NATE MONTEITH NEWS

Monteith racing featured on www.Timscorner.ca

Click here and hit the play button to listen to the interview --->Timscorner.ca

Posted on 26 Jan 2012 by Nate Monteith

Monteith ready for Kingsport Track & TN State Championship re-peat, teams up with Marty Ward for 2012 season at Greenville-Pickens Speedway for NASCAR National Championship title run...

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. — In the National Basketball Association, the big three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh teamed up last season with the Miami Heat to become the nucleus of “The Dream Team.” Nate Monteith of Blountville had a ...phenomenal 2011 racing season at Kingsport Speedway, winning 10 Late Model Stock features and recording 21 top-five finishes in 21 starts en route to winning both the track and Tennessee State NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championships. He also finished tenth in the final top-500 rankings of drivers nationally in the Whelen All-American Series. For the 30-year-old Monteith, last season’s 10 victories put him at 57 career wins. For the 2012 racing season a new dream team is in the works, as the combination of six-time (1990, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010) Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway champion Marty Ward, with over 100 career Late Model Stock feature wins padding his resume, and Monteith look to add another championship to Ward Motorsports. Monteith will launch an all-out assault come March in hopes of adding his name to the “Wall of Fame” around the half-mile Greenville-Pickens track as champion, chauffeuring a Leavitt chassis race car with Keith Fisher horsepower under the hood for Ward Motorsports. Monteith is a veteran racer, with starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Automobile Racing Club of America, plus Championship Auto Racing Series Pro Cup and United Auto Racing Association-Southern Touring Auto Racing Series to his credit. He also captured Late Model Stock championships in 2008 and ’09 at Lonesome Pine Raceway located in Coeburn , Va. “I’m very excited about this deal getting to team-up and race with Marty Ward in 2012 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway,” said Monteith from his Tennessee race shop this week after signing the deal with Ward Motorsports. “This all came about through a mutual friend of mine and Marty’s, and once we (Marty and myself) got to talking further about things it (deal) came together relatively quickly. Marty’s accomplishments at Greenville-Pickens speak for themselves, with the championships and all the feature race wins he has. His name is painted on the track’s ‘Wall of Fame’ six times, enough said. “Immediately after going over to South Carolina to Marty’s race shop and sitting down and talking with him, it was apparent that we each shared similar views when it came to our racing. We’re both competitive racers who have only one thing in mind, and that’s giving it our best effort to win anytime we pull into the pits at a racetrack. Good preparation on the equipment during the week back at the shop will set you up for success at the track on race nights. And even though I won’t be able to come over during the week to work on the car I’ll drive for Ward Motorsports, since I’ll be back home in Northeast Tennessee maintaining my equipment that I’ll race on Friday nights at Kingsport Speedway, I know that Marty and his guys will give me a good car every Saturday to drive at Greenville-Pickens. Our goal for 2012 is to win races and the championship, and I can’t wait to go over and test some before the regular season begins.” Ward, who lives in Marietta , S.C. , is equally enthusiastic about his alignment for 2012 at Greenville-Pickens with the personable Monteith and he expects Ward Motorsports to be in contention to claim another track championship. “After meeting Nate and his dad (Don) and sitting down and talking with them, they’re both super-good people and we really hit it off,” said Ward while taking a break from working in his race shop. “I really believe teaming up with Nate will be a good relationship. He wants to win races, and I want to win races. He won the track championship last year at Kingsport Speedway, along with the state NASCAR title, and I really believe with my experience and knowledge of what it takes to run up front and win races at Greenville-Pickens Speedway that Ward Motorsports can put a good car underneath Nate. “To be perfectly honest, this situation with Nate and myself, it’s a new deal for me as I’ve never fielded a race car for someone else. A mutual friend that Nate and I share first talked to me seeing if I’d be interested in being a car owner, and the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea. I’m 47 years old now and have been racing a long time, and I know I’m not going to be behind the wheel forever. Being a car owner and fielding cars for drivers just might be what the future of Ward Motorsports is all about. But by no means am I ready to hang my helmet up for good. I’m going to start the season off racing and see how things are going, and we’ll just evaluate the situation after a couple of months into the schedule as to whether or not I run the full schedule at Greenville-Pickens.” But one thing is clear, both Monteith and Ward are winners, and champions. Look for an outstanding showing for Ward Motorsports in 2012 at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. For more information regarding Nate Monteith, contact him at www.natemonteith.com, or follow in on facebook and twitter to stay up to date with all the action for 2012. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Press Release Prepared By: Walden Motorsports Communications Johnson City , TN (423) 928-9644

Posted on 20 Jan 2012 by Nate Monteith

"Lightning" Monteith Martinsville Test Session Exclusive

Posted on 30 Sep 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith beats Logano for 10th win, captures championship

