Greenville Speedway
Fore rides the top to $3,000 at Greenville
By Roby Helm
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model SeriesGREENVILLE, Miss. (July 21) — Hometown driver Greg Fore took full advantage of his home-track to knowledge in Saturday’s Delta Dirt Nationals 50 at Greenville Speedway, using the high side to race to a $2,500 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series victory at the quarter-mile gumbo oval.
The fifth-starting Fore followed Duke Palasini of Leland, Miss., to the front on the track’s top groove before overtaking series rookie Chris Cantrell of Chester, S.C., for the lead on lap 28 of the 50-lap race.
He maintained his line around the top of the track late in the race, holding off late charge from 14th-starting David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, Tenn., to score the victory.
“Racing here every week, I knew the outside groove would be the place to be in the second half of the race. When I saw Duke Palasini go up there and go to the front, I knew that’s where I needed to be,” Fore said of Palasini, who started fourth and led laps 16 and 17 before falling out with a broken driveshaft. “I hate it he had problems after he took the lead, but it cleared the way for me to get here in the winner’s circle.”
Fore had Gentry right on his back bumper for the final 10 laps, but the only place for Gentry to go to make a challenge for the lead was inside Fore, who was right up against the wall.
Gentry made a couple attempts to dive under Fore going into the corners, but each time Fore had used his high-side momentum to stay out front and grab the victory by a .295-second margin at the finish line.
Gentry, the two-time series champion, was looking to complete a sweep of the NeSmith tour’s doubleheader weekend at Greenville, but settled for second at the finish.
Polesitter Johnny Stokes of Columbus, Miss., ended up third at the finish. He led the first 15 laps of the race before being overtaken by Palasini, and again led lap 18 before Cantrell slipped ahead to lead laps 19 through 27.
Chase Washington of Houlka, Miss., made a late charge to finish fourth after starting 13th while series points leader Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, Ga., finished fifth to hold on to an 18-point lead over Gentry in the battle for the $20,000 series championship.
Cantrell faded back to 10th at the finish after losing the handle on his race car midway through the race.
Delta Dirt Nationals: (1) Greg Fore, (2) David Earl Gentry, (3) Johnny Stokes, (4) Chase Washington, (5) Matthew Turner, (6) Larry Harrod, (7) Bo Gordon, (8) Ashley Newman, (9) Tait Davenport, (10) Chris Cantrell, (11) Bubba Harrison, (12) Daniel Bridgeman, (13) Brent Barrett, (14) Michael Blount, (15) Chase Edge, (16) Mike Palasini Jr., (17) Mark Tice, (18) Todd Morrow, (19) Lamar Furr, (20) Ronnie Cooper, (21) Duke Palasini, (22) Peter Hazzard, (23) Eric Carr, (24) Cody Kierre. Fast qualifier (among 34 cars): Stokes, 14.987 seconds. Consolation race winners: Turner, Morrow.
