Brian Brown tied Earl Wagner for sixth on the all-time Knoxville Raceway win list Saturday with his 43rd victory (Knoxville Raceway Photo)
Clint Garner Back on Top in 360’s; Eric Bridger Keeps Cruising in 305’s
by Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 23, 2018) – Brian Brown notched a historic win in Saturday’s Farm Bureau Mid-Season Championship Night when he tied legend and National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductee, Earl Wagner, with 43 career wins in Knoxville Raceway’s premier class. The win was the sixth of the season for Brown here, and paid him $5,000. Clint Garner took the lead on a restart from sprint car rookie Mason Daniel and held on for his 37th career win here, while Eric Bridger won again, claiming his sixth feature of the year in the 305 class.
The 25-lap 410 feature was a wild one, and saw Kerry Madsen leading Austin McCarl, Brian Brown, Terry McCarl and Matt Juhl early on. With just one lap in the books, Carson McCarl stopped in turn two bringing the caution. Sixteen-year-old Gio Scelzi, making his first Knoxville appearance, was running sixth on the restart when he did a series of cartwheels into turn two. He was uninjured.
Brown shot into second on the restart, and Juhl used the low side to gain fourth. A battle ensued for third, as Austin McCarl and Juhl traded the spot several times. A spin by Chase Wanner slowed things again with six laps down. Madsen led Brown, Austin McCarl, Juhl and Terry McCarl back to green. Juhl would get a good restart again, gaining third from Austin McCarl.
Madsen was in traffic by lap eleven with Brown in pursuit. Behind them, Austin McCarl again shot by Juhl in traffic for the show position. Brown started reeling in Madsen in traffic. Madsen made several good moves in traffic splitting lappers, but Brown was not going away.
With five laps to go, Brown shot under Madsen heading into turn one. When Madsen got off the gas to avoid the slider, he got above the cushion and upside down. He was uninjured. Brown led the field on the restart, ahead of Austin McCarl, Juhl, Terry McCarl and Brooke Tatnell. Juhl again worked by Austin McCarl, this time for second, before Carson McCarl spun with two laps to go.
Brown would pull away the final two laps, while Juhl and Austin McCarl battled furiously for second. Terry McCarl would enter the fray in the end. Brown would win ahead of Austin McCarl, Terry McCarl, who gained third on the last lap, Juhl and Tatnell. Hard-charger Tasker Phillips, Davey Heskin, Lynton Jeffrey, Rager Phillips and Sawyer Phillips rounded out the top ten. Brown set quick time, while Jeffrey, Jordyn Brazier and Terry McCarl won heats.
“It wasn’t easy,” said Brown in Victory Lane. “Kerry was setting a good pace there. I got to him a couple times. I just made a couple of mistakes and lost ground. I apologize if I got into him. I don’t think I did. There was plenty of room. On the video, it looked like he got tight above the cushion. It is what it is though.”
Mason Daniel, who won his first career feature in a sprint car here on June 16, led the 20-lap 360 main event early over Christian Bowman, Clint Garner, Ryan Giles and Calvin Landis. Only two laps were in when Sawyer Phillips lost control and slid up the track. Jon Agan tried to sneak between his car and the wall but didn’t make it. He flipped into turn two. He was uninjured.
Garner shot into second on the restart, before McKenna Haase spun with six laps down. Coming for the green, Daniel led Garner, Bowman, Giles and Landis. Visitor Randy Hannagan had quietly moved from fourteenth up to eighth. While Daniel took the low line in turn one on the restart, Garner saw a door open on the cushion. The seven-time track champ pounced into the lead and took Giles with him.
Garner was back in lapped traffic by the twelfth circuit. Hannagan continued his charge as well, but it would halt with four laps to go. Nate Mills got sideways. When Hannagan swerved to avoid, he made contact with Bowman, who he had just passed. The two were done for the night.
Up front, Garner pulled away for the $1,750 score, ahead of Giles, Daniel, Phillips, who came back from the tail, and Landis. Matt Moro, Nate Van Haaften, Dylan Peterson, Devon Dobie and Haase completed the top ten. Daniel set quick time, while Phillips and Bowman won heats.
“I have to give thanks to the track crew,” said Garner in Victory Lane. “To me it seems like it’d be easy to make it follow the leader. But to leave just the right moisture and pack it in just right, and make it wide. I was lapping a lot of cars out there and having a blast. I was a little nervous for a minute. I thought (Daniel) was going to get two in a row. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do on the restart, but it worked out.”
Unlike both the 410 and 360 classes, the 305’s spent the night racing clean and green without much incident. Eric Bridger took off from outside row one ahead of Matthew Stelzer, Jayce Jenkins, Devin Kline and Evan Epperson. The battle early was for seconde. Jenkins, who ran the top, and Stelzer, who ran the low side, traded the spot four times before Jenkins claimed it for good on lap five.