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (Aug. 28) — The rebirth of weekly NASCAR sanctioned racing at Kingsport Speedway all began on a sunny Saturday afternoon back in March under the guidance of new track promoter Robert Pressley, a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series competitor. And the curtains closed on the 2011 racing season with “Championship Sunday” before a huge crowd of race fans in the Model City. Nate Monteith of Blountville capped off a phenomenal campaign by leading flag-to-flag in winning the Allied Waste Services Tennessee Championship 125 for the headlining NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stocks, a victory worth $2,000. While the 29-year-old Monteith entered the season finale leading his closest challenger, Lee Tissot, by seven points in the chase for the championship, much attention Sunday at the track was focused on NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano, who decided to stay over in East Tennessee after competing at nearby Bristol Motor Speedway in Friday’s Nationwide Series and Saturday’s Sprint Cup Series events to race at Kingsport Speedway. Monteith entered the Tennessee Championship 125 with a divisional-best nine feature wins, and also with 20 top-five finishes in 20 events on the season. Tissot set fast-time to earn the pole position, with Monteith second quickest to nail down the outside front row starting berth. A “man on a mission,” Monteith jumped into the lead over Blake Jones, Tissot, Daniel Pope II and Logano to complete the opening lap. Logano got under Pope for fourth on lap 6, which opened the door for Zeke Shell to waltz right by into the fifth spot, dropping Pope back to sixth in the running order. Just outside of the top five, Royce Peters passed Wayne Hale racing off the fourth turn on lap 8 to move into eighth-place. The event’s first caution waved on lap 11, when Robbie Ferguson and Justin Sorrow tangled between turns one and two. Monteith brought the field back up to speed, with Jones glued to his rear bumper followed by Tissot, Logano and Shell. Getting back up on the wheel, Pope first got around Shell for fifth, and then Logano for the fourth spot on lap 15. Next in his sight was Tissot in third, and on lap 18 racing off the fourth turn Pope got around Tissot for the position. But while Pope was battling with Logano and Tissot, out front Monteith and Jones had pulled out to 10 car lengths over the trio by lap 25. Logano got to the inside of Tissot racing into the first turn on lap 28, and racing up off (turn) two he made the pass to move into third. Shell began pressuring Tissot for fourth, but riding in his rearview mirror mounting a charge on him was Mike Looney in sixth. While Monteith and Jones were still comfortably riding in the top two positions out front, Pope was beginning to feel the heat from Logano who looked to move into third. On lap 40 racing into the first turn, Looney got inside of Shell and made contact, moving Shell up the banking and allowing Looney to slide past and take over the fifth position. Racing up off the fourth turn at the flag-stand on lap 49, Logano pulled alongside of Pope as they raced into turn one. Getting good forward (bite) on the bottom racing off turn two, Logano cleared Pope to move into third in the running order. Monteith and Jones began approaching the group of Hale, Paul Nogradi Jr., Ferguson, Mackena Bell, Nick Cole and Ryan Stiltner, who were battling for real estate. While Monteith cleanly threaded the needle to overtake Stiltner, Cole and Bell, the 14-year-old Jones encountered issues when the hole he attempted to squeeze through closed and he got together with Bell, resulting in right-front fender damage to Jones’ mount. Caution waved for debris on the track in turn two on lap 59, which resulted from the contact with Jones and the lapped cars. After running a strong race up to this point, hanging right with leader Monteith, Jones was forced into the pits when the black flagged waved due to his dangling fender. After quick work to remove the sheet-metal, Jones roared back out of the pits and tagged on at rear of the field for restart. Ready to go back green, Monteith looked in his rearview mirror and saw Logano riding on his back bumper, followed by Pope, Tissot and Looney. Monteith and Logano quickly put eight car lengths between themselves Pope and Tissot. Tissot got around Pope for third on lap 65 racing off the fourth turn, which opened the door for Looney to also pass Pope and move into fourth, dropping Pope back to fifth in the running order. Tissot began dropping off the pace on lap 68 with an overheating engine, thus allowing both Looney and Pope to get back around him. Tissot finally had to pull into the pits on lap 74, with the engine woes thus ending all hope of possibly overtaking Monteith to win the track championship. With Monteith and Logano running one-two, followed in third by Looney, Shell got around Pope for the fourth spot on lap 78 racing off turn two. Closing to Looney’s rear bumper, Shell began applying pressure wanting to move into third. Racing off turn two on lap 81, Shell made the pass. Outside the top five, working their way solidly back up through the field, Jones passed Peters for the sixth spot on lap 84 racing off the fourth turn. Just behind them, Ferguson got around John King II for eighth-place on lap 86. The caution waved at the century mark (lap 100), when fifth-running Pope and the lapped car of Cole got together and spun in turn four. Ready to go back green, Monteith led Logano, Shell, Looney and Jones. Shell immediately began working on Logano for the runner-up position, sticking his nose under Logano racing off the corners on both ends of the speedway. With the crowd on their feet cheering, while Logano and Shell battled for the position, Monteith was pulling away out front. Jones got under Looney to make the pass for fourth on lap 105 racing off turn two, and he looked to join the battle with Shell and Logano. But Looney fought his way back to reclaim the position from Jones on lap 110 between turns three and four. After putting up a valiant fight to overtake Logano for second-place, Shell’s rear tires finally gave up and he began having to try and fend off advances from Looney who wanted to get around Shell for third. Looney got past Shell on lap 115 as they raced off the fourth turn. Following his earlier altercation with the lapped car that caused right-front fender and nose damage, Jones began slowing and finally had to pull into the pits on lap 120 to end a strong run. But out front it was all Monteith, driving the True Line Construction Co./KBM Commercial Properties/Pizza Plus/BSA Security Co./TAB Performance/Clark’s Automotive Race Engines/Griffin Radiators/Amsoil/Brown & Miller Racing Solutions/Five Star Race Car Bodies/ProParts Engineering Performance/Sherwin-Williams/Primetime Designs Race Decals/ Townsend-LTO Race Cars/WD Performance/eXlander Designs/Monteith Racing/No. 44 Chevrolet Impala, as he sealed the deal with an impressive full-straightaway margin of victory at the end over Logano, Looney, Shell and Pope. Monteith’s green-to-checkered win was his tenth of the season Peters, Ferguson, King, Nogradi and Hale completed the top-10 finishers. The first nine cars were all on the lead lap when the checkered flag waved. ”Mission accomplished, this is what we set out to do at the beginning of the season – winning the track championship,” said Monteith following the race. “With the re-opening of Kingsport Speedway in 2011, and having NASCAR sanctioning, back during the winter the goals our race team set was to win the track championship and also the Tennessee State NASCAR title. We’ve had a really great season overall, winning ten races and finishing top-five in every race. Not having a single DNF (Did Not Finish) all season that speaks volumes in itself. “Sure, in racing you’ve got to have a little luck go your way. But it all really begins back at the shop during the week. Preparation, you’ve got to work on your equipment and show up ready to get the job done on race night. We come to the track with one thought in mind, and that’s winning. We were able to win almost half of the races this season, getting 10 feature wins in 21 events.” Logano’s first-ever visit to Kingsport Speedway only left him wanting more: “Oh man, I had a good ol’ time racing here today. My good buddy Coleman (Pressley), it was a blast getting to drive his car. He practiced the car on Saturday while I was at Bristol and really got it dialed-in for today’s race. “Here I finish a close second in the Nationwide Series race Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, and another second-place run here today – I’m already looking forward to coming back next year and trying to get the ‘W’ here at Kingsport Speedway. I really like this track and had a lot of fun racing with all the guys. I told Coleman and his dad (Robert Pressley, Kingsport Speedway promoter), let’s do this again next year. I can’t wait.” By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations

Posted on 29 Aug 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith captures ninth Kingsport Speedway NASCAR Late Model Stock victory in 2011

By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations KINGSPORT, Tenn. (Aug. 19) — Everyone in attendance Friday at Kingsport Speedway for Whelen Engineering Night at the Races was looking up to see if a full-moon was shining over the track, because wild things tend to occur when the moon is full – and to say the least, it was a “wild night” of racing in the Model City. There was good, hard racing and there was also a spectacular flipping crash on the front straightaway. Plus, other on-track controversy led to tension among competitors and crews in the pits, all of which led to keeping the large crowd enthused. Nate Monteith of Blountville, leading the track Late Model Stock point standings, while also ranked eighth nationally in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series standings, and leading the Tennessee State NASCAR points, passed Blake Jones for the lead on lap 3 and ran a flawless race the remaining distance en route to capturing his division-leading ninth feature win of the season. Lee Tissot, winner of three straight races (counting last week’s UARA-STARS touring event) at the track, set fast-time during qualifying with a run of 15.404 seconds. But the top six from time trials were inverted for the 60-lap feature, thus putting Jones and Daniel Pope II on the front row. Completing the opening lap, Jones and Pope were side-by-side at the stripe, with Monteith, Housewright and Tissot following. Tissot got around Housewright to move into the fourth spot on lap 2. Racing off turn two on the third lap, Jones nosed ahead of Pope to briefly assume the lead. Monteith was glued to the rear bumper of Jones racing into the third turn, and racing off the fourth turn Monteith grabbed a lead he would never relinquish. Tissot got around Jones for the runner-up position on the fourth lap, while Pope battled his way to get around the 14-year-old Jones for the third spot on lap six. The event’s first caution waved on lap 7 when Royce Peters spun in turn two and, only six circuits back under green the yellow was brought out once again for debris on the track. Monteith led Tissot, Pope, Jones and Housewright for the restart on lap 13. With the field tightly bunched together after going back green, and before one lap was completed, between turns three and four front-to-rear bumper contact was made with Jones getting into the rear of Pope following contact from behind to Jones from Housewright. Pope spun in the fourth turn, forcing all cars behind him into evasive action to avoid a multi-car accident to bring out the caution. Monteith led the field back up to speed, with Tissot, Jones, Housewright and Zeke Shell in pursuit. Shell got under Housewright between turns three and four on lap 15 to make the pass to move into fourth in the running order. While Monteith put a few car lengths advantage between himself and Tissot up front, back behind the lead duo attention was focused on the battle for the fifth spot involving Housewright and Robbie Ferguson. Following an incident between the two a couple of weeks ago, this was bound to get interesting if Ferguson was able to maneuver his way around Housewright. Ferguson began taking peeks underneath Housewright racing off the corners, but Housewright each time fended off the challenges. But on lap 25 racing off turn two, Ferguson cleanly got around Housewright for position racing down the backstretch. As they raced into the third turn, Housewright drove into the rear of Ferguson’s car and moved Ferguson up the track. Further contact resulted in Housewright spinning Ferguson, with Housewright also looping his car to bring out the caution. Housewright’s race was over with front-end damage resulting in a damaged radiator, while Ferguson entered the pits for crew to check over his car and rejoined at rear of the field to resume the race. Monteith was once again forced to be sure get a clean restart and not miss a (gear) shift to allow Tissot to capitalize with the waving of the green flag. Cleanly through the gears and back up to speed, Monteith began to gradually put some distance between his True Line Construction Co./KBM Commercial Properties/Pizza Plus/BSA Security Co./TAB Performance/Clark’s Automotive Race Engines/Griffin Radiators/Amsoil/Brown & Miller Racing Solutions/Five Star Race Car Bodies/ProParts Engineering Performance/Sherwin-Williams/Primetime Designs Race Decals/ Townsend-LTO Race Cars/WD Performance/eXlander Designs/Monteith Racing/No. 44 Chevrolet Impala and Tissot, Jones, Shell and Dakota Slagle. During a long green (flag) run, Monteith’s car seemed to get better-and-better. With 10 laps remaining Monteith was cruising with a comfortable lead over Tissot, and the last thing he wanted to see was a caution. But that’s what happened on lap 53, when the yellow flag waved and thus set the stage for a seven-lap shootout to the finish. However, the gunslinger Monteith was loaded for the battle and shot back ahead of Tissot to record his ninth Late Model Stock victory. Monteith was chased to the checkers by Tissot, Jones, Shell and Peters, who fought his way back up through the field following an early race spin to finish in fifth. Completing the top-10 finishers were Ferguson, Slagle, Nick Cole, Ryan Stiltner and Pope, with 10 cars on the lead lap at conclusion of the race

