Wayne Johnson won at Knoxville Saturday (Dave Hill Photo)
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA, May 5, 2012 – Wayne Johnson is perfect for the season. Fifteen features and fifteen top five finishes. He added his first 410 win of the year, to the five he already holds in ASCS competition by wiring the stacked field of 30 competitors here Saturday night. Defending 360 champion, Clint Garner won the 360 feature, while Steve Breazeale pulled down his fourth career 305 triumph at Knoxville.
Johnson dominated his heat, and the feature inversion put him on the pole. It would be all he would need to lead from flag to flag. He pulled away early from Dustin Selvage, Mike Reinke, and a battle for fourth between Bill Balog and Terry McCarl. With seven laps in the books, Lynton Jeffrey spun. The restart saw Johnson leading Selvage, Reinke, Balog and McCarl back to green flag racing.
In the next two laps, Danny Lasoski surged into third, before contact from another sprinter launched Austin Johnson out of the raceway in turn three. He was unhurt in the scary crash. The lead trio remained the same the final eleven laps, as several cars made advances back in the pack.
The win, aboard the Wayne Johnson Racing #77x was the Knoxville driver's seventh here. Selvage ran a steady second, ahead of Lasoski. McCarl made a last lap pass of Reinke for fourth. Balog was sixth, ahead of hard-charger, Mark Dobmeier, Dusty Zomer, Davey Heskin and Bronson Maeschen.
Heskin posted quick time, while Johnson, Zomer and Dobmeier were heat winners. Rob
Kubli claimed the B main. Mark Johnson was a flip victim in that event, but was uninjured.
"There on the caution (with 11 to go), I saw that (Lasoski) was third," said Johnson in Victory Lane. "I wasn't sure where he started, but I know he's good at the bottom here. My car was no good on the bottom, so we weren't going anywhere near it. You know, I have a guy from Canada and Washington, and (Curt) Brooks is from Iowa here. They work really hard on this thing."
Things were spiced up in the 360 class, when former ASCS National champion, Jason Johnson, towed in. David Hall took the lead from his pole position early on in the 18-lap feature. On the second lap, Nate Van Haaften, spun, collecting Ryan Roberts, who got upside down. He was uninjured.
Hall led Johnson, Joe Beaver, Tyler Groenendyk and Garner on the restart. On lap four, Johnson made his move into the lead. By lap eight, Garner had worked up to third, and took second on the tenth circuit. Gregg Bakker, up from his tenth starting spot, took third right before Casey Friedrichsen came to a stop with eleven laps completed.
Johnson had grown his lead, but Garner used the restart to slide in front of the "Cajun Sensation", so take the lead for good and go on to his twelfth 360 win here. Hard-charger, Bakker, also got by Johnson on lap 13. Johnson would settle for third, ahead of Matt Moro and David Hall. Beaver, Carson McCarl, Jamie Ball, Jon Agan and Tony Shilling completed the top ten. Garner posted quick time over the 25-car field. Agan, Russ Hall and Nate Mosher captured the heat races.
"It was a lot of fun racing with (Jason Johnson)," said Garner in Victory Lane. "He's as good as they come. I met him in 2000, and he don't do nothing but race. It was awesome to race with him, and it was great to beat him. My car was really good and I was right on him on the restart. I hope the pass was clean enough."
After a lap one melee eliminated pole-sitter, Cody Ambers, Andrew Shelton and Dakota Hendrickson, Steve Breazeale had clear sailing in the 15-lap 305 feature. The veteran from Trenton, Missouri sailed to his fourth career win in the class.
Mike Van Haaften ran a strong second, ahead of quick-timer, Mitchell Alexander, Larry Ball Jr., Matt Stephenson, Matthew Stelzer, Steve Palmer, Casie Vernon, Mike Philben and J Kinder. Alexander, Ball and Van Haaften won heat races. Andy Bates flipped hard in his heat, but was uninjured.
"This old guy doesn't like to go to the bottom," said Breazeale of maneuvering lapped traffic. "You just have to go where they aren't."
The 1st Annual Knoxville IMCA Shootout will be Sunday, featuring four divisions of racing. For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
410 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order, 1 lap): 1. 56, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (25) 15.158; 2. 96, Bronson Maeschen, Pleasantville, IA (3) 15.192; 3. 33, Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO (8) 15.301; 4. 55, Ian Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust. (5) 15.361; 5. 81, Austin Johnson, Shakopee, MN (6) 15.486; 6. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (1) 15.498; 7. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (22) 15.506; 8. 17B, Bill Balog, Eau Claire, WI (18) 15.541; 9. 02, Mike Reinke, Howards Grove, WI (10) 15.568; 10. 71R, Ryan Anderson, Deloit, IA (21) 15.578; 11. 9, Rager Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (7) 15.590; 12. 7, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (9) 15.603; 13. 77x, Wayne Johnson, Knoxville, IA (13) 15.616; 14. 91, Dusty Zomer, Sioux Falls, SD (23) 15.648; 15. 6R, Ryan Bunton, Morton, IL (30) 15.660; 16. 10, Randy Anderson, Clarion, IA (2) 15.680; 17. 7K, Robby Wolfgang, Sioux Falls, SD (16) 15.698; 18. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (17) 15.751; 19. 47, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (19) 15.783; 20. 23K, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (4) 15.812; 21. 18, Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal, KS (29) 15.820; 22. 45, Mark Johnson, Des Moines, IA (15) 15.896; 23. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (24) 15.908; 24. 88, Jarrod Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (27) 15.964; 25. 2, Bryan Dobesh, Sioux Falls, SD (12) 15.983; 26. 75, Glen Saville, Razorback, NSW, Aust. (11) 16.069; 27. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (28) 16.121; 28. 12, Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City, IA (26) 16.125; 29. 12P, TJ Peterson, Des Moines, IA (20) 18.547; 30. 14AJ, Wayne Modjeski, Oak Creek, WI (14) 23.789.
