Kerry Madsen won FVP "Hard Knox" Night at Knoxville, and brought Logan Schuchart, David Gravel and Dominic Scelzi with him to Saturday night's finale (Paul Arch Photo) (Highlight Video from DirtVision.com)
by Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 9, 2019) – FVP “Hard Knox” Night lived up to its name Friday at Knoxville Raceway! Kerry Madsen prevailed in the event that saw the top four drivers lock themselves into Saturday night’s 59th Annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores $150,000 to win finale. Logan Schuchart, Shane Stewart and Dominic Scelzi joined Madsen, and will start in spots 21-24 in Saturday’s main event.
The 25-lap feature got off to a rocky start when Brian Brown suffered driveline issues and slowed on the backstretch. Several cars stacked up, including Justin Henderson, who got upside down. He exited under his own power. Lynton Jeffrey broke a front end and retired, while Spencer Bayston made repairs and rejoined the field.
Madsen shot out to the point from his starting spot outside row one, while Schuchart roared to second from his eighth starting spot, ahead of Hunter Schuerenberg and Scelzi. Scelzi overtook Schuerenberg for third on lap two, and Stewart followed him into fourth two circuits later.
Stewart sized up Scelzi and slid in front of the Californian to take third on lap eight. Thomas Kennedy did a 360 spin to bring a caution flag. Madsen shot away when green fell again, with Schuchart, Stewart and Scelzi in tow. Sammy Swindell was on the move, taking fifth on lap 12.
On lap 14, the leaders were in traffic, but were back in clean air after Skylar Prochaska spun on lap 16. Swindell exchanged the fourth and final transfer spot to Saturday’s main with Scelzi, but Scelzi again set sail on the cushion to secure the position. A second unassisted yellow by Kennedy ended his night with seven to go.
Bayston had recovered from his restart at the tail of the field, and climbed to fifth on the restart, with Austin McCarl in tow. Tasker Phillips, who started on the tail of the event after grabbing the last B main transfer, climbed to seventh before performing a 360 spin of his own, ending an incredible run with five to go.
Madsen pulled away on the restart, with Schuchart following him to the checkers. Stewart was next, ahead of Scelzi, who held off Austin McCarl and Bayston late. Josh Baughman, Swindell, Kraig Kinser and Bill Balog rounded out the top ten. Seventy-eight cars signed in, and Sye Lynch and Madsen set quick time over their respective flights. Brown, Travis Rilat, Schuerenberg, Madsen, Kennedy and Kinser won heats. Chris Martin won the C main, and Terry McCarl and Carson McCarl won the B’s. Danny Dietrich took a hard ride after blowing his right rear tire on the last lap of his heat. He walked away. Jason Sides got upside down in turn one in the first B main, but was uninjured as well.
“We didn’t put it in the show on Wednesday night,” said Madsen in Victory Lane after his 23rd career 410 win here. “We didn’t have a great night. We just didn’t perform or execute. We came out tonight, and the car was a rocket ship all night. I didn’t know how fast to go there, but I felt we had a good pace. I was feeling like I was getting good restarts. I wasn’t worried about that. I was actually liking the clean air to be honest with you.”
“I’m just happy for this team,” said Schuchart. “It was a rough day on Wednesday, but you put this team on the ropes, they come back swinging. This isn’t the way I want to make it, but we have the last three years. It’s a tough deal though. It’s the Knoxville Nationals, and there’s a reason it’s the Super Bowl of sprint car racing. We’re just happy to be in it, and we have a game plan for tomorrow. We went back to the same car we had at the King’s Royal, and it seems to be working.”
“We were completely out of fuel,” said Stewart. “So we were lucky to finish that race. This is a huge relief. Obviously, when you come here this week, your goal is to sit on the front row of the A main. I know that this team works really hard to do that, and I feel we were on pace to do that yesterday. The driver screwed up a little bit in the heat race. The change they did with Friday night helps people like myself who had a mishap on their qualifying night. Hopefully, we can sneak up through there (Saturday) and get a good finish.”
“Well, they did away with the golden ticket,” said Scelzi, who started the 2018 finale after winning the World Challenge and starting 25th Saturday. “Instead of starting 25th, I figured we’d start 24th. I like to make (stuff) hard! Knoxville’s hard, and to beat some of these guys is amazing. That’s two Knoxville Nationals I never thought I’d get in. It’s so cool, and a dream come true to get in again.”