Posted on 20 Aug 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith finishes 3rd, scoring his 18th top 5 finish in 18 starts.

By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations KINGSPORT, Tenn. (July 29) — Many fans in the large crowd Friday night at Kingsport Speedway were looking up to see if a full-moon was shining over the track, because everybody knows wild things are liable to happen during that time. To say those in attendance witnessed an eventful night of short-track racing, well, that’s putting it mildly. It’s the Dog Days of summer and of course the days are sweltering hot, and hot temperatures at a racetrack can also lead to “hot tempers” among the competitors. It appeared teenager Blake Jones was headed towards what would have been a crowd-pleasing victory Friday night in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock main event. But veteran racer Lee Tissot of Asheville, N.C., who’s a former United Auto Racing Association - Southern Touring Asphalt Racing Series champion, got around Jones with two laps remaining to capture his fourth feature win of the season. Daniel Pope II set fast-time during qualifying, but the fastest four cars from time trials were inverted for start of the 60-lap race, placing Jones and Zeke Shell on the front row to lead the impressive 20-car field to green. Tissot got around Pope for fourth on lap 2 racing off turn two, and up ahead of them racing into turn three, Monteith got to the inside of Shell to move into second. Continuing the shuffling of position inside the top-five, Tissot passed Shell for the third spot on lap 4 racing off fourth turn. The next circuit saw Pope get around Shell and move into fourth racing off turn two. While the 14-year-old Jones looked like a seasoned-veteran running out front, just behind him Monteith was feeling pressure from Tissot for the runner-up spot, with Pope and Shell occupying their rearview mirrors. Tissot kept sticking the nose of his ride underneath Monteith racing off the corners, but Monteith kept pulling back ahead at end of the straightaway. Tissot got under Monteith racing off the fourth turn on lap 12 and they raced side-by-side around the .375-mile banked concrete oval for seven circuits before Tissot fell back in behind Monteith. While Monteith and Tissot had battled for position, Jones had pulled out into an eight car-length advantage over the duo. On lap 23 racing down the backstretch, Tissot dropped to the inside of Monteith entering the third turn. When you think short-track racing, many say “rubbin’ is racin’” – and between turns three and four Tissot rubbed along the driver’s side of Monteith and then slid up in front of him exiting the fourth turn to move into second place. With Jones still riding in style out front, Tissot looked to narrow the gap between himself and the race leader. Just one circuit following the contact between himself and Tissot, racing off turn two on lap 24 Monteith began to slow. All at once about halfway down the backstretch the left-front tire on his Chevrolet Impala went down (flat), and with sparks showering out from under the car he slowed to a stop between turns three and four thus bringing out the caution. After quick service from his crew to change the tire, Monteith tagged on at rear of the field for restart. Jones led Tissot, Pope, Shell and Jorge Arteaga back to green on lap 24. The battle for real estate just outside of the top-five was intense between Brad Housewright, NASCAR Drive For Diversity racers Trey Gibson, Bryan Ortiz and Dallas Montes, along with 2002 Kingsport Speedway champion Robbie Ferguson. Young Jones looked calm and collected while leading Tissot, Pope and Shell, but the action on back behind them was anything but under control. Racing among Arteaga, Housewright, Gibson, Ortiz, Montes and Ferguson was worth the price of admission alone. Ortiz began to slow and dropped out with mechanical issues on lap 28. What happened on the next circuit, it’s a fact you will hear differing opinions from those participants involved. With Housewright and Ferguson battling for position, they tangled racing off the fourth turn on lap 29 and “swapped paint” down the front straightaway until Housewright slammed hard into the turn one outside concrete wall. With the race red-flagged and the field stopped on the backstretch, track officials and emergency crews quickly got to Housewright’s car – where after a few moments to catch his breath, he climbed out unassisted. He hurriedly walked down through the infield pits in front of the grandstand crowd, and once at the end of pit road he turned at the inspection area and began running full-speed through the pits over to where the cars were parked on the backstretch. He headed straight towards Ferguson’s car and proceeded to jump up and kick at the driver’s window-net before being restrained by track officials. Once order was restored, it was time to concentrate back on the exciting racing action. Going back green Jones led Tissot and Pope. But ready to mount a charge just outside the top-five was Monteith, as he worked his way back into contention. On lap 31 racing off turn two, Monteith drove around the outside of both Nick Cole and Paul Nogradi Jr. to advance two positions. Still hammer-down, he next passed Montes and then Orteaga to move into sixth in the running order. Directly ahead was Gibson, and Monteith got around him for fifth on lap 34 between turns three and four. But out front, Jones was still in command leading Tissot, Pope and Shell. Monteith closed to the rear bumper of Shell on lap 39 and one circuit later passed him racing off turn two and moved into the fourth spot. With 15 laps remaining and the front-running group beginning to catch some slower cars at the back of the field, Tissot pulled onto Jones’ back bumper. And just behind them, Pope was feeling pressure from Monteith. Racing down the front straightaway into first turn on lap 49, Tissot got inside of Jones to take the lead between turns one and two. But Jones battled back to reclaim the lead from Tissot on lap 52. Monteith passed Pope for third on lap 54 racing off the fourth turn, and set his sights ahead on Tissot and Jones. Tissot would stick his nose underneath Jones racing off the corners on both ends of the track and briefly pull alongside the leader. But Jones managed to hold onto the lead until lap 58 when Tissot cleared him. The 41-year-old Tissot, driving the Madison Pharmacy & Gifts of Marshall, N.C./Northside Propane of Tampa, Fla./Skyland Prosthetics/Suds in the Bucket Laundromat of Marshall, N.C./Copeland Creek Cabins of Gatlinburg, Tenn./Rooter King of Weaverville, N.C./Andy Oxy Co. Inc./Primetime Designs Race Decals/Charlie’s (Long) Automotive Race Engines/LTO Race Cars/Tissot Racing/No. 27 Ford Fusion, held off the hard-charging Jones, Monteith, Pope and Shell for the win. Completing the top-10 finishers were Gibson, Orteaga, Montes, Ferguson and Nogradi.

