QUALITY, NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT,
Sunday, September 11, 2005
Knoxville, Iowa - by Tom Schmeh
Quality. That one word defined the fields for the 2005 Knoxville National Championships for winged 360-cubic-inch and 410 c.i. sprint cars, respectively. And it defines the field entered-to-date for the Speed Channel-televised, $35,000-to-win second annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals at the Knoxville Raceway, September 29-30-October 1.
Those on the Knoxville pre-entry list are former World 100 winners such as defending World of Outlaws (WoO) champion Scott Bloomquist (1988, ’90, 2001), past Eldora Million winner Donnie Moran (1989, ’92, ’96, ’97), two-time WoO titlist Billy Moyer (1991, ’93, ’94, ’98, 2000), current WoO point leader Steve Francis (1999), Brian Birkhofer (2002), Dan Schlieper (2003), and Chub Frank (2004). Interestingly, Iowan Brian Birkhofer is the defending champion of Knoxville’s post-season 100-lap national championship race. It is hoped by Iowa dirt late model fans that '05 World 100 winner Dale McDowell will also enter and compete in the Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals.
Former Dirt Track World Championship (DTWC) winners that are entered include Moyer (1986, ’96), Moran (1988), Francis (1999), current United Midwestern Promoters (UMP) Summer Nationals champion Shannon Babb (2002), and Rick Eckert (2004). This year, the Vermeer Manufacturing Company will sponsor the Vermeer “Deuces Wild” Bonus that will pay an additional $15,000 to a driver and team if they can win both Knoxville Raceway’s Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals and KC Raceway’s DTWC 100-lap main events. Vermeer is a worldwide supplier of agricultural, environmental and construction equipment, headquartered in nearby Pella, Iowa.
Eldora Speedway’s The Dream race winners that have committed to Knoxville include Bloomquist (1995, 2002, ’04), Moran (1996), Jimmy Mars (1997), Moyer (1998) and Eckert (1999). Show-Me 100 winners that will be in Knoxville include Moyer (1993, ’94, ’96), Bloomquist (1995, 2003, ’04), and Ray Cook (2000). Past winners of Cedar Lake Speedway’s USA Nationals that are headed to Knoxville in 2005 include Moyer (1988, ’89, ’90, ’92, ’93), Mars (1996), Moran (1998), Bloomquist (1999, 2003), Eckert (2002) and Birkhofer (2004).
Besides Francis (WoO), other current Knoxville-affiliated point leaders that are entered include Don O’Neal (Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series), Denny Eckrich (World Dirt Racing League), and Johnny Bone, Jr. (National Championship Racing Association). It is also possible that fellow point leaders Steve Barnett (Northern Allstars Late Model Series), Terry Phillips (Mid-America Racing Series), Mike Balzano (Mid-Atlantic Racing Series), Tim Tungate (NARA Battle of the Bluegrass Series), Bobby Hogge IV (Western Dirt Late Model Tour), and Greg Walters (Pacific Coast Xtreme Dirt Car Series) will enter and compete in the $220,000 September 29-30-October 1 event.
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