NO DOUBTING THOMAS FOR NeSMITH
CHEVROLET DLMS EAMS BONUS BUCKS
By Roby Helm

PHENIX CITY, AL – July 19, 2008 - William Thomas of Phenix City, AL bagged the Alabama Bonus Bucks on Saturday night with his second win in as many nights in the 40-lap NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series main event at East Alabama Motor Speedway driving the J.W. Miller Land and Timber Scorpion. The $2,500 Saturday night win for Thomas followed up a $2,500 victory on Friday night at Penton Raceway in Penton, AL. By winning both races, Thomas took the $2,000 bonus, plus an extra $100 for fast time honors Saturday night from Extreme Power Sports to bring his weekend earnings to $7,100. Thomas out qualified the 32-car field on Saturday night with a lap in 15.540 seconds. Thomas was unchallenged on both Friday and Saturday nights. He led both races wire-to-wire to lead a total 80 laps. The only driver that came close to Thomas all weekend was Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL, who finished second on Saturday night at East Alabama Motor Speedway driving the K&R Racing Scorpion. Derrick Rainey of Powder Spring, GA took the third spot in the Hays Family Racing/Barto Enterprises Warrior. Rainey, who also had a second-place finish on Friday night at Penton Raceway, vaulted from tenth to fifth in the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National point standings over the weekend. Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS took the fourth spot in the Tiffin Motorhomes Mastersbilt and earned the Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Race Award. Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA finished fifth in the J&J Transport Mastersbilt, and Jordy Nipper of Gray, GA drove the Universal Concrete Rocket to a sixth-place finish. Frank Ingram of Woodstock, GA claimed the seventh spot in the Dixon Hauling and Grading Rocket, and Jeff Smith of Rocky Face, GA started 18th in the Hooters GRT and finished eighth to earn the Hard Charger of the Race Award. Point leader Chip Brindle of Chatsworth, GA was ninth in the CSC Trailer Repair/Brindle Brothers Auto Parts GRT, and Dana Eiland of Salem, AL came back from an early race spin to round out the top 10 in the Andy’s Auto Parts Swartz. Thomas took the lead from the pole position at the start of the race followed by Stacey Roberts of Sylvester, GA in the Sunbelt Ford Rocket, Stephens, Steven Roberts of Sylvester, GA in the John Patterson Rocket, and Royce Bray of Hull, GA in the I-85 Garage and Towing Warrior. Stephens moved up to the second spot on lap two, using an inside move to get by Stacey Roberts. For the most part, the drivers used the high side of the race track with a cushion close to the edge of the track – a track that has no walls or guard rails in the corners, or down the backstretch. This led to several miscues for several drivers. Bray got around Steven Roberts for the fourth position on lap three just before the first of six caution flags came out on lap five when Hunter Peacock of Macon, GA in the Nasworthy Mechanical Bullitt slid off the track in turn one. Thomas led Stephens, Stacey Roberts, Bray, Steven Roberts, Cooley, Eiland, Rainey, Fields, and Brindle back to the green flag. Chris Tays of Corinth, MS in the Bud Coley Trucking/Circle H Concrete Trak-Star was making the biggest moves of the race in the early going, as in the first five laps, he moved up from his 22nd starting spot to 14th. On the restart, Bray was also on the move, passing Stacey Roberts for the third spot. Gene Nasworthy of Gray, GA spun his Nasworthy Mechanical TNT off turn one on lap six, in the same spot as his teammate Peacock. The restart order was Thomas, Stephens, Bray, Stacey Roberts, Cooley, Steven Roberts, Eiland, Rainey, Fields and Brindle. After the field went green, Ingram jump into the top ten, as he was running ninth on lap ten. Stephens got a challenge from Bray, who moved by Stephens into the second spot on lap 12. Eiland had moved up to the sixth spot, but spun off the high side of turn three on lap 13 to bring out the third caution flag of the race, sending him to the back of the back for the restart. Thomas led Bray, Stephens, Stacey Roberts, Cooley, Rainey, Steven Roberts, Ingram, Fields, and Brindle down for the restart that saw Rainey go from sixth to fourth. The caution came out on lap 15 when Matt Woodson of LaGrange, GA spun in turn four collecting Peacock. Both drivers were able to continue. Stacey Roberts drove by Rainey on the restart to reclaim the fourth spot, but Rainey came right back to get back by Stacey Roberts on lap 17. Bray was trying to follow Thomas’ tire tracks on the high side of the race track, but jumped the cushion in turn one, and slid off the track, and out of second-place when the caution flag came out. Bray had to go to the back of the pack for the restart, and his misfortune earned him the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award. Thomas was now followed by Stephens, Rainey, Stacey Roberts, Steven Roberts, Cooley, Ingram, Fields, Brindle, and Nipper for the restart. Cooley got by Steven Roberts for fifth on lap 25, and Fields had moved up to the sixth spot by lap 26. Tays continued his march through the field, as he moved up to tenth on lap 28. By lap 35, Thomas was starting encounter lapped traffic, and Stephens began to close in to challenge for the lead. The key move for Thomas came on lap 38 when he found an opening between two lapped cars, and got by them just before the hole closed in front of Stephens. By the time Stephens cleared the lapped cars, Thomas was gone with the checkered flag in sight. The final lap was a wild one after Thomas, Stephens, Rainey, Stacey Roberts, and Cooley took the checkered flag. Steven Roberts spun in turn four, and collected Tays. In the ensuing scramble, Fields took the sixth spot, followed by Nipper and Ingram. Fields came from 11th to ninth. Everyone behind Stacey Roberts moved up one spot when his car was light at the post-race weigh-in. In preliminary action, the two 12-lap Qualifying Races were won by Nipper and Ingram.

