411 Motor Speedway
Wilson tops R.J. to win 411's J.T. Kerr Memorial
By Roby Helm
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series
Chris Wilson celebrates his $4,000 victory. (Chad Wells)
SEYMOUR, Tenn. (June 2) — Chris Wilson of Crossville, Tenn., won the J.T. Kerr Memorial 40 for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Saturday night at 411 Motor Speedway, earning $4,000 in the event held in memory of Tennessee racing legend J.T. Kerr.
Wilson took the lead when Adam Beeler of Maryville, Tenn., tangled with a lapped car on lap 30 and later held off a strong challenge from his boyhood hero and Hall-of-Fame driver Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, Tenn., to score the victory. | Slideshow
“I know J.T. Kerr was looking down on us tonight with a big smile on his face with the great racing and the great crowd that turned out to watch it,” Wilson said. “This is a big win for me because Ronnie Johnson was my hero when I was growing up, and to race him like that and win is something I will always remember.”
Wilson drove the Dale’s Auto Sales GRT Race Car to his second career NeSmith Series win. Eighth-starting Johnson settled for the runner-up finish driving Turner Motorsports entry followed by polesitter Larry Harrod of Plains, Ga., and Mack McCarter of Sevierville, Tenn.
Greg Martin of Oliver Springs, Tenn., started 14th and advanced to the fifth position at the finish to earn the Hedman Husler of the Race Award.
Harrod grabbed the lead over fellow front-row starter Beeler on the start of the 40-lapper, but let Beeler slip by on lap seven. Beeler held command for much of the distance, but his night came to an end when he tangled with lapped cars with 10 laps remaining.
Wilson assumed the lead for the restart and turned back several strong challenges from Johnson to score the victory.
Two-time series champion and current points leader David Earl Gentry of Murfreesboro, Tenn., finished eighth.
The NeSmith Series is slated to take the rest of the month off before kicking off a busy month of July with a $2,500-to-win event July 4 at East Alabama Motor Speedway in Phenix City, Ala.
NeSmith @ 411: (1) Chris Wilson, (2) Ronnie Johnson, (3) Larry Harrod, (4) Mack McCarter, (5) Greg Martin, (6) John Cobb, (7) David Smith, (8) David Earl Gentry, (9) Chris Cantrell, (10) Matthew Turner, (11) Brian Ligon, (12) Jake Teague, (13) Tom Smith, (14) Anthony White, (15) Cory Hedgecock, (16) Chase King, (17) Michael Blount, (18) Josh Collins, (19) Marty Calloway, (20) Johnny Stokes, (21) Chase Edge, (22) Adam Beeler, (23) David Crabtree, (24) Mark Vineyard. Fast qualifier (among 36 cars): Harrod, 14.842 seconds. Consolation race winners: Crabtree, Gentry.
