TAMPA, FL Shanon Buckingham of Morristown, TN posted the biggest win of his career on Saturday night by driving his Rusty Wallace Toyota Bloomquist Race Car to victory in the 4th Annual NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series World Championship at East Bay Raceway Park and picking up the $10,000 top prize.Buckingham passed early race leader Rodney Melvin of Benton, IL in lapped traffic on lap 45, and then dodged a bullet on a lap 50 restart when he was spun out by Stacey Roberts of Sylvester, GA in turn one. The caution was charged to Roberts, and Buckingham was put back in the lead for the restart to lead the entire second half of the race.Buckingham took the checkered flag by six car-lengths over Melvin, who finished second in the Thomason Engines Rayburn.Other than being spun out on that restart, everything went well tonight, and this is the first $10,000-to-win race Ive ever won, Buckingham said. Melvin was faster than I was at the start of the race, but Scott (Bloomquist) told me before the race that as the track took more rubber, our car would get faster.Dennis Erb Jr. of Carpentersville, IL started tenth, but worked his way through the field and battled with his teammate Melvin for the second spot during the second half of the race. Erb had to settle for third in the Thomason Engines Rayburn. Tim McCreadie of Waterloo, NY made a late-race charge to finish fourth in the Miller Lite Rocket.Local favorite Josh Peacock of Dover, FL was fifth in the Peacock Farms Warrior, and Phillip Cobb of Riverview, FL finished sixth in the Coastal Trucking GRT. Anthony White of Clinton, TN took the seventh spot in the Stone Plus DWB, and Bryan Bernhardt of Clearwater, FL drove the B&B Precision Mowers Rocket to an eighth-place finish.Larry Boutwell of Baker, FL finished ninth in the McLeod Construction Rocket, and Jeff Mathews of Seffner, FL rounded out the top ten in the Vasser Cord Warrior. The top seven cars finished on the lead lap, and 13 of the 26 cars that started the race were still running when the checkered flag fell on lap 100.Melvin took the lead at the start of the race from the pole position, and was looking for a clean sweep of the event after out-timing the 63 entrants for the race during time trials with a lap around the 1/3-mile clay oval in 16.079 seconds, and then winning the first 15-lap heat race on Friday night.Buckingham grabbed the second spot from his third starting hole at the start followed by Roberts, White, and 2006 race winner Randy Korte of Highland, IL in the Terry Eaglin Motorsports Rocket. Korte passed White for the fourth spot on the second lap. By the fifth lap, Melvin had pulled out to a half-straightaway lead over Buckingham.Melvin began to encounter lapped traffic by the ninth lap, but a caution flag slowed the field on lap 18 when Frank Ingram of Woodstock, GA stalled the Dixon Hauling and Grading Rocket in turn two.Melvin led Buckingham, Roberts in the Sunbelt Ford Rocket, Korte, Cobb, White, Erb, Ross Bailes of Blacksburg, SC in the Felony Farms Mastersbilt, Peacock, and Boutwell down for the first double-file restart in the history of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. Erb used the double-file restart to his advantage, passing White for the sixth spot.Cobb got by Korte for the fourth spot on lap 19, and Erb dropped Korte back to the sixth spot on lap 20. Melvin caught lapped traffic on lap 29, and by lap 32, Buckingham and Roberts closed in to challenge for the lead. Roberts stepped to the outside on lap 35 to challenge Buckingham for second. Buckingham was able to hold the spot, but Melvin had opened up a six car-length lead.Erb was able to pass Cobb for the fourth spot on lap 36, and Korte came back to life by passing Cobb for the fifth position on lap 42. Buckingham closed on Melvin again while the leader worked lapped traffic.On lap 45, Buckingham got to the inside of Melvin