(Saturday Lineups Below)
The 59th Annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores concludes Saturday night with the $150,000 to win finale! For tickets and other information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
FVP “Hard Knox” Night of the 59th Annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores
Time Trials Group A (Qualiyfing Order), 2 laps: 1. 92, Sye Lynch, Apollo, PA (19), 16.151; 2. 48, Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA (18), 16.153; 3. 11, Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO (8), 16.205; 4. 5, Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK (13), 16.229; 5. 41S, Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, CA (28), 16.229; 6. 4, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (27), 16.276; 7. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (2), 16.288; 8. 39, Sammy Swindell, Lakeland, TN (4), 16.321; 9. 2KS, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (10), 16.340; 10. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (15), 16.357; 11. 1, Travis Rilat, Heath, TX (21), 16.369; 12. 39M, Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA (22), 16.383; 13. 7X, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (7), 16.426; 14. 7, Craig Dollansky, Elk River, MN (36), 16.443; 15. 5H, Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN (39), 16.470; 16. 18S, Jason Solwold, Mount Vernon, WA (5), 16.474; 17. 49J, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (32), 16.481; 18. K4, Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH (35), 16.515; 19. 19T, Kevin Thomas Jr., Cullman, AL (14), 16.518; 20. 3C, Cale Conley, Vienna, WV (6), 16.547; 21. 51, Freddie Rahmer, Salfordville, PA (31), 16.556; 22. 7JS, Jason Sides, Bartlett, TN (1), 16.561; 23. 73AF, Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL (11), 16.599; 24. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (12), 16.627; 25. 18R, Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE (3), 16.679; 26. 28P, Brian Paulus, Mooresville, IN (29), 16.710; 27. 9X, Jake Bubak, Arvada, CO (26), 16.722; 28. 99X, Skylar Gee, Leduc, ALB, Can. (23), 16.724; 29. 70X, Justin Peck, Monrovia, IN (34), 16.777; 30. 45, Rusty Hickman, Bendigo, VIC, Aust. (25), 16.786; 31. 84, Tom Harris, Banbury, OXFD, UK (16), 16.801; 32. 33M, Mason Daniel, Springville, CA (30), 16.823; 33. 64, Scotty Thiel, Sheboygan, WI (24), 16.871; 34. 21P, Robbie Price, Cobble Hill, BC, Can (37), 16.874; 35. 2AU, Andrew Scheuerle, Toowoomba, QLD, Aust. (33), 16.907; 36. 2K, Kevin Ingle, Huron, SD (17), 17.415; 37. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (9), 17.892; 38. 83C, Adam Cruea, Troy, OH (20), 18.021; 39. 2MM, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (38), NT.
Time Trials Group B (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 2M, Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (7), 16.292; 2. 17B, Josh Baughman, Odessa, TX (17), 16.363; 3. 91, Cale Thomas, Fairland, IN (2), 16.372; 4. 1S, Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA (38), 16.401; 5. 17BX, Bill Balog, Hartland, WI (1), 16.474; 6. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (32), 16.487; 7. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (10), 16.505; 8. 35P, Skylar Prochaska, Lakefield, MN (12), 16.506; 9. 83J, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (14), 16.534; 10. 71BC, Tyler Courtney, Indianapolis, IN (36), 16.562; 11. 