6.9.18 NeSmith Late Models Results

GREENVILLE, MS – The race fans at Greenville Speedway were once again treated to some intense and highly entertaining Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series racing by the National Tour on Saturday night, just like they were on Friday night. Ashton Winger of Senoia, GA led 39.9 of 40 laps on Friday night, but had to settle for second. Saturday night was all his in the Keyser Manufacturing Rocket.
In a 50-lap race that saw seven lead changes among four different drivers, Winger drove with the never let up intense style that he had shown over two nights of racing. Winger drove different grooves, but late in the race stayed on the high side against, and sometimes, on top of the concrete retaining wall. It was most definitely The Rumble On The Gumbo – Night 2!
Winger led the race on three different occasions, but late in the race, the 18-year-old driver opened up a lead late in the race to take the checkered flag with a 2.992 second margin of victory. The disappointment he felt 24 hours earlier, was long gone on Saturday night, replaced by a very happy young man who savored his first career Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model win.
“I’ve grown up coming to these Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model races always wanting one of those Gold Helmet Trophies ever since I can remember, and now I have one,” Winger said in Victory Lane. “I can’t thank my crew and my family enough because I pretty much wrecked the car last night trying to win the race. They fixed it, put it back together, and gave me another shot to win tonight.”
Winger is a very enthusiastic young man with a lot to say, and to the winner go the spoils, which includes taking as long as he likes to thank everyone involved with the race, from the series officials, to the track preparation crew, and especially the fans.
“I’m so glad we chose to run this series because everyone is so professional, and the people here at Greenville Speedway are great because they gave us a better track to race on tonight with multiple grooves than we had last night,” Winger said. “And I can’t thank the fans enough for coming out to see us race, and I hope you enjoyed the show we put on both nights.”
The two-night Rumble On The Gumbo Nationals for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Touring Division at Greenville Speedway featured two of the best races in the 14-year history of the series. Winger showed that he is the bright young future of dirt late model racing with the way he attacked the Mississippi River Bottom black gumbo clay oval.
Along with the victory, Winger was the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race and the VP Racing Fuels Young Gun of the Race for drivers 18 years of age and younger. Winger also led the most laps of the race with 31 tours at the head of the pack, including the most important one, the last one.
Ashley Newman of Ripley, TN led the race on three different occasions, but had to settle for second in the Scott Davis Farms Special. Austin Horton of Newnan, GA drove a patient race to finish third in the Orr’s Towing Rocket.
The defending and two-time Durrence Layne Chevrolet National Late Model Champion Cory Hedgecock of Loudon, TN led a couple of laps before bringing his Eagle Racing Engines Rocket home in the fourth spot.
Austin Burns of Georgetown, IN drove with a “throw caution to the wind-style” similar the Winger’s. He drove up to as high as the third spot before taking fifth in the Sub Surface of Indiana Special. That earned Burns the VP Racing Lubricants Slick Move of the Race Award.
Jeff Wells of Mercer, TN drove the Greg’s Sawmill Special to a sixth-place finish, and Tyler Wood of Hohenwald, TN was seventh in the Speedy B’s GRT. Ryan Colby of Greenville, MS took the eighth spot in the Washington’s Body Shop Special.
Marcus Minga of Shannon, MS started 24th in the B&M Salvage Rocket and finished ninth to earn the Beyea Headers Hard Charger of the Race Award. Randall Beckwith of Kilmichael, MS rounded out the top ten in the Beckwith Forestry Rocket.
In preliminary action, Jake Knowles of Rome, GA was the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Fast Qualifier with a lap around Greenville Speedway in 15.411 seconds in the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Special. The two ten-lap B-Main Races were won by Christopher Showah of Leland, MS in the M&D Aviation Special and Beckwith.
Knowles earned the pole position and he chose the outside to start the race. Knowles, looking for his second straight win, took the lead at the drop of the green flag followed by Oakley Johns of Hohenwald, TN in the Johns Timber Special, Winger, Horton and Beckwith. Andy Picklesimer of Ooltewah, TN brought out the first caution flag when he stalled on the backstretch on lap two.
On the restart, Johns hit the backstretch wall battling with Hedgecock for the second spot and he slowed to a stop on lap three to bring out the second caution flag. Winger took over the second spot on the restart, and began battling Knowles side-by-side for the lead.
Mark Tice of Avon, MS cut down a tire on his Tice Racing Special on lap six to light up the yellow caution bulb for the third time, but just as the caution came out, Knowles came to a sudden stop on the backstretch with a damaged race car and he was out of the race. Winger took over the lead for the restart followed by Newman, Hedgecock, Horton, and Jamey Boland of Cuba, AL in the Boland Performance Trak-Star.
