Big Guns, Veterans and Rookies Mix for Pizza Hut/McKay Insurance Opener at Knoxville!!!
Friday, April 21, 2006
by Bill Wright (www.knoxvilleraceway.com) – It’s been a long winter and it’s time to go racing at Knoxville! A large field of sprinters is anticipated in both the 410 and 360 classes this Saturday night, with hot laps scheduled for 6:45 p.m, time trials at 7:15 p.m. and racing at 8:00 p.m. Admission is just $12 for adults and $3 for youngsters.
In addition to the healthy field already expected for the season’s lid lifter, 7-time Knoxville track champ Danny Lasoski who has won four season openers, 6-time track champ Terry McCarl who has nabbed two, World of Outlaws regular Brooke Tatnell and National Sprint Tour pilot Jason Solwold have all expressed their intentions on running at Knoxville Saturday night. Both the WoO and NST groups have an off-night Saturday, so there’s no telling who may pull through the pit gate to challenge the Knoxville regulars! All want to get as many laps in as possible in anticipation of August’s 46th Annual Knoxville Nationals.
Defending Knoxville 410 champion Kerry Madsen leads a strong contingent of local drivers into Saturday’s opener. He is coming off a season in which he won six feature events including July’s Iowa Telecom Summer Classic. He will stage his defense in the Vermeer 55 again this season. Last year’s season opener winner and runner-up in the season point race was Wayne Johnson, who has teamed with Mike VanderEcken in the #10 this season.
Brian Brown got stronger as the 2005 season went on in the Doogs #21 and he will try to better his fourth place season finish of a year ago. Brown already has secured two wins in 360 action and is ready to hit the big half-mile. Billy Alley won the sprint finale in 2005 in his family’s machine. After grabbing his second 360 Nationals title in a row, Alley has a new ride in the 410 class, the Gifford #17G.
Two-time track champion, Skip Jackson, will try to better his fifth place finish of a year ago. Skip already has garnered two season opening wins in his storied Knoxville career. Joining Jackson will be other top ten finishers from a year ago, Matt Moro and Calvin Landis. 2005 Rookie of the Year and Rookie of the Nationals, Kaley Gharst is expected to make Knoxville his Saturday night home again this season. Gharst has shown steady improvement, and last weekend drove from 21st to 6th with the World of Outlaws at the Haubstadt, IN quarter mile. Look for great things from this youngster.
Jesse Giannetto, Chad Meyer, Tim St. Arnold, Mike Reinke, Ryan Anderson, Lynton Jeffrey, Chris Walraven, Jaymie Moyle and a host of others will lend a veteran seasoning to the mix in the battle for a championship.
Returning to the 410 class after an absence will be Larry Ball Jr. in his self-owned #5J. Gordy Vogelaar will return to Knoxville after being gone for about 14 years. The Minnesota native will drive the Arend #1a.
The rookie battle in the 410 class will be fierce. Dusty Zomer, Bronson Maeschen and Rager Phillips are expected to move up in class from the 360 ranks. Trevor Green (pictured), who just secured his second track championship at Parramatta City Raceway near Sydney this past winter, will be stout in the Lewis #11AU, while Knoxville native, Tony Shilling, will move up from Outlaw Dirt Karts.
360 Class
By all accounts, a new champion will be crowned in the 360 class in 2006. Two-time defending track champion, Jake Peters, is pursuing the ASCoT (American Sprint Cars on Tour), but Peters will be in to visit from time to time, no doubt.
Trying to move up the ladder will be 2000 track champ and runner-up a year ago, John Kearney. Kearney is again teaming with co-owner Brian Ridge in the #83 machine. Johnny Anderson struck victory lane with a vengeance in 2005, and will return in the family #7a after his third place season tally last season, while usual suspects Josh Higday, John Schulz, Brett Mather, Joe Beaver, David Hall and a host of others will chase a dream as well.
