CLARKSVILLE, TN – StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National Touring drivers David Gentry of Lewisburg, TN and Frankie Beard of Hartwell, GA will be looking forward to returning to Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL for a $2,500-to-win 40-lap series event on June 24.
Gentry and Beard finished one-two at Talladega Short Track in the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series season opener on January 8. Since that event, both Gentry and Beard have been unable to equal that success in the next six races for the series’ National Tour.
That, by no means, says the two drivers haven’t done well competing on the dirt tracks with the Crate Late Model series.
Since the TST season opener where he led all 40 laps, Gentry has finished second four times, including the last three races. He is currently second in the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series point standings, only 28 points behind point leader Shannon Buckingham of Morristown, TN.
Beard, who set fast time honors at Talladega Short Track among the 78 entrants in January, is seventh in the StormPay.com National points chase, and is still the leading Rookie of the Year candidate with the series. The 20-year-old driver drove a black #1 in January, but has since changed the look of his machine to a red #21b.
The red car has had its problems on the track, keeping Beard from finishing in the top ten. Maybe Beard should be “back in black” when he returns to TST on June 24.
Buckingham is red-hot coming into the TST event, having won three of the last four StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National events. The former Mod Light National Champion, who is in his second year of dirt late model racing, is the only driver on the StormPay.com DLMS National Tour to finish in the top ten in all seven races held so far this season.
At the Ice Bowl TST January race, Buckingham started 22nd and finished fifth to earn the NeSmith Chevrolet Hard Charger of the Race Award.
Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN is third in the StormPay.com DLMS National points, only six points behind Gentry. The National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee has two wins on the season, and the “Chattanooga Flash” knows how to get around Talladega Short Track. In January, Johnson started 23rd and finished sixth.
Jeff Smith of Villanow, GA is looking for some revenge on the 1/3-mile clay oval at TST. In January, Smith started the StormPay.com DLMS season on a sour note, finishing 26th and last in the main event. Since then, Smith has worked his way up to fourth in the StormPay.com DLMS National point standings.
Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA finished fourth at TST in January, and is currently fifth in the StormPay.com DLMS National point standings. Carnell Parker III of Clarksville, TN is in the sixth position, Zach Nichols of Cedartown, GA is eighth behind Beard, and Jeff Purvis is in the ninth spot.
Purvis is another National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee competing regularly with the StormPay.com DLMS. After winning championship with the NDRA, and Southern All-Stars, and three World 100 wins, Purvis went on to a distinguished NASCAR career.
Drivers under the age of 21 called the “Young Guns” are also looking to make a name for themselves in the StormPay.com DLMS. Along with Beard in the StormPay.com DLMS this season are 18-year-old Jordy Nipper of Gray, GA, and 16-year-old Ryan Gifford of Winchester, TN. Nipper rounds out the top ten in the StormPay.com National points chase.
There will also be a host of StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series drivers from Talladega Short Track looking to give the National Touring drivers a run for their money.
Weekly Crate Late Model drivers at Talladega Short Track compete against drivers at other weekly tracks throughout the Southeast for regional points and point fund money under the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series banner. The top 12 drivers in the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series East Region compete at Talladega Short Track.
Among the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series Talladega Short Track “Weekly Warriors” that will be trying to defend their home turf on June 24 are point leader Jason Wilson, who is followed by John Pierce, Carlton Freeman, Jimmy Elkins, Logan Yates, Steve Kirk, Buddy George, Tim Staples, Chris Hill, Lee Burdett, and Kasey Hall.
The StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series will compete in Time Trials, the StormPay.com Lightning Quick 6 Dash, B-Mains, and the 40-lap $2,500-to-win Feature Race on July 24 at Talladega Short Track. The pit gate opens at 4 p.m., with the drivers meeting set for 6 p.m., to be followed by hot laps and racing action.
For more information, contact Talladega Short Track at 256-831-1413, or visit the track web site at www.talladegashorttrack.com. Talladega Short Track is located just south of I-20 on Speedway Blvd., across from the Talladega Superspeedway. For more information about the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.stormpayracing.com.
