TRIPLE-HEADER THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FOR THE NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS

               CARTERSVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour will embark on a Memorial Day Weekend Triple-Header with the Stars And Stripes 40 at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL on Friday night, the Salute To The American Forces 50 on Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, AL, and the American Freedom 40 on Sunday night at New Senoia Raceway in Senoia, GA.

               All three races will feature tough competition between the traveling stars of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour, and local favorites that include the top point drivers in NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region competition for non-touring drivers.

               There will be three complete shows each night with the Stars And Stripes 40 at Penton Raceway paying $2,000-to-win on Friday night, the Salute To The Armed Forces 50 at East Alabama Motor Speedway paying $2,500-to-win on Saturday night, and the American Freedom 40 at New Senoia Raceway paying $2,000-to-win.

               The defending NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS leads the National Touring point standings going into Rounds 9, 10 and 11 this weekend with a 52-point lead over Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA.  Turner has a 42-point advantage over the third-place driver in points, Justin McRee of Cuba , AL .

               Cooley has two wins, five top five finishes, eight top ten finishes, and one fast time award in eight starts.  The 19-year-old driver is also the only driver to complete all 370 laps of NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series competition so far this season, and leads the laps led category with 65 laps at the head of the pack.

               Turner has three top fives, and seven top tens in eight starts, and is the only driver to compete in every NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Tour event since the series inception in 2005.  The “Ironman” will be looking to compete in his 95^th, 96^th, and 97^th consecutive series events this weekend. 

Turner also leads the GM Performance Parts Hard Charger point standings with 79 cars passed this season.  One GM Performance Parts Hard Charger point is awarded to a driver for each position they improve from the start of a race to the end of a race.  GM Performance Parts will hand out a cash award at the end of the season for the driver with the most Hard Charger points.

               McRee has turned in three top fives, four top tens, and one fast time award in eight starts.  “J-Mac” has a 28-point advantage over his teammate, “Chargin’ Charlie” Henderson of Cottondale , AL , the fourth-place driver in the points chase.

               Henderson also leads the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year point standings that pays $5,000 to the top VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year candidate at the end of the season.  Henderson leads a total of five VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year candidates in the top ten of the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National point standings.

               Shannon L ee of Lumberton, MS is fifth in the National standings, second in the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year standings, and is 32-points behind Henderson .  Chris McElhenney of Lake, MS is in the sixth spot in National points, 14-points behind Lee, and Marcus Minga of Shannon , MS is seventh in the National standings, 20-points behind McElhenney.

               The racing lumberjack Larry Harrod of Plains, GA is eighth in the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National standings and third in the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year standings.  Harrod has two top fives and three top tens in seven NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National starts this season. 

“The Big Tree” is looking forward to returning to his home track, East Alabama Motor Speedway , where he was the 2009 Track Champion on his way to finishing second in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region standings.

               “The Deputy” Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS is ninth in the National standings and fourth in the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year points chase.  The fifth-place tyro in the VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year title hunt is Jay Burchfield of Columbus, MS, who also rounds out the top ten in the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National standings.

               Many local drivers and competitors in the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region, a series for non-touring drivers, are expected for the three-race weekend, as they will be looking to earn up to 75 bonus points that will be added to their best 16 point total in the East Region.

A driver can earn up to a total of 150 Regional bonus points at 25 Regional bonus points per event that they enter during the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS season that runs from April 2 through October 3.

Another NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS “Young Gun,” 17-year-old Chase Edge of Lafayette , AL leads the NeSmith Chevrolet WRS East Region standings, and he also has wins this season at Penton Raceway and East Alabama Motor Speedway .  Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL is second to Edge in the East Region points, and has a series-leading six wins this season at EAMS.

Turner and McRee have posted NeSmith Chevrolet WRS East Region wins this season at New Senoia Raceway during their weeks off from competing on the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Tour.  Other top contenders at New Senoia Raceway include Tod Darda of LaGrange , GA and Craig Scott of Newnan , GA.

Another driver looking to break the bank this weekend is William Thomas of Phenix City, AL, who has four career wins in NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS competition.  Thomas has two wins at EAMS, one win at Penton Raceway, and he also won the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS 2010 season opener in January at Columbus Speedway in Columbus , MS .

Other top local drivers expected include Dana Eiland of Salem, AL, Terrance Nowell of Phenix City, AL, Jeff Landrum of Lanett, AL, Pat Wall of Columbus, GA, and Matt Woodson of LaGrange, GA.  Other NeSmith Chevrolet WRS East Region title contenders expected this weekend include Ryan King of Anniston, AL and Talladega, AL drivers Adam Gauldin and the 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series East Region Champion Adam Martin .

The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series American Cancer Society Ride For Life two-seat dirt late model race car will be at East Alabama Motor Speedway on Saturday night, as fans can bid for a six-lap ride at race speed with Richie Stephens, Dana Eiland, Chase Edge, Larry Harrod, William Thomas, or Terrance Nowell.  All of the proceeds will benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society,

Penton Raceway will host a practice session on Thursday night, May 27 with the Gates opening at 6 p.m. , and practice beginning at 7 p.m.

On Friday at Penton Raceway, the gates will open at 4 p.m. , NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Registration and Tech will be from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. , the drivers meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. , and racing will follow.

On Saturday at East Alabama Motor Speedway , the gates will open at 3 p.m. , with NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Registration and Tech from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. , the drivers meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. , followed by racing action.

There will be an early starting time for the Sunday, May 30 event at New Senoia Raceway with the gates opening at 2 p.m. , with NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Registration and Tech from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. , and the drivers meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. with racing to follow.

               The Hampton Inn in Valley, AL at Exit 77 on I-85 is the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS Official Host Hotel for the three-race series and they will be offering NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS fans and competitors a special discount rate of $89.00 per night for a double, and $99 per night for a king.  To make reservations call 334-576-5400 and ask for the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS discount rate.

               For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, Penton Raceway , East Alabama Motor Speedway , and New Senoia Raceway, visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com.

NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain Dealer four years running, and is also the nation’s number one volume dealer of Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC cars, trucks, SUVs and vans with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast.  GM Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and Hard Charger Award sponsor.  Hoosier Race Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  VP Racing Fuel is the Official Racing Fuel of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.  NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for 2010 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering, KRC , Joe Gibbs Driven, Maximum Signs and Graphics, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Warrior Race Cars , Trak-Star Race Cars, GRT Race Cars, TNT Race Cars, and Rocket Chassis.