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BREUER HONORED AT BANQUET AS 2011 NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS CHAMPION
DAWSONVILLE, GA – The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
celebrated it 2011 Champions and Special Award winners amidst the special
ambiance and atmosphere of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Thunder
Road USA Museum on Saturday night. Among
the 200 guests were 27 of the 30 Top 10 drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet
DLMS Tour and Weekly Racing Series.
Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC picked up the NeSmith Cup and a $20,000
check for winning the 2011 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
Touring Championship, while Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS and Jimmy Elkins
Jr. of Talladega, AL were honored as the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing
Series West and East Region Champions respectively.
Both McDuffie, who won his second West Region title, and Elkins
picked up checks for $5,000. Chase
Edge of Lafayette, AL also received a $5,000 check for winning the NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour VP Racing Fuels Rookie of the Year
Award.
After being awarded with the NeSmith Cup Championship Trophy and
receiving a standing ovation, Breuer brought his entire AES Racing Crew to
the stage, led by car owner and teammate Steve Cooke, who also finished
seventh in the Touring points chase, and Crew Chief Nicky “Slim”
Cochran, who was named the GM Performance Parts Crew Chief of the Year
earlier in the evening.
“I’ve been racing a long time, and the 2011 season with the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series has been the most enjoyable experience I’ve ever had in racing,” Breuer said. “And it’s not just because we had a good year on the track, but it’s also because of the comrodary, sportsmanship, and professionalism with the other drivers and officials.”
Dan Breuer of Troutman, NC receives the NeSmith Cup from Trophy
Presenters Katie Williamson and Amber Lee for winning the 2011 NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Championship during the series
Awards Banquet on Saturday night at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and
Thunder Road USA Museum in Dawsonville, GA.
(Angela Williamson Photo)
Breuer said the road trips to the 17 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late
Model Series Touring events from North Carolina were well worth it, and he
and the rest of the team were looking forward to the 2012 season to defend
their championship.
“Our team had to travel a little further than most of the teams here to compete, but it was well worth it,” Breuer said. “We always looked forward to traveling to the races because we made a lot of new friends we enjoyed racing against and socializing with at the tracks. We’re all looking forward to doing it again in 2012, and in the years to come.”
Jim McDuffie of Meridian, MS receives the 2011 NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly
Racing Series West Region Championship Trophy from Trophy Presenter Amber
Lee during the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Awards Banquet on
Saturday night at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Thunder Road USA
Museum in Dawsonville, GA. (Angela
Williamson Photo)
Along with Breuer, McDuffie, Elkins and Edge, the Top 10 drivers in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour, the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series West Region, and the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage East Region were also honored. Each driver received a trophy, a point fund check, and a Contingency Award package valued at $600.
Jimmy Elkins Jr. of Talladega, AL receives the 2011 NeSmith Chevrolet
Weekly Racing Series Old Man’s Garage East Region Championship Trophy
from Trophy Presenter Amber Lee during the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late
Model Series Awards Banquet on Saturday night at the Georgia Racing Hall
of Fame and Thunder Road USA Museum in Dawsonville, GA.
(Angela Williamson Photo)
Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL receives the 2011 VP Racing Fuels Rookie of
the Year Award from Trophy Presenter Amber Lee during the NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Awards Banquet on Saturday night at the
Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Thunder Road USA Museum in Dawsonville,
GA. (Angela Williamson Photo)
Another standing ovation went to Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA, who received his fourth Ironman Award in front of his entire family and hometown friends to commemorate his 124 consecutive appearances in NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series events. Turner is the only driver to compete in every series event held since its inception in 2005.
Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA receives the Ironman Award to
commemorate his 124 consecutive races from Trophy Presenter Amber Lee
during the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Awards Banquet on
Saturday night at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame and Thunder Road USA
Museum in Dawsonville, GA. (Angela
Williamson Photo)
GM Performance Special Projects Manager Bill Martens was named the
recipient of the Bob Cross Memorial Lifetime Achievement
Award. The award is
named in memory of the late Bob Cross, who was the GM Racing Engineer who
developed the GM Performance Crate Engines that power the race cars in the
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
Martens worked with Cross for many years, took the finished product
that Cross created, and made the racing community aware of the economical
racing engine working with series like the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late
Model Series.
