ANTHONY WHITE DISQUALIFIED FROM NeSMITH CHEVROLET DLMS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

               CARTERSVILLE, GA – Anthony White of Clinton, TN has been disqualified and stripped of his seventh-place finish in the 4^th Annual NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series World Championship Race on Saturday night after series officials received conformation that White used an illegal tire during qualifications on Friday night.

               NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series officials have revised the finishing order of Saturday night’s event and will be sending the additional prize money due to the drivers that finished eighth on back in Saturday night’s race.  William Thomas of Phenix City, AL, who finished in the first-alternate fourth-place position in the first B-Main, will be paid for 26^th-place.

               During the post-qualifying technical inspection on Friday night, NeSmith Chevrolet officials noticed a scuff-mark over the compound identification stamped on the right-rear of White’s Stone Plus DWB that set fast time in the fourth group on Friday night.  Officials recorded the tire’s serial number so they could confer with Hoosier Race Tire on Monday regarding the legality of the tire.

               NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS officials permitted White to continue in competition, but informed him they would withhold any prize money he earned until they could confer with Hoosier about the tire.  White won the fourth heat race, started fourth in the main event, and finished seventh in the 100-lap feature race.

               On Monday morning, NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS officials checked the tire’s serial number with the data base at Hoosier Race Tire in Lakeville, IN.  Hoosier’s data base confirmed that the serial number on White’s tire left the factory as a compound different than the NeSmith Chevrolet DLMS tire rule for the event which was Hoosier D21 or D55 stamped either Crate or Spec.

               White has been suspended from NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series competition for 365 days, and fined $1,000.

               “We take our tire rule as seriously as we take our engine rule, and we will not tolerate the altering of tires,” NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Founder and Director Mike Vaughn said.  “While this situation is unfortunate, I hope it sends a message that the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series will go the extra mile to insure a level playing field for all its competitors.”

               Vaughn also announced that in an effort to keep this situation from happening in future series events, the tire rule for the 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series has been amended in that Hoosier D21 and D55 tires stamped Crate Racin’ USA will be the only two tires permitted.

               The first event of the 2009 NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National Tour will be a 50-lap $3,000-to-win event on January 3-4 as a part of the 18^th Annual Ice Bowl at Talladega Short Track in Eastaboga, AL.