Jason Johnson won the feature and the World Challenge Friday at Knoxville (DB3 Imaging)
Schuchart, Reutzel, Eliason Also Lock Themselves into Finale!
by Bill Wright and Bryan Hulbert
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 11, 2017) – Like an Iowa cyclone, Jason Johnson ambushed the competition Friday at Knoxville Raceway on FVP Night at the 57th Annual Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores. Not only did the Eunice, Louisiana native claim the feature event over 72 cars to lock himself into Saturday night’s $150,000 finale, but he also claimed the Speed Sport World Challenge worth $10,000. The top four finishers claimed spots 17-20 in Saturday’s championship event. Joining Johnson were Logan Schuchart, Aaron Reutzel and Cory Eliason.
Jacob Allen led early in the 25-lap main event ahead of Johnson and Reutzel early. Johnson would waste little time taking the lead as he showed the way on lap two. Meanwhile, Joey Saldana rolled into the top three on the same circuit. Lynton Jeffrey, who had won the first of two B mains, had climbed to ninth in four laps before tipping over in turn three. He was uninjured.
Johnson pulled away on the restart, as Reutzel shot by Saldana for fourth on lap seven. Schuchart was making gains on the low side of the track and grabbed fourth two laps later. Eliason moved into the top five by lap ten. Schuchart’s mastery of the low groove continued, as he shot from fourth to second on lap 12. His teammate, Allen was running third on lap 17 when he hopped the infield berm allowing Reutzel and Eliason to move into the third and fourth lock-in spots for Saturday.
The top four would remain the same to the checkers. Chad Kemenah, who won the second B main, finished fifth, and Spencer Bayston, Sheldon Haudenschild, Brooke Tatnell, Tim Kaeding and Sammy Swindell rounded out the top ten. Allen and Johnson set quick times in their respective groups, and Sheldon Haudenschild, Tatnell, Saldana, Johnson, Swindell and Kraig Kinser won heats. Aussie Jason Kendrick took the C main. Jake Bubak and Matt Moro were heat flip victims on a rough night for crashes. Five cars turned over in the first B main, including Kendrick, Tayler Malsam, Dustin Selvage, RJ Johnson and Rager Phillips. Fortunately, no one was injured.
“Last night definitely didn’t pan out the way we’d been looking for,” said Johnson in Victory Lane. “It was phenomenal job that David (Gravel) did (Thursday) getting full points. It kind of inspired me really. In our own way, we kind of did the same thing tonight. The guys gave me a fast race car. Hats off to the JJR/Marshall team. How cool would it be if we battled from the back and beat those guys (tomorrow night)?”
Speed Sport World Challenge
James McFadden used a strong low groove to take the early lead in the 20-lap Speed Sport World Challenge. Thomas Kennedy settled into second, ahead of Jason Johnson, Dominic Scelzi and Lynton Jeffrey.
Kennedy’s second place run would come to an end on lap five, when he stopped in turn one. Jason assumed the second spot for a restart that saw a four-wide battle for position behind the leaders. On lap seven, Johnson would shoot by the 2016-17 Australian World Series Sprintcars champion for the lead. A fifth running Brooke Tatnell would exit on lap ten.
Johnson would pull away, but with two laps to go, he was slowed in heavy traffic. McFadden gained within three car lengths, but came up short in his bid to pass the leader. Brad Sweet ened up third, ahead of Scelzi and Brian Brown. Jeffrey, Ian Madsen, Greg Hodnett, Schuchart and Shane Stewart completed the top ten.