21K, Thomas Kennedy, Winnipeg, MB, Can. (15), 16.578; 12. 11K, Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, IN (16), 16.628; 13. 17WX, Harli White, Lindsay, OK (11), 16.640; 14. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (19), 16.679; 15. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (13), 16.681; 16. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (28), 16.686; 17. 7SW, Jeff Swindell, Bartlett, TN (33), 16.686; 18. 14M, Marcus Dumesny, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (5), 16.725; 19. 10, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL (20), 16.726; 20. 55, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (26), 16.731; 21. 17W, Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA (34), 16.736; 22. 1X, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (22), 16.750; 23. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (3), 16.790; 24. 11C, Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK (23), 16.807; 25. 2C, Wayne Johnson, Tuttle, OK (29), 16.848; 26. 29, Willie Croft, Roseville, CA (25), 16.858; 27. 3H, Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, OH (27), 16.907; 28. J4, John Garvin, Sarver, PA (21), 16.921; 29. 99, Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK (35), 16.945; 30. 19P, Paige Polyak, Tiffin, OH (18), 16.948; 31. 56N, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (39), 16.953; 32. W20, Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, OH (37), 16.971; 33. 68, Chase Johnson, Penngrove, CA (9), 17.021; 34. 85, Chase Wanner, Batavia, IA (6), 17.051; 35. 15M, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (8), 17.096; 36. 9JR, Derek Hagar, Marion, AR (4), 17.222; 37. 75, Glen Saville, Razorback, NSW, Aust. (30), 17.248; 38. 17XL, Caleb Helms, Findlay, OH (31), 17.301; 39. 74, Brodie Tulloch, Upper Caboolture, QL (24), 18.075
Group A Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:14.8: 1. Brian Brown (1); 2. Justin Henderson (5); 3. Shane Stewart (3) / 4. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2); 5. Jason Sides (8); 6. Jason Solwold (6) 7. Sye Lynch (4); 8. Skylar Gee (10); 9. Kevin Thomas Jr. (7) / 10. Ryan Roberts (9); 11. Robbie Price (12); 12. Tom Harris (11); 13. Joe Simbro (13)
Group A Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:15.2: 1. Travis Rilat (1); 2. Sammy Swindell (2); 3. Dominic Scelzi (3) / 4. Josh Schneiderman (6); 5. Craig Dollansky (5); 6. Justin Peck (10); 7. Cale Conley (7); 8. Mason Daniel (11); 9. Brian Paulus (9) / 10. Joey Moughan (8); 11. Adam Cruea (12); 12. Danny Dietrich (4) DNS – Andrew Scheurele
Group A Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:14.3: 1. Hunter Schuerenberg (4); 2. Austin McCarl (2); 3. Spencer Bayston (5) / 4. Anthony Macri (1); 5. Chad Kemenah (6); 6. Terry McCarl (3); 7. Freddie Rahmer (7); 8. Jamie Ball (8); 9. Jake Bubak (9) / 10. Rusty Hickman (10); 11. Scotty Thiel (11); 12. Kevin Ingle (12) DNS – Matt Moro
Group B Heat one (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Kerry Madsen (4); 2. Logan Schuchart (3); 3. Tyler Courtney (1) / 4. Harli White (5); 5. RJ Johnson (7); 6. Wayne Johnson (9); 7. Davey Heskin (11); 8. Don Droud Jr. (8); 9. Glen Saville (13) / 10. John Garvin (10); 11. Chase Wanner (12); 12. AJ Moeller (6); 13. Clint Garner (2)
