Three are repeat winners, two get first of season at Kingsport Speedway

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For the third week in a row, championship leaders Nik Williams and Zeke Shell finished 1-2 in Friday’s featured Late Model Stock race for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at Kingsport Speedway.

After an inversion of top-six qualifiers, Williams in the No. 32 Chevrolet started fourth on the 3/8-mile concrete oval. He moved to the front on lap 9, taking the lead from Derek Lane coming off turn four.

Ronnie McCarty, who started sixth after setting the fastest time in qualifying, moved to second place on lap 14. With a caution period for debris bunching up the field on lap 41, Williams and McCarty battled side-by-side for the lead over the next three laps. Williams pinched McCarty up against the wall on lap 44, which allowed Williams to get away and Shell’s No. 1 Ford to get by McCarty’s No. 5 Ford for second place. Williams raced on to capture his division-leading seventh win of the season. The 21-year-old Chuckey driver extended his lead in the track championship standings to 11 points over Johnson City driver Shell with one race to go.

McCarty finished third, followed by his teammate Lance Gatlin and Lane.

FAMILIAR FACES

Kevin Canter won for the 16th time in 17 starts in the Mod 4 division. The Abingdon, Virginia driver in the black No. 3 Ford finished 1.266 seconds ahead of runner-up Chris Amburgey to wrap up his fourth consecutive track championship.

Billy Duty finished third as Hershell Robinette and Jesse Amburgey rounded out the top five.

Tony Dockery of Dungannon, Va., drove the No. 05 Camaro to his fourth Pure Street win in the last five races. Jay Swecker wound up second to match his best finish of the season. Gene Griffey was third, followed by points leader Doug Austin and Bruce Blessing.

NEW WINNERS

Rusty Clendenin passed Colby Higgins for the lead on lap 4 of the Modified Street feature and led the rest of the 30-lap race.

It was the first win of the season for the Church Hill driver behind the wheel of the No. 27 Camaro. Points leader Kevin Wolfe ran runner-up after Trey Lane fell out with mechanical issues. Paul Shull, the 78-year-old veteran from Church Hill, finished third with Higgins fourth and Luke Fox fifth.

Rogersville racer Josh Detwiler scored his first win in the Pure 4 division. Kenny Absher was right behind Detwiler in second. Keith Helton wrapped the track championship with a solid third-place run. Billy Byington came across the line in fourth and Bucky Smith rounded out the top five.

ONE RACE TO GO

NASCAR “Richmond Gear” Championship Night is set for Friday, Sept. 13. Track champions will be crowned in the Late Model, Modified Street and Pure Street divisions.

KPS PR

Speedway Digest Staff
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