CARTERSVILLE, GA – The Top 10 drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West and East Regions will battle for bragging rights in the Race of Regions this Friday and Saturday at Columbus Speedway in Columbus, MS. After competing for points against each other at their home tracks, this will be the first time for many that they have competed against each other.
The 20-lap $500-to-win Race of Regions will be a part of the 3rd Annual Fall Nationals for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series. Also on the card for the 150 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series invited drivers will be the 30-lap $2,000-to-win Fall Nationals Invitational Race, and the 20-lap $500-to-win Race of Champions for WRS Track Champions.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour will also hold its final points race of the 2008 season on Saturday night at Columbus Speedway with a 40-lap $3,000-to-win main event. This event is open to all competitors.
The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS will lead the West Region contingent. McDuffie competed in 21 Races with nine wins, and 15 top five finishes. McDuffie will represent his home track, Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS.
Adam Martin of Talladega, AL is the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion, and the Track Champion at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL. In 23 starts, Martin posted eight wins, 19 top five finishes, and 21 top ten finishes.
McDuffie and Martin will be honored for their respective championships at the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Annual Awards Banquet in Tampa, FL on December 10. Each driver will receive a $3,000 cash prize, a new GM Performance 604 Crate Engine, and a new chassis.
McDuffie will receive a new Trak-Star Chassis from Boland Performance of Cuba, AL, and Martin will receive a new GRT Chassis from GRT Race Cars of Greenbrier, AR.
Also representing the West Region in the Race of Regions will be two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS, who finished second in the 2008 West Region standings. Mark Clifton of Brewton, AL finished third in the West Region, and Ben McCreary of Baldwyn, MS finished fourth.
Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS took the fifth spot in the West Region, and Track Championships at Southern Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS and A1 Raceway in Slidell, MS. Whynot Motorsports Park Track Champion Larry Murphy of Meridian, MS finished sixth in the West Region standings.
Josh Huss of Flomaton, AL is the seventh-place driver in the West Region and the Track Champion at Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL. Tony Shelton of Columbus, MS took two Track Championships at Columbus Speedway and across town at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS on his way to the eighth spot in the West Region points chase.
Tracy Sutton of Brewton, AL finished ninth in the West Region point standings competing at his home track, Flomaton Speedway. Tootie Arnold of Meadville, MS rounded out the top ten in the West Region, and will represent his home track, A1 Raceway.
Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL is the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Championship Runner-Up, and was also took a pair of Track Championships at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL and East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL. Stephens and Clifton tied for the most Weekly Racing Series wins during the 2008 season with 13.
Blake Stewart of Centre, AL is the third-place driver in the East Region point standings having split his racing efforts at Green Valley Speedway in Glencoe, AL and Fort Payne Motor Speedway in Fort Payne, AL. Jimmy Elkins Jr. of Talladega, AL makes his third straight top six finish in the East Region points finishing fourth in the East Region.
Jason Hiett of Lincoln, AL was a busy driver in 2008, as he finished fifth in the East Region standings, and has competed on the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour where he is also a Top 10 driver. The 2007 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion Logan Yates of Delta, AL finished sixth in the 2008 East Region point standings.
Kasey Hall of Geraldine, AL took the seventh spot in the East Region, and is the 2008 Track Champion at Green Valley Speedway. Dana Eiland of Salem, AL finished eighth in the East Region standings, after running the season at Penton Raceway and East Alabama Motor Speedway.
Talladega Short Track regular Brian Ponder of Talladega, AL finished ninth in the East Region standings, and another Penton Raceway and East Alabama Motor Speedway regular Anthony Meadows of Lanett, AL rounds out the Top 10 in the East Region point standings.
Lee, Murphy, Huss, Shelton, Martin, Stephens, and Hall are eligible for a big paying weekend, as they are eligible to compete in the Fall Nationals Invitational Race, the Race of Regions, the Race of Champions, and the National Touring event. If one of them sweeps the table, they would pocket $6,000.
They will join Jim Moon of Zionsville, IN, Jimmy Kay of Taylorsville, GA, and Silas Martin of Columbia, MS in the Race of Champions at Columbus Speedway. Moon was the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS Indiana State Champion, Kay was the Track Champion at Fort Payne Motor Speedway, and Silas Martin was the Track Champion at Pike County Speedway in McComb, MS.
The Top 10 drivers from the East and West Regions will be joined by 130 other drivers that represent the Top 10 drivers from each NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series sanctioned track. Each driver has received an invitation to the Fall Nationals.
“The 150 drivers that have been invited to the Fall Nationals represent the top 25 percent of the 600-plus drivers that competed in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series during 2008,” NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Director Roby Helm said. “Their invitation to this post-season special race is comparable to a college football team being invited to a post-season Bowl game.”
Columbus Speedway will host an open practice session on Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On both Friday and Saturday at Columbus Speedway, gates open at 10 a.m. with the drivers meeting at 1 p.m. and preliminary action scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. After the preliminary events, the track will be reworked, and the evening session with main events is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Race of Champions and Race of Regions heat races will be run on Friday during the afternoon session. The NeSmith Chevrolet Fall Nationals qualifying, B-Mains and Feature Race will be run during the Friday night session. The Race of Champions and Race of Regions will be run during the Saturday afternoon session.
Round 16 of the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring Series will be run during the Saturday night session with qualifying, B-Mains, and the 40-lap $3,000-to-win main event will be run during the Saturday night session.
Columbus Speedway is located seven miles east of Columbus, MS 1.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 82. Takes Stokes Road, 1.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 82, then turn right on Lacy Road. The track will be ¾-mile on the left. For more information call 662-241-5004, or visit the track web site at www.columbusspeedway.net.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, and a complete Fall Nationals Driver Roster, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com.