THOMAS TACKLES NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS PENTON FIELD

PENTON, AL – July 18, 2008 - William Thomas of Phenix City, AL led wire-to-wire to dominate the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series 40-lap main event on Friday night at Penton Raceway driving the J.W. Miller Land and Timber Scorpion. Thomas took the lead from his outside front row starting spot and never looked back to post his second career series victory. “We usually run this car in Super Late Model competition, but we put our GM Performance 604 Crate Engine in it for the first time for this race,” Thomas said. “We had to make a few adjustments to the car, but it really liked the engine.” Derrick Rainey of Powder Springs, GA finished second in the Hays Family Racing/Barto Enterprises Warrior, and Scott Knowles of Lanett, AL took the third spot and the Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the Race Award in the All-Star Graphics GRT. Point leader Chip Brindle of Chatsworth , GA was fourth in the CSC Trailer Repair/Brindle Brothers Auto Parts GRT. Frank Ingram of Woodstock, GA grabbed the Race Car Engineering fifth spot in the Dixon Hauling and Grading Rocket, and Larry Boutwell of Baker, FL was sixth in the McLeod Construction TNT. Steve Miller of Tampa, FL finished seventh in the L. Miller & Associates Rocket. Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA took the Race Car Engineering eighth spot in the J&J Transport Mastersbilt, and Jason Hiett of Lincoln, AL finished ninth in the N&N Motors GRT to earn the Maximum Signs Ninth-Place Award. Stacey Roberts of Sylvester, GA rounded out the top ten in the Sunbelt Ford Rocket to take the Old 29 Golf Carts Tenth-Place Award. When the green flag dropped Thomas took the lead from polesitter Richie Stephens of Phenix City, AL in the K&R Racing Scorpion, and it didn’t take long for the first caution flag to wave, as Stephens spun in turn two. Earlier in the evening, Stephens out qualified the 48-car field with a lap around the 3/8-mile clay oval in 14.424 seconds to earn the pole position. Stephens had to go to the tail of the 24-car main event field for the restart, and pulled to the pit area after completing six laps. Stephens misfortune in the main event earned him the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck of the Race Award. Thomas took the lead on the restart followed by Rainey, Knowles, and Brindle. Knowles moved up to challenge Rainey for the second spot on lap three, but Rainey was able to hold the position. By lap five, Thomas had a half straightaway lead over Rainey, and stretched it out to a full straightaway by lap 10. At that point in the race, Thomas began to encounter lapped traffic, and Rainey cut the gap in half by lap 17. The second caution flag came out on lap 20 when Cory Korreckt of Lincoln , AL spun his Montana Saloon Rocket in two. Thomas led Rainey, Knowles, Brindle and Ingram down for the restart, and once again pulled away from the field. The third caution flag came out on lap 26 when Eric Cooley of Fulton , MS spun his Tiffin Motorhomes Mastersbilt in turn four, and collected Chris Smith of Brewton , AL in the Mac Attack Mastersbilt. The fourth and final caution flag was on lap 29 when Ted Lackey of Munford , AL stalled his C.S. Beatty Construction Warrior on the backstretch. Thomas once again opened up a half straightaway lead on Rainey by lap 32 after the restart, and maintained that advantage to the checkered flag of the race that saw 18 cars still running on the lead lap. Chris Tays of Corinth, MS took a provisional, started 23rd and finished 16th in the Bud Coley Trucking/Circle H Concrete Trak-Star to earn the Hard Charger of the Race Award. The preliminary 12-lap Qualifying Races were won by Hiett, Dana Eiland of Salem, AL in the Andy’s Auto Parts Swartz, Adam Martin of Talladega, AL in the Martin Racing Barry Wright, and Jordy Nipper of Gray, GA in the Universal Concrete Rocket.