Posted on 30 Jul 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith cruises to eighth Kingsport Speedway NASCAR Late Model Stock victory

By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations KINGSPORT, Tenn. (July 15) — Before yet another good crowd for Bojangles’ Night at the Races, a stellar field of NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stocks treated fans to an action-packed main event Friday at Kingsport Speedway. Nate Monteith of Blountville, leading the track point standings and ranking fifth overall in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings, captured his division-leading eighth victory of the season. Through 17 events in 2011 at the .375-mile banked concrete oval, Monteith has recorded an astounding 17 top-five finishes. Lee Tissot set fast-time during qualifying, but with the top-six from time-trials inverted for start of the 60-lap feature, Tissot and second quickest qualifier Monteith started from the third row. Daniel Pope II and Zeke Shell led the 19-car field to green, with Pope leading Shell, Chad Finchum, Monteith, and Brad Housewright back around at the start-finish line to complete the opening lap. Monteith got under Finchum racing off the second corner on lap 6 for third, with Housewright and Tissot also working their way past Finchum, dropping the teenager back to sixth in the running order. Making just his second-ever start at the track, 14-year-old Blake Jones passed Dakota Slagle to move into the seventh spot on lap 7 racing off the fourth turn, quickly closing to Finchum’s rear bumper. With Pope in the lead riding out front, Shell was feeling heat from Monteith for the runner-up position. Racing down the backstretch entering turn three on lap 14, Monteith pulled to the inside of Shell and as they raced off the fourth turn Monteith took the spot and set his sights ahead on leader Pope. While Tissot was riding in fourth-running Housewright’s rearview mirror, just outside of the top five, Jones got around Finchum for sixth on lap 18 racing off the second corner. But all eyes were focused on the battle up front for the lead. While Monteith would stick the nose of his car under Pope racing off the corners, Pope managed to fend off the advances until lap 26 when Monteith got good bite (traction) racing off turn two to pull alongside Pope racing down the backstretch into the third turn. Racing up off the fourth turn, Monteith powered into a lead he would never relinquish. Caution waved on lap 32, when Royce Peters spun on the front straightaway after tangling with Tayla Orleans, with Peters slamming hard into the inside concrete retaining wall. Monteith led Pope, Shell, Housewright and Tissot back under green. Tissot was pressuring Housewright for position, and racing off turn two on lap 38 he passed Housewright to move into the fourth spot. Jones saw opportunity to get under Housewright to challenge for fifth, and after racing side-by-side for a lap and a half he took the position from Housewright. With 10 laps remaining, Monteith was cruising out front in the lead with right at a full-straightaway gap over Pope and Shell. But his huge advantage was erased on lap 52 when Slagle spun between turns one and two to bring out the caution. Poised for an eight-lap sprint to the finish, Monteith bolted back out ahead of Pope and Shell, but yet another yellow flag waved for debris on the front straightaway near the flagstand on lap 56. Back under green, before one lap could be completed Nick Cole, Orleans and Dallas Montez wrecked between turns three and four to bring the caution back out. After being the dominant car throughout the race, Monteith wanted to be careful to not spin the tires on the late-race restart and allow Pope to sneak past him. Monteith, driving the True Line Construction Co./KBM Commercial Properties/Pizza Plus/BSA Security Co./TAB Performance/Clark’s Automotive Race Engines/Griffin Radiators/Amsoil/Brown & Miller Racing Solutions/Five Star Race Car Bodies/ProParts Engineering Performance/Sherwin-Willia​ms/Primetime Designs Race Decals/ Townsend-LTO Race Cars/WD Performance/eXlander Designs/Monteith Racing/No. 44 Chevrolet Impala, picked the throttle up and sped away from Pope when the green flag waved to record his eighth feature win. Following Monteith to the checkers were Pope, Tissot, Shell and Bryan Ortiz, who got around Jones for fifth with two laps remaining. While Jones finished in sixth, rounding out the top-10 were Finchum, Robbie Ferguson (2002 track champion debuting a new ride purchased earlier in the week), Nogradi and Slagle. Thirteen cars were on the lead lap at the finish, completing all 60 laps. “It’s good to win, this is what it’s all about tonight – getting to park in victory lane,” said Monteith following the race in the pits. “We’ve had a pretty good car over the past couple of races, but we came over here yesterday for open practice and worked on our setup a little, making some minor adjustments here and there, and we got the car working very well. I guess the car’s working the best now that it has all year. It ran well tonight either down low, in the middle, or up top in the high-groove. “I’m sure fans like seeing the inverts from qualifying to put the quicker cars back a row or two and make them have to work their way to the front, but as a driver you really don’t care too much for the inverts. I guess as a racer you just feel like if you qualify on the pole or second quickest, you should get to start from the front row and not the third row. But, hey, it’s really all about putting a show on for all the fans sitting up in the grandstands. I know speaking not only for myself, but all the racers – we’re just glad Kingsport Speedway is back open in 2011 for weekly racing. Even though we don’t race next Friday, me and the guys (father, Don Monteith; crew chief Kirby Gobble, car chief Duke Bare, Eddie Crane, Gary Hensley and Jeremy Hughes) back at the shop will work on the car and hopefully come back in a couple of weeks and get us another win.”