This win wasn’t easy for Bridger by any stretch. He entered lapped traffic with six to go, and the rookie Jenkins closed on him. Using a lower line, Jenkins actually pulled beside the leader in turn two on the final lap, but Bridger was able to hold him off at the line.
Following Bridger and Jenkins at the stripe were Stelzer, Kline and Mike Mayberry. Mike Ayers, Ryan Leavitt, Kelby Watt, Evan Epperson and Brandon Worthington rounded out the top ten. Bridger set quick time for the eighth time in ten events, while Tyler Glass and Kline won heats. Leavitt was caught up in a heat race mishap and underwent serious repairs to run the main event.
“I think I saw (Jenkins) on the video board with a couple laps to go,” said Bridger in Victory Lane. “I saw him in one and two (on the last lap), but luckily three and four was my fastest corner. I struggled down in one and two. I just feel lucky to race here, let alone win a championship (in 2017). I’m just trying to keep the momentum going, keep winning races and see what’s next.”
It was also Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame inductions weekend. Roger Arndt, Bob Brooks, Larry Cahill, Noel, Dean and Mike Chadd, Mike Fisher and Terry McCarl were all inducted at intermission ceremonies.
Join us next weekend, Friday, June 29, and Saturday, June 30, for the Brownells Big Guns Bash featuring the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars! The 305 sprints will also be in action Friday, while the 360’s will run Saturday. For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
410 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (2), 15.765; 2. 2M, Kerry Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust. (16), 15.775; 3. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (4), 15.792; 4. 55, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (5), 15.816; 5. 2KS, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (12), 15.857; 6. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (10), 15.946; 7. 56N, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (8), 15.999; 8. 7, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (14), 16.022; 9. 71, Gio Scelzi, Fresno, CA (7), 16.051; 10. 12, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (20), 16.059; 11. 71A, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL (13), 16.082; 12. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (18), 16.085; 13. 9, Rager Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (21), 16.089; 14. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (6), 16.109; 15. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (3), 16.191; 16. 7W, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (17), 16.289; 17. 21AU, Jordyn Brazier, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (22), 16.292; 18. 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (9), 16.492; 19. 10, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (15), 16.598; 20. 75, Glen Saville, Razorback, NSW, Aust. (23), 16.640; 21. 9Z, Jared Goerges, Brainerd, MN (1), 16.921; 22. 19, Bob Weuve, Newton, IA (19), 17.239; 23. 85, Chase Wanner, Agency, IA (11), 17.618;
Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:17.3: 1. Lynton Jeffrey (3); 2. Brian Brown (6); 3. Rager Phillips (2); 4. Davey Heskin (4); 5. Brooke Tatnell (5); 6. Tasker Phillips (1); 7. Bob Weuve (8); 8. Don Droud Jr. (7)
Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:18.6: 1. Jordyn Brazier (1); 2. Kerry Madsen (6); 3. Austin McCarl (5); 4. AJ Moeller (2); 5. Carson McCarl (4); 6. RJ Johnson (3); 7. Glen Saville (7); 8. Chase Wanner (8)
Heat three (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Terry McCarl (6); 2. Gio Scelzi (4); 3. Matt Juhl (5); 4. Josh Schneiderman (2); 5. Bobby Mincer (1); 6. Jared Goerges (7); 7. Sawyer Phillips (3)
A main (started), 25 Laps, NT: 1. Brian Brown (4); 2. Austin McCarl (1); 3. Terry McCarl (3); 4. Matt Juhl (5); 5. Brooke Tatnell (6); 6. Tasker Phillips (18); 7. Davey Heskin (9); 8. Lynton Jeffrey (7); 9. Rager Phillips (12); 10. Sawyer Phillips (16); 11. AJ Moeller (13); 12. Bobby Mincer (17); 13. RJ Johnson (14); 14. Josh Schneiderman (15); 15. Jordyn Brazier (11); 16. Don Droud Jr. (21); 17. Chase Wanner (23); 18. Bob Weuve (22); 19. Jared Goerges (19); 20. Carson McCarl (10); 21. Kerry Madsen (2); 22. Glen Saville (20); 23. Gio Scelzi (8). Lap Leaders: Madsen 1-20, Brown 21-25. Hard-charger: T. Phillips.
