber Saucier, MS Mastersbilt SMS 16.582 16.600 16.582
HEAT RACES (10 Laps – Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST HEAT: 1. Turner; 2. Keeton; 3. McRee; 4. Leonard; 5. Scarbrough; 6. Lee; 7. Boyd; 8. Patterson; 9. Killens; 10. Williams; 11. Pass.
2ND HEAT: 1. Cooley; 2. Ellis; 3. Henderson; 4. Stokes; 5. Knowles; 6. Beckwith; 7. Walters; 8. McDuffie; 9. Lovorn; 10. Blaylock; 11. Barber.
3RD HEAT: 1. Boutwell; 2. McCreary; 3. Burchfield; 4. Blount; 5. Burdett; 6. Elkins; 7. Owens; 8. Carpenter; 9. Ratcliff; 10. Delk.
B-MAIN (10 Laps – Top 6 Transfer To Main Event): 1. McDuffie; 2. Boyd; 3. Walters; 4. Blaylock; 5. Lovorn; 6. Barber; 7. Pass; 8. Owens; 9. Williams; 10. Carpenter; 11. Patterson; 12. Killens DQ-LT; 13. Ratcliff DNS; 14. Delk DNS.
Cooley took his second-straight series win at Columbus Speedway after earning an invitation to the race by winning the Columbus Speedway/Magnolia Motor Speedway Track Championship and placing fourth in the 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region point standings.
“It was great winning a NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring race here, but to win two in a row is really special,” Cooley said. “We’ll be back tomorrow night to try and make it three-in-a-row.”
The Fall Nationals Invitational win is another accomplishment during the 2009 season for Cooley, as he also won the $20,000 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Championship. At 18-years-old, Cooley is the youngest National Champion in the history of dirt late model racing.
Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA led the first 19 laps of the race, and finished second driving the Turner Excavating DWB. Turner got caught behind the lapped car of Randall Beckwith of Kilmichael, MS in turn four on lap 20, and Cooley went to the outside to take the lead.
Turner was also the McLeod Construction Fast Qualifier with a lap around the ¼-mile clay oval in 14.909 seconds, and then went on to win the first ten-lap heat race to earn the pole position for the main event.
Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL finished third in the Century Carriers Trak-Star, and Evan Ellis of Plantersville, MS took the fourth spot in the Ellis Certified Welders Trak-Star. The 2009 and three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS was fifth in the Boland Performance Trak-Star.
The 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Rookie of the Year Ben McCreary of Baldwyn, MS drove the Waddle Trucking Mastersbilt to a sixth-place finish, and Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS finished seventh in the Lamar Auto Salvage Trak-Star.
Mark Stokes of Steens, MS was eighth in the Kountry Kitchen Trak-Star. Kelly Leonard of Opelika, AL took the ninth spot in the East Alabama Power Services Scorpion, and Lee Burdett of Hueytown, AL rounded out the top ten in the Struts GRT.
Turner took the lead at the drop of the green flag followed by Cooley, Ellis, McRee and Keeton. By lap seven, Turner was already beginning to lap the cars on the tail of the lead lap. The first of two caution flags came out on lap ten when Jimmy Elkins Jr. of Talladega, AL in the Millennium Mechanical Mastersbilt and Paul Walters of Valley, AL in the Gary Davis Construction GRT tangled on the front straightaway.
Turner led the field down for the double-file restart, and McRee was able to drive under Ellis for the third spot coming off the second turn, and Blount advanced from ninth to seventh. Lap 18 saw Turner once again encounter lapped traffic, as Cooley began to erase the ten car-length lead Turner enjoyed.
When Turner closed in on Beckwith’s Hi-Grade Farm Supply Rocket on the bottom of the race track in turn three on lap 20, Cooley went to the outside. Beckwith got sideways in front of Turner, causing the leader to slow just enough for the high flying Cooley to take the lead coming off the fourth turn.
Jay Burchfield of Columbus, MS spun the Burchfield’s Body Shop Barry Wright in turn two on lap 21 to bring out the final caution flag of the race. Cooley led Turner, McRee, Ellis, and Keeton down for the restart. When the green flag came out, Cooley pulled away, and nine laps later took the checkered flag with over a half-straightaway lead over Turner.
