For full results visit the Knoxville Raceway website
With the rainout of Thursday night's qualifier the two nights were combined and, in essence, it was a typical two "division" program. The only difference was that both of those "divisions" (Thursday and Friday) each had on lap of qualifying and the heat races were staggered.
The next time anybody tries to make a case about how the Knoxville Raceway doesn't care about the fans keep this in mind. The large crowd here tonight paid the same ticket price $20 as they would have for a normal qualifying night. That also means that the track lost out on between $60,000 and $100,000 in revenue by not having the Thursday show as a stand-alone event.
A total of 97 cars filled the pits with 49 cars for Thursday and 48 for Friday, however during hot laps it looked like we might lose several of them due to engine issues. Smokers included J.D. Johnson, Alan Ambers, Jeff Swindell, Austin Alumbaugh, Brooke Tatnell, Danny Lasoski, Tim Crawley, Cody Baker and Brian Brown. Garry Lee Maier add a nice fireball to his smoke and while Brown was the only one to leave the track to change a motor, all drivers came back to compete.
Also during hot laps Seth Bergman had his left top wing panel break away and rookie driver Tyler Groenendyk had his entire left rear wheel and axle pull out from the center section exiting turn four sending on piece of equipment floating through the air and landing safely in front of the grandstand. Groenendyk was the B-Modified track champion last year at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa.
Tonight's show was delayed by rain that fell between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. Qualifying started at 8:55 p.m. and was complete at 9:45.
Thursday 1st Heat - Dylan Peterson was running a strong third before his nose wing shifted and he faded to ninth. Dave Hall had the race locked up before the last place car of Cody Ambers smacked the guardrail exiting turn two and rolled with two laps remaining. Fast qualifier Zach Chappell used the restart to pass Hall on the final lap as he continued his quest for a perfect score in qualifying night points.
Friday 1st Heat - Fast qualifier Danny Lasoski was running one spot out of a transfer in fifth mid-race before his motor let go ending his evening. The report from pit announcer Mike Roberts was a burnt piston.
Thursday Heat 2 - Florida native R.J. Johnson was a bit of a surprise as the second fastest qualifier and he backed it up by qualifying for the main event taking fourth in this heat.
Thursday Heat 3 - After changing motors earlier Brian Brown was only able to post the 43rd fastest time putting him in row five for this heat. On the start contact between Tyler Groenendyk and Alan Zoutte sent Zoutte up the track and into Brown in turn one. Both Zoutte and Brown went for a series of hard flips including contact with the guardrail and the Goodyear billboard high above the track. After a couple of tense moments Zoutte emerged from his mangled ride unscathed and a few minutes later Brown gingerly walked from his car to the ambulance that would take him in for x-rays.
Friday Heat 3 - Tony Shilling gets faster every time we see him and in this one he stayed well ahead of one the best 360 racers in the country, Shane Stewart, to take the win.
Thursday Heat 4 - After setting quick time last Saturday night young Tasker Phillips did not punch the clock as fast tonight ranking 29th, but nobody could catch him during this heat race even when his right rear tire went flat coming off turn four. Two favorites, Travis Rilat and Terry McCarl, could not crack the top four and would have to run the B-Main.
Thursday Heat 5 - This was the Lone Star heat as Texas drivers Kolt Walker, Eric Baldaccini, John Carney II, Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Aaron Reutzel finished first, second, third, fifth and eighth respectively.
Friday Heat 5 - Tim Shaffer finished fourth in this one and Morgan noted that this was probably the first time ever that the defending 410 Knoxville Nationals Champion was in competition at the 360 Nationals. Bill W., can you confirm that?
B-Mains - Not much drama to speak of in either one of these as the drivers who started in the top four finished in the top four in both to transfer on to their respective features.
Thursday A-Main - Dave Hall went for a cartwheel after jumping the cushion in turn one on the start. On the restart third-starting Jeff Swindell did not come up to speed at the chalk line and Chad Humston had his front end pointed to to sky after driving over Swindell's right rear. When Humston hit the gas the front end of his ride rose up again and by the time he was back in control he had dropped to the rear of the field. The green satyed on and pole-sitter Lee Grosz shot to the lead with Davey Heskin in hot pursuit. The red flag waved again on lap six when Matt Covington went for a tumble coming out of turn two. Zach Chappell spun in turn two with three laps to go and on the restart Jon Agan and R.J. Johnson both flipped in turn two collecting Kolt Walker. There was no catching Grosz over the final three laps as he picked up his first career win at the famed Knoxville oval. Heskin, Jason Johnson and Jeff Swindell each finished where they started in second, third and fourth. Billy Alley was the big mover here coming from the twelfth row to finish fifth, Derek Hagar was sixth and Dustin Elvage was seventh. Sam Hafertepe Jr. came from row eleven to take eighth.
Friday A-Main - After taking the final transfer in the B-Main Jack Dover sat in the staging area with his hood off as the field took the green flag. Wayne Johnson paced the field early while Ryan Anderson and Sammy Swindell swapped sliders just behind him. The only caution of the race came on lap two when Larry Ball Jr. coasted to a halt in turn four. On the restart the race for second continued to entertain as the budget racer Anderson did his best to fight off the legend Swindell, before Sammy took the spot for good on lap eight. Next Swindell went after Johnson and on lap twelve Sammy drove under Wayne for the lead in turn four. There was no catching the new leader over the final eight laps as Swindell posted the win with Wayne Johnson second. Shane Stewart worked his way forward from a fourth row start to take third and post the highest point total of the night to earn the pole position for Saturday's championship event. Randy Hannagan will start next to Stewart after finishing fourth in this one and kudos to Ryan Anderson for a solid fifth-place run. Tennessee driver Justin Carver was impressive in sixth followed by 410 regulars David Gravel, Tim Shaffer and Daryn Pittman. Pittman started this race in row ten.
The lineups for Saturday's Championship night are here and the 360's will be joined by a full show for the 410's sanctioned by the All Stars.
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