On the restart, drivers began groove hunting at different parts of the race track. Winger would run low in turns one and two, and high in turns three and four. Newman ran the bottom groove, while Hedgecock rode the cushion on the high side. By lap 15, Winger encountered lapped traffic, and by then he committed to the outside to get around the cars on the tail end of the lead lap.
While Winger struggled with a lapped car on the high side on lap 17, Newman and Hedgecock found an opening on the bottom groove, and they passed Winger for first and second respectively in turn four. Hedgecock dove under Newman in turn three on lap 20 to take the lead, and Newman came back on lap 22 to reclaim the top spot.
The final caution flag of the race came out on lap 30 when T.J. Brittain of Centre, AL stalled the Brittain Hauling Warrior in turn two. Newman was in a row by himself for the Dixie-Style Double-File Restart. Hedgecock chose the inside with the third-place car of Winger to his right on the outside. Winger said after the race that Hedgecock did him a favor choosing the inside.
When the green flag came out to restart the race, Winger sailed past both Hedgecock and Newman to take the lead coming off the fourth turn to complete lap 30. Newman came right back on the inside to retake the point on lap 35. Winger got a run on Newman on lap 36 to take the lead for good.
Winger encountered lapped traffic late in the race, but he had a big enough lead over Newman that it didn’t play a role in the outcome of the race. It was Winger’s race to lose, for the second straight night, but unlike the night before, Winger sealed the deal with the win.
The next race for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour will be on June 30 at historic Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, GA, just outside Chattanooga, TN, for a $2,500-to-win 50-lap event.
NeSmith Racing is now Durrence Layne Racing! For more information and rules about the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.durrencelayneracing.com, or visit the series on Facebook at Durrence Layne Racing. You can follow us on Twitter @DurrenceLayneRacing.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 6 AT GREENVILLE SPEEDWAY IN GREENVILLE, MS ON 6/9/18:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 3 12 Ashton Winger (R-YG) Senoia, GA 50 $2,500
2. 9 73 Ashley Newman Ripley, TN 50 $1,250
3. 5 16 Austin Horton Newnan, GA 50 $850
4. 6 23 Cory Hedgecock Loudon, TN 50 $700
5. 15 22 Austin Burns (R) Georgetown, IN 50 $650
6. 18 1w Jeff Wells Mercer, TN 50 $550
7. 14 17jr Tyler Wood Hohenwald, TN 50 $500
8. 22 21c Ryan Colby Greenville, MS 50 $450
9. 24 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 50 $400
10. 8 84 Randall Beckwith Kilmichael, MS 49 $375
11. 12 232 Jamey Boland (R) Cuba, AL 49 $350
12. 20 21 Kody Barber Bogalusa, LA 49 $300
13. 23 1b Bryant Marsh (R) Corinth, MS 49 $280
14. 7 D8jr Christopher Showah Leland, MS 48 $260
15. 4 P1 Andy Picklesimer Ooltewah, TN 48 $250
16. 21 1y Jeff Young Clarksdale, MS 48 $240
17. 11 24 Mark Tice Avon, MS 43 $220
18. 19 05 T.J. Brittain Centre, AL 28 $200
19. 13 88 Seth Reed Rison, AR 28 $200
20. 10 7p Peter Hazzard Greenville, MS 27 $200
21. 16 7d Brent Dillon Greenville, MS 21 $200
22. 17 C66 Donald Johns Summertown, TN 14 $200
23. 1 66 Jake Knowles Rome, GA 5 $200
24. 2 C6 Oakley Johns Hohenwald, TN 1 $200
ENTRIES: 26
KNOWLES RACE PARTS AND BODIES FAST TIME: Knowles, 15.411 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Marsh and Minga
LEAD CHANGES: 7 Among 4 Drivers
LAP LEADERS: Knowles, 1-5; Winger, 6-16; Newman, 17-19; Hedgecock, 20-21; Newman, 22-29; Winger, 30-34; Newman, 35; Winger, 36-50
LAPS LED: Winger, 31; Newman, 12; Knowles, 5; Hedgecock, 2
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER OF THE RACE: Minga (started 24th and finished 9th)
VP RACING LUBRICANTS SLICK MOVE OF THE RACE: Burns
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Winger
VP RACING FUELS YOUNG GUN OF THE RACE: Winger
CAUTIONS: 4
