Friday March 29th, 2024 2:51AM

Edge is razor sharp in NeSmith DLMS East Alabama win

By Roby Helm
PHENIX CITY, AL - Chase Edge of LaFayette, AL was razor sharp Friday night, as he disappeared from the field in his Edge's Gas Company Special to win the Salute To The Armed Forces 50 for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series in night two of the four-race Salute To America Nationals at East Alabama Motor Speedway in front of a standing-room-only crowd.<br /> <br /> Edge led all 50 laps en route to his second career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win, and he was able to maintain at least a five to seven car-length lead over second-place for the first two-thirds of the race running the outside groove. It was in lapped traffic on lap 33 that Edge found a new groove on the race track that put him in orbit.<br /> <br /> While lapping Shep Lucas of McKenzie, AL, Edge had to use the inside of turn one, then slid up the banking and rocket off the second turn. After a lap 41 restart, Edge disappeared from the rest of the field.<br /> <br /> "I knew the top groove was beginning to go away, and when I went into turn one low, I found that if I drove the car straight through the bumps, it led me into some great traction for getting off the corner," Edge said. "This win is big for us, especially coming so close to home in front of friends and family. I prayed to God all week for this, and I just give Him all of the praise for answering my prayer."<br /> <br /> By the time Edge took the checkered flag, he had over a seven second lead over the second-place driver Terrance Nowell of Phenix City, AL. The only hiccup Edge had all night was on the final lap of the race when he just about gave it all way. When Edge slid up the banking in turn two, he got just a little too high, and almost left the ballpark.<br /> <br /> "I knew I was in trouble coming off the second turn when I had the steering wheel turned left and the car was going straight," Edge said. "I really had to talk to the race car to settle down and get me back to the checkered flag. I mean I led the first 49 laps, and that wouldn't have been good to give it away on the last lap."<br /> <br /> While Edge was in his own zip code, the racing for the second spot on the other side of the race track was intense with the second, third, fourth and fifth spots changing hands at will during the last ten laps of the race.<br /> <br /> Nowell went from third, back to fifth, and then up to second at the checkered flag. Johnny Stokes of Columbus, MS rallied from the 13th starting to finish third. Chris Noah of Rainbow City, AL took the fourth spot.<br /> <br /> Larry Harrod ran in the second spot for most of the race, but faded in the last five laps of the race and ended up fifth. Montana Dudley of Phenix City, AL drove to a sixth-place finish, and Josh Adkins of Talladega, AL was seventh.<br /> <br /> Jak Kicklighter of Savannah, GA finished eighth and Todd Morrow of East Ridge, TN drove to a ninth-place finish. The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series defending champion and current point leader Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN rounded out the top ten.<br /> <br /> In preliminary action, Jimmy Thomas of Phenix City, AL was the fast qualifier among the 35 entrants with a lap in 15.333 seconds. The two 12-lap B-Main races were won by Johnson and Brent Barrett of Cleveland, TN.<br /> <br /> For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the web site at <a href="http://www.nesmithracing.com" target="_blank">nesmithracing.com</a>.<br /> <br /> <strong>NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series</strong><br /> <strong> East Alabama Motor Speedway
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