Twelve Nationals championships will be represented on the front row of tonight's 54th running of the FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's General Stores. On the pole you will have Donny Schatz who has won this event seven of the last eight years and next to him will be the driver who has dominated the Arnold Motor Supply 360 Knoxville National recently, Shane Stewart. The Bixby, Oklahoma, driver has won the 360 headliner five times including each of the last four years before conceding the title last weekend when he instead raced at the Ironman 55 with the World of Outlaws. Both drivers earned their front row starting spots during Friday night's qualifying events at the Knoxville Raceway.
The night's 25-lap main event was a good one with Mark Dobmeier leading the opening lap before yielding to Kraig Kinser. The son of "The King" looked strong tonight and overcame a couple of challenges mid-race to retain the lead and it looked like he just might hold on for his first win of the year. On lap eight Kraig went too low at the exit of turn four as he worked his way around a lapped car and when he caught the berm right where the cars exit the track to go to the infield he became an offroad star for a split second as all four wheels came off the ground. Right after he stuck the landing Kraig had to pitch the car to the right to keep from drilling the frontstretch guardrail and somehow he was able to maintain the lead as Dobmeier was not far behind.
A few laps later Kinser was racing off of turn two when the lapped car of Josh Hodges got sideways at the exit of turn two and the leader had to dodge him to the inside to avoid contact. Again, despite the significant loss of momentum, Kraig was able to maintain the lead and as the laps clicked away it looked as though the race would be his. But then Hodges would again come into play as he slowed in turn two to bring out the caution with just three laps remaining.
Shane Stewart had now supplanted Mark Dobmeier in second and on the restart he began to size up the leader. Stewart first looked to the middle line in turns one and two, but Kinser was up to the challenge and with Kraig now thinking that the attack was coming from up top he left the bottom line open and Stewart took advantage. The two drivers took the white flag side-by-side and in turn one Stewart completed the pass and then held off Kinser's comeback bid in turn four to take the thrilling victory.
After giving up the third position to Donny Schatz just before the final caution, Dobmeier got the spot back for the restart and then held off the night's top point-getter to take third while David Gravel completed the top five. Quick qualifier Craig Dollansky finished in the sixth position, Justin Henderson was seventh with Brooke Tatnell in eighth while eastern invaders Lee Jacobs and Danny Dietrich completed the top ten.
Drawing the second pill for qualifying it was a given that Schatz would be one of the night's top qualifiers and he went second quick when the ninth driver out to qualify Craig Dollanksy edged him out. Dollansky would make a thrilling last lap pass of Brady Bacon to take the fourth and final transfer position in the first heat race while the path to the top four for Schatz became a bit clearer on the opening lap of the second heat. Second row starters A.J. Moellers and Lynton Jeffrey tangled in turn three with both cars getting upside down and Jeffery had some colorful comments for Moellers when he was interviewed soon after the incident. A little later Moellers was asked for his side of the story and he agreed that Lynton had every right to be upset with him.
Now starting sixth Schatz immediately raced into the top four and continued to pick off positions until he passed Randy Hannagan for the lead with a few laps to go and you could just hear the grumbling about how things always seem to fall Donny's way here during the Nationals. Apparently the memory of Schatz having to start last year's Nationals win from 21st has quickly faded from memory for a lot of fans.
The night's third best qualifier Bronson Maeschen saw his night change significantly in the third heat when he caught the berm too hard and did significant damage to his front end. After stopping on the track to pull a caution, Maeschen's crew tried to make repairs but he was not able to return to action and by finishing ninth he would be relegated to the C-Main instead of starting at the front of the B-Main.
Shane Stewart gave an indication of things to come when he charged from eighth to second in the fourth heat, but he could not catch crowd favorite Jac Haudenschild who held on to take the win.
Sammy Swindell who is participating in his 40th Knoxville Nationals was looking to move into the top four mid-race in the fifth heat when his motor went south and he dropped out of the event late. Fortunately for Swindell both Jason Tostensen and T.J. Peterson had also dropped out earlier and that would allow Sammy to start at the front of the B-Main after changing motors.
Tim Kaeding would lead the entire 12-lap distance to win the B-Main only to have his right front tire go flat after the checkers turning him straight into the turn three guardrail. Kaeding's crew would quickly change out the front axle prior to starting the main event. Daryn Pittman would finish in the second spot, Swindell would take third and Brad Sweet would come from eighth to secure the fourth and final transfer spot.
The top fifty drivers have been determined for tonight's A, B and the front half of the C-Main while the rest of the field will be set by today's show that will follow the traditional "Non Qualifiers" format where the feature winner earns the 11th starting position in tonight's C. That action gets underway with hot laps at 11 a.m. giving us a Saturday chocked full of Sprint Car racing. Perhaps we will see you there!
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