The three ten-lap heat races were won by Turner, Cooley, and Larry Boutwell of Baker, FL in the McLeod Construction TNT. Boutwell pulled off the track from his third starting spot just before the green flag came out with electrical problems. The ten-lap B-Main was won by the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS in the H.E. Mosley, Inc. Trak-Star.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour will be in action at Columbus Speedway on Saturday night with the non-points Fall Nationals Open 40-lap $2,500-to-win race. The pit gate opens at 10 a.m., and racing action is scheduled for 2 p.m.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE WEEKLY RACING SERIES FALL NATIONALS INVITATIONAL AT COLUMBUS SPEEDWAY IN COLUMBUS, MS ON 11/27/09:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 2 33c Eric Cooley Fulton, MS 30 $2,000
2. 1 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA 30 $1,100
3. 7 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 30 $700
4. 5 73 Evan Ellis Plantersville, MS 30 $550
5. 4 22 Lucky Keeton Toomsuba, MS 30 $500
6. 6 21 Ben McCreary Baldwyn, MS 30 $425
7. 12 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 30 $375
8. 11 2 Mark Stokes Steens, MS 30 $350
9. 10 03 Kelly Leonard Opelika, AL 30 $325
10. 15 B97 Lee Burdett Hueytown, AL 30 $300
11. 16 47 Shannon Lee Lumberton, MS 30 $275
12. 13 33 Sid Scarbrough Florence, MS 30 $250
13. 19 760 Jim McDuffie Meridian, MS 30 $225
14. 14 66k Scott Knowles Lanett, AL 30 $200
15. 8 88 Charlie Henderson Cottondale, AL 30 $175
16. 9 25b Jay Burchfield Columbus, MS 30 $150
17. 20 118 Randy Boyd Marion, MS 30 $140
18. 21 P19 Paul Walters Valley, AL 30 $125
19. 23 20 Kelly Lovorn Calhoun City, MS 30 $125
20. 18 07 Jimmy Elkins Jr. Talladega, AL 30 $125
21. 17 84 Randall Beckwith Kilmichael, MS 29 $125
22. 22 15 Bradley Blaylock Winona, MS 29 $125
23. 24 R7 Rodney Barber Saucier, MS 17 $125
24. 3 58 Larry Boutwell Baker, FL 0 $125
ENTRIES: 32
McLEOD CONSTRUCTION FAST QUALIFIER: Turner, 14.909 Seconds
LEAD CHANGES: 1
LAP LEADERS: Turner, 1-19; Cooley, 20-30
LAPS LED: Turner, 19; Cooley, 11
CAUTIONS: 2
TIME OF THE RACE: 13 Minutes and 3.348 Seconds
McLEOD CONSTRUCTION QUALIFYING:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TRK LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME
1 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA DWB NAT 14.928 14.909 14.909
2 73 Evan Ellis Plantsville, MS Trak Star WR 15.274 15.209 15.209
3 58 Larry Boutwell Baker, FL TnT NAT 15.216 15.238 15.216
4 03 Kelly Leonard Opelika, AL Scorpion EAMS 15.587 15.259 15.259
5 33c Eric Cooley Fulton, MS Victory Circle WR 15.480 15.303 15.303
6 21m Ben McCreary Baldwyn, MS Mastersbilt CM 15.773 15.338 15.338
7 22 Lucky Keeton Toomsuba, MS Trak Star WR 15.414 15.368 15.368
8 88 Charlie Henderson Cottondale, AL Mastersbilt HMP 30.755 15.392 15.392
9 B97 Lee Burdett Hueytown, AL GRT TST 15.448 15.406 15.406
10 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL Trak Star WMP 15.640 15.422 15.422
11 66k Scott Knowles Lanett, AL Warrior ER 15.668 15.477 15.477
12 48 Tody Ratcliff Meridian, MS GRT WMP 15.509 15.691 15.509
13 33 Sid Scarbrough Florence, MS GRT HMP 15.652 15.519 15.519
14 2 Mark Stokes Steens, MS Trak Star CM 15.520 15.950 15.520
15 25b Jay Burchfield Columbus, MS Barry Wright CM 15.791 15.552 15.552
16 00 J.D. Pass Brandon, MS Trak Star JMS 15.947 15.557 15.557
17 760 Jim McDuffie Meridian, MS Trak Star WMP 15.937 15.568 15.568
18 07 Jimmy Elkins Jr. Talladega, AL Mastersbilt ER 15.569 15.757 15.569
19 118 Randy Boyd Marion, MS Trak Star WR 15.614 16.261 15.614
20 84 Randall Beckwith Kilmichael, MS Rocket CMS 15.700 15.722 15.700
21 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS Trak Star HMP 15.811 15.727 15.727
22 47L Shannon Lee Lumberton, MS Trak Star WR 15.815 15.753 15.753
23 P19 Paul Walters Valley, AL GRT PR 15.817 15.867 15.817
24 08 Brett Delk Columbus, MS Trak Star CM 15.878 15.849 15.849
25 15 Clint Patterson Pontotoc, MS Mastersbilt CMS 16.078 15.890 15.890
26 15 Bradley Blaylock Winona, MS Stinger CMS 15.992 15.964 15.964
27 C55 David Carpenter Greenwood, MS GRT CMS 16.085 16.614 16.085
28 28 Wiley Williams Stonewall, MS GRT WMP 16.093 16.274 16.093
29 20 Kelly Lovorn Calhoun City, MS GRT CM 16.288 16.218 16.218
30 8 Zack Owens Kosciusko, MS Pierce JMS 17.374 16.513 16.513
31 K18 Kaleb Killens Poplarville, MS Trak Star PCS 16.605 16.518 16.518
32 R7 Rodney Barber Saucier, MS Mastersbilt SMS 16.582 16.600 16.582
HEAT RACES (10 Laps – Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST HEAT: 1. Turner; 2. Keeton; 3. McRee; 4. Leonard; 5. Scarbrough; 6. Lee; 7. Boyd; 8. Patterson; 9. Killens; 10. Williams; 11. Pass.
2ND HEAT: 1. Cooley; 2. Ellis; 3. Henderson; 4. Stokes; 5. Knowles; 6. Beckwith; 7. Walters; 8. McDuffie; 9. Lovorn; 10. Blaylock; 11. Barber.
3RD HEAT: 1. Boutwell; 2. McCreary; 3. Burchfield; 4. Blount; 5. Burdett; 6. Elkins; 7. Owens; 8. Carpenter; 9. Ratcliff; 10. Delk.
B-MAIN (10 Laps – Top 6 Transfer To Main Event): 1. McDuffie; 2. Boyd; 3. Walters; 4. Blaylock; 5. Lovorn; 6. Barber; 7. Pass; 8. Owens; 9. Williams; 10. Carpenter; 11. Patterson; 12. Killens DQ-LT; 13. Ratcliff DNS; 14. Delk DNS.