Heat one (started), 8 laps, 2:07.0: 1. Wayne Johnson (2) 2. Terry McCarl (4) 3. Davey Heskin (6) 4. Randy Anderson (1) 5. Ian Madsen (5) 6. Ryan Anderson (3) / 7. Don Droud Jr. (7) 8. Lynton Jeffrey (10) 9. Bryan Dobesh (9) 10. Mark Johnson (8)
Heat two (started), 8 laps, 2:10.3: 1. Dusty Zomer (2) 2. Rager Phillips (3) 3. Josh Schneiderman (8) 4. Bill Balog (4) 5. Bronson Maeschen (6) 6. Austin Johnson (5) / 7. Rob Kubli (7) 8. Glen Saville (9) 9. Robby Wolfgang (1) 10. TJ Peterson (10)
Heat three (started), 8 laps, 2:08.3: 1. Mark Dobmeier (1) 2. Ryan Bunton (2) 3. Mike Reinke (4) 4. Dustin Selvage (3) 5. Danny Lasoski (6) 6. Jarrod Schneiderman (8) / 7. Tasker Phillips (9) 8. Tony Bruce Jr. (7) 9. AJ Moeller (5) DNS – Wayne Modjeski
B main (started), 12 laps, NT: 1. Rob Kubli (2) 2. Lynton Jeffrey (8) 3. Don Droud Jr. (3) 4. Tony Bruce Jr. (5) 5. Bryan Dobesh (7) 6. Glen Saville (6) / 7. Tasker Phillips (9) 8. AJ Moeller (1) 9. Mark Johnson (4) 10. Wayne Modjeski (10) DNS – Robby Wolfgang, TJ Peterson
A main (started), 20 laps, NT: 1. Wayne Johnson (1) 2. Dustin Selvage (2) 3. Danny Lasoski (10) 4. Terry McCarl (7) 5. Mike Reinke (5) 6. Bill Balog (6) 7. Mark Dobmeier (16) 8. Dusty Zomer (13) 9. Davey Heskin (12) 10. Bronson Maeschen (11) 11. Ian Madsen (9) 12. Rager Phillips (3) 13. Tony Bruce Jr. (22) 14. Ryan Bunton (14) 15. Don Droud Jr. (21) 16. Lynton Jeffrey (20) 17. Ryan Anderson (4) 18. Bryan Dobesh (23) 19. Josh Schneiderman (17) 20. Rob Kubli (19) 21. Glen Saville (24) 22. Jarrod Schneiderman (18) 23. Austin Johnson (8) 24. Randy Anderson (15). Lap Leader: W. Johnson 1-20. Hard-charger: Dobmeier.
360 Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD, 16.070; 2. 2m, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA, 16.070; 3. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA, 16.073; 4. 41, Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA, 16.156; 5. 10, Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, IA, 16.166; 6. 54, Casey Friedrichsen, Arthur, IA, 16.187; 7. 51, David Hall, Des Moines, IA, 16.273; 8. 47T, Tony Shilling, Knoxville, IA, 16.284; 9. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA, 16.292; 10. 97, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA, 16.315; 11. 11x, Gregg Bakker, Sioux Falls, SD, 16.383; 12. 3, Nate Van Haaften, Otley, IA, 16.394; 13. 04, Chad Heimbaugh, Pleasant Hill, IA, 16.408; 14. 45c, Russ Hall, Pleasant Hill, IA, 16.419; 15. 24, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA, 16.423; 16. 4, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA, 16.440; 17. 18, Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE, 16.485; 18. 22N, Nate Mosher, Prairie City, IA, 16.614; 19. 7H, John Hall, Marion, IA, 16.639; 20. 8L, Tom Lenz, Marion, IA, 16.682; 21. 14N, Josh Riggins, Lincoln, NE, 16.868; 22. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA, 16.946; 23. 71, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL, 17.056; 24. 98, JD Johnson, Wichita, KS, 17.251; 25. 10x, Justin Jacobsma, Hull, IA, 17.399.
