Sorry, reccapt, the NFPA disagrees with you. As they say in their "Analysis of changes,"
"The new exception and associated figures apply to the area between a kitchen sink or a range and the wall behind them."
Likewise, I fail to se how a 'free standing' range would be any different. Remove thr range, and there is no countertop. You are never required to provide counter-top receptacles where there is no countertop.
The only "grey" area- what prompted the clarifying exception- was in the case of a stove top that was set in a hole in the counter- did that space count as part of the counter? The exception makes clear that such spaces are not part of the counter.
