7/22/2018
RacinBoys
Brian Brown Wins a Wild One at Knoxville
By Bill Wright (Knoxville, IA) -- Five lead changes highlighted a wild 410 feature at Knoxville Raceway on Saturday’s 3M Night. After dueling with Austin McCarl, Brian Brown visited Victory Lane for the seventh time this season, and the 44th time in his career, eclipsing the great Earl Wagner for sixth on the all-time list. The win was worth $4,000 for the Grain Valley, Missouri pilot, and came aboard his Casey’s General Stores/FVP #21. Joey Saldana drove the Rudeen Racing #26 to his first career 360 win here, and seventeen-year-old Kelby Watt won for the second time this season and the third time in his career in the 305 class.
PHOTO CREDIT: Knoxville Raceway
Brown started in the second row and shot into the lead immediately in the 20-lap 410 main event, ahead of Austin McCarl, Terry McCarl and Kerry Madsen. Brown jumped the cushion and Austin led briefly, but Brown was back in front at the line. The leaders entered lapped traffic on lap seven.
Brown would climb the back end of Clyde Knipp’s lapped car in turn two, and Austin pounced into the lead. The pair entered heavier lapped traffic on lap nine, and Brown slid back by for the point. A lap later, Austin was back in front with a similar move.
Austin was strong in lapped traffic and maintained his lead. With five to go, Madsen slid by Terry McCarl for third, with the latter returning the move on lap 16. At that point, fifth running Brooke Tatnell could not avoid the lapped machine of Chris Martin and tipped over. He was o.k.
The restart saw Austin McCarl leading Brown, Terry McCarl, Madsen and Cory Eliason. Brown would trail Austin until lap four completing the lap, when he shot back into the lead for good. On lap 18, Madsen slid in front of Terry McCarl for third. Terry looked to return the favor in turns three and four. He would climb the inside berm and his car drifted in front of Madsen. Unable to brake in time, Madsen struck the rear bumper of McCarl’s car and tipped over. RJ Johnson struck the stopped Madsen and flipped wildly into turn four. Fortunately, both were uninjured.
Brown would pull away for the win, ahead of Austin McCarl, a late closing Eliason, Davey Heskin and Terry McCarl. Hard-charger Dominic Scelzi, Joey Saldana, Spencer Bayston, Matt Juhl and Carson McCarl rounded out the top ten. Brown set quick time over the 33-car field, while Bayston, Heskin, Knipp and Eliason won heats. Josh Schneiderman won the B main.
“My crew chief Chad Morgan is a brother to me,” said Brown in Victory Lane. “He lost his brother yesterday. This was for the whole Morgan family. C.W. was a great guy. To put this car in Victory Lane for Chad and his family, was what this was all about. I knew we had to make something happen there, and that was probably one of my sloppiest races in some time. I got over the cushion there, and almost crashed it. I almost ran over Clyde, and almost anything stupid you could do, I probably did it. I’m not to proud of that performance, and I’ve got to clean it up if we’re going to have a chance here in a couple of weeks. Austin in the other Casey’s car…you guys are seeing talent develop in front of your eyes.”
Things got off to a slow start in the 360 18-lap feature. Thomas Kennedy had his wing mounts come loose. Fortunately, he kept the car under him in turn one, but he was done for the night. Joey Saldana stormed to the lead early, over Cory Eliason, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Ryan Giles and Jon Agan.
The leader entered lapped traffic on the seventh lap, but a caution for debris cleaned the track in front of him, just as Eliason was pressuring for the point. With eleven laps to go, Saldana led Eliason, Hafertepe, Giles and Agan back to green.
Wayne Johnson was able to move into the top five at that point, but Saldana did a masterful job the last five laps in traffic to take the win. Eliason held on for second ahead of Hafertepe, Giles and Johnson. Clint Garner, Dominic Scelzi, Agan, Lee Grosz and Sawyer Phillips completed the top ten. Saldana also set quick time over the 36-car field, with Ryan Roberts, Kennedy, Calvin Landis and Jamie Ball scoring heat wins. Blake Hahn claimed the B main.
“Right before the yellow, we had a lapped car almost stop in front of us,” said Saldana in Victory Lane. “When you have a clean race going, you don’t want to do anything stupid. I just tried to be smart, but not give up a spot. Luckily, Tyler and the guys did a great job. The car was fast. We don’t get to do this very often (run the 360), so it’s nice to come here and run this car and this motor. Hopefully, we’ll be a little bit better when we come for the 360 Nationals.”
