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JOHNSON
WINS NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS
COLUMBUS, MS – Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN won the
40-lap NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Winter Classic main
event on Saturday night at
Johnson’s crew member John Leatherwood was injured in a pit
area accident earlier in the day, and was transported to a local
hospital with a hand injury.
“I want to dedicate this win to John because he was working
hard in the pits before the race when he got hurt, and here we are
trying to celebrate, but we can’t because we know he’s in the
hospital,” Johnson said. “We’re
going to get loaded up and go see him at the hospital.
This trophy is going to John.”
About that time, a figure with his arm in a sling holding a
bandaged hand appeared out of the darkness of the grandstand
and came through the gate into
The only time Johnson was challenged for the lead was when the
leaders were in lapped traffic, but five caution flags took that
opportunity away, and Johnson beat Brian Rickman of Columbus, MS to
the checkered flag by seven car lengths.
“Running 40 laps in the Super Late Model feature before this
race was a big help in learning where the grooves were,” Johnson
said. “I knew if I could
stick to the bottom groove, I could move up from the third starting
spot, and that’s pretty much how I got the lead early in the
race.”
Rickman’s Rickman Trucking Mastersbilt was powered by a GM
Performance 602 steel-head Crate Engine, and timed in second quick
among the 49 entrants at 15.180 seconds.
The $3,000 engine was quicker that the Super Late Model cars at
the track with engines costing ten times more.
Jason Hiett of Lincoln,
Shawn Edwards of Louisville, MS took the sixth spot in the
Montgomery Farms Trak-Star, and Rick Rickman of Columbus, MS finished
seventh in the Carquest Auto Parts Mastersbilt. Carlton Freeman of
Eastaboga, AL was eighth in the Freeman Racing GRT, and
Ted Lackey of Munford,
Stokes picked up the Maximum Signs Ninth-Place Award, and
Lackey earned the Old 29 Golf Carts Tenth-Place Award.
Don Farmer of Springville, AL was the fast qualifier with a lap
around the ¼-mile high-banked clay oval in 15.170 seconds to earn the
pole position for the main event driving the F&F Construction GRT.
Farmer led the first lap followed by Brian Rickman, Johnson,
Richard Stephens of Phenix City, AL in the Pass Racing GRT, and Hiett. Johnson got the inside line on Farmer and Rickman coming off the second turn on lap two to take the lead going down the backstretch. Farmer got out of shape on lap three, and stalled his car on the front stretch to bring out the first caution flag. Johnson led Brian Rickman, Hiett, Stephens, and Rick Rickman down for the restart.
Rick Rickman got by Stephens on lap four, while Tays and
Edwards also got around Stephens on lap five.
John Ownbey of Cleveland, TN spun the Mowery Trucking GRT in
turn two on lap six to light the yellow caution bulb for the second
time. Johnson brought the
field back to green trailed by Brian Rickman, Hiett, Rick Rickman,
Edwards, and Tays.
While most of the drivers choose the bottom groove of the track
for the restart, Mike Boland of
Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA in the Turner Excavating
Hicks and Larry Boutwell of Baker, FL in the McLeod Construction TNT
tangled in turn two on lap 15 to bring out the third caution flag of
the race. On this restart,
Boland stayed low, while Rick Rickman went to the high side.
Boland was able to drive underneath Rick Rickman for fourth
coming off turn two.
Johnson was free of any traffic until lap 29 when he
encountered the cars on the tail end of the lead lap.
This enabled Brian Rickman to close in on Johnson, while Boland
battled Hiett for the third spot.
Boland spun in turn four on lap 30, and collected Stephens, who
had to retire with heavy damage. Boland
changed a flat tire, and returned to competition.
The misfortune after running in the top five earlier in the
race earned Stephens the Dominator Nose Piece Hard Luck of the Race
Award.
With ten laps to go, Johnson opened up a seven car-length lead
on Brian Rickman after the restart.
Following in third through tenth respectively were Hiett,
Smith, Tays, Rick Rickman, Edwards, Freeman,
The final caution flag of the race was unfurled
on lap 35 when Stephen Brantley of
In preliminary events, the three ten-lap Qualifying Races were
won by Boland, Ownbey, and Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, GA in the CSC
Trailer Repair/Brindle Brothers Auto Parts GRT. The next three events for the NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be at East Bay Raceway Park in
Tampa, FL with a pair of 40-lap $2,500-to-win races on February 21 and
22, and a 50-lap $3,000-to-win event on February 23.
OFFICIAL
RESULTS OF ROUND 2 AT POS
STRT CAR
# DRIVER
HOMETOWN
LAPS $ WON ENTRIES:
49 QUALIFYING
(Top 10 Transfer To Main Event):
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