SWEETWATER, Tenn. - It was a race with a “Hollywood” ending. Matt Henderson of Loudon, Tenn. drove the Rebel Diesel Rocket #H2 Duayne Hommel Tribute Car to the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win Saturday night at I-75 Raceway in Sweetwater, Tenn.
Duayne “Hollywood” Hommel was there himself to share in the win, and was the first one in an emotional victory lane to greet the winner.
Not only was Hommel there to witness the win, but according to Henderson, he contributed to the victory.
“Duayne was telling me before qualifying how many turns on the suspension here, and how many turns there, and that’s what we did,” Henderson said. “So, what did we do, go out and set fast time. Then he tells us what tire we need on each corner, so that’s what we did. We led all 50 laps, and I was so happy that Duayne was here tonight when I took the checkered flag, I was just crying my eyes out and fist pumping out the window. Nights like this are ones you seem to only dream about, but tonight it came true. It was just awesome to see him when I got to victory lane.”
In 2003, Hommel was quickly becoming a rising star on the National stage of dirt late model racing, but a highway accident late that season left him with a serious head injury that ended his career. Hommel may now have to get around in a wheelchair, and he may have trouble speaking, but Henderson’s winning testimony shows that Hommel is still as sharp as a tack when it comes to race cars.
The evening at I-75 Raceway not only ended special, but it started off pretty special as well. During intermission, the NeSmith Late Model drivers came to the grandstands with their helmets in an effort to help another injured driver, Jeff Smith of Dalton, GA, who broke his neck in an accident during the Chevrolet Performance Super Late Model Series race at I-75 Raceway on August 14.
After having surgery, Smith is on the mend, but he will be in a halo device for three months, and can’t work. The race fans at I-75 Raceway reached into their pockets and purses to collect $1,612.37 for Jeff Smith and his family.
The performance by Henderson for Hommel in the H2 car just put the icing on the cake. The win also gave Henderson the Cruise with the Champions Rookie of the Race Award. With purse money and special contingency awards, Henderson’s second win of the season was worth $2,725.00.
Cory Hedgecock finished second and Anthony White drove to a third-place showing. Chase Edge took his third straight fourth-place finish and John Ownbey drove to his fifth straight top five finish.
Ronnie Johnson, Brandon Williams, Jason Welshan, Ryan King and Todd Morrow rounded out the top ten.
During qualifying, Henderson toured the 3/8-mile clay oval in 13.552 seconds to earn his series-leading fourth Fast Time Award of the 2015 season and the pole position for the 50-lap main event.
The first ten laps of the race saw a rash of cautions. The yellow flag flew eight times in the first ten circuits, including twice at the start of the race. Henderson took the lead at the start of the race followed by third starting Hedgecock, who dove under outside front row starter White for the second spot.
Jake Teague and Justin Summers brought about a complete restart after they got together in turn one. The next start saw Brad Coffey spin down the backstretch on the opening lap. That made for complete restart number two.
The third time was the charm to get the first lap of the race in, but asking for two might have been a little too much, as a multi-car tangle in turn four left Summers on his roof. Summers was uninjured and climbed out of his bent racer under his own power. The field did get one lap in the books before the red flag came out, bringing about a “Dixie Style” Double File Restart.
Doubled up behind race leader Henderson were Hedgecock, White, Edge, and Ownbey. Johnson got busy after the restart, coming from eighth to sixth. Crane spun in turn four on lap seven to bring out the fourth yellow flag of the race.
The restart saw William Overbey spin in turn four, so they doubled them up and tried it again. On this restart, everyone was bumping and gouging for the bottom groove of the track with the exception of King, who tried to dust off the top shelf of the track looking for traction that he never found. King fell from seventh to ninth.
The sixth caution flag was displayed on lap nine when Teague stalled in turn two. On the restart, Rusty Ballenger spun to the high side of the track, hooked the dirt berm at the top of the racing surface, sending his car over on its side before landing upright on the top of the berm. Ballenger was okay, but the accident necessitated the second red flag of the race.
Series officials called for a single file restart and the field settled in without incident until lap 11 when Ballenger slowed on the track with damage suffered in his losing bout with the berm. After the next restart, the race went the distance without another interruption.
Henderson began lapping cars on the 19th tour of the race with a 1.2 second lead on Hedgecock. The second-place driver did close to within six tenths of a second of Henderson on lap 35, but the leader opened his margin back up and took a .833 second margin of victory under the checkered flag.
The next race for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will be on October 16-17 at Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, Ga. for the 60-lap $5,000-to-win Showdown On The Coast, Round 21 of the 2015 season.
For more information and rules about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at NesmithRacing.com.
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
I-75 Raceway – Sweetwater, TN
Race Results – Sept. 12, 2015
POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 1 H2 Matt Henderson (R) Loudon, TN 50 $2,725
2. 3 23 Cory Hedgecock Lenoir City, TN 50 $1,250
3. 2 2x Anthony White Clinton, TN 50 $850
4. 5 18 Chase Edge LaFayette, AL 50 $825
5. 7 44 John Ownbey Cleveland, TN 50 $650
6. 9 5 Ronnie Johnson Chattanooga, TN 50 $675
7. 6 95 Brandon Williams Crossville, TN 50 $500
8. 13 29 Jason Welshan Maryville, TN 50 $450
9. 4 30 Ryan King (R) Seymour, TN 50 $525
10. 10 8a Todd Morrow East Ridge, TN 50 $375
11. 17 10c Ryan Crane (R) Panama City, FL 50 $475
12. 11 88 Brad Coffey Maryville, TN 49 $300
13. 16 24 Barry Goodman Spring City, TN 48 $280
14. 18 7 William Overbey Norris, TN 46 $260
15. 15 29b Rusty Ballenger Sevierville, TN 10 $250
16. 12 117 Jake Teague Oliver Springs, TN 8 $240
17. 8 D2 Darren Goins Oliver Springs, TN 6 $220
18. 14 99 Justin Summers Greenback, TN 1 $200
19. 19 22 Will Roland (Y) Jasper, GA 0 $0/DNS
Entries: 19
Fast Qualifier: Henderson, 13.552 Seconds
Provisionals: None
Lead Changes: None
Lap Leader: Henderson, 1-50
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