Kelby Watt shot to the point at the beginning of the 15-lap 305 finale. Matthew Stelzer followed him on lap one, but it was Mike Mayberry who used the cushion to jet into second on lap two. Six laps in, Chris Horton would tip over. He was uninjured. When trying to restart, Ryan Leavitt failed to gain power and also had to retire.
Watt headed for the bottom of turn one when the green fell, but Mayberry proved the high line was best and took the point. A lap later, another red flew when Vance Weber got upside down in a fracas that also involved Jeff Wilke and Joe Simbro, who both restarted.
Mayberry continued his lead, ahead of Watt, Stelzer, Eric Bridger and Chase Young with eight to go. After starting eleventh, Jayce Jenkins was also on the move, and grabbed fifth with four to go. Up front, Watt tracked down Mayberry. When Mayberry slipped above the cushion in turn two on lap 13, Watt was ready with a slide job in turn three and made it stick to grab the point again.
Watt would hold on for the win ahead of Mayberry, Stelzer, the hard-charger Jenkins and Bridger. Chase Young, Brandon Worthington, Evan Epperson, Casey Greubel and Mike Ayers rounded out the top ten. Bridger claimed his tenth quick time award of the year, while Stelzer and Epperson were heat winners.
“I made a mistake on that restart,” said Watt of the first caution flag. “I went to the bottom thinking it would be the best way around, but it wasn’t. Mike got me around the outside. Ever since then, I thought I have nine laps left, or eight laps left, and I’m going to try my hardest. I saw him mess up on the top, and I said I have to go for it on this corner right here. I threw it in there as hard as I could and hoped it would stick.”
Join us next Saturday, July 28 for Weiler Night featuring the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions and the 360’s! For more information, visit http://www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com
410 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (13), 15.699; 2. 2M, Kerry Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust. (3), 15.729; 3. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (4), 15.868; 4. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (33), 15.898; 5. 2KS, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (20), 15.902; 6. 26, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (12), 15.923; 7. 55, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (30), 16.012; 8. 71A, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL (14), 16.045; 9. 12, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (27), 16.059; 10. 56N, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (18), 16.060; 11. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (26), 16.065; 12. 83, Cory Eliason, Selma, CA (25), 16.092; 13. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (32), 16.259; 14. 41S, Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, CA (24), 16.262; 15. 7, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (28), 16.284; 16. 91, Cale Thomas, Fairland, IN (1), 16.323; 17. 39, Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN (15), 16.369; 18. 24R, Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA (8), 16.379; 19. 9, Rager Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (22), 16.389; 20. 5H, Sammy Walsh, Orangeville, NSW, Aust. (11), 16.397; 21. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (19), 16.400; 22. 21AU, Jordyn Brazier, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (6), 16.433; 23. 10, Clyde Knipp, California, MO (2), 16.502; 24. 75, Glen Saville, Razorback, NSW, Aust. (17), 16.507; 25. 99, Skylar Gee, Leduc, ALB, Can. (29), 16.586; 26. 35, Jamie Veal, Warrnambool, VIC, Aust. (16), 16.588; 27. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (21), 16.637; 28. 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (7), 16.691; 29. 28AU, Allan Woods, Brisbane, QLD, Aust. (10), 16.718; 30. 85, Chase Wanner, Batavia, IA (23), 17.114; 31. 19, Bob Weuve, Newton, IA (31), 17.178; 32. 7W, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (9), NT; 33. 1, Travis Rilat, Heath, TX (5), NT.
Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:16.6: 1. Spencer Bayston (2); 2. Austin McCarl (3); 3. Brian Brown (6); 4. Josh Schneiderman (1); 5. Lynton Jeffrey (4); 6. Skylar Gee (5); 7. Allan Woods (7) DNS – Sam Hafertepe Jr., Travis Rilat
Heat two (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Davey Heskin (4); 2. Kerry Madsen (6); 3. Jordyn Brazier (1); 4. Joey Saldana (5); 5. Dominic Scelzi (3); 6. Jamie Veal (7); 7. Chase Wanner (8); 8. Rico Abreu (2)
Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:19.3: 1. Clyde Knipp (1); 2. Brooke Tatnell (5); 3. Rager Phillips (2); 4. Matt Juhl (4); 5. Carson McCarl (3); 6. Chris Martin (7); 7. Bob Weuve (8); 8. AJ Moeller (6)
Heat four (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Cory Eliason (4); 2. Terry McCarl (6); 3. Sammy Walsh (2); 4. RJ Johnson (5); 5. Cale Thomas (3); 6. Bobby Mincer (7); 7. Glen Saville (1) DNS – Tasker Phillips
B main (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. Josh Schneiderman (1); 2. Jamie Veal (2); 3. Skylar Gee (3); 4. Chris Martin (5) / 5. Allan Woods (7); 6. Bobby Mincer (4); 7. Chase Wanner (6); 8. Bob Weuve (8) DNS – Glen Saville, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Rico Abreu, Travis Rilat, Tasker Phillips
A main (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Brian Brown (3); 2. Austin McCarl (1); 3. Cory Eliason (8); 4. Davey Heskin (6); 5. Terry McCarl (2); 6. Dominic Scelzi (14); 7. Joey Saldana (7); 8. Spencer Bayston (10); 9. Matt Juhl (13); 10. Carson McCarl (16); 11. Lynton Jeffrey (11); 12. Jordyn Brazier (18); 13. Rager Phillips (15); 14. Cale Thomas (19); 15. Skylar Gee (23); 16. Sammy Walsh (17); 17. Kerry Madsen (4); 18. RJ Johnson (9); 19. Brooke Tatnell (5); 20. Jamie Veal (20); 21. Chris Martin (22); 22. Josh Schneiderman (21); 23. Clyde Knipp (12); 24. AJ Moeller (24). Lap Leaders: Brown 1-6, A. McCarl 7-8, Brown 9, A. McCarl 10-16, Brown 17-20. Hard-charger: Scelzi.
360 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 26, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (33), 16.412; 2. 15, Christian Bowman, Altoona, IA (18), 16.718; 3. 83, Cory Eliason, Selma, CA (25), 16.731; 4. 9, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (13), 16.738; 5. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (29), 16.781; 6. 3, Nate Van Haaften, Otley, IA (20), 16.807; 7. 4, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA (28), 16.819; 8. 2C, Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK (6), 16.855; 9. 33M, Mason Daniel, Springville, CA (2), 16.855; 10. 4J, Lee Grosz, Harwood, ND (11), 16.875; 11. 2M, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (26), 16.885; 12. 41S, Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, CA (32), 16.898; 13. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (15), 16.916; 14. 21K, Thomas Kennedy, Winnipeg, MB, Can. (27), 16.920; 15. 95, Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK (1), 16.956; 16. 52, Blake Hahn, Sapulpa, OK (7), 16.964; 17. 13M, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (23), 16.999; 18. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (35), 17.000; 19. 8L, Tom Lenz, Marion, IA (19), 17.010; 20. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (36), 17.014; 21. 18, Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE (21), 17.017; 22. 17W, Harli White, Lindsay, OK (8), 17.057; 23. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (14), 17.075; 24. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (5), 17.099; 25. 55, McKenna Haase, Des Moines, IA (34), 17.116; 26. 76, Brad Comegys, Bondurant, IA (30), 17.130; 27. 25, Dylan Peterson, Hartford, SD (3), 17.139; 28. 94, Jeff Swindell, Bartlett, TN (17), 17.181; 29. 57, Billy Butler, Sacramento, CA (24), 17.265; 30. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (10), 17.276; 31. 75, Tyler Blank, California, MO (16), 17.417; 32. 5, Ryan Bowers, Ham Lake, MN (31), 17.471; 33. 9X, Paul Nienhiser, Chapin, IL (4), 17.476; 34. 6, Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville, IA (22), 17.523; 35. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (9), 17.660; 36. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (12), 17.715.
