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VanDyke captures first career Kingsport Late Model victory

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (Sept. 21) – After recording six runner-up finishes this season Kres VanDyke of Abingdon, Va., is a bridesmaid no more. VanDyke grabbed the lead from Adam Dean on lap five of the 50-lap "Shoney’s" NASCAR Late Model Stock Car feature Friday night at Galaxy Kingsport Speedway, and once out front he cruised to his first-ever Late Model victory.

Jeff Berry and Dean led the 15-car field to the green flag from row one, with Berry holding the lead for almost one full lap. Getting loose in turn four, Berry saw Dean drive by at the start/finish line to lead the opening lap with VanDyke, Larry Utsman and Lopez in tow.

VanDyke passed Berry to move into second place in turn two on the second lap, setting his sights on the race leader Dean. Glued to Dean’s rear bumper, on lap four racing into the third turn a "bump from behind" and VanDyke was alongside Dean challenging for the lead. At the stripe to begin the fifth lap, VanDyke had moved past Dean into a lead he would never relinquish.

Lopez, who entered the night of racing leading Berry by only one point in the race for the track’s Late Model Stock points championship, worked under Utsman on lap six to settle into fourth place, right behind Berry who was riding in the third spot.

Halfway into the 50-lapper, VanDyke, driving the Modern Chevrolet/Matney’s Construction/Woodmen of the World Insurance/Lone Pine Exterminators/Vansant Happy Mart & Taco Bell/Matthew Rogers CPA/WMJD Radio/Townsend Race Cars/J & J Racing Engines/No. 15 Monte Carlo, was followed by Dean, Berry, Lopez and Utsman.

While VanDyke was stretching his advantage over the trio of Dean, Berry and Lopez, the second-running Dean experienced an anxious moment on lap 38 with the lapped car of Allen Hawkins. With Hawkins failing to lay over and allow the lead-lap cars by, in turn two, Dean tapped the rear bumper of Hawkins causing him to get out of shape right in front of Dean.

Hawkins reeled his mount in and Dean, Berry and Lopez drove on by. The event’s only caution waved one lap later when Trevor Richardson spun in turn two.

Going back green, VanDyke had Dean, Berry and Lopez riding in his rear view mirror. But the 19-year-old VanDyke never looked back over the remaining laps, pulling out to a half-straightaway margin of victory at the end over Dean, Berry, Lopez and Utsman.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Reece Milton, Dave Burks, Wayne Hale, Bill Garrett and Hawkins.

"I’m about speechless, because we’ve been very close to winning one of these races for so long, and now that we’ve finally won our first-ever Late Model race it’s almost hard to believe," said VanDyke after climbing from his car in victory lane. "The car has been good on several occasions this year, but tonight it was just great. I could drive it anywhere on the track, up high or down low. It didn’t matter. I was kind of nervous restarting after the caution, but I had conserved my tires real well and quickly pulled back out to a comfortable lead.

"They (crew) were on the radio there those last few laps telling me to be smooth, and I finally just had to tell them to be quiet. I was nervous enough without having to listen to them. I really want to thank my Mom and Dad for their wholehearted support of my racing, along with all of our sponsors. I also need to thank Kirby Gobble (crew chief), Danny Burks, Todd Estep and Ken Gollohon. I’ve got a really good crew."

Berry’s third-place finish enabled him to move into the track’s Late Model Stock points lead by one over Lopez, with two more races remaining.

"We had a pretty good car tonight, but so did Wade. The points championship will go down to the final race, and probably the last lap. Really, you need to not focus on the points. Just go out and run your own race and let the points fall where they may. When you get to worrying too much about points, that’s where you will get into trouble. A win tonight would have been good, but we’re satisfied with our run."

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

   1.Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA 
   2.Adam Dean #81-Bristol, VA 
   3.Jeff Berry #61-Kingsport, TN 
   4.Wade Lopez #83-Abingdon, VA 
   5.Larry Utsman #23-Bristol, TN 
   6.Reece Milton #16-Blountville, TN 
   7.Dave Burks #5-Abingdon, VA 
   8.Wayne Hale #18-Piney Flats, TN 
   9.Bill Garrett #4-Johnson City, TN 
  10.Allen Hawkins #77-Kingsport, TN 
  11.Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN 
  12.Mike Memmer #36-Fall Branch, TN 
  13.Trevor Richardson #53-Marion, VA 
  14.Clyde Jones #7-Kingsport, TN 
  15.Jeremy Pike #25-Church Hill, TN