KINGSPORT, Tenn. – Ronnie McCarty took the lead on the final restart of the season opening Late Model feature at Tennessee’s Kingsport Speedway, and went on to score the victory on Saturday.
“It feels really good to be back in victory lane,” said McCarty. “I hope this kind of luck continues all year.”
McCarty qualified on the pole the 60-lap NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car feature. After an invert of four positions, Zeke Shell and Chad Finchum were on the front row.
On the drop of the green flag, Finchum went straight to the lead, but the caution would wave on lap four when Rick Pannell spun in turn 4.
Finchum would regain the lead on the restart, but saw his advantage go away when the caution flew again on lap seven when Billy Light spun in turn 4 and Robbie Ferguson’s car went up in smoke with an electrical fire.
Back under green, Finchum moved back to the lead. The yellow flag would be displayed again on lap 13 when David Strong and Mardy Roberts spun in turns 1 and 2.
On the restart, Finchum and Kres VanDyke battled for position, with Finchum moving back to the lead on lap 19. Following a lap 40 caution, Finchum and VanDyke battled hard again, racing door-to-door. Two laps later, VanDyke moved to the lead.
Another caution on lap 51 bunched the field again, setting up a battle between VanDyke and Finchum again o the restart. Finchum slid high after contact, allowing McCarty and Wayne Hale to move past.
Over the closing laps, McCarty would close on VanDyke. The two made contact several times as McCarty worked to move VanDyke up out of the groove. He finally was able to find daylight on the inside, and made the move to take the lead.
From there, he went on to score the victory. VanDyke finished in second, and said the action on the final restart was just hard racing.
“I went out there on the track and gave it all I had,” he said.
Hale finished in third, with Nate Monteith in fourth and Finchum in fifth.
Zeke Shell, Keith Helton, Derek Lane, Joshua Gobble and Joey Trent rounded out the top ten.
In other action, Royce Peters took the victory in the Modified Street feature, with Mark Christian in second, Duke Bare in third, Paul Shull in fourth and Jared Broadbent in fifth.
Billy Byington was the winner in the Pure 4 feature. Billy Ketron came home in second, with Kenny Absher in third, John Ketron in fourth Ben Barker in fifth.
Kevin Canter scored the win in the Mod 4 feature. Kirby Gobble, Jerry Miller, Dennis Arnold and Billy Duty rounded out the top five.
In the Pure Street feature, Joey Sykes edged out Doug Austin to take the victory. Jamie Meadows finished third, with Brad Ball fourth and Stacey Castle fifth.
Kingsport Speedway returns to action on Friday, March 31. For more information, visit NewKingsportSpeedway.com.
Kingsport Speedway – Kingsport, TN
Race Results – March 25, 2017
Late Model Stock Car
1. #5 Ronnie McCarty
2. #15 Kres VanDyke
3. #19h Wayne Hale
4. #44 Nate Monteith
5. #19 Chad Finchum
6. #50 Zeke Shell
7. #29 Keith Helton
8. #28 Derek Lane
9. #97 Joshua Gobble
10. #26 Joey Trent
11. #55 Mardy Roberts
12. #32 Nik Williams
13. #12 Darin Silver
14. #8 Billy Light
15. #33 Rick Pannell
16. #53 David Strong
17. #76 Jamie Harrison
18. #15b Kyle Barnes
19. #40 Robbie Ferguson
Modified Street
1. #40 Royce Peters
2. #43 Mark Christian
3. #52 Duke Bare
4. #48 Paul Shull
5. #74 Jared Broadbent
6. #11 Sam Hurd
7. #33 Bruce Crumbley
8. #40c Rusty Clendenin
9. #24 Dennis Deese
10. #17 Kevin Wolfe
11. #89 Dustin Dowell
12. #63 Nick Cole
13. #6 Chris Tunnell
14. #2 Keith McMurray
Pure 4
1. #11 Billy Byington
2. #26 Billy Ketron
3. #11a Kenny Absher
4. #27 John Ketron
5. #54 Ben Barker
6. #28 Jason Ketron
7. #00 Craig Phelps
8. #4 Kevin Darnell
9. #18g. Levi Cox
10. #47 William Hale
11. #38 Chad Jeffers
12. #40 Paul Stanley
13. #7 Scott Palmer
14. #77 Josh Collins
15. #41 Todd Cross
16. #99r Alexcia Ray
17. #15 Larry Stapleton
18. #99 Bucky Smith
19. #13 Tim Young
20. #13q Richard Quillen
21. #Cody Curtis
22. #14 Jimmy Thomas
23. #84 Michael Blair
Mod 4
1. #3 Kevin Canter
2. #77 Kirby Gobble
3. #01 Jerry Miller
4. #7 Dennis Arnold
5. #1 Billy Duty
6. #2 Lynn Schaeffer
7. #17 Chris Amburgey
8. #9 Hershell Robinette
9. #7 Jessie Amburgey
10. #88 David Brown
Pure Street
1. #23 Joey Sykes
2. #18 Doug Austin
3. #11 Jamie Meadows
4. #17 Brad Ball
5. #11 Stacey Castle
6. #7 Peter Alley
7. #77 Jay Swecker
8. #37 Chad Worley
9. #67 Bobby Talber
10. #0 Travis Stoots
11. #5 Jay Myers
12. #7 Jeremy Draughn
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/3/517783/mccarty-victorious-in-kingsport-speedway-season-opener