Posted on 16 Jul 2011 by Nate Monteith

Nogradi records first-ever Kingsport Speedway NASCAR Late Model Stock victory

1. Paul Nogradi Jr. #02-Clinton, TN 2. Brian Rose #19-Louisville, KY 3. Nate Monteith #44-Blountville, TN 4. Lee Tissot #27-Asheville, NC 5. Dakota Slagle #13-Asheville, NC 6. Daniel Pope II #16-Smyrna, TN 7. Zeke Shell #97-Johnson City, TN 8. Nick Cole #63-Bristol, TN 9. Brad Housewright #11-Kingsport, TN 10. Rick Pannell #33-Kingsport, TN 11. Royce Peters #38-Kingsport, TN By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations KINGSPORT, Tenn. (July 8) — Before he went on to enjoy a very successful NASCAR Winston Cup Series racing career, which produced 18 victories, Harry Gant of Taylorsville, N.C., used to be a regular fixture competing in the Late Model Sportsman division at Kingsport Speedway. After retiring from racing in 1994, just four years later in 1998 Gant received the prestigious honor of being named one of NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers of All-Time” Current Kingsport Speedway promoter Robert Pressley faced the task of moving in to replace Gant in seat of the famed No. 33 Skoal Bandit race car upon Gant’s retirement. Wishing to pay tribute to his longtime friend, Pressley held Harry Gant Night at the Races at Kingsport Speedway. Always a fan-favorite throughout his racing career, the 71-year-old racing legend Gant didn’t disappoint those in attendance Friday night as he signed autographs and talked with fans and posed for pictures while talking about his past racing experiences at the track during the 1970s. There are times in racing when the fastest cars don’t win. And when opportunity presents itself, you’ve got to capitalize with the situation. The third attempt at a green-white-checkered finish in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock 60-lap feature proved to be disappointing for race-long leader Zeke Shell, while the outcome proved to be a joyous occasion for 19-year-old Paul Nogradi Jr. of Clinton as he captured his first-ever stock car victory. Shell, who had recorded his first career Late Model Stock feature win last Friday, jumped into the lead at the start over Lee Tissot and Royce Peters. In what would be an eventful race for Peters, he spun between turns three and four just five laps in to bring out the event’s first caution. On the restart Shell led Tissot, Brad Housewright, Nogradi and Daniel Pope II. Racing off fourth turn on lap 6, Pope got around Nogradi to take over the fourth spot. Just one circuit later, Nate Monteith, who was forced to start the race at rear of the field after experiencing rearend problems following qualifying, passed Nogradi racing off turn two and moved into fifth. With Shell and Tissot showing the way out front, a half-straightaway behind them Housewright was feeling pressure from Pope for the third spot. Pope got inside of Housewright racing off turn two on lap 15, and for the next seven laps they raced side-by-side battling for the position before Pope finally moved ahead. Monteith mounted a charge and got around Housewright racing off turn two on lap 24 to move into fourth in the running order. While Pope and Monteith were battling for third, with the race running all-green since the lap 5 caution Shell was in command out front and held a four car-length lead over Tissot with 10 laps remaining. Monteith got around Pope for third on lap 53 racing off turn two. The last thing leader Shell wanted to see was a late race caution, yet it happened on lap 57 when Peters spun exiting turn two on the backstretch. Could the 24-year-old Shell hold the 41-year-old veteran Tissot, a former United Auto Racing Association - Southern Touring Asphalt Racing Series Late Model champion, off for his second straight win? On the first attempt to end the race, Shell stood on the gas and pulled ahead of Tissot, Monteith, Pope and Housewright racing down the front straightaway into first turn. But before one lap was completed, the yellow waved when Pope spun between turns three and four. The next try at green saw Pope and Nick Cole get together racing into the first turn, with Cole spinning to bring the caution back out before a lap could be completed. Still on lap 57 and ready to give it a go once more, part of the field accelerated (while the caution lights were still flashing) ready to go back green, while some didn’t. Dakota Slagle and Peters made contact on the front straightaway at the flagstand, with Peters getting bounced up against the wall to end his night. With track officials on the front straightaway under caution motioning for drivers to “use their heads” going back green, it didn’t work. Shell mashed the (gas) pedal and took off with Tissot and Monteith in pursuit. Racing off into the first turn, Tissot got into the rear of Shell between turns one and two with the contact sending Shell spinning – also involving Tissot and Monteith in the caution. With fans all abuzz in the grandstands, who was to blame for the incident? The field was stopped on the front straightaway while track officials determined the lineup for another shot at ending the race. Housewright, who had been running fourth when Shell and Tissot got together with the melee also collecting Monteith, was the new leader followed by Nogradi and Brian Rose. Finally back under green, Housewright’s hopes of winning ended when his car had a front tire start deflating. When Housewright drifted up the track between turns three and four, it opened the door to the inside for Nogradi to move past into the lead. And once out front, all Nogradi, driving the Atomic City Tool/Downtown Hardware of Oak Ridge/Atomic Performance/Howe Racing Chassis/No. 02 Chevrolet Impala had to do was, keep Rose behind him. The University of Tennessee mechanical engineering student Nogradi “engineered” his way to a crowd-pleasing victory over Rose. Monteith and Tissot battled their way back to third and fourth, respectively, while Slagle finished fifth. Completing the top-10 finishers were Pope, Shell, Cole, Housewright and Rick Pannell. “Hey, we weren’t the fastest car here tonight – but in the end all that mattered when the checkered flag waved was we got to park in victory lane and celebrate our first-ever NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock feature win,” said a smiling Nogradi in the pits following the race. “Those green-white-checkered deals there at the end, in the back of your mind you kind of know they’re going to be wild. When the 27-car (Lee Tissot) got into the back of leader Zeke Shell and they wrecked and it also involved the third-place car of (Nate) Monteith, I couldn’t believe that we were actually sitting second behind (Brad) Housewright there in a shootout for the victory going back green. When we raced off into the corner and Housewright all at once drifted up the track when he had a front tire going down, I just kept my cool and drove to the inside of him to take the lead. If I would’ve finished second that would have been a great run for us, but to win the race is just awesome. Man, I don’t know that it’s actually registered quite yet that we just won. “My background in racing to this point was in go-karts and Legends cars, and we were fortunate enough to be able win races. But this being my rookie year racing a Late Model Stock, it’s a whole new deal and really we just wanted to run as good we could and be competitive. We’ve had several pretty decent runs finishes during our rookie campaign and overall we’ve learned a lot about these cars. You’ve really got to have a good setup underneath you if you’re going to run well, and it’s just all about fine-tuning the chassis. The competition here is tough, and realistically you’ve got at least five to eight cars that on any given night if they happen to hit just right on the setup can win. In this our first year racing a Late Model Stock here at Kingsport Speedway, we probably weren’t going to win a race. But circumstances tonight worked in our favor, and we got us a win. I’m very thankful to have the opportunity to race and I want to thank everyone who helps make it all possible – Howard Moon, my mother and father (Scott and Kathy Nogradi), my grandparents (Ralph and Earlene Shelton), Bobby Mitchell and Rick Gann.”

Posted on 09 Jul 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith captures 7th win of the season!

