Whynot Motorsports Park
McRee wins duel at Whynot, $2,000
By Roby Helm
NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model SeriesMERIDIAN, Miss. (May 26) — Justin McRee of Cottondale, Ala., drove a new car of his own design to victory on Saturday in the Salute To The Navy and Marines 40 for the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Touring Division at his home track, Whynot Motorsports Park. It was a race that saw five lead changes among three drivers. | Weaver wins Southern All Star race at Whynot
McRee took the lead for good after a lap-24 restart when he drove around the outside of hometown driver Jim McDuffie, then never looked back to take his fourth career NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series win in the High Roller Race Cars Special. McRee led on three different occasions for a total of 34 of the 40 laps in earning $2,000.
Series point leader David Gentry of Murfreesboro, Tenn.,and McDuffie battled for the lead with McRee during the first half of the race. McRee led the first 16 laps of the race, but got caught behind a lapped car that enabled Gentry and McDuffie to slip by.
McRee sailed around the outside of Gentry and McDuffie to lead lap 21, but Gentry regained the point on lap 22. Lap 23 saw a caution flag, and while the field was under yellow, Gentry cut down a tire and had to give up the point to change the tire in the pits. McDuffie led for one lap, but McRee went to the outside and took the lead for good on lap 24. His margin of victory was .304 seconds.
“Our plan was to run the bottom of the track, but the car just worked well anywhere on the racetrack,” McRee said. “When I got into the lapped car and lost the lead, it made the left front fender start rubbing the tire, but it popped back out after a few laps and everything was good.”
McDuffie finished second and two-time series champ Eric Cooley of Fulton, Miss., started 11th and finished third. Monte Skinner of Saraland, Ala., and Chase Edge of Lafayette, Ala., rounded out the top five.
The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series makes its final stop of the three-race Salute To The Armed Forces Memorial Day weekend Sunday with a $2,000-to-win event at Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Miss.
Salute To The Navy and Marines 40: (1) Justin McRee, (2) Jim McDuffie, (3) Eric Cooley, (4) Monte Skinner, (5) Chase Edge, (6) Daniel Bridgeman, (7) Chris O’Connor, (8) Evan Ellis, (9) Johnny Stokes, (10) David Gentry, (11) Chris Cantrell, (12) Jamey Boland, (13) Larry Harrod, (14) Anthony White, (15) Randy Boyd, (16) Phillip Stanley, (17) Matthew Turner, (18) Jake Teague, (19) Marty Hardy, (20) Cody Kierre, (21) Brian Ligon, (22) Larry Murphy, (23) Wiley Williams, (24) Tody Ratcliff. Fast qualifier (among 46 cars): McRee, 13.859 seconds. Consolation race winners: Cooley, O’Connor, Edge. Provisional starters: Turner, Stokes.
