NORMAN PARK, GA – Wil Herrington of Hawkinsville, GA padded his Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series point lead by taking his fourth win of the season on Saturday night at Needmore Speedway. Herrington led all 50 laps on his way to the $4,000 top prize driving the 5m Construction Rocket.
“I knew we had a fast car last night in the practice session, so after a few laps, I brought it in and put it in the trailer for tonight,” Herrington said. “The timing of the caution flags also went our way tonight because about the time we would get bogged up in lapped traffic, a caution flag would come out and I would have a clear race track in front of me for the restart.”
Herrington took the checkered flag with a 1.068 second margin of victory over Jimmy Thomas of Phenix City, AL in the Scorpion Race Cars Special, but Thomas was light at the scales and penalized to the 25th finishing position. That gave the second spot to Jordy Nipper of Macon, GA in the Scotty’s Muffler Rocket.
Parker Martin of Milledgeville, GA had a career-high finish of third in the Martin Industrial Contractors Special. The 16-year-old VP Racing Fuels Young Gun Challenge Series driver was also the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race. Jeff Mathews of Brandon, FL took the fourth spot in the CURS Rocket.
Mark Whitener of Middleburg, FL was fifth in the Baker Farms Special and Russell Brown of Valdosta, GA drove the Georgia 811 Special to a sixth-place finish. Jody Knowles of Tyrone, GA started 24th in the Clayton Signs/Gentry’s Used Auto Parts Special and finished seventh to earn the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger of the Race Award.
Ches Chester of Twin City, GA finished eighth in the Georgia Equipment Company Rocket and Corey Dunn of Milledgeville, GA was ninth in the Georgia Timber CVR. John Baker of Norman Park, GA rounded out the top ten in the Baker Farms Rocket.
In preliminary action, Cody Overton of Evans, GA out-timed the 33-car field with a lap around Needmore Speedway in 15.265 seconds in the Budweiser Special during Group Qualifying. The lap was worth $100 from Boyd Built Fabricators, $100 from Scorpion Race Cars, and a three-day trip to Panama City Beach, FL from iHeart Radio.
The two ten-lap KRC Power Steering B-Main Races were won by Bubba Whitener of Middleburg, FL in the Baker Farms Special and Dalton Hood of Vidalia, GA in the Pittman Concrete Rocket.
Herrington took the lead at the drop of the green flag from the pole position followed by Nipper, Overton, Thomas, and Martin. The first of eight caution flags came out on lap three when Cody Smith of Baker, FL got his Ward Built Fabricators Rocket sideways coming off the fourth turn and collected several other cars before the dust cleared.
Overton dropped out of the race on the restart while running third, and Crane came from seventh to fourth in lap four. Jake Rainey of Hiram, GA stalled the Harrod Logging Special on the backstretch to light up the yellow caution bulb on lap eight. The top ten for the Dixie-Style Double-File Restart was Herrington, Nipper, Thomas, Crane, Martin, Mathews, Christian Hanger of Winchester, TN in the Hanger Hardwood Rocket, Brown, Bubba Whitener and Mark Whitener.
Thomas drove by Nipper for second on the restart and Crane passed Nipper for third on lap nine. The field was slowed again on lap 11 when Bubba Whitener stalled on the front straightaway. The top ten for the restart was Herrington, Thomas, Crane, Nipper, Mathews, Martin, Hanger, Brown, Baker, and Chester.
Herrington tried to pull away from Thomas, but his progress was slowed when he caught the cars on the tail end of the lead lap on lap 19. Thomas was able to close to the back bumper of Herrington and was putting on the pressure when the caution flag came out on lap 26 when T.J. Brittain of Centre, AL stalled the Brittain Hauling Warrior on the front stretch on lap 26.
The restart at the halfway point of the race saw Herrington leading Thomas, Crane, Nipper, Martin, Mathews, Chester, Brown, Trynt Lloyd of Jacksonville, FL in the C&S Trailers Special, and Mark Whitener. Troy Dixon of Dallas, GA spun the Granite Hauling and Grading Rocket in the backstretch on lap 27 to bring out the caution flag to set up another restart.
When the green flag came out, Crane sailed around the outside of Thomas to take over the second spot, while Mathews drove around Martin and Nipper to move up to fourth. By lap 30, Herrington had opened up a half straightaway lead on Crane. Herrington hit lapped traffic on lap 37, as Crane began to close in.
Jimmy Sharpe Jr. of Lyons, GA stalled the Certified Energy Special in turn four on lap 38 to bring out the caution flag. On the next restart, Thomas was able to reclaim the second spot with an outside move. The racing action was slowed again on lap 39 for a multi car pile-up in turn two. Herrington led Thomas, Crane, Mathews, Nipper, Martin, Brown, Mark Whitener, Lloyd, and Knowles down for the restart.