coming off the second turn and the lead duo raced side-by-side down the backstretch. Buckingham had the preferred line going into turn three, and was able to grab the lead coming off the fourth turn.Jeff Fields of Aragon, GA spun the J&J Transport Mastersbilt in turn four on lap 50 to bring out the caution flag. Melvin chose the outside groove for the restart, which put the third place car of Roberts on the inside behind Buckingham, who restarted in a row by himself.When the green flag came out, Roberts got into the back of Buckingham in turn one, and the leader spun. With his car sitting backwards in the middle of the race track, the entire field went to both his inside and outside, and somehow missed Buckingham without make any contact. Officials charged Roberts with the caution flag, sent him to the back of the pack, and reinstated Buckingham on the point.Erb moved up to the third spot for the restart, and passed Melvin for second when the green flag came back out. Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA made a big move from ninth to seventh on the restart, and two-time NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Champion David Gentry of Lewisburg, TN came from 12th to eighth on the restart.By lap 58, Buckingham had pulled out to a full straightaway lead over Erb, Melvin, Korte, Cobb, Boutwell, and Peacock. Korte dropped out of the fourth spot on lap 69 when he stalled in turn one to bring out the caution flag. Melvin was able to retake the second spot on the restart by passing Erb. Peacock got around Cobb to take over the fifth spot.Roberts was charging back through the pack, and was in the top ten by lap 75. Turner was also making some good moves, and was driving the race of his life, riding in the sixth spot. McCreadie was also moving up through the pack, moving into the top five by lap 77. Roberts began to challenge Turner for the sixth spot by lap 80.Roberts charged a little too hard in turn one on lap 81, spinning Turner out, and collecting several other cars. When the dust cleared, Turners Turner Excavating DWB was destroyed and out for the evening, earning him the Dominator Race Products Hard Luck Award. Officials parked Roberts for the night.Buckingham led Melvin, Erb, Peacock, McCreadie, Gentry, Cobb, Bernhardt, Mathews, and White down for the restart. Gentry drove his Pogue Body Shop GRT by McCreadie for the fifth spot on lap 82, and Boutwell raced his way back into the top ten on lap 86. With ten laps to go, Buckingham had pulled out to a ten car-length lead over Melvin.Gentry pulled up from the fifth spot and stalled on lap 95 to bring out the caution flag. In the six lap dash to the finish, the only driver able to make a move for position was McCreadie, who jumped to the outside to pass Peacock for the fourth spot coming off the fourth turn after the restart. Buckingham drove under the checkered flag with a six car-length advantage over Melvin.The 2008 NeSmith Chevrolet Sunoco Race Fuels Rookie of the year Scott Knowles of Lanett, AL was the Hard Charger of the Race after starting his All-Star Graphics Warrior 26th and finishing 12th. Peacock took the Racecar Engineering 5th-Place Award, Bernhardt won the Racecar Engineering 8th-Place Award, Boutwell grabbed the Maximum Signs 9th-Place Award, and Mathews was the Old 29 Golf Carts 10th-Place Award winner.In preliminary action, Roberts, Buckingham, White, Korte and Cobb joined Melvin as heat race winners on Friday night. On Saturday night, Shan Smith of Dade City, FL put on a spectacular performance in the first 20-lap B-Main by coming from the 18th and last starting spot to win driving the Seckman Fire Sprinklers TNT. Billy Faust of Highland, IL won the second 20-lap B-Main in the Kehrer Brothers Roofing Rocket.The next event for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be the 2009 National Tour season opener on January 3-4 as a part of the 18th Annual Ice Bowl at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.OFFICIAL RESULTS OF THE NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE AT EAST BAY RACEWAY PARK IN TAMPA, FL ON 12/12-13/08:POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON1. 