Join us tomorrow night as the 57th Annual 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores comes to a close! For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
(Saturday’s Lineups Below)
410 Results
Time Trials, Group 1, (Qualifying Order), 1 lap: 1. 1A, Jacob Allen, Hanover, PA (27), 15.691; 2. 87, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (13), 16.002; 3. 51, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (28), 16.002; 4. 12, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (21), 16.012; 5. 17B, Bill Balog, Hartland, WI (6), 16.059; 6. 39, Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN (16), 16.074; 7. 93, Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH (3), 16.083; 8. 1S, Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA (35), 16.126; 9. 1, Thomas Kennedy, Winnipeg, MB, Can. (30), 16.157; 10. 00, Dane Lorenc, Lancaster, NY (23), 16.159; 11. 55, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (31), 16.181; 12. 99, Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK (2), 16.221; 13. 99G, Skylar Gee, Leduc, ALB, Can. (1), 16.233; 14. 81, Lee Jacobs, Dalton, OH (10), 16.245; 15. 22, Rager Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (18), 16.259; 16. 4X, Dakota Hendrickson, Omaha, NE (26), 16.264; 17. 3G, Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA (11), 16.272; 18. 84, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (36), 16.277; 19. 21AU, Jordyn Brazier, Maroochydore, QLD, Aust. (12), 16.312; 20. W20, Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge, OH (17), 16.335; 21. 53, Jack Dover, Springfield, NE (20), 16.341; 22. 71A, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL (14), 16.361; 23. 35V, Jamie Veal, Warrnambool, VIC, Au (34), 16.374; 24. 70, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (25), 16.380; 25. 1B, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (29), 16.387; 26. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (32), 16.430; 27. 85, Chase Wanner, Agency, IA (33), 16.530; 28. 5J, Jeremy Schultz, Beaver Dam, WI (15), 16.532; 29. 9X, Jake Bubak, Arvada, CO (9), 16.541; 30. 26, Tayler Malsam, Sammamish, WA (5), 16.578; 31. 13, Clyde Knipp, California, MO (24), 16.595; 32. 8H, Jason Kendrick, Perth, WA, Aust. (8), 16.597; 33. 9Z, Jared Goerges, Brainerd, MN (4), 16.807; 34. 13V, Seth Brahmer, Norfolk, NE (19), 16.907; 35. 9C, Roger Campbell, Clyde, OH (22), 17.044; 36. 1P, Curtis Evans, Norborne, MO (7), 17.102;
Time Trials Group 2, (Qualifying Order), 1 lap: 1. 41, Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA (3), 15.872; 2. 17, Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, OH (15), 16.002; 3. 10H, Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH (30), 16.085; 4. 71, Kevin Thomas Jr., Cullman, AL (28), 16.156; 5. 2MM, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (14), 16.170; 6. 5H, Cory Eliason, Selma, CA (22), 16.196; 7. 12N, Cole Duncan, Lockbourne, OH (31), 16.206; 8. 94, Jeff Swindell, Bartlett, TN (7), 16.232; 9. 19, Brent Marks, Myerstown, PA (10), 16.250; 10. 3K, Tim Kaeding, San Jose, CA (23), 16.271; 11. 3S, Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN (8), 16.274; 12. 11K, Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, IN (36), 16.298; 13. 1Z, Dale Blaney, Hartford, OH (33), 16.305; 14. 17W, Harli White, Lindsay, OK (21), 16.306; 15. 3, James McFadden, Ormeau, QLD, Aust. (11), 16.317; 16. 17X, Josh Baughman, Odessa, TX (1), 16.324; 17. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (2), 16.393; 18. 1X, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (20), 16.400; 19. 67X, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (24), 16.425; 20. 9N, Wade Nygaard, Grand Forks, ND (4), 16.458; 21. 49J, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (25), 16.487; 22. 68, Chase Johnson, Penngrove, CA (17), 16.491; 23. 1M, Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO (5), 16.566; 24. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (13), 16.579; 25. 17M, Max McGhee, Camby, IN (6), 16.580; 26. 56N, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (26), 16.627; 27. 7W, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (19), 16.701; 28. 15M, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (12), 16.827; 29. 19L, Todd King, Sheboygan Falls, WI (35), 16.862; 30. X1, Mason Moore, Chico, CA (18),
16.931; 31. 12W, Josh Walter, Plymouth, WI (16), 16.938; 32. 19P, Paige Polyak, Tiffin, OH (9), 16.974; 33. 95, Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK (34), 17.317; 34. 23W, Scott Winters, Butterfield, MN (32), 17.388; 35. 10V, Kyle Reinhardt, Neptune City, NJ (29), 17.600; 36. 83C, Adam Cruea, Troy, OH (27), 17.667;
