Thursday March 28th, 2024 9:04PM

McCarty cruises to second Kingsport Late Model victory

By Robert Walden

KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Ronnie McCarty came away with the Late Model Stock Car victory Friday night at Kingsport Speedway in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Zeke Shell set fast-time in qualifying with a lap at 15.063, but with roll of the dice producing an invert of the top five, Jeff Maupin and McCarty led the 15-car field to the green flag from the front row.

McCarty grabbed the lead over Maupin, Kres VanDyke, Wayne Hale and Robbie Ferguson at the start of the 60-lap main event. Maupin attempted to pass McCarty in the opening laps, but he was never able to fully get alongside the leader. Ferguson passed Hale for the fourth spot on lap 5 between turns three and four.

With McCarty, Maupin and VanDyke holding down the first three positions, behind them a good battle was waging for real estate around “The Concrete Jungle” involving the six cars of Ferguson, Hale, Shell, Joey Trent, Derek Lane and Justin Fontaine.

Hale kept sticking his nose to the inside of Ferguson trying to reclaim the spot he had lost earlier in the race, and finally on lap 18 he got around Ferguson. Shell also capitalized on the situation and move past Ferguson into fifth. Just two laps later, the race ended prematurely for VanDyke, the 2014 track champion, when the engine let blew to bring out the event’s first caution.

McCarty pulled back out into the lead off the restart over Maupin, Shell, Hale and Ferguson. Back up to speed, Maupin had his hands full in trying to hold off Shell. Racing off turn two on lap 24, Shell moved past Maupin into second place. Things began going downhill for Maupin, as Hale and Ferguson also got around him.

Maupin headed into the pits on lap 27 with mechanical issues to end a strong run. But while attempting to suddenly move down the track from the outside groove between turns three and four to enter the pits, Maupin got into the lapped car of Jamie Harrison, sending Harrison spinning to bring the caution out. On the restart, McCarty powered back out into the lead over Shell and Hale.

With the final half of the race running caution free, McCarty drove away to score his second victory on the season. Shell finished in second, with Hale in third, Ferguson in fourth and Fontaine in fifth.

Trent, Lane, Jerry Broyles, Harrison and Steven Deskins rounded out the top ten.

Greg Grindstaff scored the win in the Street Stock feature. Paul Shull finished in second, with Austin Peters in third, Dennis Deese in fourth and Gary Crumbley in fifth.

Keith Helton and Tim Abelseth each picked up their second Pure 4 wins on the season with the division running twin features. Helton and John Ketron swapped the lead back and forth in the early laps during the first race until Helton moved ahead for good on lap 8. Helton was chased to the checkered flag by John Ketron in second, Jason Ketron in third, Billy Byington in fourth and Abelseth in fifth.

With the top five finishers from the first race inverted, Abelseth jumped out into the lead at drop of the green and set sail for the win. Helton, John Ketron, Byington and Jason Ketron rounded out the top five.

Jason Yates took the Mod 4 victory, followed by Kevin Canter in second, Jerry Miller third, Chris Amburgey fourth and Larry Bowens fifth.

Duke Bare recorded his second Pure Street win over Jamie Meadows in second, Marty Tunnell in third, Dennis Arnold in fourth and Bobby Talbert in fifth.

Jacob Owens captured the Legends win.

Kingsport Speedway – Kingsport, TN
Race Results – June 24, 2016

Late Model Stock Cars
1. Ronnie McCarty #5-Kingsport, TN
2. Zeke Shell #50-Johnson City, TN
3. Wayne Hale #19-Bluff City, TN
4. Robbie Ferguson #7-Jonesborough, TN
5. Justin Fontaine #60-Fletcher, NC
6. Joey Trent #26-Gray, TN
7. Derek Lane #28-Kingsport, TN
8. Jerry Broyles #72-Jonesborough, TN
9. Jamie Harrison #76-Church Hill, TN
10. Steven Deskins #14-Sevierville, TN
11. Mardy Roberts #55-Kingsport, TN
12. Jeff Maupin #51-Greeneville, TN
13. Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN
14. Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA
15. Danny Casteel #41-Johnson City, TN

Street Stocks
1. Greg Grindstaff #3
2. Paul Shull #48
3. Austin Peters #40
4. Dennis Deese #24
5. Gary Crumbley #59
6. Chris Tunnell #6
7. Mark Christian #43

Pure 4 Race 1
1. Keith Helton #9
2. John Ketron #27
3. Jason Ketron #28
4. Billy Byington #11
5. Tim Abelseth #66
6. William Hale #47
7. Kenny Absher #11
8. Brent Curran #32
9. Chris Neeley #94
10. Craig Phelps #00
11. Larry Stapleton #15
12. Jimmy Thomas #14
13. Kevin Darnell #4
14. Bucky Smith #99
15. Robert Young #59
16. Paul Stanley #98
17. Richard Quillen #13
18. Johnathan Feagins #14
19. Alexcia Ray #99
20. Robert Darnell #88

Pure 4 Race 2
1. Tim Abelseth #66
2. Keith Helton #9
3. John Ketron #27
4. Billy Byington #11
5. Jason Ketron #28
6. Kenny Absher #11
7. Brent Curran #32
8. William Hale #47
9. Chris Neeley #94
10. Craig Phelps #00
11. Larry Stapleton #15
12. Kevin Darnell #4
13. Jimmy Thomas #14
14. Bucky Smith #99
15. Robert Young #59
16. Paul Stanley #98
17. Richard Quillen #13
18. Alexcia Ray #99
DNS: Johnathan Feagins #14
DNS: Robert Darnell #88

Mod 4
1. Jason Yates #8
2. Kevin Canter #2
3. Jerry Miller #01
4. Chris Amburgey #17
5. Larry Bowens #18
6. Jessie Amburgey #7
7. Dennis Arnold #7
8. Darrell Whitehead #43

Pure Street
1. Duke Bare #52
2. Jamie Meadows #11
3. Marty Tunnell #99
4. Dennis Arnold #7
5. Bobby Talbert #59

  • Associated Categories: NASCAR News, Other Motorsports
  • Associated Tags: motorsports, Auto Racing, Stock Car, Short Track, Asphalt, Late Model, NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
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