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National Late Model Sportsman Southern Dirt Tour Golf Tournament, Bar-B-Q, and Awards Ceremony

24 November 1997

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

McRae, GA - While most touring series choose opulent ballrooms to hold
their awards banquets, as befits their more down-to-earth background, the
National Late Model Sportsman Southern Dirt Tour prefers the more rustic
setting of Little Ocmulgee State Park in Central Georgia for their annual
Golf Tournament, Bar-B-Q, and Awards Ceremony. This year the main honorees
were the members of the Ives Racing/JSD Trucking/Russell Brown Racing team
of Gene Maine of Quitman, GA. With five wins during the 1997 season the Kim
Ives owned team captured their first NMLS Championship and were rewarded
for their efforts at the annual gathering.

        Ray Miller, Owner/Director of the three year old series, presented
Maine and his wife Debbie, and Ives and his wife Barbara with Championship
Jackets, Shirts, and a diecast model of the #201 race car. 

        Also honored at the Ceremony were the latest inductees into the
"Dirty Dozen Club". The top 13 drivers in the points standings at the end
of the season earn Jackets, Shirts for their wives, and a beautiful diecast
model of their race car for their efforts. The models proved to be the hit
of the afternoon as each was carefully painted and decaled to
be exact replicas of the individual driver's cars by Mike Coonfield, Series
Technical Inspector. The members of the 1997 "Dirty Dozen Club" were
Ivedent Lloyd of Ocala, FL, Cecil Eunice of Blackshear, GA, Ricky Brant of
Pooler, GA, Henry Carter Jr of Swainsboro, GA, Billy Godowns Jr of
Louisville, GA, Wendell Durrance of Gainesville, FL, Steve Jones of Rhine,
GA, Joe Kump of Hollywood, FL, Tracy Mimbs of Dublin, GA, Everett Phillips
of Lake City, FL, Tracy Walden of Louisville, GA and Dennis Smith of
Jacksonville, FL. 

        Russell Brown received the award for the top Chassis Builder on the
series while Dennis Bennett of Bennett Motorsports was honored as the top
Engine Builder. Lee Jackson of Brooklet, GA was voted the Most Improved
Driver for 1997 and Tracy Walden received the Sportsmanship Award.