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DAWSONVILLE, GA (January 24, 2012) – NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model
Series Founder and Director Mike Vaughn announced at the series Annual
Awards Banquet on Saturday night at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame that he
will begin an innovative economical super late model series for the 2013
season around the Chevrolet Performance CT525 Engine. During his State of the Series Address, Vaughn announced
the new super late model series will feature a 22 to 24-race schedule and a
point fund that will pay $30,000-to-win beginning with the 2013 season.
Vaughn said a Title Sponsor announcement for the new series will be made in
the coming weeks. “We’re moving forward with giving the Chevrolet
Performance CT 525 Engine a spot on the stage of dirt late model racing,”
Vaughn said. “This affordable all-aluminum engine has proven itself to be
reliable and successful on the race track, and it is time to give it its own
series. For 2013, we will have a 22 to 24-race series with a $30,000-to-win
point fund to highlight the CT 525 Engine.” The Chevrolet Performance CT 525 All-Aluminum racing
engine is based off the Corvette production engine. It is built and sealed
at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. The CT525 is
available from NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA for $6,995 and race-ready
with everything except carburetor, fuel pump, power steering pump and
headers for $9,254. Vaughn emphasized that nothing will change with the
current NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour and the NeSmith
Chevrolet Weekly Racing Series for dirt late models powered by the Chevrolet
Performance 604 and 602 Crate Engines. They will continue to compete in
their own respective series, and that the new series will be an additional
third series. “The series for the CT525 Engine will be separate to the
current tour for the 604 and 602 Crate Engines which will remain the same
for 2013,” Vaughn said. “However, the 604 and 602 Crate Engines will also be
eligible to compete in the series with the CT525.” Bill Martens, Chevrolet Performance Special Programs
Manager, also addressed the banquet gathering to announce that GM
Performance Parts is being rebranded Chevrolet Performance Parts and that
they are committed to the new series by providing CT 525 customers with a
factory Rebuild Center. “Should the CT525 need to be repaired or rebuilt, it will
be done under one roof at the factory with new CT525 Rebuild Center and also
be resealed there,” Martens said. “This Rebuild Center will be able to keep
everything consistent and under tight control, as everything done to every
engine will be documented and passed on to the series officials.” The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series and Chevrolet
Performance have been working together over the past three years in the
field research and development of the CT525 Engine, and according to Vaughn,
the Rebuild Center was the final phase before a series for the engine could
be implemented. “Bill Martens, myself, and our respective staffs have
worked together very closely over the past three years in the research and
development of the Chevrolet Performance CT525 Engine,” Vaughn said. “We
also took some of the lessons we learned with the 604 and 602 Crate Engines,
and the placement of the Rebuild Center was the final piece of the R&D
puzzle before being able to move forward with the new series.” According to National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame
Inductee Ronnie Johnson, the employees of the Chevrolet Performance Rebuild
Center won’t be overloaded with work, as Johnson, who has performed on-track
R&D in competition with the CT525 Engine, followed Martens to the podium to
give testimony regarding the reliably and lack of maintenance needed with
the CT525. “I’ve been competing with the CT525 in super late model
competition since 2009, and I’ve run over 40 races with it trouble-free with
no mechanical issues,” Johnson said. “Since I put the CT525 in my race car,
all I’ve had to do is change the oil. The engine has a hydraulic valve train
and you do not have to adjust the valves. I can go out into my shop right
now, fire it up, and it’s just as crisp as it was when it was new.” Vaughn said that the Chevrolet CT525 Engine Johnson used
in the R&D program had over 35 races on it before Johnson received it. The
R&D Engine has over 75 races on it with trouble-free performance and proven
reliability. Johnson said he has been successful in super late model
competition with the CT525 engine, and that it has paid for itself ten times
over. “I’ve won some $10,000-to-win races with the CT 525 Engine
against $40,000 super late model engines, and I’ve run in the top ten in
about 90 percent of the races I’ve been in with the CT525,” Johnson said.
“The way I see it, why spend $40,000 when you can accomplish the same thing
with an engine that costs less than $10,000.” Vaughn also discussed the long-range plan for the CT525
Engine using the same model he used since 2005 in building the NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series Tour and the NeSmith Chevrolet Weekly
Racing Series using the Chevrolet Performance 604 and 602 Crate Engines. “Once the series for the CT525 Engine establishes itself
in 2013, we will encourage our Weekly Racing Series tracks to develop a
weekly division for the CT525 Engine as an affordable alternative to the
expensive super late model division for both the tracks and competitors,
while still also running the crate late model division on a weekly basis.”
Vaughn said. “In 2004, a lot of people said the crate engines would never
work in dirt late model racing, but now, it’s pretty evident the naysayers
were wrong.” Vaughn said he’s sure he will hear the same thing about
the new series for the Chevrolet Performance CT525 Engine, but he’s
confident it will produce the same results that the Chevrolet Performance
Crate Engine series has over the last seven years. “I’m sure there will be people that will say the same
thing about the Chevrolet Performance CT525 Engine – that it will never work
in dirt late model racing,” Vaughn said. “By bringing along the CT525
Engine, just like we did with the 604 and 602 Crate Engines, with a
traveling series first, followed by a Weekly Racing Series, I feel very
confident that seven years from now, the naysayers will be wrong again.” The announcement about the new series for the Chevrolet
Performance CT525 was well-received by the competitors, as eight drivers
said they were excited about the new series and have committed to compete in
it. In addition to the affordable super late model series for
the CT525 Engine, Vaughn also announced another cost-saving option for
competitors in the new super late model series, and the NeSmith Chevrolet
Dirt Late Model Series Tour, that involves the development of a $150
Bilstein Spec Shock. “There is no doubt that the engine costs can be kept under
control, but now it’s time to go on to the next highest expense on a dirt
late model and begin to address the rising costs of racing shocks,” Vaughn
said. “In continuing our pursuit of being America’s Leader In Affordable
Dirt Late Model Racing, we are currently working with Bilstein Shocks to
produce a $150 Spec Shock as an option for our competitors, and give them
the opportunity to participate in a Series Within A Series.” Vaughn said there will be 10 different Bilstein Spec
Shocks to choose from that will be sealed and serial numbered. The Bilstein
Spec Shocks will be used on all four corners and on the fifth coil of the
race car. Competitors that choose to participate in the “Series Within A
Series” program and commit to using the Bilstein Spec Shocks for the entire
season will compete for an additional point fund that will pay back five
spots. “The NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series has a solid
reputation in the way we keep a level playing field through the way we
closely tech the Crate Engines,” Vaughn said. “We will tech the Bilstein
Spec Shocks in the same manner, as each shock will be sealed and serial
numbered. There will also be a rebuild program for the spec shocks, and like
the CT525 Engine, it will be done under one roof to insure accountability
and consistency.” Vaughn said the time is right to introduce the new series
for the Chevrolet Performance CT525 Engine and the new Bilstein Spec Shock
Program. “In the current economic state our country is in, 2011 was
a tough year for dirt late model racing, as it was a year that saw many
super dirt late model series fold their tents, and a year that saw many dirt
tracks close their doors,” Vaughn said. “But the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late
Model Series survived 2011, we’re ready for 2012 with an even stronger
program, and we’re looking ahead to fill the void in super late model racing
with an affordable series that features big money for a fraction of the
current expense for the competitor.” For more information about the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late
Model Series visit the series web site at
www.nesmithracing.com, or visit
the series on Facebook at NeSmith Racing. Becoming a fan of the NeSmith
Racing Facebook page will make you eligible for special prizes that will be
given away each month. You can follow us on Twitter @NeSmithRacing.
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