Heat one (started), 7 laps, 1:56.9: 1. Jon Agan (1) 2. Carson McCarl (3) 3. Jason Johnson (5) 4. Clint Garner (6) 5. David Hall (4) 6. Chad Heimbaugh (2) 7. John Hall (7) 8. Alan Zoutte (8) DNS – Justin Jacobsma
Heat two (started), 7 laps, 1:57.1: 1. Russ Hall (2) 2. Ryan Roberts (1) 3. Tony Shilling (4) 4. Matt Moro (6) 5. Gregg Bakker (3) 6. Tyler Groenendyk (5) 7. Tom Lenz (7) 8. RJ Johnson (8)
Heat three (started), 7 laps, 1:59.0: 1. Nate Mosher (1) 2. Josh Higday (2) 3. Joe Beaver (6) 4. Nate Van Haaften (3) 5. Jamie Ball (4) 6. JD Johnson (8) 7. Casey Friedrichsen (5) 8. Josh Riggins (7)
A main (started), 18 laps, NT: 1. Clint Garner (6) 2. Gregg Bakker (10) 3. Jason Johnson (3) 4. Matt Moro (5) 5. David Hall (1) 6. Joe Beaver (4) 7. Carson McCarl (9) 8. Jamie Ball (8) 9. Jon Agan (15) 10. Tony Shilling (7) 11. Russ Hall (13) 12. Josh Higday (14) 13. Casey Friedrichsen (19) 14. JD Johnson (18) 15. Chad Heimbaugh (12) 16. Nate Van Haaften (11) 17. Tom Lenz (21) 18. Nate Mosher (17) 19. RJ Johnson (24) 20. John Hall (20) 21. Tyler Groenendyk (2) 22. Alan Zoutte (23) 23. Josh Riggins (22) 24. Ryan Roberts (16). Lap Leaders: D. Hall 1-3, J. Johnson 4-11, Garner 12-18. Hard-charger: Bakker.
305 Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 6, Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville, IA, 17.298; 2. 5J, Larry Ball Jr., Knoxville, IA, 17.355; 3. 33, Mike Van Haaften, Pella, IA, 17.385; 4. 55, Matt Stephenson, Altoona, IA, 17.574; 5. 21, Keith Carlberg, Webster City, IA, 17.636; 6. 02s, Josh Jones, Knoxville, IA, 17.835; 7. 57, Steve Breazeale, Trenton, MO, 17.856; 8. 35, Kevin Hetrick, Gladstone, IL, 18.047; 9. 92c, Cody Ambers, Knoxville, IA, 18.399; 10. 93, Derrik Lusk, Jackson, MN, 18.987; 11. 16c, Casie Vernon, Chariton, IA, 19.040; 12. 26, Andy Bates, Knoxville, IA, 19.086; 13. 93A, Alan Ambers, Knoxville, IA, 19.133; 14. 59KB, Mike Philben, Grimes, IA, 19.353; 15. 88, J Kinder, Holts Summit, MO, 19.370; 16. 29, Bart Friedrichsen, Arthur, IA, 19.389; 17. 4, Dakota Hendrickson, Omaha, NE, 19.520; 18. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Omaha, NE, 19.564; 19. 4c, Chris Horton, Indianola, IA, 19.806; 20. 9H, Ben Woods, Newton, IA, 20.174; 21. 71c, Andrew Shelton, Lacona, IA, 20.803; 22. 82, Lee Patterson, Des Moines, IA, 32.051; DQ (Illegal Tire) – 2, Steve Palmer, Des Moines, IA.
Heat one (started), 6 laps, NT: 1. Mitchell Alexander (4) 2. Steve Breazeale (2) 3. Matt Stephenson (3) 4. Alan Ambers (5) 5. Derrik Lusk (1) 6. Dakota Hendrickson (6) 7. Mike Philben (8) 8. Ben Woods (7)
Heat two (started), 6 laps, NT: 1. Larry Ball Jr. (4) 2. Matthew Stelzer (6) 3. J Kinder (5) 4. Kevin Hetrick (2) 5. Casie Vernon (1) 6. Andrew Shelton (7) 7. Lee Patterson (8) 8. Keith Carlberg (3)
Heat three (started), 6 laps, NT: 1. Mike Van Haaften (4) 2. Cody Ambers (2) 3. Steve Palmer (5) 4. Josh Jones (3) 5. Andy Bates (1) 6. Chris Horton (6) DNS – Bart Friedrichsen
A main (started), 15 laps, NT: 1. Steve Breazeale (3) 2. Mike Van Haaften (4) 3. Mitchell Alexander (6) 4. Larry Ball Jr. (7) 5. Matt Stephenson (5) 6. Matthew Stelzer (13) 7. Steve Palmer (15) 8. Casie Vernon (8) 9. Mike Philben (17) 10. J Kinder (11) 11. Josh Jones (2) 12. Derrik Lusk (9) 13. Ben Woods (14) 14. Lee Patterson (16) 15. Cody Ambers (1) 16. Dakota Hendrickson (10) 17. Andrew Shelton (12) DNS – Kevin Hetrick, Keith Carlberg, Chris Horton, Bart Friedrichsen, Andy Bates, Alan Ambers. Lap Leader: Breazeale 1-15. Hard-charger: Palmer.