Group B Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:16.0: 1. Thomas Kennedy (1); 2. Bill Balog (3); 3. Josh Baughman (4) / 4. Skylar Prochaska (2); 5. Brooke Tatnell (7); 6. Sawyer Phillips (8); 7. Jeff Swindell (6); 8. Brady Bacon (10); 9. Carson McCarl (5) / 10. Willie Croft (9); 11. Greg Wilson (11); 12. Caleb Helms (13); 13. Bobby Mincer (12)
Group B Heat three (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Kraig Kinser (1); 2. Lynton Jeffrey (2); 3. Cale Thomas (4) / 4. Tasker Phillips (5); 5. Shane Golobic (7); 6. Marcus Dumesny (6); 7. Chase Johnson (11); 8. Derek Hagar (12); 9. Brodie Tulloch (13) / 10. Chris Martin (3); 11. Jac Haudenschild (9); 12. Paige Polyak (10)
C main (started), 10 Laps, 3:01.8: 1. Chris Martin (1); 2. AJ Moeller (4); 3. Rusty Hickman (5); 4. Willie Croft (6); 5. Greg Wilson (12); 6. Robbie Price (10); 7. Ryan Roberts (3); 8. Joey Moughan (2) / 9. Scotty Thiel (8); 10. Caleb Helms (17); 11. Tom Harris (7); 12. Joe Simbro (13); 13. Bobby Mincer (16); 14. Kevin Ingle (11); 15. John Garvin (9); 16. Chase Wanner (14); 17. Adam Cruea (15); 18. Roger Crockett (18) DNS – Danny Dietrich, Clint Garner, Jac Haudenschild, Paige Polyak, Andrew Scheurele, Matt Moro
B main one (started), 12 Laps, NT: 1. Terry McCarl (2); 2. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3); 3. Chad Kemenah (8) / 4. Josh Schneiderman (7); 5. Anthony Macri (4); 6. Jason Solwold (6); 7. Sye Lynch (1); 8. Justin Peck (15); 9. Rusty Hickman (20); 10. Craig Dollansky (5); 11. Chris Martin (17); 12. Greg Wilson (19); 13. Skylar Gee (16); 14. Cale Conley (10); 15. Brian Paulus (14); 16. Ryan Roberts (21); 17. Jake Bubak (13); 18. Freddie Rahmer (11); 19. Jason Sides (12); 20. Mason Daniel (18); 21. Kevin Thomas Jr. (9) DNS - Jamie Ball
B main two (started), 12 Laps, NT: 1. Carson McCarl (3); 2. Skylar Prochaska (1); 3. Tasker Phillips (4) / 4. Brady Bacon (13); 5. Jeff Swindell (5); 6. Marcus Dumesny (6); 7. RJ Johnson (7); 8. Don Droud Jr. (10); 9. Davey Heskin (14); 10. Shane Golobic (9); 11. Sawyer Phillips (11); 12. Chase Johnson (15); 13. Brooke Tatnell (8); 14. Wayne Johnson (12); 15. AJ Moeller (19); 16. Derek Hagar (16); 17. Willie Croft (20); 18. Robbie Price (21); 19. Joey Moughan (22); 20. Glen Saville (17); 21. Brodie Tulloch (18); 22. Harli White (2)
A main, 25 Laps, NT: 1. Kerry Madsen (2); 2. Logan Schuchart (8); 3. Shane Stewart (3); 4. Dominic Scelzi (5); 5. Austin McCarl (9); 6. Spencer Bayston (17); 7. Josh Baughman (4); 8. Sammy Swindell (7); 9. Kraig Kinser (18); 10. Bill Balog (10); 11. Hunter Schuerenberg (1); 12. Terry McCarl (19); 13. Chad Kemenah (23); 14. Tasker Phillips (24); 15. Tyler Courtney (14); 16. Carson McCarl (20); 17. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (21); 18. Cale Thomas (6); 19. Travis Rilat (13); 20. Skylar Prochaska (22); 21. Thomas Kennedy (16); 22. Brian Brown (11); 23. Lynton Jeffrey (12); 24. Justin Henderson (15). Lap Leader: K. Madsen 1-25. $350 DB3 Imaging Hard-charger: Bayston.
Saturday’s Lineups (Subject to Change)
A MAIN (50 Laps)
1. 87 Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX) 41 David Gravel (Watertown, CT)
2. 12N Joey Saldana (Brownsburg, IN) 49X Tim Shaffer (Aliquippa, PA)
3. 71P Parker Price-Miller (Kokomo, IN) 49 Brad Sweet (Grass Valley, CA)
4. 7S Tim Kaeding (San Jose, CA) 13X Paul McMahan (Nashville, TN)
5. 19 Brent Marks (Myerstown, PA) 83 Daryn Pittman (Owasso, OK)
6. 44S Trey Starks (Puyallup, WA) 09 Matt Juhl (Tea, SD)
7. 26 Cory Eliason (Visalia, CA) 18 Ian Madsen (St. Marys, NSW, AU)
