NeSmith Racing Series: Down To the Wire; Stokes Gets Second Series Win at Greenville

Roby Helm

GREENVILLE, Miss. – Oct. 7. Johnny Stokes of Columbus, Miss. drove to a close win on Friday in the "Delta Nationals 40" for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series at Greenville Speedway.  Stokes won a close race to the checkered flag over Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, Ga. and Mark Tice of Avon, Miss. Those three came off the fourth turn for the checkered flag three-wide before Stokes took his second career series win.  

 “I was running the bottom of the track during the first half of the race, but I moved up to the middle groove to see how my car ran there,” Stokes said.  “Late in the race I saw Matthew stick his nose underneath me, so I got my butt back down on the bottom of the race track.  They could have all of that outside groove they wanted.”

Stokes, Jeremy Shaw, and Turner battled three-wide for the lead at the drop of the green flag, but the start was negated by a multi-car pile-up midway through the 24-car starting field in turn two on lap one that necessitated a complete restart.  Stokes took the lead on the next green flag, followed by Shaw, Turner, Tice and Neil Baggett.

Two cautions flew on lap two for debris and for a minor spin, and after the restart, Turner went around the outside of Shaw down the backstretch to take the second spot on lap four.  The caution came back out on lap seven when Gentry got into Fore, causing him to spin in turn four. Shaw was able to get back around Turner for the second spot on the restart with an onside move, but Turner drove back around the outside of Shaw going down the backstretch on lap 12 to retake the second spot. Tice followed him around Shaw to move up to third.  Gordon passed Shaw for the fourth spot with an outside move on lap 14, but lap later, Gordon got high in turn fourth, and Shaw drove underneath him to retake the fourth spot. 

Stokes’ comfortable lead was erased when Dan Breuer stalled to bring out the caution flag.  Breuer, the series points leader, was done for the night after being ticketed with his second charged caution flag.  He was credited with the 19th finishing position.  That, combined with Gentry’s sixth-place finish would close Gentry to within ten points of Breuer for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series point lead. 

Duke Palasini had reached fifth place, but dropped out of the spot and went to the pit area during the lap 27 caution period.. With Stokes still out front, Tice stepped to the outside and raced Turner side-by-side for second in turn four after the restart.

Steve Cooke of Mt. Airy, N.C. spun on lap 30 to bring out the seventh and final caution flag of the race.  Stokes led Tice and Turner down to the green flag for the ten lap dash to the finish, but it didn’t take long for business to pick up throughout the top ten. Turner drove underneath Tice coming off the fourth turn on the restart to take the second back over, and Chase Edge got by Gordon for the fourth spot.  Gentry passed Gordon for fifth on lap 33.

Stokes and Turner were side-by-side for the lead on lap 35.  Turner was looking inside down the front straightaway, but by the time they got to turn two on lap 36, Stokes went to the bottom of the race track to shut the door on Turner.  On the last lap, Turner found an opening on the inside in turn three, and Tice was flying high on the top of the race track.  Coming off the fourth turn to the checkered flag, it was Stokes leading in the middle groove, Turner on the inside in second, and Tice on the outside holding the third spot in a blanket finish.