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SUCCESSFUL WEEKEND
FOR GM PERFORMANCE CT525 SPEC ENGINES
CARTERSVILLE, GA – It was a
successful weekend of competition for drivers using the new
economical all-aluminum GM Performance CT525 Spec Engine in two
super late model series against open all-aluminum engines costing
three-times more. In two different events last Friday night and
Saturday night, the CT525 powered drivers to one win, two fives, and
four top ten finishes.
Ronnie Johnson of Chattanooga, TN drove his Miller Brothers Coal
Mastersbilt powered by the CT525 Spec Engine to a win against a
star-studded field on Friday night in a Southern All-Star Series
event on Friday night at Boyd’s Speedway in Ringgold, GA. The
National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame Inductee set fast time and led
all 40 laps for the win.
“It’s rare for me to qualify on the pole with any kind of engine,
and I’m usually trying to prepare myself to pass cars and race
through the field,” Johnson said. “Then to lead all of the laps was
something I wasn’t used to. I’ve run the CT525 engine now about
seven times, and I’ve learned that I usually have to wait for the
track to come to the engine, but the track was just right for the
engine at Boyd’s.”
Johnson followed that effort up with a fourth-place finish on
Saturday night in the 40-lap NeSmith Super Dirt Car Series/Promoters
Racing Organization (PRO) event on Saturday night at North Alabama
Speedway in Tuscumbia, AL. “The Chattanooga Flash” started eighth,
and quickly raced into the top five against the top drivers in
Southeastern super late model racing.
“The track at North Alabama was what I usually except in that it was
wet and tacky early, but as the night went on, the track got slicker
and we had to use a harder compound of tire,” Johnson said. “The
track came to the engine, but we didn’t have the car balanced right
to take advantage of that enough to get to the front. The engine was
capable of winning the race, but the car wasn’t.”
The defending NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series National
Champion Eric Cooley of Fulton, MS and the current NeSmith Chevrolet
DLMS National Touring point leader Matthew Turner of Dawsonville, GA
moved over to the NeSmith Super Dirt Car Series at North Alabama
Speedway to compete with the CT525 engine with successful results.
Cooley started 16th and finished sixth to earn the Hard Charger of
the Race Award in the 78 Towing and Recovery Victory Circle. Turner
started 19th in the Turner Excavating DWB and worked his way through
the pack to finish tenth.
The all-aluminum GM Performance CT525 Spec Engine has proven that it
can be competitive with the 700-800 horsepower all-aluminum open
super late model engines for one-third of the cost under track
conditions that are prevalent in the Southeast. Johnson said this
makes the CT525 a good choice for super late model competition for
that reason, plus he says it is easy on the rest of the race car.
“The CT525 Spec Engine is a good concept because it has less
horsepower, which works better with harder compound tires,” Johnson
said. “A wet and tacky track with a lot of traction will take 700 to
800 horsepower, but as the track dries out, takes rubber and slows
down, it won’t take that much horsepower. That’s generally what the
tracks in the Southeast do, especially during the summer months. The
CT525 also puts less ware and tear on the drive train tires and
brakes because it puts less stain on transmissions, drive shafts,
and axles. That saves the racer money in the long run.”
Johnson said running an engine with less horsepower motivates him
because he feels like he’s the underdog, and to be competitive with
the CT525 gives him more feeling of accomplishment.
“This is a work in progress because there is more to learn about the
CT525 Engine and how to make it better in working with the race
car,” Johnson said. “I like being the underdog and with the CT525
engine and I can work more with the tires and the handling aspect of
the race car to make it faster.”
Johnson has had five top ten finishes in his last five races using
the GM Performance CT525 Spec Engine. On March 13, Johnson started
20th and finished seventh in the NeSmith Super Dirt Car Series/PRO
Dirt Car Series 40-lap main event at Columbus Speedway in Columbus,
MS. After the first two NeSmith SDCS/PRO races of the season,
Johnson is currently third in the point standings, ten points out of
first place.
The next night, Johnson traveled to Talladega Short Track in
Eastaboga, AL and competed in the season opener for their Super Late
Model Division with the CT525. Johnson finished second, coming
within a half car-length of taking the win.
The Southern All-Star Dirt Late Model Series is the latest super
late model sanctioning body to approve the GM Performance CT525 Spec
Engine for competition with open engines and other specially-built
spec engines.
Several dirt tracks that include Talladega Short Track, Columbus
Speedway, Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, MS Mountain Raceway
Park in Maryville, TN, and Cleveland Speedway in Cleveland, TN have
also approved the CT525 for competition in their weekly Super Late
Model Division.
“I think all super late model series and tracks should take a good
look at this engine and consider approving it for competition,”
NeSmith Chevrolet Super Dirt Car Series Founder and Director Mike
Vaughn said. “The CT525 is a good option for everyone, especially
the weekly racer operating on a tight budget that wants to run an
affordable engine and be competitive.”
The GM Performance CT525 Spec Engine is in stock and readily
available at NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA with free next day
delivery anywhere in the Southeast for $7,195, and race-ready with
all of the needed accessories except carburetor for $10,100. An open
super late model engine can cost in excess of $30,000 with a waiting
period of at least several weeks to have it built.
NeSmith Chevrolet in Claxton, GA has all but two of the GM
Performance CT525 Spec Engines available in the United States in
their warehouse. To place an order, call Tim Bland at
1-877-497-3624.
NeSmith Chevrolet, Buick, GMC of Claxton, GA is the Title Sponsor of
the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet,
Buick, GMC is the nation’s number one GM Powertrain Dealer four
years running, and is also the nation’s number one volume dealer of
Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC cars, trucks, SUVs and vans with free
delivery anywhere in the Southeast. Hoosier Race Tire is the
Official Tire Sponsor of the NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model
Series. VP Racing Fuel is the Official Racing Fuel of the NeSmith
Chevrolet Dirt Late Model Series. NeSmith Chevrolet Dirt Late Model
Series Contingency Sponsors for 2010 are Dominator Race Products,
Race Car Engineering, KRC, Joe Gibbs Driven, Maximum Signs and
Graphics, Mike Custom Tanks, Shorty’s Shock Service, Warrior Race
Cars, Trak-Star Race Cars, Mastersbilt Race Cars, GRT Race Cars, TNT
Race Cars. 
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