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 2.992 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 32 Minutes and 50.997 Seconds
NEXT RACE: June 30, Boyd’s Speedway, Ringgold, GA, $2,500-to-win, 50-laps
KNOWLES RACE PARTS AND BODIES QUALIFYING (Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TIME
1 66 JAKE KNOWLES ROME, GA LONGHORN 15.411
2 C6 OAKLEY JOHNS HOHENWALD, TN PIERCE 15.471
3 12 ASHTON WINGER (R-YG) SENOIA, GA ROCKET 15.557
4 P1 ANDY PICKLESIMER OOLTEWAH, TN LONGHORN 15.577
5 16 AUSTIN HORTON NEWNAN, GA ROCKET 15.645
6 23 CORY HEDGECOCK LOUDON, TN ROCKET 15.652
7 73 ASHLEY NEWMAN RIPLEY, TN KRYPTONITE 15.657
8 7P PETER HAZZARD GREENVILLE, MS BLACK DIAMOND 15.767
9 D8jr CHRISTOPHER SHOWAH LELAND, MS HIGH ROLLER 15.874
10 84 RANDALL BECKWITH KILMICHAEL, MS ROCKET 15.933
11 05 T J BRITTAIN CENTRE, AL WARRIOR 15.992
12 17JR TYLER WOOD HOHENWALD, TN GRT 16.102
13 24 MARK TICE AVON, MS PIERCE 16.109
14 232 JAMEY BOLAND – R CUBA, AL TRAK STAR 16.132
15 1W JEFF WELLS MERCER, TN LONGHORN 16.138
16 32 CHAD STAPLETON EDINBURGH, IN CLUB 29 16.138
17 88S SETH REED RISON, AR MASTERSBILT 16.199
18 7 BRENT DILLON GREENVILLE, MS SHAW 16.279
19 1 BRYANT MARSH – R CORINTH, MS TRAK STAR 16.307
20 21 RYAN COLBY GREENVILLE, MS BLACK DIAMOND 16.439
21 C66 DONALD JOHNS SUMMERTOWN, TN PIERCE 16.462
22 21 KODY BARBER BOGALUSA, LA BARRY WRIGHT 16.659
23 22 AUSTIN BURNS – R GEORGETOWN, IN CLUB 29 16.671
24 19 MARCUS MINGA SHANNON, MS ROCKET 16.823
25 1 JEFF YOUNG CLARKSDALE, MS CVR 17.438
26 48M MIKE MYERS RULEVILLE, MS BLACK DIAMOND 17.576
B-MAINS (10 Laps – Top 8 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST B-MAIN: 1. Showah; 2. Newman; 3. Tice; 4. Reed; 5. Burns (R); 6. D. Johns; 7. Brittain; 8. Young; 9. Marsh (R); 10. Stapleton.
2ND B-MAIN: 1. Beckwith; 2. Hazzard; 3. Boland (R); 4. Wood; 5. Dillon; 6. Wells; 7. Barber; 8. Colby; 9. Minga; 10. Myers.
DURRANCE LAYNE CHEVROLET DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES NATIONAL POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 6/9/18:
23 Cory Hedgecock – 562
2. 12 Ashton Winger (R-YG) – 538
3. 66 Jake Knowles – 472
4. P1 Andy Picklesimer – 442
5. 232 Jamey Boland (R) – 434
6. 05 T.J. Brittain – 430
7. 1b Bryant Marsh (R) – 428
8. 19 Marcus Minga – 410
9. 22 Austin Burns (R) – 374
10. 17jr Tyler Wood – 372
11. C6 Oakley Johns – 368
12. 32 Chad Stapleton – 354
13. 17 Matt Henderson – 226
14. 73 Ashley Newman – 218
15. 16 Austin Horton – 216
Durrence Layne Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models and the Pacesetter Award Sponsor at Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events. Durrence Layne Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is one of the nation’s top GM Powertrain and Performance Dealers, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models. VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants is the Official Race Fuel and Lubricant of the Durrence Layne Late Models, sponsor of the VP Lubricants Starting Box, and the VP Lubricants Smooth Move of the Race Award at Durrence Layne Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events. RockAuto.com is an Associate Sponsor of the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models. Beyea Headers the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model Hard Charger Sponsor. Knowles Race Parts and Bodies is the Official Parts Supplier for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models and the Fast Qualifier Sponsor at National Touring events. Cruise With The Champions is the Official Vacation and Rookie of the Year Sponsor for the Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Models. David Smith Carburetors is the Official Carburetor of Durrence Layne Racing. Freestyle Graphix is the Official Wrap, Banner, and Sign Company of Durrence Layne Racing. Durrence Layne Chevrolet Late Model Contingency Sponsors for 2017 are Out-Pace Performance, CrateInsider.Com, Knowles Racing Parts and Bodies, and FreeStyle Graphix. 2018 Chassis Sponsors are Trak-Star Race Cars, Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.