Jason Johnson, Danny Smith and Toni Lutar the Latest to Enter $10,000-to-win Knoxville World Challenge
Friday, June 26, 2009
Jason Johnson, Danny Smith and Toni Lutar the Latest to Enter $10,000-to-win Knoxville World Challenge
KNOXVILLE, IOWA (June 24, 2009) - Americans Danny Smith
and Jason Johnson and Canadian Toni Lutar have become the latest three
entrants for the $10,000-to-win Knoxville World Challenge at Knoxville
Raceway on Friday, August 14, during the 49th annual SuperClean Knoxville
Nationals presented by Lucas Oil. Danny Smith won the World Challenge back
in 1996 when it was known as the Australian/American Challenge Cup. Jason
Johnson's and Toni Lutar's best efforts came last year with fourth and
eleventh place finishes, respectively, in the World Challenge dash.
According to Knoxville's director of racing Ralph Capitani,
"Danny Smith hasn't competed in the World Challenge since 2003, so we're
delighted that the six-time Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic winner at
Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia, will be back competing in this year's
international invitational at Knoxville. He is a class act and a great
ambassador for our sport. I'm sure Jason Johnson, the 2006 "Mr. Sprint Car"
titlist, will be gunning for the 2009 Cox Design Iowa SpeedWeeks
championship, which includes the World Challenge. And we're also excited to
have former track regular Toni Lutar back in the Friday night finale. He
remains the highest placed Canadian in the 15-year history of the World
Challenge and I'm sure he'll be looking to better his mark."
Smith will be wheeling his own J&D Performance-powered,
Maxim-chassis sprint car number 4, which is sponsored by Kiger Signs &
Graphics and J&D Performance. Lutar will be piloting his own
Capetta-powered, KPC-chassis sprint car number 4X, which is sponsored by
Northwest Auto Parts, Red Devil Brakes and Weld Racing. Johnson will be
behind the wheel of Lanny Row's Ott-powered, Eagle chassis sprint car number
41, which is sponsored by Pope Transportation, GT Bobcat, CCR, and The Shop
Diesel Service. Since Jason Johnson and Danny Smith competed in the 2009
Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Warrnambool, both are inversion-eligible
for the '09 Knoxville World Challenge on Friday, August 14. Toni Lutar did
not compete in either of the Canadian qualifiers at Ohsweken, Ontario, nor
Edmonton, Alberta, and thus will have to start the Knoxville World Challenge
behind those that are inversion-eligible.
The 2009 Knoxville World Challenge entries to date are as follows:
4, Danny Smith, Chillicothe, OH, USA, J&D/Maxim
4X, Toni Lutar, Richmond, BC, CAN, Capetta/KPC
21AU, Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, AUS, Ott/Maxim
24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA, USA, Ott/Maxim
41, Jason Johnson, Thomasville, PA, USA, Ott/Eagle
For more information on the Knoxville Raceway and its World Challenge, fans are urged to visit www.knoxvilleraceway.com!
(Pictured): Toni Lutar (John's Racing Photos)
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