Group 1 Heat one, (started), 8 Laps, 2:13.5: 1. Sheldon Haudenschild (2); 2. Dane Lorenc (1); 3. Jacob Allen (4); / 4. Lynton Jeffrey (3); 5. Jordyn Brazier (7); 6. Skylar Gee (5); 7. Jeremy Schultz (10); 8. Seth Brahmer (12); 9. Dustin Selvage (9); 10. RJ Johnson (8); 11. Clyde Knipp (11); 12. Dakota Hendrickson (6);
Group 1 Heat two, (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Brooke Tatnell (1); 2. Logan Schuchart (2); 3. Aaron Reutzel (4); / 4. Jamie Veal (8); 5. Bill Balog (3); 6. Greg Wilson (7); 7. Carson Macedo (6); 8. Sawyer Phillips (9); 9. Lee Jacobs (5); 10. Jason Kendrick (11); 11. Roger Campbell (12); 12. Jake Bubak (10);
Group 1 Heat three, (started), 8 Laps, 2:11.1: 1. Joey Saldana (4); 2. Brady Bacon (1); 3. Spencer Bayston (3); / 4. Thomas Kennedy (2); 5. Scott Bogucki (6); 6. Rager Phillips (5); 7. Jack Dover (7); 8. Clint Garner (8); 9. Tayler Malsam (10); 10. Jared Goerges (11); 11. Chase Wanner (9); 12. Curtis Evans (12);
Group 2 Heat one, (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Jason Johnson (4); 2. Tim Kaeding (1); 3. Cole Duncan (2); / 4. Kevin Thomas Jr. (3); 5. Josh Baughman (6); 6. Dale Blaney (5); 7. Bobby Mincer (10); 8. Chase Johnson (8); 9. Scott Winters (12); 10. Max McGhee (9); 11. Josh Walter (11); 12. Parker Price-Miller (7);
Group 2 Heat two, (started), 8 Laps, 2:10.7: 1. Sammy Swindell (1); 2. Jeff Swindell (2); 3. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (6); / 4. Jac Haudenschild (4); 5. Wade Nygaard (7); 6. Davey Heskin (9); 7. Danny Lasoski (8); 8. Harli White (5); 9. Todd King (10); 10. Kyle Reinhardt (12); 11. Paige Polyak (11); 12. Matt Moro (3);
Group 2 Heat three, (started), 8 Laps, 2:11.4: 1. Kraig Kinser (1); 2. Brent Marks (2); 3. Cory Eliason (3); / 4. Chad Kemenah (4); 5. James McFadden (5); 6. Josh Schneiderman (7); 7. Don Droud Jr. (6); 8. Tasker Phillips (9); 9. Chris Martin (8); 10. Matt Covington (11); 11. Adam Cruea (12); 12. Mason Moore (10);
C Main, (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. Jason Kendrick (3); 2. Paige Polyak (4); 3. Matt Covington (6); 4. Scott Winters (8); / 5. Kyle Reinhardt (10); 6. Seth Brahmer (7); 7. Jared Goerges (5); 8. Josh Walter (2); 9. Adam Cruea (11); 10. Clyde Knipp (1); 11. Curtis Evans (9); 12. Roger Campbell (12); 13. Jake Bubak (13); 14. Matt Moro (14); DNS; Roger Campbell, Jake Bubak, Matt Moro,
B main one, (started), 12 Laps, NT: 1. Lynton Jeffrey (1); 2. Bill Balog (2); 3. Scott Bogucki (7); / 4. Carson Macedo (8); 5. Thomas Kennedy (3); 6. Jack Dover (12); 7. Greg Wilson (9); 8. Jordyn Brazier (10); 9. Lee Jacobs (5); 10. Jamie Veal (14); 11. Sawyer Phillips (15); 12. Matt Covington (21); 13. Skylar Gee (4); 14. Clint Garner (13); 15. Jeremy Schultz (17); 16. Chase Wanner (18); 17. Jason Kendrick (19); 18. Tayler Malsam (20); 19. Dustin Selvage (16); 20. RJ Johnson (11); 21. Rager Phillips (6); 22. Dakota Hendrickson (7); DNS; Dakota Hendrickson,
B main two, (started), 12 Laps, 3:25.3: 1. Chad Kemenah (2); 2. Jac Haudenschild (1); 3. James McFadden (6); / 4. Dale Blaney (4); 5. Kevin Thomas Jr. (3); 6. Don Droud Jr. (8); 7. Josh Baughman (7); 8. Josh Schneiderman (9); 9. Chase Johnson (12); 10. Danny Lasoski (11); 11. Tasker Phillips (15); 12. Davey Heskin (16); 13. Harli White (5); 14. Chris Martin (14); 15. Bobby Mincer (18); 16. Scott Winters (20); 17. Paige Polyak (19); 18. Wade Nygaard (10); 19. Todd King (17); 20. Max McGhee (13); 21. Parker Price-Miller (9); DNS; Parker Price-Miller, Mason Moore
A main, (started), 25 Laps, NT: 1. Jason Johnson (2); 2. Logan Schuchart (11); 3. Aaron Reutzel (3); 4. Cory Eliason (4); / 5. Chad Kemenah (20); 6. Spencer Bayston (7); 7. Sheldon Haudenschild (9); 8. Brooke Tatnell (15); 9. Tim Kaeding (12); 10. Sammy Swindell (14); 11. Kraig Kinser (16); 12. Jacob Allen (1); 13. Joey Saldana (5); 14. Brent Marks (10); 15. Bill Balog (21); 16. Brady Bacon (17); 17. Cole Duncan (6); 18. James McFadden (24); 19. Jeff Swindell (8); 20. Jac Haudenschild (22); 21. Scott Bogucki (23); 22. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (18); 23. Dane Lorenc (13); 24. Lynton Jeffrey (19); Lap Leaders: Allen 1, Johnson 2-25; Hard Charger: Kemenah
Speed Sport World Challenge, (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Jason Johnson (4); 2. James McFadden (1); 3. Brad Sweet (14); 4. Dominic Scelzi (6); 5. Brian Brown (12); 6. Lynton Jeffrey (3); 7. Ian Madsen (8); 8. Greg Hodnett (10); 9. Logan Schuchart (22); 10. Shane Stewart (9); 11. Kerry Madsen (13); 12. Jamie Veal (23); 13. Carson Macedo (16); 14. Terry McCarl (11); 15. Lucas Wolfe (7); 16. Skylar Gee (20); 17. Harli White (17); 18. Jason Kendrick (19); 19. Brooke Tatnell (5); 20. Jordyn Brazier (15); 21. Thomas Kennedy (2); 22. Scott Bogucki (21); 23. Cory Eliason (18); Lap Leaders: McFadden 1-6, Johnson 7-20. Hard-charger: Schuchart.
