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Monteith, Ferguson capture Kingsport Late Model victories

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (Aug. 10) – Bluff City’s Nate Monteith and Robbie Ferguson of Jonesborough, each captured twin 35-lap NASCAR Late Model Stock Car victories Friday at Galaxy Kingsport Speedway on "King Pharmaceutical/Food City Night at the Races." Monteith moved into victory lane in the first event after apparent winner Michael Chaney was disqualified in post race technical inspection for refusing to tear down his engine, while Ferguson led the second race flag-to-flag for his fourth win of the season.

Monteith and Chaney, starting from the first row, led the stellar 23-car field to the green flag in the first 35-lapper. At the start/finish line to complete the opening lap, Monteith was riding on the point with Larry Utsman, Chaney, Kres VanDyke and Adam Dean in tow. Chaney began working his way to the front on lap 5, passing Utsman for second place racing into the first turn.

Immediately closing in on Monteith’s rear bumper to challenge for the lead, Chaney got a good run racing off (turn) two on lap 8 to pull alongside Monteith going into the third turn to assume the lead. The event’s only caution waved on lap 16, when Dean got out of shape in turn two and smacked the outside backstretch concrete wall hard, ending his night.

Lining up for the restart the top five were Chaney, Monteith, Utsman, VanDyke and Mark Ketron. Wade Lopez cracked the top five on lap 20 when he passed Ketron in turn two, while Ketron began backpedaling with mechanical problems. Chaney began to put a little distance between himself and the runner-up Monteith by lap 25 and, at the finish he crossed the stripe holding a six car-length advantage for what appeared would be his second victory of the season.

But after Chaney refused to tear down the engine under the hood of his No. 24 Monte Carlo at the conclusion of the night of racing, Monteith, driving the King Pharmaceutical/Monarch Pharmaceutical/Burnett Associates/Dixie Construction/Bolts & Screws/Performance Fabrication/Race-Scan Communications/Hedgecock Race Cars/No. 44 Monte Carlo, had captured his first-ever Late Model Stock Car victory at Kingsport.

Finishing behind Monteith were Utsman, VanDyke, Lopez and Jeff Berry. Completing the top 10 finishers were Butch Jarvis, Bill Lane, Reece Milton, Bill Garrett and Rick Pannell.

Starting positions for the second feature were determined by the drivers’ second-lap qualifying time, thus placing Ferguson and Lopez on the front row. At the drop of the green, Ferguson bolted out into a lead he would never relinquish over Monteith, Garrett, Lopez and Ketron.

Garrett quickly got shuffled back out of the top five, with Lopez and Ketron passing him on lap 2, then Chaney dropping him back to sixth place on lap 4. While Ferguson was comfortably cruising out front on the point, Lopez was riding in Monteith’s rear view mirror looking to grab the runner-up position.

Lopez moved to the inside of Monteith racing into the first turn on lap 16 to grab the spot, and with the door opened, both Ketron and Chaney seized the opportunity to take the third and fourth positions, relegating Monteith back to fifth in the running order. After experiencing problems in the first 35-lap twin feature, Ketron was looking to make a statement in the nightcap.

Sitting on Lopez’ rear bumper, Ketron dropped to the inside of Lopez (racing) into the first turn and, getting a good run off (turn) two completed the pass to move into second place. But that would be as far as he would advance, because Ferguson was in command out front en route to capturing his fourth victory of the season.

At the checkers, Ferguson, driving the Race-Scan Communications/J & J Race Engines/Hedgecock Race Cars/No. 32 Monte Carlo, was followed by Ketron, Lopez, Monteith and Dean, who was driving Utsman’s car after wrecking his in the first race. Running sixth through tenth were Berry, VanDyke, Milton, Garrett and Jarvis.

NASCAR LATE MODEL STOCK CAR (Twin 35 #1) 

   1.Nate Monteith #44-Bluff City, TN 
   2.Larry Utsman #23-Bristol, TN 
   3.Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA 
   4.Wade Lopez #83-Abingdon, VA 
   5.Jeff Berry #61-Kingsport, TN 
   6.Butch Jarvis #53-Blountville, TN 
   7.Bill Lane #14-Kingsport, TN 
   8.Reece Milton #16-Blountville, TN 
   9.Bill Garrett #4-Johnson City, TN 
  10.Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN 
  11.Wayne Hale #19-Piney Flats, TN 
  12.Clyde Jones #7-Kingsport, TN 
  13.Paul Shull #48-Clintwood, VA 
  14.Trevor Richardson #54-Marion, VA 
  15.Allen Hawkins #77-Kingsport, TN 
  16.John Ketron #2-Kingsport, TN 
  17.Jerry Godbey #00-Pulaski, VA 
  18.Mark Ketron #26-Kingsport, TN 
  19.R.J. Stanley #18-Bristol, TN 
  20.Adam Dean #81-Bristol, VA 
  21.Josh Malone #8-Greeneville, TN 
  22.Robbie Ferguson #32-Jonesborough, TN

DQed: Michael Chaney #24-Abingdon, VA

NASCAR LATE MODEL STOCK CAR (Twin 35 #2)

   1.Robbie Ferguson #32-Jonesborough, TN 
   2.Mark Ketron #26-Kingsport, TN 
   3.Wade Lopez #83-Abingdon, VA 
   4.Nate Monteith #44-Bluff City, TN 
   5.Adam Dean #23-Bristol, VA 
   6.Jeff Berry #61-Kingsport, TN 
   7.Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA 
   8.Reece Milton #16-Blountville, TN 
   9.Bill Garrett #4-Johnson City, TN 
  10.Butch Jarvis #53-Blountville, TN 
  11.Bill Lane #14-Kingsport, TN 
  12.Clyde Jones #7-Kingsport, TN 
  13.Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN 
  14.Trevor Richardson #54-Marion, VA 
  15.John Ketron #2-Kingsport, TN 
  16.Roger Neece #48-Coeburn, VA 
  17.Jerry Godbey #00-Pulaski, VA 
  18.Wayne Hale #19-Piney Flats, TN 
  19.Allen Hawkins #77-Kingsport, TN

DQed: Michael Chaney #24-Abingdon, VA