By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations KINGSPORT, Tenn. (July 1) — For many in the East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia region the Fourth of July holiday weekend kicked off with an action-packed NASCAR Whelen All-American Series racing program Friday at Kingsport Speedway. Before a huge crowd, track points leader Nate Monteith of Blountville captured his division-leading seventh feature win of the season, while Zeke Shell of Johnson City celebrated in victory lane for the first time ever in his stock car racing career. Lee Tissot set fast-time during Late Model Stock qualifying, but with an invert-four he was relegated to starting the first 30-lap feature from outside of row two. Brad Housewright and Daniel Pope II led the 13-car field to green, with Pope grabbing the lead over Housewright, Tissot, Monteith and Shell to conclude the opening lap. On the second lap racing off the fourth turn, Tissot got past Housewright for the second spot. And just one circuit later Monteith passed Housewright to take third. Feeling pressure from Shell, Housewright was finally dropped back to fifth in the running order when Shell got around him for fourth place on lap 7. A third of the distance into the event, Pope held a six car-length advantage over Tissot and Monteith, who were running bumper to bumper around the .375-mile banked concrete oval. Monteith got inside of Tissot on lap 12 between turns three and four to challenge for second, and the duo raced side-by-side for two laps before Monteith took the position. Just one circuit later on lap 15, Shell got around Tissot to move into third with a pass racing off turn four. The event’s only caution waved when Rick Pannell slowed to a stop at end of the front straightaway on lap 17. Pope had Monteith riding in his rearview mirror on the restart, with Shell glued to Monteith’s rear bumper. Racing down the front straightaway into the first turn contact was made, with Monteith getting to the inside of Pope racing off turn two challenging for the lead. Racing off the fourth turn on lap 20, Monteith, driving the True Line Construction Co. / KBM Commercial Properties / Pizza Plus / BSA Security Co. / TAB Performance / Clark’s Automotive Race Engines / Griffin Radiators / Amsoil / Brown & Miller Racing Solutions / Five Star Race Car Bodies / ProParts Engineering Performance / Sherwin-Williams / Primetime Designs Race Decals / Townsend-LTO Race Cars / WD Performance / eXlander Designs / Monteith Racing / No. 44 Chevrolet Impala, moved into the lead. While Monteith was en route to recording his seventh victory, it was a classic battle to the finish for the runner-up spot between Pope and Shell. Pope held Shell off by a couple of feet for the position, with Tissot and Housewright rounding out the top five. Paul Nogradi Jr., Royce Peters, Brian Rose, Dakota Slagle and Billy Lane completed the top-10 finishers. “It’s good to get back in victory lane again,” said Monteith, following the night of racing in the pits. “After getting off to such a great start this season in winning six of the first nine races, the past four weeks we’ve ran OK – but not good enough to win. Top five finishes are good and help points-wise, but we come to the track with intentions of winning. We made some minor adjustments on the car from last week and it really helped. “Along with us, you’ve got four or five other cars capable of winning on any given night. It just depends on who happens to get their setup a little better, because these cars (Late Model Stocks) are basically so equal. It’s another good win for Monteith Racing and I’d like to thank my dad, Don Monteith, crew chief Kirby Gobble and car chief Duke Bare, along with Eddie Crane, Jeremy Hughes and Gary Hensley for all the work they do on the car during the week at the shop and here at the track on race night.” The top-four finishers from the first 30-lap event were inverted for the second feature, putting Tissot on the pole and Shell outside of the front row. Shell powered into the lead over Tissot on the start and never looked back. While Tissot, Pope, Monteith and Housewright battled all around the track for real estate, out front Shell was on cruise control and began steadily pulling away from his closest competitors. Pope got inside of Tissot on lap 8 racing off the fourth turn to challenge for second. They raced side-by-side for seven circuits before Pope finally moved into the runner-up position on lap 15 racing off turn two. While Pope and Tissot were fighting for position, Monteith was riding in their shadows waiting to see who would move ahead so he could try to advance a spot in the running order. Meanwhile, Shell had turned the race into a runaway, as he had built up right at a full-straightaway advantage with the laps winding down. The only thing that possibly could thwart Shell’s run to victory was a possible late-race caution, and with only five laps remaining the unthinkable happened when Brian Rose spun between turns one and two. Shell had Pope on his rear bumper going back green for a sprint to the checkers. But the 24-year-old Shell kept his nerves in check and nailed the throttle and once again began to put some distance between his Fairway Ford of Kingsport / Highlands Medical Group / Shell Printing, Graphics & Wraps / Hy-Tec Speciality Coatings / WD Performance / Joey Robinson Race Engines / Marlowe Racing Chassis / Pat Shell Motorsports / No. 97 Ford Fusion and Pope, who was feeling intense pressure from Tissot. Shell hit his marks to perfection over the final laps as he led flag-to-flag en route to his first-ever Late Model Stock victory, while Tissot got around Pope for second-place just two laps from the finish. Monteith and Housewright rounded out the top-five finishers. Completing the top-10 at the checkers were Nogradi, Slagle, Rose, Mardy Roberts and Pannell. “We finally get our first-ever Late Model Stock victory, and I’m almost at a loss for words,” said Shell after emerging from his car in victory lane. “This feeling of winning is truly incredible. It’s just awesome getting to park here in victory lane and have this big crowd cheer for what we just accomplished. Let me tell you, this is tremendous for our race team. A lot of people might not realize just how long we’ve tried to do what we finally were able to get done tonight in winning. We’ve had our struggles – our ups and downs in racing. But nonetheless we’ve persevered, and tonight we’ve been rewarded for our perseverance by getting to celebrate a victory. “We raced for a couple years with the United Auto Racing Association – Southern Touring Asphalt Racing Series Late Models at tracks around the Southeast, and then the past couple of years we raced up at Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va. It’s well over 100 miles from our race shop in Johnson City up Interstate 81 into Virginia to Motor Mile, and when Robert Pressley announced he was going to open Kingsport Speedway for weekly racing in 2011 with NASCAR Whelen All-American Series sanctioning, we finally had a track here in the Tri-Cities we could call our home-track. We’ve consistently shown we could race top-five here at Kingsport Speedway, but the competition is tough. We’ve worked each week on getting our car a little better, and tonight the car was great. I can’t wait until next Friday so we can race again. I love to race, and my father (Pat Shell) also loves racing. What we accomplished tonight, winning our first race together as father-and-son, it’s something neither of us will ever forget. Besides my father, I also want to thank the guys who help work on the car and all the sponsors that help us to be able to race. Hopefully now that we’ve gotten our first win under our belt, this is just going to be the beginning of winning many more.”

Posted on 02 Jul 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith Finds A Home At Kingsport

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – When track promoter Robert Pressley called Nate Monteith last year about the possibility of re-opening New Kinsport (Tenn.) Speedway, the Bristol, Tenn., driver was ecstatic. The 29-year-old Monteith had collected wins and track titles at various tracks in the southeast, but the opportunity to run just 15 minutes from his shop and compete for NASCAR championships was a perfect fit. Monteith has six wins and 11 top fives in 12 starts and moved into the top five in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national standings with a fourth- and fifth-place finish in twin Late Model features this past weekend. “We’ve been really pleased with how our season has begun,” Monteith said. “Having a shot in the NASCAR points for a Tennessee state title and being in the top five for the national points is pretty exciting.” Defending national champion Keith Rocco remained in first place overall with 521 points, but his bid for a second straight championship took a hit Friday at Stafford (Conn.) Motor Speedway. He was involved in a heat race accident and, according to Rocco, suffered a dislocation of his left shoulder. Rocco, who leads the points standings in the asphalt Modified divisions at Thompson (Conn.) International Speedway and Waterford (Conn.) Speedbowl, said he has been cleared by doctors and plans to compete at all three tracks this weekend. “He said ‘Do you have to?’ and I said, ‘I don’t have to, but I’m going to,’” Rocco said of his doctor visit. “I have strength in it. I can’t really get it higher than my chest. We may skip practice and try to limit what we run as much as possible.” Rocco said the injury occurred when a car spun in front of him. Contact with the tires caused the wheel to jerk suddenly while he was gripping it. “My first words to the paramedics were ‘can’t you just pop it back in and let me go back out there,’” said Rocco, who wound up missing the feature and dropping 32 points behind Friday’s race winner Ryan Preece. Rocco has nine wins, 13 top fives and 16 top 10s in 18 starts for 521 points. A driver’s best 18 results through Sept. 18 are counted toward their state and national points totals, and the champions are decided on overall points total. Late Models at South Boston (Va.) Speedway and Motor Mile Speedway in Radford, Va., were off last week, leaving Philip Morris and Lee Pulliam in second and third, respectively. Morris, of Ruckersville, Va., has nine wins, 11 top fives and 12 top 10s in 13 starts for 461 points. Pulliam, of Semora, N.C., has seven wins, 11 top fives and 12 top 10s in 14 starts for 453 points. Monteith and Frank Deiny Jr. each have 348 points, with Monteith ranked higher by virtue of more wins. Deiny competes at South Boston, Motor Mile and Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, N.C. Zak Hausler, 16, of Tomball, Texas, in his first year running in the asphalt Modified divisions at Thunderhill Raceway in Kyle, Texas, and Houston Motorsports Park, is sixth with 11 wins. He is followed by CE Falk III (Langley Speedway in Hampton, Va., and South Boston), Brandon Davis (Toyota Speedway at Irwindale (Calif.)), Preece and Daniel Pope III (Motor Mile and Kingsport). Aside from his frequent trips to Victory Lane, Monteith has a highly visible presence at Kingsport: His car is painted in similar fashion as the Lighting McQueen character from the Disney/Pixar movies Cars and Cars 2. Monteith, who repaints his car each year, came across the idea in the offseason when he was walking by the toy aisle at Walmart. “It’s such a hit with the kids,” Monteith said. “It’s just really cool to see them line up to see the car.” Monteith got his start in go-karts in 1993 and moved up to Limited Sportsman in 1998. He made the jump to Late Models the following year. Being in the shop is his full-time job. “We keep up our car and work on some other people’s stuff,” Monteith said. “I work on some high-performance street cars as well. It was a real convenience for us when Kingsport opened. I cut my teeth there. “When Robert called me, I told him I’d definitely love to be part of it – especially with it being part of NASCAR again.” Coming back to his home track brought big expectations for Monteith and his team. “We set the bar high at the beginning of the year,” Monteith said. “We have good support, we have good stuff behind us, and we have a good crew. Put the pieces in place and it will all work out.” Under the points structure for the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, the race winner received two points for every car in the event up to 20. Second place received two fewer points, and so-on through the field. Race winners received an additional five bonus points. For example, if there are 20 cars, the winner received 45 points, second gets 38 and third 36. If there are 15 cars, the winner received 35 points, second gets 28 and third 26. Track, state and provincial champions and the top three finishers in the national standings earn invitations to the 2011 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards Banquet.

