Dirt on Dirt - Johnson earns flag-to-flag NeSmith victory

January 7

Talladega Short Track,

Eastaboga, AL

Sanction: Crate Racin’ USA Winter Series (Ice Bowl) - $3,000

Information provided by: Robert Holman (last updated January 8, 2:47 am)

Johnson earns flag-to-flag NeSmith victory

Ice Bowl

Ronnie Johnson
Michael Page
Jimmy Elliott
Jesse Lowe
Andy Picklesimer
Sam Seawright
Dylan Knowles
Brad Berry
Shane Smith
Chase Walls
Clay Harris
Zach Shannon
Austin Freeman
Kyle McMahon
Drew Kennedy
Heath Carr
Ruben Mayfield
Oakley Johns
Drew Benfield
Jeff Robinson
Jason Britton
Adam Ray
Chris O'Connor
Cruz Skinner

presented by

Heath Lawson/heathlawsonphotos.com

Ronnie Johnson celebrates his NeSmith Winter Shootout victory at TST.

What won the race: Polesitter Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn., led all 50 laps of Sunday's NeSmith RockAuto.com Winter Shootout in winning the Crate Late Model portion of the 27th annual Ice Bowl. Johnson won ahead of Michael Page of Douglasville, Ga., and Jimmy Elliot of Cleveland, Tenn. He earned $3,000 for the win.

Quotable: “I just love doing this. I love being successful at it,” said Johnson. “They wanted me to take a victory lap with the checkered flag after I won and you’re riding around there and you see the fans and stuff and you know the thought went through my mind of winning and it just doesn’t get old. This is what it’s all about, being able to stand in there with all these guys who work hard and sacrifice their time away from there families and their jobs to come and race. That’s what it’s all about, to get to stand in there with that trophy and get your picture made with all those people.”

Key notes: Johnson finished 1.262 seconds ahead of runner-up Michael Page. ... Johnson finished third last year. ... The NeSmith RockAuto.com Winter Shootout Series is an eight-race miniseries beginning with the Ice Bowl and running through March 24 at Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway. … Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., hosts three tour event in February. Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn., and Cochran each host two races.

On the move: Chase Walls rallied from 23rd to finish 10th.

Winner's sponsors: Johnson drives a Capital Race Car with sponsorship from Josh Roberts Trucking.

Points chase: Kyle Bronson of Brandon, Fla., is the defending Winter Shootout champion.

Car count: 34

Fast qualifier: Ronnie Johnson

Time: 14.692 seconds

Polesitter: Ronnie Johnson

Heat race winners: Ronnie Johnson, Sam Seawright, Jesse Lowe, Jimmy Elliott

Consolation race winners: Adam Ray, Jeff Robinson

Next series race: February 22, Bubba Raceway Park (Ocala, FL) $2,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

By Robert Holman

DirtonDirt.com weekend editor

EASTABOGA, Ala. — Live updates from this weekend’s $3,000-to-win NeSmith Winter Shootout season-opener at Talladega Short Track with preliminary action set for Saturday and the 50-lap main event set for Sunday (results unofficial):

Feature

Polesitter Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn., led all 50 laps of Sunday's NeSmith RockAuto.com Winter Shootout in winning the Crate Late Model portion of the 27th annual Ice Bowl. Johnson won ahead of Michael Page of Douglasville, Ga., and Jimmy Elliot of Cleveland, Tenn. He earned $3,000 for the win.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Ronnie Johnson, Sam Seawright
Row 2: Jesse Lowe, Jimmy Elliot
Row 3: Michael Page, Cruz Skinner
Row 4: Shane Smith, Heath Carr
Row 5: Andy Picklesimer, Brad Berry
Row 6: Drew Kennedy, Jason Britton
Row 7: Dylan Knowles, Jadon Frame
Row 8: Clay Harris, Zach Shannon
Row 9: Adam Ray, Jeff Robinson
Row 10: Chris O’Conner, Ruben Mayfield
Row 11: Austin Freeman, Drew Benfield
Row 12: Chase Walls, Oakley Johns

Consolation results

First consolation (top four transfer): Adam Ray, Chris O’Conner, Austin Freeman, Chase Walls, Kyle McMahon, Mike Franklin, Jim Wakefield, Randy Holder.

Second consolation (top four transfer): Jeff Robinson, Ruben Mayfield, Drew Benfield, Oakley Johns, Michael Evans, Hunter Blackwell, William Thomas. Disqualified: Rodgerick Dykes.

Sunday’s consolation lineups

First consolation
Row 1: Austin Freeman, Adam Ray
Row 2: Kyle McMahon, Chris O'Conner
Row 3: Mike Franklin, Jimmy Elkins
Row 4: Randy Holder, Chase Walls
Row 5: Michael Seibers, Jim Wakefield
First consolation
Row 1: Rodgerick Dykes, Jeff Robinson
Row 2: Oakley Johns, Will Roland
Row 3: Drew Benfield, Hunter Blackwell
Row 4: William Thomas, Ruben Mayfield
Row 5: Michael Evans, Brent Beard

Heat race results

First heat (top four transfer): Ronnie Johnson, Michael Page, Andy Picklesimer, Dylan Knowles, Austin Freeman, Kyle McMahon, Mike Franklin, Randy Holder.

Second heat (top four transfer): Sam Seawright, Cruz Skinner, Brad Berry, Jadon Frame, Rodgerick Dykes, Oakley Johns, Brew Benfield, William Thomas, Michael Evans.

Third heat (top four transfer): Jesse Lowe, Shane Smith, Drew Kennedy, Clay Harris, Adam Ray, Chris O’Conner, Jimmy Elkins, Chase Walls, Jim Wakefield.

Fourth heat (top four transfer): Jimmy Elliot, Heath Carr, Jason Britton, Zach Shannon, Jeff Robinson, Will Roland, Hunter Blackwell, Ruben Mayfield.

Heat race lineups

(10 laps; top four transfer)
First heat
Row 1: Ronnie Johnson, Michael Page
Row 2: Andy Picklesimer, Dylan Knowles
Row 3: Austin Freeman, Kyle McMahon
Row 4: Mike Franklin, Randy Holder
Row 5: Michael Seiber
Second heat
Row 1: Sam Seawright, Cruz Skinner
Row 2: Jadon Frame, Brad Berry
Row 3: Rodgerick Dykes, Drew Benfield
Row 4: William Thomas, Michael Evans
Row 5: Oakley Johns
Third heat
Row 1: Jesse Lowe, Drew Kennedy
Row 2: Clay Harris, Adam Ray
Row 3: Chris O’Conner, Shane Smith
Row 4: Jimmy Elkins, Jim Wakefield
Row 5: Chase Walls
Fourth heat
Row 1: Jimmy Elliot, Jason Britton
Row 2: Will Roland, Heath Carr
Row 3: Zach Shannon, Hunter Blackwell
Row 4: Jeff Robinson, Brent Beard
Row 5: Ruben Mayfield