Van Dyke sweeps, Canter hits milestone at Kingsport

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.

Fellow Abingdon racer Kevin Canter hit a milestone with his 50th career win in the Mod 4 division of the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series program.

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.”

MOD 4 

Canter’s 50th career victory was one the four-time defending Mod 4 champion won’t soon forget.

After an inversion of the top-six qualifiers, Canter had to work his way to the front and passed Kirby Gobble for the lead on lap 14. Going into the next turn, Gobble spun Canter’s No. 3 Ford and Canter was at the back of the lead lap.

The setback was only temporary, however. Canter passed Gobble with five laps to go and raced on to his fourth win of the season.

Canter has won the last 12 Mod 4 races at Kingsport dating to last season.

Gobble finished second ahead of David Brown, Tyler Bush and Billy Duty.

PURE STREET

Tony Dockery also remained undefeated on the season and captured his seventh straight Pure Street victory dating to 2019.

He took over the lead when Billy Walters got loose off turn 2 on lap 13. Once out front, there was no catching Dockery’s No. 05 Chevrolet.

Rob Austin finished second and Jay Swecker was third with all three top finishers in Camaros.

Walters was fourth ahead of Jamie Meadows.

PURE 4

Billy Byington passed Craig Phelps for the lead near the midway point of the Pure 4 race and led the rest of the 30-lap feature in his white No. 11 Toyota.

Phelps raced to second in the 24-car field, holding off Bucky Smith, last week’s winner. William Hale and David Trent finished fourth and fifth.

SPORTSMAN

Derek Lane took advantage when his brother Trey Lane and Kirby Gobble made contact battling for the lead, passing both on lap 8 and rolling to the Sportsman victory.

Derek Lane’s No. 28 Chevrolet paced the field the rest of the 30-lap race. Gobble fended off multiple challenges from Kyle Barnes to hang on to second.

Barnes wound up third, and Rusty Clendenin and Alex Miller rounded out the top five.

KPS PR