360 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 33M, Mason Daniel, Springville, CA (9), 16.600; 2. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (10), 16.651; 3. 3, Nate Van Haaften, Otley, IA (7), 16.691; 4. 2M, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (14), 16.745; 5. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (4), 16.785; 6. 9, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (3), 16.847; 7. 4, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA (16), 16.853; 8. 15, Christian Bowman, Altoona, IA (5), 16.888; 9. 23, Devon Dobie, Wapakoneta, OH (19), 16.965; 10. 55, McKenna Haase, Des Moines, IA (2), 16.992; 11. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (17), 17.006; 12. 40C, Cody Wehrle, Burlington, IA (6), 17.045; 13. 25, Dylan Peterson, Hartford, SD (13), 17.145; 14. 6, Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville, IA (18), 17.224; 15. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (15), 17.231; 16. 8L, Tom Lenz, Marion, IA (8), 17.273; 17. 76, Brad Comegys, Bondurant, IA (11), 17.286; 18. 22H, Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro, IN (12), 17.304; 19. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (1), 17.412
Heat one (started), 7 Laps, NT: 1. Sawyer Phillips (1); 2. Devon Dobie (2); 3. Calvin Landis (4); 4. Jon Agan (3); 5. Dylan Peterson (7); 6. Mason Daniel (6); 7. Nate Van Haaften (5); 8. Nathan Mills (10); 9. Brad Comegys (9); 10. Joe Beaver (8)
Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:05.1: 1. Christian Bowman (3); 2. McKenna Haase (2); 3. Clint Garner (6); 4. Ryan Giles (4); 5. Matt Moro (5); 6. Randy Hannagan (9); 7. Cody Wehrle (1); 8. Tom Lenz (8); 9. Mitchell Alexander (7)
A main (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Clint Garner (4); 2. Ryan Giles (6); 3. Mason Daniel (1); 4. Sawyer Phillips (8); 5. Calvin Landis (3); 6. Matt Moro (5); 7. Nate Van Haaften (11); 8. Dylan Peterson (12); 9. Devon Dobie (7); 10. McKenna Haase (10); 11. Cody Wehrle (13); 12. Tom Lenz (15); 13. Mitchell Alexander (16); 14. Brad Comegys (18); 15. Nathan Mills (17); 16. Christian Bowman (2); 17. Randy Hannagan (14); 18. Jon Agan (9) DNS – Joe Beaver. Lap Leaders: Daniel 1-6, Garner 7-20. Hard-charger: Giles.
305 Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 81E, Eric Bridger, Winterset, IA (12), 17.770; 2. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (7), 17.814; 3. 33, Jayce Jenkins, Colfax, IA (10), 17.852; 4. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA (2), 17.857; 5. 21, Evan Epperson, Muscatine, IA (6), 17.962; 6. 5C, Devin Kline, Knoxville, IA (15), 18.062; 7. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Papillion, NE (8), 18.222; 8. 50, Mike Ayers, Waukee, IA (9), 18.232; 9. 4, Chris Horton, Indianola, IA (13), 18.292; 10. 41, Jeff Wilke, Genoa, IL (11), 18.313; 11. 12T, Tyler Glass, Cedar Rapids, IA (17), 18.329; 12. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (16), 18.343; 13. 1K, Kelby Watt, Adel, IA (14), 18.377; 14. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (18), 18.501; 15. 41D, Dan Henning, Columbia, IA (4), 18.522; 16. 67, Jon Hughes, Knoxville, IA (5), 19.111; 17. 64C, Casey Greubel, Lacona, IA (1), NT; 18. 26, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA (3), NT.
Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:52.7: 1. Tyler Glass (1); 2. Matthew Stelzer (3); 3. Jayce Jenkins (5); 4. Evan Epperson (4); 5. Chris Horton (2); 6. Eric Bridger (6); 7. Kelby Watt (7); 8. Dan Henning (8); 9. Casey Greubel (9)
Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:52.1: 1. Devin Kline (4); 2. Mike Mayberry (1); 3. Mike Ayers (3); 4. Joe Simbro (7); 5. Jeff Wilke (2); 6. Brandon Worthington (5); 7. Jon Hughes (8); 8. Ryan Leavitt (6) DNS – Chase Young
A main (started), 17 Laps, 5:31.3 (NTR): 1. Eric Bridger (2); 2. Jayce Jenkins (4); 3. Matthew Stelzer (1); 4. Devin Kline (3); 5. Mike Mayberry (10); 6. Mike Ayers (6); 7. Ryan Leavitt (9); 8. Kelby Watt (14); 9. Evan Epperson (5); 10. Brandon Worthington (8); 11. Tyler Glass (7); 12. Casey Greubel (17); 13. Chris Horton (11); 14. Dan Henning (16); 15. Jeff Wilke (12); 16. Jon Hughes (15); 17. Joe Simbro (13) DNS – Chasey Young. Lap Leader: Bridger 1-17. Hard-charger: Watt.