3 50 Shannon Buckingham Morristown, TN 100 $10,0002. 1 27 Rodney Melvin Benton, IL 100 $5,0003. 10 28 Dennis Erb Jr. Carpentersville, IL 100 $3,0004. 13 102 Tim McCreadie Waterloo, NY 100 $2,0005. 8 21 Josh Peacock Dover, FL 100 $1,7506. 6 32 Phillip Cobb Riverview, FL 100 $1,5007. 4 2 Anthony White Clinton, TN 100 $1,3008. 14 B69 Bryan Bernhardt Clearwater, FL 99 $1,2009. 9 58 Larry Boutwell Baker, FL 99 $1,10010. 17 9 Jeff Mathews Seffner, FL 99 $1,00011. 15 16 Jeff Fields Aragon, GA 98 $80012. 26 66k Scott Knowles Lanett, AL 97 $70013. 18 P1 Wallace Peacock Dover, FL 97 $60014. 11 11g David Gentry Lewisburg, TN 95 $50015. 12 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA 80 $45016. 2 11 Stacey Roberts Sylvester, GA 80 $44017. 19 17ss Shan Smith Dade City, FL 78 $43018. 7 87 Ross Bailes Blacksburg, SC 77 $42019. 5 69 Randy Korte Highland, IL 72 $40020. 22 21b Royce Bray Hull, GA 69 $40021. 21 1g Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 55 $40022. 16 27f Jeff Fortner Vidalia, GA 55 $40023. 20 92 Billy Faust Highland, IL 47 $40024. 24 81c Kevin Cole Benton, IL 35 $40025. 23 F9 Frank Ingram Woodstock, GA 16 $40026. 25 38c Chip Brindle Chatsworth, GA 16 $400ENTRIES: 63FAST QUALIFIER: Melvin, 16.079 SecondsPROVISIONALS: Brindle and KnowlesLEAD CHANGES: 1LAP LEADERS: Melvin, 1-44; Buckingham, 45-100LAPS LED: Buckingham, 56; Melvin, 44HARD CHARGER OF THE RACE: Knowles (started 26th and finished 12th)DOMINATOR RACE PRODUCTS HARD LUCK AWARD: TurnerRACE CAR ENGINEERING 5TH-PLACE AWARD: PeacockRACE CAR ENGINEERING 8TH-PLACE AWARD: BernhardtMAXIMUM SIGNS 9TH-PLACE AWARD: BoutwellOLD 29 GOLF CARTS 10TH-PLACE AWARD: MathewsCAUTIONS: 7TIME OF THE RACE: 56 Minutes and 50.239 SecondsQUALIFYING:GROUP 1:POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME1 92b Billy Faust Highland, IL Rocket 16.421 16.250 16.2502 12 Hunter Peacock Macon, GA Bullet 16.497 16.550 16.4973 11r Stacey Roberts Sylvester, GA Rocket 16.878 16.662 16.6624 21p Josh Peacock Dover, FL Warrior 17.019 16.703 16.7035 21b Royce Bray Hull, GA Warrior 16.746 17.660 16.7466 121 Benji Cole Canon, GA DWB 16.840 17.418 16.8407 B69 Bryan Bernhardt Clearwater, FL Rocket 17.147 17.431 17.1478 11 Steven Roberts Sylvester, GA Rocket 17.158 17.284 17.1589 44 Stephen Rogers Knoxville, TN Warrior 17.502 17.178 17.17810 10b Scott Riggs Harrisburg, IL Forward 17.472 18.495 17.47211 8m Matt Miller Tampa, FL Rocket 17.671 18.375 17.671GROUP 2:POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME1 P1 Wallace Peacock Dover, FL TnT 16.789 17.543 16.7892 32 Phillip Cobb Riverview, FL GRT 17.667 16.943 16.9433 10 Matthew Turner Dawsonville, GA DWB 16.971 17.361 16.9714 8s Steve Miller Tampa, FL Rocket 46.178 16.994 16.9945 9w Jimmy Waldrop Seffner, FL Rocket 17.091 19.414 17.0916 79 Jason Kimball Brooksville, FL Rocket 17.237 17.601 17.2377 2 Shane Hitt Buckhannon, WV Rocket 17.847 17.380 17.3808 33c Eric Cooley Fulton, MS Mastersbilt 18.093 17.547 17.5479 22x Danny Peoples Margaret, AL Warrior 17.561 17.559 17.55910 88 David Polen Jr. Tampa, FL Rocket 17.616 33.128 17.61611 24w Dennis Williams Zephyrhills, FL Rayburn 19.014 19.343 19.014GROUP 3:POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME1 2w Anthony White Clinton, TN DWB 16.615 16.455 16.4552 28e Dennis Erb Jr. Carpentersville, IL Rayburn 16.755 16.606 16.6063 27 Jeff Fortner Vidalia, GA Rocket 16.727 17.010 16.7274 87 Derrick Rainey Powder Springs, GA Warrior 16.911 17.000 16.9115 105 Dave Schmauss Tampa, FL Warrior 16.921 17.265 16.9216 16b Dan Brewer Wytheville, VA Barry Wright 17.508 17.029 17.0297 28 Brandon Overton Appling, GA GRT 17.442 17.227 17.2278 81c Kevin Cole