Posted on 14 Jun 2011 by Nate Monteith

T-Shirts Are Here!

$12 for youth sizes $15 for Adult + shipping Click on the link on the top right corner to buy!

Posted on 04 Jun 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith captures sixth Kingsport Speedway NASCAR Late Model Stock victory

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (June 3) — Weather has greatly affected racing at Kingsport Speedway during the 2011 racing season, with five racing programs falling victim to Mother Nature. But a beautiful, sunny Friday with daytime high around 90 degrees, brought out a good crowd for an exciting evening of racing in the Model City. Nate Monteith of Blountville, who leads the track point standings and entered this week’s racing sitting seventh nationally in NASCAR Whelen All-American Series points, aided his cause as he captured his sixth Late Model Stock feature win out of nine events run so far this season at the track. All totaled Monteith has recorded nine top-five finishes. The evening began on a good note for Monteith as he set fast time in qualifying at 15.375 seconds. With the top-four from time trials inverted for the start, Brad Housewright from the pole and Zeke Shell from outside of row one, led the 14-car field to green for the 60 lap main event. Housewright and Shell raced door-to-door down the front straightaway into the first turn on the opening lap. But Shell rode the high-line between turns one and two and carried momentum off the corner down the backstretch to move into the lead over Housewright, who had Monteith flanked to his right challenging for second in the running order. As the field raced off the fourth turn Shell led Monteteith, Housewright, Lee Tissot, and NASCAR Drive For Diversity chauffeur Tayla Orleans. On lap 3, Tissot got around Housewright to take over third. The event’s first caution waved only four laps in when a second Drive For Diversity entry, wheeled by Bryan Ortiz, slowed with a flat tire. Shell was riding on the point for the restart, followed by Monteith and Tissot. But before the entire field passed the flagstand, rookie driver Justin Wright, making just his second-ever Late Model Stock start, slammed hard into the outside concrete wall exiting the fourth turn to quickly bring the caution back out. The next attempt to go back green saw Monteith glued to Shell’s rear bumper as they accelerated off the fourth turn back up to speed. With Shell leading his first-ever laps at Kingsport Speedway, Monteith was sticking his nose underneath Shell’s mount on both ends of the track racing up off the corners, with Monteith down low and Shell riding up top. But Shell slammed the door shut on each occasion to hold onto the lead. Monteith barely eased ahead of Shell between turns three and four on lap 8, but directly behind them Housewright got into the rear of Tissot, turning Tissot and bringing out the caution and thus for the ensuing restart scoring would revert to the previous scored green flag lap. Tissot was credited with the caution and had to go tail of the field for the restart, while Housewright was stopped on the front straightaway by track officials and informed he was being sent to the very end, behind Tissot, for what was deemed aggressive driving in spinning Tissot. Going back green Shell led Monteith, followed by 14-year-old Blake Jones (USARacing Pro Cup Series rookie making his first-ever Kingsport Speedway start), Daniel Pope II and Orleans. Back up to speed, Shell had a rearview mirror full of Monteith, who was applying the heat wanting the lead. Monteith got a good run off the bottom exiting the fourth turn on lap 11 to pull alongside Shell as they raced down the front straightaway. Heading off into the first turn, with Monteith on the inside and Shell on the outside, Shell slid up the track a little to allow Monteith to take a lead he would never relinquish. Just behind Monteith and Shell, young Jones had a fight on his hands in trying to fend off the advances of Pope. And a little further back, both Tissot and Housewright were making a bonsai charge back up through the field following their earlier altercation. Tissot and Housewright disposed of both Orleans and Ortiz on lap 18 racing off turn two and moved into fifth and sixth, respectively, while dropping Ortiz and Orleans back to running seventh and eighth. Tissot got around Pope and moved into fourth on lap 24 racing off the fourth turn. Just ahead of Tissot, Jones was experiencing brake issues and first Tissot, followed by Pope and Housewright, got around him and relegated him back to sixth in the running order. While battles for position were waging behind him, out front Monteith, driving the True Line Construction Co./KBM Commercial Properties/Pizza Plus/BSA Security Co./TAB Performance/Clark’s Automotive Race Engines/Griffin Radiators/Amsoil/Brown & Miller Racing Solutions/Five Star Race Car Bodies/ProParts Engineering Performance/Sherwin-Williams/Primetime Designs Race Decals/Townsend-LTO Race Cars/WD Performance/eXlander Designs/No. 44 Chevrolet Impala, was steadily pulling away from Shell and Tissot. After pressuring Shell for several circuits, on lap 47 racing off (turn) two Tissot finally got around Shell to move into second place. Even though over the remaining distance Tissot narrowed the gap between himself and race leader Monteith, it proved to be too little, too late. But nonetheless, it was a strong run for Tissot in rebounding from the early race spin and having to restart from the rear of the field. Finishing behind Monteith and Tissot were Shell, with his best-ever run, followed by Housewright and Pope. Completing the top 10 finishers at the checkers were Jones, Ortiz, Dakota Slagle, Orleans and Allen Hawkins. By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations

Posted on 04 Jun 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith reaches milestone 50th career victory with Kingsport Speedway win

BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. — When Nate Monteith first began racing go-karts as a 12-year-old in 1993, he quickly proved to be a natural talent and by the time he moved into racing asphalt late model cars in 1998 he had recorded 80 go-kart victories. Monteith has already had a very successful racing career, having won races at Kingsport Speedway, Newport Speedway and Lonesome Pine Raceway. He also captured back-to-back championships in 2008 and ‘09 at Lonesome Pine Raceway along the way. He also has starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) to his credit. He’s raced at speeds approaching 200 mph at “The World Center of Speed” – Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway, along with competing on the high banks of the “World’s Fastest Half-Mile” at Bristol Motor Speedway. He also made his debut last year with the United Speed Alliance Racing Pro Cup Series. Some might say when setting goals, raise the bar high and if you reach your mark you’re a success. With Kingsport Speedway slated to compete under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner in 2011, Monteith, from Blountville decided to launch an all-out assault in hopes of winning not only the track title, but in turn becoming Tennessee state NASCAR champion. Monteith opened the current campaign in impressive fashion, qualifying on the pole position and leading all 60 laps for a dominating performance en route to winning the Late Model Stock feature at Kingsport Speedway. Through the first five races, Monteith has visited victory lane on three occasions. His win this past Friday night marked a career milestone, as it was his 50th victory. And furthermore, Monteith assumed the track points lead in his quest for the season’s championship. “Yeah, to accomplish what we have since we first began racing Late Models and getting our 50th career win – it’s very rewarding not only from a personal standpoint – but from the perspective of thinking about all who have helped me along the way,” said Monteith in the pits Friday night at Kingsport Speedway. “Our deal (Monteith Racing) is a family-run operation. You can’t race at the competitive level we do and do it all by yourself. “We’ve had some good people associated with our team over the years, from sponsors who have helped fund our racing to guys that have helped work on the race car during the week at the shop and at the track on race night. To win 50 races, I didn’t do it all by myself. I’m just the lucky one who gets to drive a good, fast racecar, and the guys who work on the car get to share in each race we win.” And with the strength Monteith has shown each race night this season at Kingsport Speedway, it definitely appears the 29-year-old will be parked in victory lane on several other occasions. “We’re really running well, our car’s good,” Monteith said. “All the guys and myself, we put the hours in during the week back at the race shop working on the car and that’s what it takes if you’re going to run up front – and win races. We don’t come to the track to run second, we come to win.” The backbone of Monteith Racing is Nate’s father and mother, Don and Brenda, along with grandparents’ Wayne and Gladys Snow, and his girlfriend Jessica Melton. Calling the shots from the pits is crew chief Kirby Gobble, supported by car chief Duke Bare, with assistance from Eddie Crane, Gary Hensley, Jeremy Hughes, Joshua Gobble, Phill Johnston and Pie Short. Sponsors on the Monteith Racing No. 44 Chevrolet Impala for the 2011 racing season: True Line Construction Company, KBM Commercial Properties, Pizza Plus, BSA Security Company, TAB Performance, Clark's Automotive Race Engines, Griffin Radiators, Amsoil, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Five Star Race Car Bodies, ProParts Engineering Performance, Sherwin-Williams, Primetime Designs Race Decals, Townsend/LTO Race Cars, WD Performance, and eXlander Designs. For more information regarding Nate Monteith, contact him at (423) 340-2004 or visit his Web site at www.NateMonteith.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Press Release Prepared By: Robert Walden Walden Motorsports Communications Johnson City, TN (423) 928-9644

Posted on 04 May 2011 by Nate Monteith

Monteith easily captures season-opening Kingsport Speedway victory

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (March 12) — The end of the 2002 racing season marked the last time weekly stock car racing had been held in the Model City. The much-anticipated rebirth of weekly racing at NASCAR Whelen All-American Series sanctioned Kingsport Speedway became reality on a beautiful, sunny spring afternoon Saturday for “Pepsi Day at the Races” with former NASCAR Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Truck series racer Robert Pressley at the helm of the legendary track. Former United Auto Racing Association – Southern Touring Asphalt Racing Series champion Lee Tissot earned the pole position after touring the .375-mile banked concrete oval at 15:43 seconds. But it was Nate Monteith of Blountville, starting from outside of the front row, who grabbed the lead on the opening lap and never looked back, en route to easily winning the 60-lap Late Model Stock feature by leading flag-to-flag. “We absolutely had a great car today,” said Monteith in the pits following the race. “We barely missed getting the pole, but maybe that played a little to our advantage as we were able to launch on the start from outside the front row and beat Tissot into the first corner. I cleared him as we raced off (turn) two initially, then following that restart on lap 3, I just tried to get settled into a good rhythm so I could put some distance between us and Tissot. “I’m really excited to be racing full-time here at Kingsport Speedway in 2011 under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner. Our goals are to win races and win the track championship, which will give us the Tennessee state NASCAR title. We’ve got a really good race team, and coming right out of the gate and winning like we did today – it’s a confidence booster.” With Monteith leading Tissot and Robbie Ferguson at the start, the event’s first caution flag waved on lap 3 when Brad Housewright got into back of Ferguson between turns one and two, sending the 2002 Kingsport Speedway champion Ferguson spinning. The top five for restart were Monteith, Tissot, Housewright, Daniel Pope and Royce Peters. Monteith began flexing his muscle quickly, stretching his lead over Tissot to almost a full-straightaway by lap 20. After pressuring Housewright several circuits for third in the running order, Pope assumed the position on lap 28. With the race reaching halfway, Monteith was still in command with a comfortable margin over Tissot, who was riding eight car lengths ahead of Pope and Housewright. Monteith’s huge lead was erased when Dakota Slagle spun between turns one and two on lap 35. Ready to go back green, Monteith was trailed by Tissot, Pope, Housewright and Peters. Tissot failed to come up to speed, as he tried to hold onto his Ford Fusion that had a right-rear tire deflating. He spun between turns one and two on lap 37 to bring out the caution, and after quick work from his crew in the pits to change the tire he tagged on at rear of field for restart. Monteith led Pope, Housewright, Peters and Ferguson, who had worked his way back into the top-five following his early race tangle with Housewright, back up to speed. While Monteith, Pope and Housewright were holding down the top three positions, things were getting interesting behind them as Tissot was making a hard charge back forward following his tire change to close behind Peters and Ferguson. Tissot got to the inside of Ferguson and Peters racing off into the corner between turns three and four on lap 43. As the trio raced off the fourth turn contact was made – Tissot escaped unscathed – while Ferguson and Peters wrecked along the front straightaway, with Caleb Roark also getting caught up in the action. The race for Peters came to a grinding end, as his car sustained heavy damage. “He (Ferguson) doesn’t have to run over somebody,” Peters said. “He could only get close on the restart and then we would get away from him. He was overdriving his car. I always liked Robbie pretty good, but I don’t like him right now.” Ferguson, who continued with his damaged race car, saw it differently. “At the beginning of the race I got under Housewright clean and then he spins me intentionally,” Ferguson said. “We worked our way back through the pack into the top five. Then we just run out of real estate – I’m hitting the wall in turn four, the guy (Peters) cuts up and he blames the wreck on me. It’s just short-track racing.” Following the red flag to clear the front straightaway, the race resumed for a green-flag run to the checkers. But the class of the field was Monteith, as he chauffeured the True Line Construction Company, KBM Commercial Properties, Pizza Plus, BSA Security Company, TAB Performance, Clark's Automotive Race Engines, Griffin Radiators, Amsoil, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Five Star Race Car Bodies, ProParts Engineering Performance, Sherwin-Williams, Townsend/LTO Race Cars, WD Performance, eXlander Designs No. 44 Chevrolet Impala to victory over Pope, Tissot, Housewright and Paul Nogradi. Completing the top 10 finishers were Nick Cole, Ferguson, Roark and Ryan Stiltner. By Robert Walden Kingsport Speedway Media/Public Relations

Posted on 16 Mar 2011 by Nate Monteith

Pizza Plus on Board for 2011 Season

Check out our latest sponsor over at www.pizzaplusinc.com!

Posted on 05 Mar 2011 by Paul Jr

2011 Schedule Announced

We've just released our 2011 Racing Schedule including USAR Pro Cup, Super Late Models at Newport Speedway and NASCAR Late Model Stocks at KPT Speedway. Check out our 'Schedule' page for the full list of races and events!

Posted on 22 Jan 2011 by Paul Jr

USAR Pro Cup Test @ New Smyrna

Nate Monteith USAR Pro Cup Testing @ New Smyrna Speedway 2011

Posted on 22 Jan 2011 by Paul Jr