The 20-lap $500-to-win Race of Regions will be a part of the 3rd Annual Fall Nationals for the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series. Also on the card for the 150 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series invited drivers will be the 30-lap $2,000-to-win Fall Nationals Invitational Race, and the 20-lap $500-to-win Race of Champions for WRS Track Champions.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour will also hold its final points race of the 2008 season on Saturday night at Columbus Speedway with a 40-lap $3,000-to-win main event. This event is open to all competitors.
The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS will lead the West Region contingent. McDuffie competed in 21 Races with nine wins, and 15 top five finishes. McDuffie will represent his home track, Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS.
Adam Martin of Talladega, AL is the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion, and the Track Champion at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL. In 23 starts, Martin posted eight wins, 19 top five finishes, and 21 top ten finishes.
McDuffie and Martin will be honored for their respective championships at the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Annual Awards Banquet in Tampa, FL on December 10. Each driver will receive a $3,000 cash prize, a new GM Performance 604 Crate Engine, and a new chassis.
McDuffie will receive a new Trak-Star Chassis from Boland Performance of Cuba, AL, and Martin will receive a new GRT Chassis from GRT Race Cars of Greenbrier, AR.
Also representing the West Region in the Race of Regions will be two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region Champion Lucky Keeton of Toomsuba, MS, who finished second in the 2008 West Region standings. Mark Clifton of Brewton, AL finished third in the West Region, and Ben McCreary of Baldwyn, MS finished fourth.
Shannon Lee of Lumberton, MS took the fifth spot in the West Region, and Track Championships at Southern Speedway in Hattiesburg, MS and A1 Raceway in Slidell, MS. Whynot Motorsports Park Track Champion Larry Murphy of Meridian, MS finished sixth in the West Region standings.
Josh Huss of Flomaton, AL is the seventh-place driver in the West Region and the Track Champion at Flomaton Speedway in Flomaton, AL. Tony Shelton of Columbus, MS took two Track Championships at Columbus Speedway and across town at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS on his way to the eighth spot in the West Region points chase.
Tracy Sutton of Brewton, AL finished ninth in the West Region point standings competing at his home track, Flomaton Speedway. Tootie Arnold of Meadville, MS rounded out the top ten in the West Region, and will represent his home track, A1 Raceway.
Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL is the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Championship Runner-Up, and was also took a pair of Track Championships at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL and East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL. Stephens and Clifton tied for the most Weekly Racing Series wins during the 2008 season with 13.
Blake Stewart of Centre, AL is the third-place driver in the East Region point standings having split his racing efforts at Green Valley Speedway in Glencoe, AL and Fort Payne Motor Speedway in Fort Payne, AL. Jimmy Elkins Jr. of Talladega, AL makes his third straight top six finish in the East Region points finishing fourth in the East Region.
Jason Hiett of Lincoln, AL was a busy driver in 2008, as he finished fifth in the East Region standings, and has competed on the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour where he is also a Top 10 driver. The 2007 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion Logan Yates of Delta, AL finished sixth in the 2008 East Region point standings.
Kasey Hall of Geraldine, AL took the seventh spot in the East Region, and is the 2008 Track Champion at Green Valley Speedway. Dana Eiland of Salem, AL finished eighth in the East Region standings, after running the season at Penton Raceway and East Alabama Motor Speedway.
Talladega Short Track regular Brian Ponder of Talladega, AL finished ninth in the East Region standings, and another Penton Raceway and East Alabama Motor Speedway regular Anthony Meadows of Lanett, AL rounds out the Top 10 in the East Region point standings.
Lee, Murphy, Huss, Shelton, Martin, Stephens, and Hall are eligible for a big paying weekend, as they are eligible to compete in the Fall Nationals Invitational Race, the Race of Regions, the Race of Champions, and the National Touring event. If one of them sweeps the table, they would pocket $6,000.
They will join Jim Moon of Zionsville, IN, Jimmy Kay of Taylorsville, GA, and Silas Martin of Columbia, MS in the Race of Champions at Columbus Speedway. Moon was the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS Indiana State Champion, Kay was the Track Champion at Fort Payne Motor Speedway, and Silas Martin was the Track Champion at Pike County Speedway in McComb, MS.
The Top 10 drivers from the East and West Regions will be joined by 130 other drivers that represent the Top 10 drivers from each NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series sanctioned track. Each driver has received an invitation to the Fall Nationals.
“The 150 drivers that have been invited to the Fall Nationals represent the top 25 percent of the 600-plus drivers that competed in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series during 2008,” NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Director Roby Helm said. “Their invitation to this post-season special race is comparable to a college football team being invited to a post-season Bowl game.”
Columbus Speedway will host an open practice session on Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. On both Friday and Saturday at Columbus Speedway, gates open at 10 a.m. with the drivers meeting at 1 p.m. and preliminary action scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. After the preliminary events, the track will be reworked, and the evening session with main events is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Race of Champions and Race of Regions heat races will be run on Friday during the afternoon session. The NeSmith Chevrolet Fall Nationals qualifying, B-Mains and Feature Race will be run during the Friday night session. The Race of Champions and Race of Regions will be run during the Saturday afternoon session.
Round 16 of the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Touring Series will be run during the Saturday night session with qualifying, B-Mains, and the 40-lap $3,000-to-win main event will be run during the Saturday night session.
Columbus Speedway is located seven miles east of Columbus, MS 1.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 82. Takes Stokes Road, 1.5 miles north of U.S. Highway 82, then turn right on Lacy Road. The track will be ¾-mile on the left. For more information call 662-241-5004, or visit the track web site at www.columbusspeedway.net.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, and a complete Fall Nationals Driver Roster, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com.