Heat one (started), 7 Laps, NT: 1. Ryan Roberts (1); 2. Clint Garner (3); 3. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5); 4. Joey Saldana (6); 5. McKenna Haase (7); 6. Paul Nienhiser (9); 7. Billy Butler (8); 8. Mason Daniel (4); DQ (Scales, crossed 5th) Josh Higday (2)
Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:03.6: 1. Thomas Kennedy (3); 2. Lee Grosz (4); 3. Joe Beaver (2); 4. Nate Van Haaften (5); 5. Harli White (1); 6. Nathan Mills (8); 7. Mitchell Alexander (9); 8. Brad Comegys (7); DQ (Illegal Tire, crossed 4th) Christian Bowman (6)
Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 2:00.7: 1. Calvin Landis (1); 2. Matt Moro (4); 3. Jon Agan (5); 4. Matt Covington (3); 5. Cory Eliason (6); 6. Tom Lenz (2); 7. Dylan Peterson (7); 8. Tyler Blank (8); 9. John Anderson (9)
Heat four (started), 7 Laps, 2:02.9: 1. Jamie Ball (1); 2. Sawyer Phillips (2); 3. Dominic Scelzi (4); 4. Wayne Johnson (5); 5. Ryan Giles (6); 6. Blake Hahn (3); 7. Jeff Swindell (7); 8. Dustin Clark (9); 9. Ryan Bowers (8)
B main (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. Blake Hahn (1); 2. McKenna Haase (5); 3. Paul Nienhiser (13); 4. Jeff Swindell (8) / 5. Dylan Peterson (7); 6. Tyler Blank (11); 7. Harli White (4); 8. Ryan Bowers (10); 9. Dustin Clark (14); 10. Billy Butler (9); 11. Mitchell Alexander (12); 12. John Anderson (15); 13. Josh Higday (2); 14. Tom Lenz (3); 15. Brad Comegys (6) DNS – Nate Mills
A main (started), 18 Laps, NT: 1. Joey Saldana (1); 2. Cory Eliason (3); 3. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2); 4. Ryan Giles (4); 5. Wayne Johnson (8); 6. Clint Garner (12); 7. Dominic Scelzi (13); 8. Jon Agan (5); 9. Lee Grosz (7); 10. Sawyer Phillips (15); 11. Matt Moro (9); 12. Calvin Landis (16); 13. Nate Van Haaften (6); 14. Paul Nienhiser (23); 15. Joe Beaver (18); 16. McKenna Haase (20); 17. Jamie Ball (19); 18. Blake Hahn (21); 19. Jeff Swindell (22); 20. Christian Bowman (11); 21. Ryan Roberts (14); 22. Matt Covington (17); 23. Thomas Kennedy (10) DNS – Mason Daniel. Lap Leader: Saldana 1-18. Hard-charger: Nienhiser.
305 Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying), 3 laps: 1. 81E, Eric Bridger, Winterset, IA (8), 17.425; 2. 26, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA (10), 17.679; 3. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (3), 17.731; 4. 1K, Kelby Watt, Adel, IA (4), 17.731; 5. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (18), 17.787; 6. 64C, Casey Greubel, Lacona, IA (1), 17.807; 7. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (13), 17.870; 8. 50, Mike Ayers, Waukee, IA (5), 17.924; 9. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Papillion, NE (12), 17.972; 10. 4, Chris Horton, Indianola, IA (9), 17.974; 11. 33, Jayce Jenkins, Colfax, IA (14), 17.987; 12. 21, Evan Epperson, Muscatine, IA (17), 18.051; 13. 41, Jeff Wilke, Genoa, IL (7), 18.055; 14. 41D, Dan Henning, Columbia, IA (11), 18.109; 15. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA (6), 18.113; 16. 12T, Tyler Glass, Cedar Rapids, IA (15), 18.347; 17. 5W, Vance Weber, Lawrence, KS (16), 19.985; DQ (Scales) - 67, Jon Hughes, Knoxville, IA (2)
Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:49.9: 1. Matthew Stelzer (2); 2. Mike Mayberry (4); 3. Jayce Jenkins (1); 4. Eric Bridger (6); 5. Brandon Worthington (8); 6. Ryan Leavitt (3); 7. Joe Simbro (5); 8. Jeff Wilke (7); 9. Vance Weber (9)
Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:51.9: 1. Evan Epperson (1); 2. Chris Horton (2); 3. Casey Greubel (4); 4. Chase Young (6); 5. Mike Ayers (3); 6. Kelby Watt (5); 7. Tyler Glass (8); 8. Dan Henning (7) DNS – Jon Hughes
A main (started), 15 Laps, NT: 1. Kelby Watt (1); 2. Mike Mayberry (4); 3. Matthew Stelzer (2); 4. Jayce Jenkins (11); 5. Eric Bridger (6); 6. Chase Young (5); 7. Brandon Worthington (13); 8. Evan Epperson (9); 9. Casey Greubel (3); 10. Mike Ayers (10); 11. Tyler Glass (15); 12. Dan Henning (16); 13. Joe Simbro (8); 14. Jeff Wilke (14); 15. Chris Horton (7); 16. Vance Weber (17); 17. Ryan Leavitt (12) DNS – Jon Hughes. Lap Leaders: Watt 1-6, Mayberry 7-12, Watt 13-15. Hard-charger: Jenkins.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