Peeples powers to victory; Thomas captures $50,000 Fastrak Racing Series 'Grand Nationals' title at Volunteer Speedway
By Robert Walden

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Oct. 19-20, 2007) — Kenny Peeples Jr. of Rural Retreat, Va., flexed his muscle by leading flag-to-flag en route to winning the 75-lap feature at Round 3 of the Fastrak Racing Series "Grand Nationals" presented by Marsh Petroleum and BB&T Banking Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway. But the big winner following the event was 20-year-old William Thomas of Phenix City, Ala., who on the strength of a victory in Round 1 at Green Valley Speedway in Glencoe, Ala.; a third-place finish in Round 2 at Mountain Raceway Park in Maryville, Tenn.; and a fourth-place run at "The Gap" ... earned Thomas $50,000 from the three-race 2007 Fastrak Racing Series national championship shootout points fund of $250,000. Thomas chauffeured the J.W. Miller Land & Timber/Ben Thomas Racing/East Alabama Motor Speedway/All-Star Graphix/PPM Racing Products/Genesis Racing Shocks/Winters/Sweet Mfg./Joe Gibbs Racing Oil/Simpson/Holley/Lunati/Wiseco/Eibach Springs/Kinser Air Filters/Goodyear Racing Tires/GRT Race Cars/No. 22 Monte Carlo to the Fastrak Racing Series national title. "Man, to win this Fastrak Racing Series national championship is unreal," said the smiling Thomas following the race after getting back to his pit area. "Consistency is what won it for us, because you don't necessarily have to win all three national championship races in order to win the title. We were fortunate enough to win the first race, then just recorded top-five runs in the next two races and that’s what enabled us to win this $50,000 payout. I don’t guess it’s really hit me yet that I’ve just won a national racing championship, and especially with the field of drivers assembled here … it was definitely tough. Winning this title is something that I’ll never forget the rest of my life. Who knows, I might never win another national championship again in racing. But winning this championship is the accomplishment of one of my goals in motorsports, and hopefully I can parlay it into even bigger things down the road. "With my family owning East Alabama Motor Speedway, of course I’m kind of partial to our track. But from the first time I came here to Volunteer Speedway to race, I really liked this place. My dad and my uncle, they both raced here back many years ago in the National Dirt Racing Association days and they also liked racing here. I want to thank Stan Lester with Fastrak Racing Series, General Motors and Goodyear Tires and all series’ sponsors for allowing grassroots racers such as myself to have the opportunity to race for this kind of money. I really believe the concept of Fastrak, running crate-engines that don’t cost racers a fortune to buy and having only one tire manufacture involved, this deal is only going to continue to grow. I’d love nothing more than to come back and try to repeat as national champion next year. I guess my dad and I will have to sit down and talk things over and see what the next step in my racing career will be, though." With 66 competitors present for pole qualifying Friday night, Jordy Nipper of Gray, Ala., toured the high banks at 13.613-seconds to narrowly beat the 13.617 time laid-down by Lee Cooper of Greer, S.C. Third through sixth, respectively, in time trials were Peeples at 13.645, John Llewellyn of Knoxville, Tenn., at 13.695, and Morristown, Tenn., drivers Allen Champ at 13.700 and Shannon Buckingham at 13.710. The top-six from qualifying earned pole starting spots for the six 12-lap heat races, which would transfer the top-two finishers into the $2,000-to-win Marsh Petroleum/BB&T Banking 75. The six heat race winners, respectively, were Jonesborough, Tenn.'s Bobby Mays, Cooper, Peeples, Llewellyn, Champ and Buckingham. Winning the four last chance consolations, respectively, were Alan Dellinger or Hermitage, Penn.; David McCoy of Franklin, N.C.; Anthony Meadows of Lanett, Ala.; and Vic Chandler of Weaverville, N.C. With the fans on their feet anxiously awaiting the start, Mays and Cooper led the stellar 24-car field to the green. But the caution would quickly wave before one lap could be completed when Cooper had a tire go down between turns three and four, resulting in him spinning in front of the entire field forcing everyone into evasive maneuvers to avoid contact. Following quick action by his crew, Cooper sped out of the pits and was forced to give up his outside front-row starting berth after having to go into the pits for the tire change. With Peeples moving up to the outside of Mays on the front row, at the drop of the green Peeples and Mays raced side-by-side down the front straightaway into the first turn. But carrying the momentum off the high-side, Peeples, driving the Hilltop Auto Sales/AFCO Racing Shocks/PPM Racing Products/Stealth Racing Carburetors/Simpson/Weld Racing Wheels/Goodyear Tires/MasterSbilt Race Cars/No. 22p Monte Carlo powered into a lead he would never relinquish, with Mays running second followed by Champ, Llewellyn and