Gentry and Beard finished one-two at Talladega Short Track in the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series season opener on January 8. Since that event, both Gentry and Beard have been unable to equal that success in the next six races for the series’ National Tour.
That, by no means, says the two drivers haven’t done well competing on the dirt tracks with the Crate Late Model series.
Since the TST season opener where he led all 40 laps, Gentry has finished second four times, including the last three races. He is currently second in the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series point standings, only 28 points behind point leader Shannon Buckingham of Morristown, TN.
Beard, who set fast time honors at Talladega Short Track among the 78 entrants in January, is seventh in the StormPay.com National points chase, and is still the leading Rookie of the Year candidate with the series. The 20-year-old driver drove a black #1 in January, but has since changed the look of his machine to a red #21b.
The red car has had its problems on the track, keeping Beard from finishing in the top ten. Maybe Beard should be “back in black” when he returns to TST on June 24.
Buckingham is red-hot coming into the TST event, having won three of the last four StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series National events. The former Mod Light National Champion, who is in his second year of dirt late model racing, is the only driver on the StormPay.com DLMS National Tour to finish in the top ten in all seven races held so far this season.
At the Ice Bowl TST January race, Buckingham started 22nd and finished fifth to earn the NeSmith Chevrolet Hard Charger of the Race Award.
Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN is third in the StormPay.com DLMS National points, only six points behind Gentry. The National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee has two wins on the season, and the “Chattanooga Flash” knows how to get around Talladega Short Track. In January, Johnson started 23rd and finished sixth.
Jeff Smith of Villanow, GA is looking for some revenge on the 1/3-mile clay oval at TST. In January, Smith started the StormPay.com DLMS season on a sour note, finishing 26th and last in the main event. Since then, Smith has worked his way up to fourth in the StormPay.com DLMS National point standings.
Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA finished fourth at TST in January, and is currently fifth in the StormPay.com DLMS National point standings. Carnell Parker III of Clarksville, TN is in the sixth position, Zach Nichols of Cedartown, GA is eighth behind Beard, and Jeff Purvis is in the ninth spot.
Purvis is another National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame inductee competing regularly with the StormPay.com DLMS. After winning championship with the NDRA, and Southern All-Stars, and three World 100 wins, Purvis went on to a distinguished NASCAR career.
Drivers under the age of 21 called the “Young Guns” are also looking to make a name for themselves in the StormPay.com DLMS. Along with Beard in the StormPay.com DLMS this season are 18-year-old Jordy Nipper of Gray, GA, and 16-year-old Ryan Gifford of Winchester, TN. Nipper rounds out the top ten in the StormPay.com National points chase.
There will also be a host of StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series drivers from Talladega Short Track looking to give the National Touring drivers a run for their money.
Weekly Crate Late Model drivers at Talladega Short Track compete against drivers at other weekly tracks throughout the Southeast for regional points and point fund money under the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series banner. The top 12 drivers in the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series East Region compete at Talladega Short Track.
Among the StormPay.com Weekly Racing Series Talladega Short Track “Weekly Warriors” that will be trying to defend their home turf on June 24 are point leader Jason Wilson, who is followed by John Pierce, Carlton Freeman, Jimmy Elkins, Logan Yates, Steve Kirk, Buddy George, Tim Staples, Chris Hill, Lee Burdett, and Kasey Hall.
The StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series will compete in Time Trials, the StormPay.com Lightning Quick 6 Dash, B-Mains, and the 40-lap $2,500-to-win Feature Race on July 24 at Talladega Short Track. The pit gate opens at 4 p.m., with the drivers meeting set for 6 p.m., to be followed by hot laps and racing action.
For more information, contact Talladega Short Track at 256-831-1413, or visit the track web site at www.talladegashorttrack.com. Talladega Short Track is located just south of I-20 on Speedway Blvd., across from the Talladega Superspeedway. For more information about the StormPay.com Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.stormpayracing.com.