Benton, IL Pierce 17.261 17.276 17.2619 10x Jake Knowles Tyrone, GA Rocket 17.509 17.358 17.35810 49 Jonathan Davenport Blairsville, GA Rayburn 17.753 17.640 17.64011 59 Aaron Heck Mount Vernon, IL Rayburn 17.723 17.846 17.723GROUP 4:POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME1 27m Rodney Melvin Benton, IL Rayburn 16.276 16.079 16.0792 102 Tim McCreadie Waterloo, NY Rocket 16.572 17.160 16.5723 87L Ross Bailes Blacksburg, SC Mastersbilt 17.510 16.900 16.9004 38c Chip Brindle Chatsworth, GA Mastersbilt 17.275 16.982 16.9825 92k Brant Kehrer New Memphis, IL Rocket 17.836 17.429 17.4296 61 Caleb Ashby Cunningham, TN PPM 18.240 17.456 17.4567 1g Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN Warrior 17.594 17.622 17.5948 11w Randy Weaver Crossville, TN PPM 17.798 17.914 17.7989 21m Ben McCreary Baldwyn, MS Mastersbilt 18.213 17.931 17.93110 18L Jason Riggs Harrisburg, IL Rocket 18.710 18.240 18.240GROUP 5:POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME1 69 Randy Korte Highland, IL Rocket 16.661 16.638 16.6382 9 Jeff Mathews Seffner, FL Warrior 16.708 16.915 16.7083 11g David Gentry Lewisburg, TN GRT 16.860 16.823 16.8234 11h Doug Horton Bruceton Mills, WV Warrior 17.968 17.183 17.1835 22p Travis Pennington Winston, GA GRT 18.302 17.287 17.2876 22w William Thomas Phenix City, AL Scorpion 17.633 17.349 17.3497 92s Matt Santel New Memphis, IL Rocket 17.446 17.464 17.4468 17ss Shan Smith Dade City, FL TnT 17.770 17.656 17.6569 22 Jason Wilson Margaret, AL Warrior 18.411 17.800 17.80010 41v Travis Varnadore Dover, FL Rayburn 17.808 18.051 17.808GROUP 6:POS CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN CHASSIS LAP 1 LAP 2 TIME1 50 Shanon Buckingham Morristown, TN Bloomquist 16.604 16.317 16.3172 66k Scott Knowles Lanett, AL Warrior 16.952 17.289 16.9523 16 Jeff Fields Aragon, GA Mastersbilt 17.155 17.057 17.0574 12c Jon Callaway Herrington, DE Rocket 17.404 17.187 17.1875 58 Larry Boutwell Baker, FL Rocket 17.719 17.226 17.2266 2x Nick Lyons Centrailia, IL Forward 17.483 17.564 17.4837 F9 Frank Ingram Woodstock, GA Rocket 17.552 17.769 17.5528 20u Bruce Unterbrink Greenville, IL Rocket 18.152 17.553 17.5539 21 Rusty Hoge Ooltewah, TN GRT 18.895 17.932 17.93210 91 Guy Robinson Rockmart, GA TnT 18.691 NT 18.691HEAT RACES (15 Laps Top 3 Transfer To Main Event):1ST HEAT: 1. Melvin; 2. Bailes; 3. McCreadie; 4. Brindle; 5. Johnson; 6. McCreary; 7. Ashby; 8. Kehrer; 9. Weaver; 10. J. Riggs.2ND HEAT: 1. Stacey Roberts; 2. J. Peacock; 3. Bernhardt; 4. Bray; 5. B. Cole; 6. Stephen Roberts; 7. Faust; 8. S. Riggs; 9. H. Peacock; 10. Rogers; 11. M. Miller.3RD HEAT: 1. Buckingham; 2. Boutwell; 3. Fields; 4. Ingram; 5. Lyons; 6. Hoge; 7. S. Knowles; 8. Callaway; 9. Unterbrink; 10. Robinson.4TH HEAT: 1. White; 2. Erb; 3. Fortner; 4. K. Cole; 5. Rainey; 6. Brewer; 7. Heck; 8. Davenport; 9. Overton; 10. J. Knowles; 11. Schmauss.5TH HEAT: 1. Korte; 2. Gentry; 3. Mathews; 4. Horton; 5. Thomas; 6. Pennington; 7. Wilson; 8. Varnadore; 9. Santel; 10. Smith.6TH HEAT: 1. Cobb; 2. Turner; 3. W. Peacock; 4. S. Miller; 5. Polen; 6. Cooley; 7. Kimball; 8. Williams; 9. Hitt; 10. Peoples; 11. Waldrop.B-MAINS (20 Laps Top 3 Transfer To Main Event):1ST B-MAIN: 1. Smith; 2. Johnson; 3. Ingram; 4. Thomas; 5. Lyons; 6. McCreary; 7. Hoge; 8. Horton; 9. Callaway; 10. Robinson; 11. J. Riggs; 12. Ashby; 13. Pennington; 14. Brindle; 15. Knowles; 16. Varnadore; 17. Santel; 18. Kehrer; 19. Wilson DNS; 20. Weaver DNS; 21. Unterbrink DNS.2ND B-MAIN: 1. Faust; 2. Bray; 3. Cole; 4. Rainey; 5. Overton; 6. Schmauss; 7. Williams; 8. Stephen Roberts; 9. Kimball; 10. H. Peacock; 11. Waldrop; 12. Pollen; 13. Cole; 14. J. Knowles; 15. Heck; 16. S. Miller; 17. Brewer; 18. Cooley; 19. S. Riggs DNS; 20. Davenport DNS; 21. Hitt DNS; 22. Rogers DNS; 23. Peoples DNS; 24. M. Miller DNS.
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updated by @jeff-gilder: 12/03/16 05:48:04PM