KINGSPORT, TN – Kres VanDyke used his heavy right foot and a good-handling race car to twin 35-lap Late Model Stock features at Kingsport Speedway on Friday night.
VanDyke set the fast time in qualifying and his red No. 15 Chevrolet was fast out front in the first 35-lap feature to open the night’s racing action.
Wayne Hale, last week’s winner in the No. 19 Toyota, finished second, over five seconds behind VanDyke. Hayden Woods was third in the No. 6 Chevrolet.
After an inversion of the top eight drivers to start the second race, VanDyke didn’t take long to make his way up front again. He made his way to second by lap 10 and passed Hale for the race lead three laps later.
Even when a caution bunched the field, VanDyke faced little challenge and drove away from defending track champion Nik Williams for his second win of the night and third of the season.
“This No. 15 was bad to the bone,” VanDyke said. “We started working on it about noon and we were at first a little slow. We just kept digging at it, found the sweet spot and the car was on fire.
“I’m so excited. It was a good points night and we want to keep this train rolling. I was stuck behind Wayne in the second race before the caution came out, but the tires started coming in and I started reeling him in.
“I thank everyone who helps us out and thank God for letting us have this opportunity.”
Williams, driving the No. 32 Chevrolet, finished second ahead of North Carolina teenager Ashton Higgins. Kingsport’s Brad Housewright finished fourth in both Late Model features.
Williams was fifth in the opening race and Keith Helton was fifth in race No. 2.
“We went to changing some stuff,” Williams said. “We got out in left field, but we will get it again where we’re fast. It was good points night and I wish we would have run better the first race, but the car just wasn’t there.
“This is killing me. I want to win so bad.”
Hale fell out of contention in the second race when he cut a right rear tire. The car was a handful over the closing laps, but the Bluff City driver never spun out.
“We had the right rear tire go down and the car was all to pieces,” Hale said. “It got pretty hairy, but it just wasn’t our night. The first race, we got to second but never got any cautions to get bunched up.”
Feature One Results
1) 15 Kres Vandyke
2) 19 Wayne Hale
3) 6 Hayden Woods
4) 88 Brad Housewright
5) 32 Nik Williams
6) 9 Ashton Higgins
7) 97 Keith Helton
8) 33 Rick Pannell
9) 11 Robbie Henry
10) 07 Chase Dixon
10) #27 Matt Smith
11) #38 Austin Peters
12) #57 Chase Dixon
2) 32 Nik Williams
3) 9 Ashton Higgins
4) 88 Brad Housewright
5) 97 Keith Helton
6) 11 Robbie Henry
7) 19 Wayne Hale
8) 27 Matt Smith
9) 6 Hayden Woods
10) 33 Rick Pannell
11) 38 Austin Peters
12) 57 Chase DixonKingsport Press Release – Story by Jeff Birchfield
Photos courtesy of Randall Perry
