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Milton records first career Late Model victory

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (June 15) – Recent talk around the pits among several of his fellow competitors had them saying it was only a matter of time before 31-year-old rookie driver Reece Milton of Blountville would win his first race at Galaxy Kingsport Speedway.

Milton grabbed the lead on lap 33 from Kres VanDyke and, at the finish held off the hard-charging Michael Chaney to capture his first career Shoney’s NASCAR Late Model Stock feature victory before a wildly cheering crowd Friday on Ferguson Enterprises/Kids’ Night at the Races.

Newcomer to the track, Steve Blackburn of Prestonsburg, Ky., set fast time of 15:450-seconds in qualifying to earn the pole position for the 50-lap feature. Wade Lopez, who entered the night of racing holding a one-point lead over Jeff Berry in the track Late Model Stock point standings, was second quickest to nail down the outside front row starting berth.

Like he was shot out of a cannon when the green flag waved, Lopez launched into the first turn to take the lead over Blackburn, VanDyke, Milton and Wayne Hale as the 14-car field completed the opening lap. In the early going Lopez was comfortably riding on the point, while behind him VanDyke was pressuring Blackburn for second place.

With VanDyke getting a good run on Blackburn on lap 6 off (turn) four, contact was made between the two at the start/finish line sending the pole sitter hard into the outside front straightaway concrete wall. While under caution, Blackburn after climbing from his car expressed his displeasure with young VanDyke as the field slowly circled the track. With his mount sustaining heavy front-end damage Blackburn was through for the night.

The top five on the restart were Lopez, VanDyke, Milton, Hale and Chaney. By lap 15 the race had developed into a three-car breakaway out front between Lopez, VanDyke and Milton. Not content to ride in second, VanDyke made his move under Lopez on lap 22 racing into turn one to take the lead. With VanDyke opening the door, racing off the second turn Milton seized the opportunity to also sneak by Lopez and move into the runner-up spot.

As the 50-lapper reached halfway VanDyke was riding on the point followed by Milton, Lopez, Chaney and Adam Dean. Running sixth through tenth were Hale, Mark Ketron, Bill Garrett, Brian Rose and Jeff Berry.

Lopez’ hopes of a top five finish ended on lap 32 when track officials waved the caution flag for his smoking car dropping fluid on the track. Preparing to go back green, the top five were VanDyke, Milton, Chaney, Dean and Ketron.

Milton, driving the Phil Bachman Honda/Ferguson Enterprises/Hill Ventilating Air Conditioning/B & L Homes/Burgers ‘R Us/Inove Graphics/Townsend-Berry Race Cars/No. 16 Monte Carlo was glued to VanDyke’s rear bumper, and racing into the first turn on lap 33 he dropped to the inside to challenge for the lead. Racing off (turn) two he grabbed a lead he would never relinquish, although he would have to withstand two ensuing restarts following cautions.

The first of those on lap 35 when the ninth-running Rose erupted an engine going into the third turn, and the final caution period on lap 41 when the runner-up VanDyke spun in turn two while trying to drop to the inside of Milton.

Lining up for a nine-lap dash to the checkers, all Milton had to do to earn his first trip to victory lane was hold off the "young guns" Chaney and Dean. And that, he would do. At the finish Milton was followed by Chaney, Dean, Ketron and Berry. Completing the top-10 finishers were VanDyke, Garrett, Hale, Lopez and Rick Pannell.

"The feeling I have right now is hard to describe, but let me tell you – it’s great to finally get our first Late Model win here at Kingsport Speedway," said Milton with a smile on his face after climbing from his car in Victory Lane. "Once I got the lead, I flipped the mirror up so I wouldn’t look at who was behind me. I knew as long as I concentrated on my driving instead of watching who was behind me, I would be OK. We were loose at first, but the way we set the car up was perfect because it came right in to us in the second half of the race.

"I have so many people I want to thank, especially Jeff Berry for all he’s taught me about racing. Jeff’s been racing for 30 years, and I’m very fortunate he’s taken me under his wing to pass along some of what he’s learned over the years. Also, we’ve got a great bunch of guys working on the car, headed by my crew chief Mike Frye, Kevin Lowe, David Peterson and Greg Godsey."

"SHONEY’S" NASCAR LATE MODEL STOCKS (50-laps)

   1.Reece Milton #16-Blountville, TN 
   2.Michael Chaney #24-Abingdon, VA 
   3.Adam Dean #81-Bristol, VA 
   4.Mark Ketron #26-Kingsport, TN 
   5.Jeff Berry #61-Kingsport, TN 
   6.Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA 
   7.Bill Garrett #4-Johnson City, TN 
   8.Wayne Hale #19-Piney Flats, TN 
   9.Wade Lopez #83-Abingdon, VA 
  10.Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN 
  11.Clyde Jones #7-Kingsport, TN 
  12.Brian Rose #72-Nashville, TN 
  13.Allen Hawkins #77-Kingsport, TN

DQed Rough Driving: Steve Blackburn #22-Prestonsburg, KY