THOMAS AWARDED NeSMITH LATE MODEL WIN AT COCHRAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

               COCHRAN, GA – Third generation driver Jimmy Thomas of Phenix City, AL was awarded the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win on Friday night at Cochran Motor Speedway driving the Five Star Hyundai Scorpion in the 40-lap RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series race. It was the first NeSmith Late Model career win for Thomas.

              Thomas did not lead a lap on the race track and took the checkered flag in second-place, but ended up with the victory in the Post-Race Technical Inspection. The engine in the Certified Energy, Inc. Rocket of apparent winner Jimmy Sharpe Jr. of Soperton, GA was found to have incorrect pistons and was disqualified.

              Joseph Brown of Cataula, GA finished second in the Lewis Auto Sales Special, and Terrance Nowell of Phenix City, AL took the third spot in the Harrod Logging Special. Travis Pennington of Stapleton, GA was fourth in the U.S. Duffie Site Prep Special, and Ashton Winger of Senoia, GA drove the Keyser Manufacturing Rocket to a fifth-place finish.

              Payton Freeman of Commerce, GA took the sixth spot in the Freeman Plumbing Special and Larry Harrod of Plains, GA finished seventh in the Harrod Logging Special. Eighth went to Chase Edge of Lafayette, AL in the Edge’s Gas Company Special and Chad Stapleton of Edinburgh, IN was ninth in the SSI/Jason Clarkson Logging Special.

              Three-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN rounded out the top ten in the Josh Roberts Trucking Special. Johnson is still in the running for the RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Championship, and trails point leader Jimmy Elliott of Cleveland, TN by 24 points. Elliott finished 12th in the Mighty Muffler and Brake Special.

              In preliminary action, Nowell was the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Fast Qualifier. Nowell topped the 30-car field with a lap around Cochran Motor Speedway in 14.561 seconds. Nowell picked up $100 from race promoter Brian Hester. The two 12-lap B-Main Races were won by Winger and Edge.

              The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series returns to Cochran Motor Speedway on Saturday night for a $4,000-to-win, 50-lap main event that will be the finale of the 2018 RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series.

            For more information and rules 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.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROCKAUTO.COM WINTER SHOOTOUT ROUND 5 AT COCHRAN MOTOR SPEEDWAY IN COCHRAN, GA ON 3-23-18:

POS      STRT   CAR #  DRIVER                            HOMETOWN                  LAPS    $ WON
1.           5            22          Jimmy Thomas                Phenix City, AL               40          $2,000
2.           2            92          Joseph Brown                  Cataula, GA                     40          $1,000
3.           1            27t        Terrance Nowell                            Phenix City, AL               40          $700
4.           7            01          Travis Pennington          Stapleton, GA                  40          $550
5.           9            12          Ashton Winger                Senoia, GA                        40          $500
6.           11          F1         Payton Freeman                             Commerce, GA                40          $425
7.           8            27          Larry Harrod                  Plains, GA                         40          $375
8.           10          18e        Chase Edge                       Lafayette, AL                  40          $350
9.           6            32          Chad Stapleton                Edinburgh, IN                  40          $325
10.         13          85          Ronnie Johnson               Chattanooga, TN            40          $300
11.         15          22a       Austin Burns                    Georgetown IN                39          $275
12.         12          J39       Jimmy Elliott                   Cleveland, TN                  39          $250
13.         19          6r          Shane Riner                      Guyton, GA                      39          $225
14.         22          14          Will Herrington                             Cochran, GA                    39          $200
15.         21          5d          Rodgerick Dykes            Smith Station, AL           39          $175
16.         20          9            Ches Chester                    Twin City, GA                  37          $150
17.         17          18          Ben Faircloth                   Swainsboro, GA                             23          $140
18.         24          66          Jody Knowles                  Tyrone, GA                      13          $125
19.         16          1n          Jordy Nipper                   Gray, GA                          12          $125
20.         20          30          Kale Hardy                      Nicholson, GA                  11          $125
21.         18          3            Cody Smith                       Holt, FL                             9            $125
22.         14          110       Ricky Culpepper             Hamilton, GA                  7            $125
23.         4            00          Russell Brown Jr.           Valdosta, GA                   0            $125
24.         3            26          Jimmy Sharpe Jr.           Soperton, GA                   40          $0/DQ-ENG

ENTRIES: 30
KNOWLES RACE PARTS AND BODIES FAST QUALIFIER: Nowell, 14.561 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: None:
LEAD CHANGES: 3
LAP LEADERS: Nowell, 1-2; Sharpe, 3-27; J. Brown, 28; Sharpe, 29-40*
LAPS LED: Sharpe, 37*; Nowell, 2; J. Brown, 1
(* - Sharpe failed Post-Race Technical Inspection due to incorrect pistons in his engine)
BEYEA HEADERS HARD CHARGER OF THE RACE: Herrington (started 22nd and finished 14th)
CAUTIONS: 4
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .501 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 19 Minutes and 45.654 Seconds
NEXT EVENT: March 24, Cochran Motor Speedway, $4,000-to-win, 50-laps