Chase Edge wins big at GIS
Photo and article property of Nesmith Media
Waynesville, GA – LaFayette, Alabama racer Chase Edge showed out at the annual “Showdown on the Coast” at Golden Isles Speedway leading wire-to-wire and picking up the $5,000 winner’s check and his first NeSmith Dirt Late Model Touring Series victory of the 2016 regular season. Edge was overall fast qualifier and Heat Race 1 winner from Friday night’s preliminary action which put his Edge’s Gas Company/Penton Raceway/Jeff Dodgen Logging sponsored machine on the pole position for the 60-lap main event.
Edge and fellow front-row starter Russell Brown Jr. led the field to the green flag after a lengthy rain delay had pushed back start times at the south Georgia oval located just a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean. Edge would jump to the lead at the start of the race and set a blistering pace to keep his competition at bay behind him. Throughout the rest of the field, position swapping and hard racing was happening for virtually all positions. The hard racing was slowed for the first time at lap 16 when the #17 of Nevin Gainey caught the inside berm in turn 2 spinning his machine.
The restart saw Edge jump back out to the lead, but as the old adage goes in racing, cautions breed cautions. The yellow flag would wave again on lap 17 when Woodrow Mullis made contact with Marcus Minga. The ensuing restart would put Edge back to work keeping his competitors at bay, but would again be short lived as veteran racer Cecil Eunice slowed with a flat tire before retiring from the event. Green flag would wave again before the red flag would be waved for a multi-car tangle in turn 2 which seen Minga’s #19 B&M Salvage Rocket go for an airborne spinner top type spin before coming to a rest. Matt Henderson, Rodgerick Dykes, and Woodrow Mullis would all be collected in the melee.
A string of restarts would unfold over the next few laps when Henry Carter’s #28 machine would slow with right front damage on lap 24, and Woodrow Mullis would spin collecting Matt Henderson on lap 25. The lap 25 restart allowed for a string of laps with some of the action settling as the field would get back to racing and chasing the dominant Edge. Ryan Carter would loop his new #52 Mark’s Body Shop CVR Race Car in turn two on lap 44 to bring out the yellow once again. The lap 44 restart would go right back under yellow the 2016 NeSmith Panhandle Challenge Series Champion Cody Smith’s #3 machine which slowed at the exit of turn 4.
Ryan Crane would clip the inside berm heading into turn 1 and spin his Panama City Cycles sponsored #10 Rocket to bring the caution out on lap 46. The lap 46 restart saw pandemonium break out as contact in the front of the pack collected a host of cars and inflicted damage. Devon Dixon’s #58 Dave’s Towing Rocket, current point leader Cory Hedgecock, Forest, VA driver Walker Arthur, and second in points Scott Dedwylder were all in a heap on the front straightaway. Arthur would receive the most damage and retire from the event, while Dixon, Dedwylder(with no right side body panel), and Hedgecock would pit for repairs and rejoin the field. Despite the repairs, Hedgecock would retire from the event on the restart. The race’s final caution would come on lap 47 for Robert Diekemper’s spin in turn 4 which collected the 5 of Rodgerick Dykes and 19 of Minga.
During the rash of cautions and restarts, three-time and defending NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series National Champion Ronnie Johnson had made his way to the second position and set his sights on race long leader Edge. The lap 47 restart put Johnson, who was making another start in the Brucebilt Performance house car machine, right up under the back bumper of Edge. Edge would keep the lead on the restart, but Johnson would not go away without a fight. As the white flag was displayed Johnson applied as much pressure as he could drawing closer the rear of Edge’s #18 heading into turn 3 and 4 for the final time, but Edge hit his marks and flashed under the checkered flag 0.434 seconds ahead of the rallying Johnson. Last year’s Showdown on the Coast winner Kyle Bronson was third in his Brandon Ford sponsored ride, followed by Mark Whitener and Jacksonville, FL driver Jason Fitzgerald to round out the top 5.
The NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series has to make a quick turnaround as the series heads to Eastaboga, AL for the NASCAR Weekend Double Header events at “The Hornet’s Nest” Talladega Short Track. Friday Night October 21st will be a $2,000 to win, 40 lap event, followed on Saturday night with a $2,500 to win, 50 lap feature.
For more information about the NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series, please visit the official website at www.nesmithracing.com.
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Feature Finish
Pos. Car # Driver Name
1 18 Chase Edge
2 5 Ronnie Johnson
3 40B Kyle Bronson
4 5 Mark Whitener
5 7 Jason Fitzgerald
6 00 Russell Brown Jr.
7 10 Ryan Crane
8 3 Cody Smith
9 33 Scott Dedwylder
10 48 Robert Diekemper
11 58 Devon Dixon
12 121 Michael Blount
13 23 Cory Hedgecock
14 5D Rodgerick Dykes
15 52 Ryan Carter
16 87 Walker Arthur
17 17G Nevin Gainey
18 19 Marcus Minga
19 21 Ivedent Lloyd Jr.
20 17 Matt Henderson
21 24 Woodrow Mullis
22 28 Henry Carter
23 15 Jason Britton
24 22 Cecil Eunice
