John Stancill and Kyle Beattie Racing Dominate Thanksgiving Classic
By Jason Buckley
The 2007 Semi-Pro Legends season has belonged to John Stancill. Driving under the Nick Pistone Racing banner, he has collected wins at Orlando Speedworld (FL), Concord Motorsport Park (NC), Anderson Motor Speedway (SC), Wiscasset Raceway (ME), Lanier National Speedway (GA), Hickory Motor Speedway (NC), Holland International (NY), Caraway Speedway (NC), Friendship Motor Speedway (NC) and Lowe’s Motor Speedway (NC) during the Summer Shootout. His impressive season also netted him the Semi-Pro National Championship and he drove to the victory in the Nationals at The Bullring at Las Vegas Speedway (NV).
One track Stancill hasn’t won at or even run at in a Legends car was Southern National Raceway Park in Kenly, North Carolina. That changed Friday night as Stancill not only showed up to race, but unloaded with the Kyle Beattie Racing camp taking the checkered flag in the combined division 30-lap feature, netting him $250 for winning the Thanksgiving Classic event.
While 15 racers showed up to take the green flag Friday night, a third of the field were under the Kyle Beattie Racing umbrella. Besides Beattie himself, Justin Morton and Daniel Sossoman showed up to race as well as the Stancill brothers, John and his older brother Ben, who has been racing the Pro Cup tour this season. While all five cars showed strength throughout the night, it was the battle for the lead between Beattie and the younger Stancill that had the fans on the edge of their seats.
John Stancill racked up another win this season, this time at Southern National. (LN Photo)
“Kyle and I had a good race,” said John Stancill. “I had to start a few spots back because we drew for positions. We practiced one time and Kyle Beattie helped get my car better. It was close the whole time. We swapped positions a few times. It was just fun. I drove him clean and he drove me clean. It was just a good race.”
Ben Stancill showed some early brotherly love towards his brother John with the bumper during staging.
Throughout the race it was a two-car race for the lead between Beattie and Stancill, but when the laps clicked to 30 complete and the race was over, Beattie had to settle for second on the track.
“John and I had a good battle,” said Beattie. “We were able to get single file and stretch it out pretty good. We got far enough away where we could decide it between the two of us. It was a lot of fun racing him hard like that. I think our cars are pretty much equal. We kept going back and forth. There was a few times there at the beginning when he could get under me and I would get back by him on the high side. We just had great racing and I don’t think either one of us touched the other once. We gave each other plenty of room and had a lot of fun. It is a good time racing against somebody you can run like that and not worry about them hitting you.”
Behind the two front runners, Sossoman held off Masters racer Billy Gomez for the third position, sweeping all three podium finishes for Beattie Racing.
“I had a pretty good run,” said Sossoman. “I couldn’t quite run with the top two. I had a mirror full of Billy Gomez. He ran me clean and I was able to hold him off. The front two had a good lead on me. I was able to keep them in sight, but I really couldn’t quite do anything with them.
Kyle Beattie was fast during the race, but not fast enough to take the win from Stancill. (LN Photo)
Gomez, who has been trying to get more cars to show up to the eastern Carolina tracks, was happy with the car count but disappointed he didn’t have enough time to get his car up to speed before the race started so he could contend with the Beattie Racing assault.
“This is a tough track to pass,” said Gomez. “The only way to pass here is if you knock them out of the way or they make a mistake. These guys are first class people out here and they do not make mistakes much, but that is ok. Not bad for an old man. I guess I am the first Master with all those young studs up there. I just wish I would have had two practices.”
Ben Stancill, in his second race this season in a Legends car, didn’t quite have the race he wanted, finishing sixth.
“We have been having ignition problems,” said Ben Stancill. “We are still trying to get the bugs worked out.
“If I had to get beat by anybody I would want it to be my brother than somebody else. I helped him out at the shop and made sure everything was straight. Kyle (Beattie) came out here and helped us out at the track. We changed the right front spring in his car and it picked up. Obviously it helped out a lot since he went out there and won the race, so good job to him. I hope we get everything worked out on my car.”
The fifth driver in the Beattie Racing camp was Morton, who led the first few laps and looked to be the driver to beat, but an error by the driver sent him spinning and into the wall early on.
“I was really focused and ready to go on the first start, but the guy that started on the pole was slow in practice,” said Morton, who started third due to a draw for position before the race. “I knew John Sossoman was ready to go so I knew I had to get up there with him. We had two restarts and the guy that started on the pole decided to go to the back which gave me the pole position. We lead a few laps and the car was really good. It wasn’t as good as Kyle’s car. I knew he was faster in practice so I gave him the lane. I just lost it. I haven’t gone out there and lost it on my own in a long time. I hit the inside wall and when I did it knocked the shifter arm off so I was stuck in fifth gear.”
Morton was able to get back on the track, but wasn’t able to catch John Stancill, who was all smiles in victory lane after the race.
Justin Morton backed his car into the inside wall while he was running second on the track.
“This definitely tops it (the season) off,” said Stancill. “I had a great season throughout the whole year. Every win counts for me. It is just great each time.”
One thing is for certain for John Stancill in 2008. Due to his win record in 2007, INEX rules will force him from the Semi-Pro division to the Pro division for the year. What isn’t certain is what if any banner he will race under. A long time driver under the Nick Pistone Racing banner, Stancill showed up in a Kyle Beattie Racing hat and sweatshirt and with the Kyle Beattie Racing camp to race. Whether that continues is still up in the air.
“We don’t quite know yet what we are going to do,” said John Stancill. “My brother actually set up my car for this race and Kyle Beattie helped us out at the track. We are not quite sure what we are going to do next year.”
John Stancill (middle), Kyle Beattie (left) and Daniel Sossoman (right) completed the Beattie Racing 1-2-3 finish at Kenly. (LN Photo)
Results (unofficial)
1) #20 John Stancill
2) #96 Kyle Beattie
3) #41 Daniel Sossoman
4) #66 Billy Gomez, Jr.
5) #81 Craig Goess, Jr.
6) #84 Ben Stancill
7) #08 Jamie Price
8) #17 Justin Morton
9) #7 Norman Perry
10) #30 Joe Hendricks
11) #22 Paul Prince
12) #07 Frank Morgan
13) #6nc Henry Long
14) #87 Darrell Vance
15) #20 Cameron Patrick
