There are those who believe Friday the 13th to be unlucky. However, should you ask Kres VanDyke and Zeke Shell their thoughts, it’s a good likelihood they will strongly disagree.

With Kingsport Speedway hosting Shriner’s Night at the Races in the Model City, the two chauffeurs split NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock Car twin features, each picking up their second win this season.

VanDyke, from Abingdon, Virginia, and Shell from Johnson City, entered the night’s racing program only separated by two points in the Late Model Stock Car divisional point standings. VanDyke was quickest in qualifying and following the roll of the dice, the top two were inverted for the first 35-lap feature.

VanDyke and Wayne Hale led the 16-car field to green from the front row, with VanDyke taking the early lead over Hale, Justin Fontaine, Shell and Joey Trent. While VanDyke and Hale began to quickly separate themselves from their closest challengers, behind them it was a seven-car freight train of Fontaine, Shell, Trent, Ronnie McCarty, Austin Peters, Allen Hawkins and Derek Lane running nose-to-tail around “The Concrete Jungle.”

Shell was applying heat on Fontaine for the third spot, and on lap 29 racing off the fourth turn contact was made which got Fontaine out of shape. While the 18-year-old Fontaine almost held on to his mount, he finally spun just past the start-finish line to bring out the caution.

The stage was set for a six-lap shootout to the checkered flag. VanDyke fired back out ahead Hale off the double-file restart and went on to record the victory over Hale, Shell, Trent and Derek Lane, who had his best-ever Late Model Stock Car finish with the fifth-place run.

Completing the top 10 finishers were McCarty, Peters, Hawkins, Fontaine and Mardy Roberts.

The top four finishers from the first race were inverted for the second 35-lapper, which put Trent and Shell on the front row. Shell jumped out into the lead over Trent, VanDyke and Hale.

Shell served notice from the beginning that he was on a mission – to park in victory lane. VanDyke wasted no time in getting around Trent for second, and set his sights ahead on Shell. With the race running clean-and-green, VanDyke remained within striking distance of Shell should the leader make a slight mistake.

Shell was dialed-in just a little better than VanDyke, and the only time during the race Shell felt threatened was while negotiating a couple of lap cars that allowed VanDyke to momentarily stick his nose to the inside of Shell between turns three and four. But once Shell cleared those cars he put four car lengths between himself and VanDyke.

Shell would not be denied his second victory as he won over VanDyke, McCarty, Trent and Hale.

Completing the top 10 finishers were Lane, Fontaine, Hawkins, Peters and Roberts.

KINGSPORT SPEEDWAY – FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016

NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES – LATE MODEL STOCK CAR #1 (35 laps)

1. Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA
2. Wayne Hale #19-Bluff City, TN
3. Zeke Shell #50-Johnson City, TN
4. Joey Trent #26-Gray, TN
5. Derek Lane #28-Kingsport, TN
6. Ronnie McCarty #5-Kingsport, TN
7. Austin Peters #7-Kingsport, TN
8. Allen Hawkins #14-Kingsport, TN
9. Justin Fontaine #60-Fletcher, NC
10. Mardy Roberts #55-Kingsport, TN
11. Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN
12. Steven Deskins #14-Sevierville, TN
13. Jamie Harrison #76-Church Hill, TN
14. Royce Peters #38-Kingsport, TN
15. Danny Casteel #41-Johnson City, TN
16. Jared Broadbent #8-Bakersville, NC

NASCAR WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES – LATE MODEL STOCK CAR #2 (35 laps)

1. Zeke Shell #50-Johnson City, TN
2. Kres VanDyke #15-Abingdon, VA
3. Ronnie McCarty #5-Kingsport, TN
4. Joey Trent #26-Gray, TN
5. Wayne Hale #19-Bluff City, TN
6. Derek Lane #28-Kingsport, TN
7. Justin Fontaine #60-Fletcher, NC
8. Allen Hawkins #14-Kingsport, TN
9. Austin Peters #7-Kingsport, TN
10. Mardy Roberts #55-Kingsport, TN
11. Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN
12. Steven Deskins #14-Sevierville, TN
13. Jamie Harrison #76-Church Hill, TN
14. Royce Peters #38-Kingsport, TN
15. Danny Casteel #41-Johnson City, TN
16. Jared Broadbent #8-Bakersville, NC