Gustin takes Knoxville’s Harris Clash on White Flag Lap
Thursday, July 8, 2010
By Bob Wilson
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 8) Richie Gustin, Gilman (Iowa) grabbed a final lap lead to capture the 19th annual Harris Clash at Knoxville Raceway Thursday night.
Gustin, who started in the 20th spot in the thirty car field, was nowhere to be found in the early stages of the race. The early leader was front row starter Mark Elliott who appeared to be in command of the event.
Elliott grabbed the lead at the start and began to pull away from the pack that was racing for position right behind him. Two grooves had developed on the big Knoxville half-mile oval. The preferred line was the bottom but several cars were making inroads on the cushion which was nearly at the 5/8th mile mark just shy of the fences.
A yellow for debris on the track on lap six brought the field to a slow down and when the race resumed the big benefactor was Jordan Grabouski who cruised into the runner-up spot. That position was contended to the bitter end between Grabouski, Johnny Saathoff and Josh Foster.
Elliot, who preferred the top groove, continued to pull away from the battle behind him. By lap sixteen Foster had moved into the third position and it was he who raced Grabouski for second place.
All eyes could see that with the racing going green for such a lengthy period of time that it would be inevitable for race leader Elliott to hit lap traffic before the end. And, that happened on the 19th go around. Second place Grabouski just could not make any headway into the gap that separated him from the lead though.
Then, on lap 23, Elliott finally hit heavy traffic and the lead suddenly narrowed significantly. At that same time a yellow flag came out for third running David Murray who had come to a halt in turn two. Murray had started 16th.
On the double file restart, Elliott held his own until he shot out of turn two and down the backstretch. Suddenly his car faltered and several cars got by him. As he ran toward turn three he again picked up the pace but by then it was too late. Whatever the cause, he finished 15th in the final countdown after leading for 23 laps.
In front of him Grabouski and Gustin were racing for the lead which Gustin took by a nose as they crossed the start/finish line. Grabouski motored full bore around the bottom while Gustin remained on top. At the finish Gustin’s Shryocket Chassis came to the checkered flags two car lengths in front in a very exciting finish for the $2,000 to win event.
Grabouski was second and Jeremy Mills, a ninth row starter claimed third. They were followed by Foster, Saathoff, Mike Long, Jay Noteboom, the 2009 champion, Todd Shute, Erick Dailey and Chris Abelson.
Heat race winners were Jay Schmidt, Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), Noteboom, Elliott, Abelson and Bill Davis, Jr. The three B-Main winners were Nate Caruth, Gustin and Saathoff.
|