Kres VanDyke pushed his track-record win streak to 13 races with a sweep of 35-lap Late Model Stock features Friday night at Kingsport Speedway.
VanDyke, who had previously established a track record for wins since the 3/8-mile concrete track’s reopening in 2009, tied the overall track record of 14 wins set by Wade Day in 2000. Coincidentally, Day served as VanDyke’s crew chief on Friday night.
“Wade joked that he might have to bring his old car out and try to beat us,” said VanDyke, an Abingdon, Va., driver. “It’s special that he’s a part of something that he was a part of before. Everybody on the crew was excited. It was a pretty special win for all of us.”
VanDyke’s red No. 15 Chevrolet led all 35 laps of the first feature. Nik Williams finished second in the No. 32 Chevrolet, followed by Wayne Hale in the No. 19 Toyota and the Chevrolets of Brad Housewright and Bryson Dennis.
In the second race, VanDyke charged from the fourth row to take the lead from Bryson Dennis on a lap-7 restart. Williams was able to get around Dennis to finish second. It was VanDyke’s 14th win in 16 races this season and his 19th win in his last 22 Kingsport starts.
“We started eighth, but started working our way up there and got to second,” VanDyke said. “We started on the outside on the restart and was able to roll around Bryson and take the lead. I’m blessed. It’s unreal to have to the kind of season we’ve had.”
Dennis was third as Hale and Housewright rounded out the top five.
PURE 4
Bucky Smith led flag-to-flag to win the Pure 4 feature, but he had plenty of tough challengers in a 25-car field to fend off. The Kingsport racer said a pair of new tires made a difference in the feel of his No. 99 machine.
“The car was under me tonight. We put a new left front (tire) on and it helped the car handle better,” Smith said about his second win of the season. “We were fighting nose-to-tail with Josh Detwiler and Billy Byington, but I was able to not make a mistake and stay out front for the win.”
Byington outran Detwiler to finish second. Kenny Absher raced to a fourth-place finish and Phelps was fifth.
SPORTSMAN
Kyle Barnes raced to his ninth win of the season in the Sportsman feature.
The Draper, Va., driver started on the front row and quickly grabbed the lead to pace all 30 laps. His white No. 00 Chevrolet crossed the finish line ahead of Kirby Gobble, who failed post-race inspection.
It moved Derek Lane up to second place with Rusty Clendenin third. Teenager Colby Higgins was credited with fourth and Chris Tunnell was fifth.
MOD 4
Kevin Canter used a different ride to stay unbeaten this season in the Mod 4 division.
With the engine head cracked on his No. 3 Ford, Canter drove the No. 9 Ford usually raced by his grandfather Hershell Robinette. The final result was still the same with the Abingdon, Va., driver scoring his 11th victory of the season.
Dennis Arnold posted his sixth runner-up finish of the year with Bobby Talbert, Billy Duty and Jesse Amburgey taking the third through fifth positions.
PURE STREET
Tony Dockery captured his seventh Pure Street win of the season in dominating fashion.
Dockery’s No. 05 Chevrolet finished 10 seconds ahead of runner-up Jeremy Draughn. Billy Walters, Jay Swecker and Ricky Payne rounded out the five-driver field.
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