57th 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store Feature Tentative Lineups:
A-Main
1. 5 David Gravel
2. 15 Donny Schatz
3. 49 Brad Sweet
4. 2M Kerry Madsen
5. 21 Brian Brown
6. 24 Terry McCarl
7. 9 Daryn Pittman
8. 27 Greg Hodnett
9. 57 Kyle Larson
10. 2 Shane Stewart
11. 2KS Austin McCarl
12. 4 Paul McMahan
13. 13JT Mark Dobmeier
14. 24R Rico Abreu
15. 18 Ian Madsen
16. 2C Wayne Johnson
17. 41 Jason Johnson
18. 1S Logan Schuchart
19. 87 Aaron Reutzel
20. 5H Cory Eliason
B-Main (Top 4 transfer)
1. 83 Justin Henderson
2. 44S Trey Starks
3. 7S Jason Sides
4. 82 Dusty Zomer
5. 24W Lucas Wolfe
6. 14B Christopher Bell
7. 29 Danny Dietrich
8. 49X Tim Shaffer
9. 09 Matt Juhl
10. 41S Dominic Scelzi
11. 10H Chad Kemenah
12. 39 Spencer Bayston
13. 93 Sheldon Haudenschild
14. 55 Brooke Tatnell
15. 3K Tim Kaeding
16. 3S Sammy Swindell
17. 11K Kraig Kinser
18. 1A Jacob Allen
19. 51 Joey Saldana
20. 19 Brent Marks
C-Main (Top 4 transfer)
1. 17B Bill Balog
2. 99 Brady Bacon
3. 12N Cole Duncan
4. 3 James McFadden
5. 94 Jeff Swindell
6. 17 Jac Haudenschild
7. 84 Scott Bogucki
8. 15H Sam Hafertepe, Jr.
9. 00 Dane Lorenc
10. 12 Lynton Jeffrey
11. 3G Carson Macedo
12. 1Z Dale Blaney
13. 1 Thomas Kennedy
14. 71 Kevin Thomas, Jr.
15. 53 Jack Dover
16. 1X Don Droud, Jr.
17. W20 Greg Wilson
18. 17X Josh Baughman
19. 21AU Jordyn Braizer
20. 49J Josh Schneiderman
D-Main (Top 4 transfer)
1. 81 Lee Jacobs
2. 68 Chase Johnson
3. 35V Jamie Veal
4. 1M Danny Lasoski
5. 3P Sawyer Phillips
6. 7W Tasker Phillips
7. 95 Matt Covington
8. 56N Davey Heskin
9. 99G Skylar Gee
10. 17W Harli White
11. 70 Clint Garner
12. 44 Chris Martin
13. 5J Jeremy Schultz
14. 15M Bobby Mincer
15. 85 Chase Wanner
16. 23W Scott Winters
17. 8H Jason Kendrick
18. 19P Paige Polyak
19. 26 Tayler Malsam
20. 9N Wade Nygaard
E-Main (Top 4 transfer)
1. 1B Dustin Selvage
2. 19L Todd King
3. 71A R.J. Johnson
4. 17M Max McGhee
5. 22 Rager Phillips
6. 67X Parker Price-Miller
7. 4X Dakota Hendrickson
8. X1 Mason Moore
9. 10V Kyle Reinhardt
10. 13V Seth Brahmer
11. 9Z Jared Goerges
12. 12W Josh Walter
13. 83C Adam Cruea
14. 13 Clyde Knipp
15. 1P Curtis Evans
16. 9C Roger Campbell
17. 9X Jake Bubak
18. 2MM Matt Moro