by Bill W
It’s hard to believe this is the final night at the Knoxville Raceway. This has proven to be one of the most entertaining and competitive years to date in both classes. Surprises have abounded and car counts have been outstanding. 410 counts have consistently reached the mid-30s, while 360 counts have averaged about ten more than that. John Kearney came in as the favorite in the 360 class, but bad luck early and retirement in June ended that bid. We will miss you John! Early point leader Jesse Giannetto has been plagued by injury, and hopes of a championship were dashed. Enter Brian Brown who has racked up four wins to date as a Knoxville rookie. Since his first triumph (a .024 second win over Doug Wilson) he has been on a tear and has the points championship and rookie of the year honors sealed. Clint Garner, another rookie sensation has also impressed with his back to front charges and has recorded one feature win. Driving the family machine at Knoxville on Saturday, he has also terrorized fields in Rock Rapids and Sioux Falls with a steel 360 this season. Josh Higday took the Tournament of Champions over the nation’s best and at times was unstoppable. A string of mechanical misfortune has plagued the team along with some untimely upside down time. Dave Hesmer was running second in points up until last week's misfortune, but his season has been a good one with one winner's trophy for the career 360 feature win leader. Ryan Anderson recorded a victory as did Joe Beaver, who tasted his first career win. The only disappointment in the 360 class may have been the usually highly entertaining 360 Nationals Championship. Unfortunately, the one groove track provided little excitement in the race won by Jeff Swindell, but the track conditions improved immensely over the rest of the season resulting in extremely racy surfaces throughout the season.
Terry McCarl’s consistency is amazing. He has control of the 410 points race by a healthy margin for the fourth straight season. McCarl didn’t always have the fastest machine on race night, but he has recorded two feature wins this season. Two is the going number of victory lane trips as Skip Jackson, Travis Cram, Kerry Madsen, and Jeff Mitrisin have also recorded two wins this season. Ricky Logan, Calvin Landis (who won a 1200 pound nationals preliminary for his first career win) and Blake Feese added to the parity by also recording feature victories when the WoO wasn't in town. When the WoO was in town, the locals were ready. Madsen scored a dash win and top five finish in August. Logan has run strong as well. Both of them made the Nationals Championship event in August come Saturday night. Justin Henderson's improvement has vaulted him from a B main regular to a top ten standing in the points race. Larry Ball Jr., Randy Martin and Jeff Johnson all made successful moves up to the 410 class, improving as each week passed. Though he hasn't scored a victory this season, Jaymie Moyle's consistency has put him back in the top ten this year. David Murcott of Tasmania, the inaugural driver in the Knoxville International Driver Development program has been smooth, and has proven that he belongs with the rest of the crew. He notched a recent victory at US36 Raceway in Cameron, MO.
What can you say about this year's Nationals? If you weren't there, you missed some of the greatest features in recent memory. Give yourself a good slap on the forehead. You may not like Steve Kinser, but isn't it fun watching him jump around like a schoolboy and get up on his top wing? Don't say it's just another race. And how about those features on Wednesday and Thursday night? It was tough to stay in your seat wasn't it
If you have a sprint starved appetite, your season does not need to end this weekend. Several races are still to be held a few hours drive from central Iowa. Sunday night, Cresco Speedway holds an IRA show on their high-banked 3/8 mile facility. Terry McCarl took the show there last spring, in a narrow win. The show is always entertaining with close racing action, and the tasty concessions and covered grandstand give the speedway a great feel on the holiday weekend………….September 7, check out the Mega Mall on your way to Cedar Lake Speedway just across the border from the Twin Cities into Wisconsin near Somerset. The Jerry Richert Memorial this year will host the IRA/Knoxville/NOSA challenge. Knoxville and IRA’s best will face off on the red clay banked 3/8 mile facility with the best from North Dakota. This track provides for great racing and a lightning quick surface is the norm when the sprints come to the facility…………Every September, the sprints and midgets converge on high-banked facilities in Abe Lincoln’s stomping grounds in central Illinois for an entertaining twin bill. Friday, September 13, Jacksonville Speedway will host the 410 sprints and the Might MARA midgets on the ¼ mile, while the Spoon River Speedway near Canton, IL will host the Tom Knowle’s Memorial the following night on the extremely high-banked 3/8 mile surface. This twin bill is always entertaining and draws some surprise drivers in both classes…………The following weekend you may want to get your last look at the World of Outlaws at the banked 1/3 mile facility near Eagle, NE for a two night event, September 20 and 21. The Gumout series will also be present, so count on seeing Tyler Walker, Shane Stewart, Jason Sides, Craig Keel and company there as well……….Those Gumout stars will join the IRA the following weekend back in the Dairy state when they invade the Oshkosh Speedzone on Friday, September 27 and then clash at the beautiful Powercom Park in Beaver Dam on Saturday, September 28……....Those who are ambitious may consider heading on the Pennsylvania swing with the World of Outlaws for four nights of racing in a row in late September. The tour begins Thursday, September 26 in Hagerstown, MD, continues the next two nights at Williams Grove, and comes to a conclusion at Port Royal Speedway on Sunday, September 29. If you have never been to central Pennsylvania, this would be a great opportunity to check out both the tracks and the scenery.........If great 360 action is what you're after Eagle Raceway will also be hosting the two day Nebraska Cup September 13 and 14.............Other shows relatively close include an All Stars/NCRA contest in Joplin, MO on September 27 and 28, and various WISSOTA sprint action through Minnesota and its surrounding areas. There's plenty of racing action in plenty of venues in September.