Kres VanDyke kicked the 2016 season off at Lonesome Pine Raceway by claiming the victory in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car division.
VanDyke and Stacey Compton battled back and forth throughout the entire event. The duo swapped the lead four times over the span of 60 laps.
VanDyke and Compton started on the front row and battke side by side to open the feature.
Compton would work to the inside of VanDyke on lap 11 at the exit of turn four to take over the top spot. VanDyke would battle back on the outside with Hale in tow from third place.
VanDyke would pull back to the lead on the inside of Compton to retake the lead on lap 17.
The race’s only caution would wave on lap 58 for an incident in turns one and two.
Back under green, VanDyke would race back into the lead over Compton with Hale battling hard for second. VanDyke would take the checkered with Compton taking the second position by a nose over Hale.
“The car was real good all day; fast, said Kres VanDyke. “We led most all of the practices except for the last one that Stacey Compton led.”
VanDyke said that it was great to race with a local great like Compton.
“It was exciting to get to race one of the local legends in Stacey.”
“All of the other competition looks like they’ve done their homework over the winter. It feels great to be back in Victory Lane. The fans are excited, and it’s good to be over at Lonesome Pine (Raceway); this is where we got started.”
“Thanks to all of our crew, sponsors, the Stiltner family, (general manager) Karen Tunnell, my family, and God,” added VanDyke.
April 23, 2016 Results:
Late Model Stock Car:
1. Kres VanDyke #15
2. Stacey Compton #71
3. Wayne Hale #19
4. Ronnie McCarty #5
5. Robbie Ferguson #32
6. Phil Harris #55
7. Nate Monteith #97
8. Greg Bohannon Jr. #17
9. Randy Ollis #11
10. Steve Deskins #14
11. Marion Thomas #08