Crane slowed off the pace from the third spot on the restart and came to a stop on the backstretch on lap 40 to bring out the final caution flag. Nipper was on the move when the green flag came out as he got by Mathews for third and brought Martin with him into fourth. That earned Nipper the VP Racing Lubricants Slick Move of the Race Award.
Herrington convincingly held the lead for the remaining 11 laps and cruised home to his fourth win of the season. The next two races for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series will be at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL on October 2 and 3 during NASCAR Weekend.
The Friday night, October 2 race will run for 40 laps and pay $2,000-to-win. The Saturday night, October 3 event will pay $2,500-to-win and run for 50 laps. The two Talladega Short Track races will be Rounds 12 and 13 of the 2020 season.
The economical Aluminum Head, Steel Block, Chevrolet Performance 604 Circle Track Engine is the engine of choice for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series competitors. The Chevrolet Performance 604 Engine is in stock and available for free next day delivery from Newsome Raceway Parts in Hartsville, SC.
Newsome Raceway Parts gives a portion of the sales from each Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engine sold back to the Crate Racin’ USA Point Funds in four different Divisions. Each economical Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. To place an order call 1-877-497-3624.
For more information and rules about the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.crateracinusa.com, or visit the series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CrateRacinUSA/. You can follow us on Twitter @CrateRacinUSALM, and at Instagram at crateracinusa.
OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 11 AT NEEDMORE SPEEDWAY IN NORMAN PARK, GA ON 9/26/2020:
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS
- 1 14 Wil Herrington Hawkinsville, GA 50
- 3 1n Jordy Nipper Macon, GA 50
- 5 6jr Parker Martin (R/YG) Milledgeville, GA 50
- 8 33 Jeff Mathews Brandon, FL 50
- 13 5w Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL 50
- 7 00 Russell Brown Valdosta, GA 50
- 24 03 Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA 50
- 9 9 Ches Chester Twin City, GA 50
- 15 21 Corey Dunn (R) Milledgeville, GA 50
- 14 14b John Baker Norman Park, GA 50
- 23 05 T.J. Brittain Centre, AL 50
- 25 39 Troy Dixon (R) Dallas, GA 49
- 6 10c Ryan Crane Panama City, FL 43
- 20 5 Johnny Collins Hillard, FL 39
- 18 2 Trynt Lloyd (R/YG) Jacksonville, FL 38
- 17 87 Jake Rainey (YG) Hiram, GA 38
- 21 26 Bubba Pollard Senoia, GA 38
- 16 3 Cody Smith Baker, FL 38
- 19 26s Jimmy Sharpe Jr. Lyons, GA 36
- 22 50 David Markham Live Oak, FL 20
- 10 29 Christian Hanger Winchester, TN 19
- 12 6 Dalton Hood Vidalia, GA 16
- 11 5b Bubba Whitener Middleburg, FL 10
- 2 97 Cody Overton (R) Evans, GA 3
- 4 22 Jimmy Thomas Phenix City, AL 50 DQ/LT
ENTRIES: 33
BOYD BUILT FABRICATORS/SCORPION RACE CARS/IHEART RADIO FAST QUALIFIER: Overton, 15.265 Seconds
PROVISIONALS: Brittain and Knowles
EMERGENCY PROVISIONAL: Dixon
LEAD CHANGES: None
LAPS LED: Herrington, 1-50
KNOWLES RACE PARTS HARD CHARGER: Knowles (started 24th and finished 7th)
VP RACING LUBRICANTS SLICK MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Nipper
FULLMOON GRAPHICS LUCKY 7 AWARD: Knowles
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Martin
KRC POWER STEERING B-MAIN RACE WINNERS: B. Whitener and Hood
CAUTIONS: 8
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 2.291 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 53 Minutes and 45.854 Seconds
NEXT RACE: 9/2/2020, $2,000-To-Win, 40-laps, Talladega Short Track, Eastaboga, AL
BOYD BUILT FABRICATORS/SCORPION RACE CARS/IHEART RADIO GROUP QUALIFYING (Top 5 Transfer To Main Event):
GROUP 1:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TIME