Buckingham as the field completed the opening lap. "I've never really ran very well here at Volunteer Speedway, but we put something (set-up) under the car following practice last night and set third fastest time in qualifying," said Peeples after climbing from his car on the front straightaway following his impressive victory. "Something I've learned over the years in racing is sometimes it's good to have a little bit of luck on your side, and we kind of caught a lucky break there on the start when the 57-car (Lee Cooper) had a tire go down, moving us up to the outside of row one for the start. My car worked very good up high in the banking, and there on the start I was just able to get a strong run up top off the corner to get past (Bobby) Mays for the lead. "I was really glad once we got past the halfway point in the race, because I sure don't like those double-file restarts. Those things can get you in trouble quickly. But our car was so good, I could just get back into the lead quite easily. There in the mid-point of the race, I kind of had a couple anxious moments with some of the slower cars when I was lapping them. I could look up at the scoreboard as we raced down the front straightaway into the first turn and see who was behind me in positions two-through-five, and I knew I couldn't allow any of the slower cars hold me up too long or I'd have to contend with Mays and (Shannon) Buckingham, and both of those guys know how to get around this place since it's their home-track. But I'm really pleased with how well we finally ran here at 'The Gap' and was able to get a win. With the field of cars present here from all over the country, and to be able to win ... you couldn't ask for more." Mays got around Champ for second on lap 2 racing off the fourth turn, while Nipper was roaring towards the front from his seventh-starting position, moving into fifth also on the second circuit. But he wasn't finished, as one lap later he continued riding the high-line around the corners and quickly picked off Buckingham and Llewellyn to settle into third place. Caution waved when Champ slowed with a flat tire at the end of the backstretch going into the third turn. With the double-file restart in place for the national championship event, Peeples chose the outside of the first row with Mays dropping to the inside. Row two had Llewellyn on the inside with Nipper riding on the outside. Peeples moved back out front on the point followed by Mays, Nipper, Llewellyn and Buckingham. Buckingham passed Llewellyn racing off turn two on the sixth lap to take over fourth in the running order, and two circuits later also racing off of (turn) two he dropped low to pass Nipper and move into third place. The action slowed once again on lap 15, when the winner of the third last chance consolation, Meadows, spun in the fourth turn. Peeples once again chose the outside of row one to restart, with Mays forced to the bottom. Buckingham dropped to the inside of the second row, with Nipper lining up outside. Peeples wasted no time in putting distance between himself, Mays, Nipper and Buckingham. Buckingham passed Nipper to go back into third on lap 18 racing off the fourth turn. On lap 19, Thomas worked his way around Llewellyn into fifth, and two circuits later he passed Nipper to move into fourth. Now running ahead of both (Nipper and Cooper) of his closest challengers for the national title, Thomas was well on his way to earning the series championship. But the last thing he wanted to see, as well as race leader Peeples, was the caution flag waving — which it did on lap 30 when Vic Chandler spun directly in front of Peeples in turn two as he was about to go a lap down. Back under green, and with a clear track ahead, Peeples began to pull away from Mays, Buckingham, Thomas and Nipper. But what once was a half-straightaway advantage quickly shrunk to just a couple of car lengths when the race leader experienced difficulty in putting several cars down a lap once he reached the tail of the field. With Mays, Buckingham, Thomas and Nipper all closing in, Peeples made a bold move to quickly overtake Greg Burchett, Chris Cantrell, Billy Thompson and Chandler between laps 58-62 to put some real estate between himself and his closest pursuers. Comfortably out front by almost a full-straightaway, Peeples saw his lead evaporate on lap 73 when Champ spun off turn two on the backstretch. With a green-white-checkered run to the finish looming, Peeples had Mays lined-up on his rear bumper. But Peeples would not be denied his first-ever victory at "The Gap," as he held off Mays, Buckingham, Thomas and Nipper for the $2,000 victory. Completing the top-10 finishers were Jerry Broyles, Llewellyn, Dick Barton, Alan Dellinger and Justin Hirt. The "Rusty Wallace Toyota" Hobby Stocks were in action in a double-header, with Mike Hodges of Morristown recording his fourth win on the season in Friday’s event over Jon Cook, Chuck Johnson, Dustin Shaver and Dale Reed. Dustin Shaver of Morristown captured his third victory in 2007 by holding off Cook, Jason Long, Jesse Helton and Johnson in Saturday’s 20-lap feature.