Ronnie Johnson clinched his second straight NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Championship after his record-breaking eighth series win of the season on Friday night at Golden Isle Speedway. Photo by Troy Bergy/speedwayphotogrphy.smugmug.com
BRUNSWICK, GA – Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN won the closest finish in the ten-year history of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series on Friday night in the 50-lap main event of night one of the Showdown On The Coast at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA, and in doing so, clinched the $20,000 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS National Championship.
Johnson drove the NeSmith Chevrolet Special to a .004 second victory over Brent Barrett of Cleveland, MS in the Custom Spraying, Inc. GRT. The side-by-side win for Johnson was the only lap he led to clinch his second straight NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Championship with two races left on the 2014 series schedule.
“That’s the way I wanted to win the championship with a close side-by-side finish,” Johnson said. “I hope the fans enjoyed that because both Brent and I were up on the wheel to make it happen. It looked like Brent broke something on the rear of his car, but he was driving it as hard as he could, and he didn’t make this win easy for me. He did a great job.”
Johnson’s eighth win of the 2014 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series season also set a new series record for most wins in the single season. Johnson also padded his series-leading career win total with his 25th series victory.
Barrett, who was looking for his second win of the season, broke a shock on the left rear corner of his race car, and on top of that, he also was racing with a broken visor on his helmet for the last 20 laps of the race. Barrett said he was racing blind in lapped traffic, and that’s where Johnson was able to reel him in during the closing laps of the race.
Mitchell Coble of Mt. Airy, NC finished third in the Klontz Lubricant CVR and Matt Henderson of Loudon, TN was fourth in the Mighty Muffler and Brakes CVR. Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS started 14th and drove the Bassett Hound Motorsports GRT to a fifth-place finish, and Mallory Harvey of Baxley, GA took the sixth spot in the Rentz Farms Rocket.
Justin McRee of Woodstock, AL was seventh in the High Roller Race Cars Special and Cla Knight of North Augusta, SC drove the Augusta Aquatics Special to an eighth-place finish. Chris Noah of Rainbow City, AL was the Rookie of the Race with a ninth-place effort in the Old Man’s Garage Special and Michael Blount of Sumrall, MS rounded out the top ten in the Lamar Auto Salvage Trak-Star.
In preliminary action, Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL was the Fast Qualifier with a lap around the 4/10-mile clay oval in 16.742 second in the Edge’s Gas Company Special to earn the pole position for the main event.
At the drop of the green flag, it was outside front row starter Steven Roberts of Jesup, GA taking the lead in the Roberts Bee Company Special followed by Edge, Barrett, Johnson and Noah. Edge was able to stay right on Robert’s back bumper when they encountered the cars on the tail end of the lead lap by the 12th tour.
The first of three caution flags came out on lap 14 when Noah stalled in turn one while running fifth. Noah went to the pits and came back out to start on the tail for the “Dixie Style” double-file restart. Roberts had Edge, Barrett, Johnson, Henderson, McRee, Coble, Harvey, Cecil Eunice of Blackshear, GA in the Ace Pole Company Special, and Knight doubled up behind him in the top ten.
When the green flag returned the field to full speed action, Edge got busy looking inside and outside on Roberts to challenge for the lead. On lap 21, Edge got a run on Roberts on the outside coming off the second turn. Running side-by-side down the backstretch, the two lead cars made contact. Roberts hit the third turn guard rail and Edge spun to the inside to bring out the caution flag.
Roberts was charged with the caution flag and went to the pits for repairs, while Edge was able to continue and inherit the lead. Edge led the field for one green flag lap before the third and final caution flag of the race came out on lap 22 when Blackshear, GA drivers Hunter Carter and Paul Jorgensen tangled and spun in turn two.
Edge led the field down the backstretch preparing to take the green flag when he suddenly slowed and stopped on the backstretch. His car wouldn’t restart and he was done for the night to earn the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award.
Barrett took command of the field with Johnson, Coble, Henderson, McRee, Knight, Harvey, Stokes and Eunice doubled up behind him. Coble drove underneath Johnson on the restart to take over the second, as Barrett took off and left the rest of the field in his wake. By lap 30, Barrett enjoyed a full straightaway lead over Coble and Johnson, who were battling side-by side for second.
By lap 34, Barrett was in heavy lapped traffic, and on lap 35, Johnson drove around the outside of Coble to reclaim the second spot. While Barrett tried to feel his way through lapped traffic with his broken shock and helmet visor, Johnson had closed the gap to a half-straightaway by lap 37.
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The lead duo brought the crowd to their feet as they came off turn four to the checkered flag. They took the checkered flag side-by-side in a dead heat, too close to call with the naked eye. The electronic scoring showed Johnson the winner by .004 seconds for the closest finish in NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series history.
For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at NeSmithRacing.com.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
Golden Isles Speedway – Brunswick, GA
Race Results – Oct. 17, 2014
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 6 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 50 $2,500
2. 3 110 Brent Barrett Cleveland, MS 50 $1,250
3. 9 16 Mitchell Coble Mt. Airy, NC 50 $850
4. 5 17 Matt Henderson Loudon, TN 50 $700
5. 14 1 Johnny Stokes Columbus, MS 50 $650
6. 11 29 Mallory Harvey Baxley, GA 50 $550
7. 8 25 Justin McRee Woodstock, AL 50 $500
8. 10 42 Cla Knight North Augusta, SC 50 $450
9. 4 56 Chris Noah (R) Rainbow City, AL 50 $400
10. 15 121 Michael Blount Sumrall, MS 50 $375
11. 12 52 Ryan Carter Blackshear, GA 49 $350
12. 16 45 Damon Flowers Hortense, GA 49 $300
13. 18 J3 Paul Jorgensen (R) Blackshear, GA 49 $280
14. 17 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 48 $260
15. 7 22 Cecil Eunice Blackshear, GA 47 $250
16. 2 111 Steven Roberts Jesup, GA 22 $240
17. 1 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 21 $220
18. 13 25 Hunter Carter Blackshear, GA 21 $200
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