KINGSPORT, Tenn. - The Super Cup Stock Car Series headlined racing Friday at Tennessee’s Kingsport Speedway, and stealing the limelight was Ben Ebeling, as he sped to victory in both 50-lap features.
Potter set fast-time in qualifying at 15.516 seconds, with Ebeling close behind at 15.528. Following the series’ redraw for starting positions, Potter and Brad Teague earned the right to start the first 50-lap race from the front row.
Potter jumped out to the lead at drop of the green over Teague and Jon Kerley, while Ebeling and Bob Schacht battled for the fourth spot. The event’s first caution waved on lap 12 when Dale Schlobohm spun between turns one and two.
On the restart, Potter shot back out to the lead, while behind him Ebeling got past Teague to take over second place. Schacht worked his way around Teague for third on lap 17, also bringing Brent Nelson along for the ride into the fourth position and dropping Teague back to fifth.
Potter looked strong riding out front leading the field around the .375-mile speedplant and appeared he might be headed to victory lane. But Ebeling had other ideas and at the lap 30 mark he began pressuring Potter for the lead.
Ebeling made the final pass for the lead on lap 38, while behind him , Potter and Schacht began racing for second. Schacht got into Potter’s left-rear quarter panel racing off the fourth turn on lap 42 and down on opposite end of the track between turns one and two they got together again, with Schacht spinning to bring the caution out. Both Potter and Schacht restarted from rear of the field.
With Ebeling leading and Larry Berg running in second, only one lap back under green the caution waved once more when Berg spun in turn two which also collected Teague, Nelson and Kerley.
But there would be no denying Ebeling the spoils of victory as he went on to capture the win over Stephen Cox in second, Schacht in third, Teague in fourth and Kevin Kromer in fifth
In the second feature, Potter grabbed the lead at the start over Ebeling, Schacht, Cox and Teague. Ebeling wasted no time overtaking his car owner for the lead, getting around him on the third lap racing off the fourth turn. Schacht passed Potter on lap 5 to move into second place.
With the race running clean-and-green, Ebeling and Schacht began to pull away to establish a little over half-straightaway advantage over Potter, Cox and Teague. Teague had his hands full fighting an ill-handling car due to a front shock issue, and finally he was passed by Berg for fifth place on lap 21.
Eberling came under fire time and again from Schacht, but Eberling was able to hold off the challenge.
Behind them, contact between Kerley and Cromer brought the caution out on lap 33. That would eventually lead to a heated confrontation in the pits following the race between the drivers.
Ebeling reassumed the lead on restart over Schacht, Cox, Potter and Berg. A late race caution on lap 47 set the stage for a green-white-checkered finish.
With Ebeling choosing to restart on the inside of the front row, surprisingly Schacht chose to fall in behind the leader and thus Cox pulled up alongside Ebeling.
Ebeling and Cox raced side-by-side down into the first turn, before Ebeling grabbed the lead racing off the second corner down the backstretch. Ebeling went on to complete the sweep by winning over Cox, with Schacht in third, Potter in fourt and Berg in fifth.
Teague, Kerley, Ron Langdon, Miller and Bill Ashton rounded out the top ten.
Chucky Williams passed Kirby Gobble on lap 24, then held the lead to capture his first Mod 4 feature win. Kevin Canter finished in third, with Hershell Robinette in fourth and Billy Duty in fifth.
Bruce Crumbley passed Brandon Sutherland on lap 20 of the Pure 4 feature, and went on to score his second win of the season, followed by Sutherland in second, Keith Helton in third, Kenny Absher in fourth and Craig Phelps in fifth.
David Strong grabbed the early lead in the Pure Street feature before being passed by Kevin Darnell on lap 12. But Darnell’s ride out front proved to be short-lived as he dropped out on lap 15 with mechanical issues. That handed the lead back to Strong, who went on to take the win over Jay Swecker in second, Ricky Payne in third, Penny Hurd in fourth and Nasty Jones in fifth.
Kingsport Speedway returns to action on Friday, June 22. For more info, visit NewKingsportSpeedway.com.
Kingsport Speedway – Kingsport, TN
Race Results – June 15, 2018
Super Cup Stock Car Series Race 1
1. Ben Ebeling #44 – Hickory, NC
2. Stephen Cox #21 – Indianapolis, IN
3. Bob Schacht #75 – Mooresville, NC
4. Brad Teague #12 – Johnson City, TN
5. Kevin Kromer #77 – Walnutport, PA
6. Mike Potter #14 – Johnson City, TN
7. Larry Berg #7 – Petersburg, WV
8. Brent Nelson #80 – Petersburg, WV
9. Mike Kurkowski #1 – Denver, NC
10. John Miller #0 – Miami, FL
11. Dale Schlobohm #99 – Greeneville, TN
12. Ron Langdon #17 – Freeport, NY
13. Bill Ashton #35 – Uniontown, PA
14. Jon Kerley #28 – Hiddenite, NC
15. Marc Jones #22 – Mocksville, NC
Super Cup Stock Car Series Race 2
1. Ben Ebeling #44 – Hickory, NC
2. Stephen Cox #21 – Indianapolis, IN
3. Bob Schacht #75 – Mooresville, NC
4. Mike Potter #14 – Johnson City, TN
5. Larry Berg #7 – Petersburg, WV
6. Brad Teague #12 – Johnson City, TN
7. Jon Kerley #28 – Hiddenite, NC
8. Ron Langdon #17 – Freeport, NY
9. John Miller #0 – Miami, FL
10. Bill Ashton #35 – Uniontown, PA
11. Marc Jones #22 – Mocksville, NC
12. Dale Schlobohm #99 – Greeneville, TN
13. Kevin Kromer #77 – Walnutport, PA
DNS: Brent Nelson #80 – Petersburg, WV
DNS: Mike Kurkowski #1 – Denver, NC
Mod 4
1. Chucky Williams #55
2. Kirby Gobble #77
3. Kevin Canter #3
4. Hershell Robinette #9
5. Billy Duty #1
6. Jimmy Acito #57
7. Chris Amburgey #17
8. Zack Fritz #22
9. Brent Compton #49
10. Jessie Amburgey #7
11. Brian Ellis #06
12. Dennis Arnold #7
13. Brad Ball #17
14. Darrell Whitehead #43
Pure 4
1. Bruce Crumbley #33
2. Brandon Sutherland #48
3. Keith Helton #9
4. Kenny Absher #11
5. Craig Phelps #00
6. William Hale #47
7. Jimmy Thomas #14
8. David Trent #57
9. Chris Stine #00
10. Paul Stanley #40
11. Dustin Kistner #19
12. Richard Isaacs #7
13. Josh Collins #77
14. Larry Stapleton #15
15. Bart Chambers #70
16. Tim Jennings #1
17. Joey Amburgey #53
18. Josh Detwiler #38
Pure Street
1. David Strong #53
2. Jay Swecker #77
3. Ricky Payne #1
4. Penny Hurd #11
5. Nasty Jones #74
6. Jessica Payne #12
7. Brian Eggers #13
8. Kevin Darnell #4
9. Jon Cook #17
