Shell captures first victory of the season at Kingsport Speedway

Three weeks ago, Zeke Shell’s race car left Kingsport Speedway in pieces. This time, it left with a trophy.

Shell grabbed the lead on lap 27 after a hard-fought battle with Justin Fontaine. The win was Shell’s first on the season.

Joey Trent and Fontaine started the race on the front row. Fontaine quickly took the lead from the outside lane on the opening lap.

By the completion of the tenth circuit, Shell had made it into second place, with VanDyke moving into third. Fontaine and Shell continued to battle back and forth, as Shell stayed glued to the rear bumper of Fontaine through lap 20.

On lap 27, Shell was finally able to move Fontaine up the racetrack and taking over the top spot, bringing VanDyke in tow for the second position.

Shell would pull away as the race came to a close, making his first trip to Victory Lane. 

“My team deserves no less,” Shell said on his team’s determination to rebuild his race car.

“The last race, we were ready to throw in the towel,” added Shell. “We were out of money and done. But everyone on this frontstretch that I compete against came together and gave us parts and helped us get back here.”

Paul Shull took the lead with only two laps remaining to take the win over Chris Tunnell.

Jared Broadbent and Mark Christian made up the front row to start the 30-lap feature. Broadbent began to get pressure from Kirby Gobble near the race’s halfway point.

Broadbent and Gobble made contact on lap 14 at the entrance to turn four, sending Broadbent’s No. 74 around and forcing the yellow to be displayed. With the field set for the restart, Gobble would be placed at the rear of the field for rough driving, placing Chris Tunnell and Paul Shull on the front row.

With the green flag back in the air, Tunnell would take the lead on lap 15.

With two laps remaining, Shull would get to the inside of Tunnell between turns three and four, pushing him up the track and taking the lead. Shull would clear Tunnell and go on to take his first win of the season.

Billy Byington continued his dominance in the Pure 4 division, winning the night’s Pure 4 feature.

Billy Ketron grabbed the lead on the initial start until the caution waved on lap three when the No. 99 of Bucky Smith slowed in turns three and four.

On the restart, Ketron grabbed the lead again but began to feel the pressure from Byington, who had charged into second place. Byington would take the lead on the eleventh circuit.

The caution would wave on lap 15 when John Ketron and Dylan Bates tangled at the end of the frontstretch, sending both cars into the outside wall in turn one.

Kevin Canter took the lead on the opening lap of the Mod 4 race from the outside lane. Canter would lead every lap of the race on his way to Victory Lane.

Brad Ball claimed the victory in the 25-lap Pure Street feature.

Dustin Smith and Jake Phipps made up the front row to start the race. The caution would wave on lap one when Smith made hard contact with the outside wall on the frontstretch.

Ball took the lead on the restart over Marty Tunnell and never relinquished.

Trey Lane won the season’s first Legends feature.

April 29, 2016 Results:

LMSC (60 laps):
1. Zeke Shell #50
2. Kres VanDyke #15
3. Justin Fontaine #60
4. Ronnie McCarty #5
5. Wayne Hale #19
6. Derek Lane #28
7. Joey Trent #26
8. Jeff Maupin #51
9. Austin Peters #7
10. Mardy Roberts #55
11. Rick Pannell #33
12. Allen Hawkins #14
13. Steve Deskins #14
14. Danny Casteel #41
15. Jamie Harrison #8
16. Royce Peters #38

Street Stock (30 laps):
1. Paul Shull #48
2. Chris Tunnell #6
3. Mark Christian #43
4. Jared Broadbent #74
5. Kirby Gobble #36
6. Royce Peters #40
7. Dennis Deese #24
8. Jessica Gusher #17
9. Gary Crumbley #59

Pure 4 (25 laps):
1. Billy Byington #11
2. Billy Ketron #26
3. Jason Ketron #28
4. Chris Neeley #94
5. Larry Stapleton #15
6. Daniel McMurray #0
7. Kevin Darnell #4
8. Robert Darnell #88
9. Craig Phelps #00
10. William Hale #47
11. Jimmy Thomas #14
12. Kenny Absher #11
13. Tim Jennings #16
14. Bucky Smith #99
15. Jonathan Feagins #14
16. Robert Smith #1
17. Alexcia Ray #99
18. Brent Curran #47
19. Jon Pittman #87
20. Tim Abelseth #66
21. Dylan Bates #6
22. John Ketron #27
23. Robert Young #59
24. Bruce Crumbley #33
25. Keith Helton #9
26. Paul Stanley #98

Mod 4 (25 laps):
1. Kevin Canter #2
2. Kirby Gobble #77
3. Jason Yates #8
4. Billy Duty #45
5. Jerry Miller #01
6. Hershell Robinette #9
7. Chris Amburgey #17
8. Dennis Arnold #7
9. Larry Bowens #18
10. Jessie Amburgey #7
11. Ted Glover #03

Pure Street (25 laps):
1. Duke Bare #17
2. Marty Tunnell #99
3. Brandon Southerland #52
4. Dennis Arnold #59
5. Travis Stoots #5
6. Dustin Smith #1
7. Jake Phipps #4

Legends (12 laps):
1. Trey Lane #28
2. Les Ottinger #94
3. Reece Bowers #97
4. Dillon Hodge #9

Kingsport Speedway PR