Breuer also received the Hedman Husler Hedders Hard Charger of the
Year Award and a $1,000 check from Hedman Husler Hedders, the Official
Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
Joe Garrison with GRT Race Cars of Greenbrier, AR accepted the
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour and the NeSmith Chevrolet
Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Challenge Awards.
It was the first Touring Series Chassis title for GRT and the
fourth Weekly Racing Series Chassis Manufacturers Championship.
For the second straight year, Wesley Washington and James Clolinger
of Greenville Speedway in Greenville, MS were named the NeSmith Chevrolet
Weekly Racing Series Promoters of the Year.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Founder and Director Mike
Vaughn delivered the annual “State of the Series Address” and
reflected on the 2011 season, while also looking into the future of the
seven-year-old series.
“The 2011 season was the most enjoyable season we’ve ever had
in that we had close competition for the championships in the Touring
Series and in both Weekly Racing Series Regions,” Vaughn said.
“The competition was conducted with a spirit of sportsmanship
like we have never seen before.”
Vaughn spoke of a refreshing spirit of
competition among the drivers that competed for the top spots in the
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour and the NeSmith Chevrolet
Weekly Racing Series.
“Instead of whining, crying and name
calling, I think the drivers that competed for championships during the
2011 season actually liked each other and are friends after it’s all
been said and done,” Vaughn said “So
not only do I congratulate the drivers for what they’re accomplished on
the track as racers, but I also give them praise as men for how they
conducted themselves off the track.”
Vaughn also made two big announcements
concerning the future of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series that
will keep the series moving forward as “America’s Leader In Affordable
Dirt Late Model Racing.”
There will be a third series joining the
Touring Series and the Weekly Racing Series for the sanctioning body in
2013 with a new Super Late Model Series where the race cars will be
powered by the $7,000 GM Performance CT525 Engine that is based on the
Corvette production engine. The
series will feature a 22 to 24-race schedule and a point fund that will
pay $30,000 to the Champion.
The GM Performance CT525 Engine is built
and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications, and
Martens announced that there will be a factory Rebuild Center to repair,
refreashen, and reseal the engines for quality control and technical
accountability.
The second announcement outlined a new
Bilstein Spec Shock Program as an option for competitors in all three
series. Competitors that
choose to commit to using the $150 Bilstein Spec Shocks will compete in a
“Series Within A Series” that will feature an additional point fund
for participating drivers that will pay back five positions.
The Bilstein Spec Shocks will be sealed
and serial numbered, and there will be 10 different Bilstein Spec Shocks
for participating competitors to choose from.
There will also be a single Rebuild Center for the Bilstein Spec
Shocks.
To view the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late
Model Series Annual Awards Banquet photos, visit the series’ Facebook
page at NeSmith Racing.
The 2012 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late
Model Series Tour begins with three races at East Bay Raceway Park in
Tampa, FL on February 2, 3, and 4. There
will be an open practice night on Wednesday night, February 1.
The races on Thursday night, February 2 and Friday night, February
3 will each be 40-lap $2,000-to-win races.
The race on Saturday night, February 4 will be 50 laps and pay
$3,000-to-win.
For more information about the NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series visit the series web site at www.nesmithracing.com,
or visit the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing.
Becoming a fan of the NeSmith Racing Facebook page will make you
eligible for special prizes that will be given away each month.
You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.
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, with free delivery anywhere in the Southeast.
Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Hoosier
Racing 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. Hedman Hedders is the
Official Hedder of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and the
Hedman Husler Award sponsor. RockAuto.com
is an Official Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Contingency Sponsors for
2012 are Dominator Race Products, Race Car Engineering,
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