1 14 Wil Herrington Hawkinsville, GA Rocket 15.294
2 1n Jordy Nipper Macon, GA Rocket 15.541
3 6jr Parker Martin (R/YG) Milledgeville, GA Longhorn 15.550
4 00 Russell Brown Valdosta, GA Russell Brown 15.633
5 9 Ches Chester Twin City, GA Rocket 15.669
6 5b Bubba Whitener Middleburg, FL Barry Wright 15.698
7 5w Mark Whitener Middleburg, FL Barry Wright 15.700
8 21 Corey Dunn - R Milledgeville, GA CVR 15.754
9 26 Bubba Pollard Senoia, GA Longhorn 15.787
10 87 Jake Rainey (YG) Hiram, GA Capital 15.810
11 26jr Jimmy Sharpe Jr. Lyons, GA Longhorn 15.942
12 12 Steven Bryant Moultrie, GA Capital 16.025
13 05 T.J. Brittain Centre, AL Warrior 16.143
14 11m Tyler Mimbs East Dublin, GA Scorpion 16.154
15 9 Jimmy Waldrop Seffner, FL Rocket 16.345
16 03 Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA Longhorn 16.469
17 39 Troy Dixon (R) Dallas, GA Rocket 16.925
GROUP 2:
POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS TIME
1 97 Cody Overton (R) Evans, GA Longhorn 15.265
2 22 Jimmy Thomas Phenix City, AL Scorpion 15.448
3 10c Ryan Crane Panama City, FL Rocket 15.518
4 33 Jeff Mathews Brandon, FL Rocket 15.630
5 29 Christian Hanger Winchester, TN Rocket 15.658
6 6 Dalton Hood Vidalia, GA Rocket 15.671
7 2 Trynt Lloyd (R/YG) Jacksonville, FL Longhorn 15.693
8 3 Cody Smith Holt, FL XR1 Rocket 15.801
9 14b John Baker Norman Park, GA Rocket 15.874
10 50 David Markham Live Oak, FL Kryptonite 15.935
11 110 Ricky Cullpepper Hamilton, GA Longhorn 15.967
12 5c Johnny Collins Hillard, FL Barry Wright 15.968
13 22 Jonah Bozeman Moultrie, GA Longhorn 16.071
14 97 Garrett Bullington Moultrie, GA Barry Wright 16.249
15 00m Monte Skinner Saraland, AL Capital 16.301
16 10g Adam Giles Moultrie, GA Platinum NT
KRC POWER STEERING B-MAIN RACES (10 Laps – Top 6 Transfer To Main Event):
1ST B-MAIN: 1. B. Whitener; 2. M. Whitener; 3. Dunn (R); 4. Rainey (YG); 5. Sharpe; 6. Pollard; 7. Bryant; 8. Mimbs; 9. Brittain; 10. Knowles; 11. Waldrop; 12. Dixon (R).
2ND B-MAIN: 1. Hood; 2. Baker; 3. Smith; 4. Lloyd (R/YG); 5. Collins; 6. Markham; 7. Bozeman; 8. Skinner; 9. Bullington; 10. Culpepper; 11. Giles DNS.
NEWSOME RACEWAY PARTS CRATE RACIN’ USA DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES POINT STANDINGS THROUGH 9/26/2020:
- 14 Wil Herrington – 1,010
- 21 Corey Dunn (R) – 906
- 11 Cruz Skinner – 882
- 05 T.J. Brittain – 864
- 03 Jody Knowles – 810
- 97 Cody Overton (R) – 702
- 39 Troy Dixon (R) – 698
- 2 Trynt Lloyd (R/YG) – 696
- 6jr Parker Martin (R/YG) – 602
- 19 Marcus Minga – 516
- 1 Ty Ellis (R) – 472
- 87 Jake Rainey (YG) – 390
- 23 Ahnna Parkhurst – 376
- 1n Jordy Nipper – 364
- 10g Garrett Smith (YG) - 258
R – Denotes Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Year Candidate
YG – Denotes VP Racing Fuels Young Gun Challenge Series Driver
Newsome Raceway Parts, a Division of Raceway Chevrolet in Hartsville, SC, is the Title Sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. Chevrolet Performance Parts is an Official Sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. Hoosier Racing Tire is the Official Tire Sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. VP Racing Fuel is the Official Race Fuel and Lubricant of Crate Racin’ USA. Knowles Race Parts and Bodies is the Official Parts Supplier for Crate Racin’ USA. Willy’s Carburetors is the Official Carburetor of Crate Racin’ USA. Fullmoon Graphics is the Official Wrap, Banner, and Sign Company of Crate Racin’ USA. Crate Racin’ USA 2020 Chassis Sponsors are Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis, GRT Race Cars, and CVR Race Cars.
PHOTO CUTLINE: Wil Herrington of Hawkinsville, GA climbs out of his 5m Construction Rocket to celebrate his fourth Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series win of the 2020 season worth $4,000 on Saturday night at Needmore Speedway in Norman Park, GA. Herrington also padded his point lead towards the $10,000 National Championship. (Crate Racin’ USA Media Photo by Brian McLeod)