8. 17 Sheldon Haudenschild (Wooster, OH) 69K Lance Dewease (Fayetteville, PA)
9. B Main Transfer 1 B Main Transfer 2
10. B Main Transfer 3 B Main Transfer 4
11. 2M Kerry Madsen (St. Marys, NSW, AU) 1S Logan Schuchart (Hanover, PA)
12. 5 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 41S Dominic Scelzi (Fresno, CA)
B MAIN (22 Laps, Top Four to A)
1. 9 James McFadden (Warrnambool, VIC, AU) 71 Gio Scelzi (Fresno, CA)
2. 24 Rico Abreu (St. Helena, CA) 15 Donny Schatz (Fargo, ND)
3. 13 Mark Dobmeier (Grand Forks, ND) 28 Scott Bogucki (McLaren Vale, SA, AU)
4. 88 Tanner Thorson (Minden, NV) 2 Carson Macedo (Lemoore, CA)
5. 70 Brock Zearfoss (Jonestown, PA) 1A Jacob Allen (Hanover, PA)
6. 2KS Austin McCarl (Altoona, IA) 5H Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, IN)
7. 17B Josh Baughman (Odessa, TX) 39 Sammy Swindell (Lakeland, TN)
8. 11K Kraig Kinser (Bloomington, IN) 17BX Bill Balog (Hartland, WI)
9. 11 Hunter Schuerenberg (Sikeston, MO) 4 Terry McCarl (Altoona, IA)
10. K4 Chad Kemenah (Alvada, OH) 7TAZ Tasker Phillips (Pleasantville, IA)
C MAIN (15 Laps, Top Four to B)
1. 71BC Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, IN) 27 Carson McCarl (Altoona, IA)
2. 15H Sam Hafertepe Jr. (Sunnyvale, TX) 91 Cale Thomas (Fairland, IN)
3. 1 Travis Rilat (Heath, TX) 35P Skylar Prochaska (Lakefield, MN)
4. 21K Thomas Kennedy (Winnipeg, MB, CAN) 21 Brian Brown (Grain Valley, MO)
5. 83J Lynton Jeffrey (Sydney, NSW, AU) 7X Justin Henderson (Tea, SD)
6. 49J Josh Schneiderman (West Burlington, IA) 99 Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
7. 39M Anthony Macri (Dillsburg, PA) 7SW Jeff Swindell (Bartlett, TN)
8. 18S Jason Solwold (Mount Vernon, WA) 14M Marcus Dumesny (Sydney, NSW, AU)
9. 92 Sye Lynch (Apollo, PA) 10 RJ Johnson (Tampa, FL)
10. 70X Justin Peck (Monrovia, IN) 1X Don Droud Jr. (Lincoln, NE)
D MAIN (12 Laps, Top Four to C)
1. 45 Rusty Hickman (Bendigo, VIC, AU) 56N Davey Heskin (St. Michael, MN)
2. 7 Craig Dollansky (Elk River, MN) 17W Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA)
3. 44 Chris Martin (Ankeny, IA) 3P Sawyer Phillips (Pleasantville, IA)
4. W20 Greg Wilson (Benton Ridge, OH) 68 Chase Johnson (Penngrove, CA)
5. 99X Skylar Gee (Leduc, ALB, CAN) 55 Brooke Tatnell (Sans Souci, NSW, AU)
6. 3C Cale Conley (Vienna, WV) 2C Wayne Johnson (Tuttle, OK)
7. 28P Brian Paulus (Mooresville, IN) 20 AJ Moeller (Rockwell City, IA)
8. 18R Ryan Roberts (Aurora, NE) 9JR Derek Hagar (Marion, AR)
9. 9X Jake Bubak (Arvada, CO) 29 Willie Croft (Roseville, CA)
10. 51 Freddie Rahmer (Salfordville, PA) 21P Robbie Price (Cobble Hill, BC, CAN)
E MAIN (10 Laps, Top Four to D)
1. 7JS Jason Sides (Bartlett, TN) 73AF Joey Moughan (Springfield, IL)
2. 33M Mason Daniel (Springville, CA) 75 Glen Saville (Razorback, NSW, AU)
3. 19T Kevin Thomas Jr. (Cullman, AL) 74 Brodie Tulloch (Upper Caboolture, QL)
4. 5J Jamie Ball (Knoxville, IA) 17WX Harli White (Lindsay, OK)
5. 64 Scotty Thiel (Sheboygan, WI) 17XL Caleb Helms (Findlay, OH)
6. 84 Tom Harris (Banbury, OXFD, UK) 56 Joe Simbro (Pleasantville, IA)
7. 15M Bobby Mincer (Burlington, IA) 2K Kevin Ingle (Huron, SD)
8. J4 John Garvin (Sarver, PA) 85 Chase Wanner (Batavia, IA)
9. 83C Adam Cruea (Troy, OH) 11C Roger Crockett (Broken Arrow, OK)
10. 48 Danny Dietrich (Gettysburg, PA) 40 Clint Garner (Sioux Falls, SD)
11. 3H Jac Haudenschild (Wooster, OH) 19P Paige Polyak (Tiffin, OH)
12. 2AU Andrew Scheuerle (Toowoomba, QLD, AU) 2MM Matt Moro (Polk City, IA)