360 Rookie of the Year candidates will include two-time Eagle Raceway (NE) champ Rick Ideus, young and talented Minnesota shoe Dustin Lindquist, Missouri’s David Langford, Tyler Thompson (son of Bob) and a handful of others.
The action will be at a fever pitch this Saturday night!
WINNERS OF KNOXVILLE RACEWAY SEASON OPENERS (410s)
1954 Kenny Crook……….Oskaloosa, IA……..Stock Car
1955 Johnny Shipler……..Batavia, IA………...Semi-Modified
1956 Dean Sylvester……..Hedrick, IA
1957 Angelo Mascaro……Des Moines, IA
1958 Dean Sylvester (2)….Hedrick, IA
1959 Earl Wagner………...Pleasantville, IA…..Super-Modified
1960 Jerry Hayes…………Topeka, KS
1961 Thad Dosher………...Topeka, KS
1962 Bud McCune………..Brookfield, MO
1963 Bob Williams………..Kansas City, MO
1964 Jerry Blundy………...Galesburg, IL
1965 Ken Harper………….Carollton, MO
1966 Bill Utz……………...Sedalia, MO
1967 Earl Wagner (2)……..Pleasantville, IA
1968 Jerry Blundy (2)…….Galesburg, IL……..Sprint Car (non-winged)
1969 Bob Williams (2)……Independence, MO
1970 Joe Saldana………….Lincoln, NE
1971 Jerry Blundy (3)…….Galesburg, IL
1972 Roger Rager………...Lincoln, NE
1973 Eddie Leavitt………..Kearney, MO
1974 Earl Wagner (4)……..Pleasantville, IA
1975 Edd French………….El Paso, TX
1976 Doug Wolfgang……..Des Moines, IA
1977 Doug Wolfgang (2)…Des Moines, IA
1978 Lonnie Jensen……….Lincoln, NE
1979 Sammy Swindell…….Memphis, TN
1980 Steve Kinser…………Bloomington, IN
1981 Steve Kinser (2)……...Bloomington, IN
1982 Doug Wolfgang (3)…..Sioux Falls, SD…..Sprint Car (winged)
1983 Sammy Swindell (2)…Memphis, TN
1984 Bobby Davis Jr………Memphis, TN
1985 Sammy Swindell (3)….Bartlett, TN
1986 Sammy Swindell (4)….Bartlett, TN
1987 Brad Doty……………..Fredericksburg, OH
1988 Mark Kinser…………..Oolitic, IN
1989 Jerry Richert Jr……….Forest Lake, MN
1990 Jeff Swindell………….Memphis, TN
1991 Doug Wolfgang (4)…...Sioux Falls, SD
1992 Steve Kinser (3)………Bloomington, IN
1993 Danny Lasoski……......Dover, MO
1994 Danny Lasoski (2)……Dover, MO
1995 Jerry Richert Jr. (2)…..Forest Lake, MN
1996 Danny Lasoski (3)……Dover, MO
1997 Dennis Moore Jr……..Grinnell, IA
1998 Skip Jackson………….Sydney, NSW, AUST
1999 Skip Jackson (2)……...Sydney, NSW, AUST
2000 Terry McCarl…………Pleasant Hill, IA
2001 Terry McCarl (2)……..Pleasant Hill, IA
2002 Steve Kinser (4)……....Bloomington, IN
2003 Danny Lasoski (4)……Dover, MO
2004 Mark Kinser (2)………Oolitic, IN
2005 Wayne Johnson……....Mustang, OK
WINNERS OF KNOXVILLE RACEWAY SEASON OPENERS (360s)
1983 Dean Chadd…………..Lincoln, NE..........Modified
1984 Dean Chadd (2)………Lincoln, NE..........Modified Sprint
1985 Mike Houseman……...Des Moines, IA
1986 Ray Lipsey……………Lincoln, NE
1987 Dean Chadd (3)……….Lincoln, NE..........Limited Sprint
1988 Mike Twedt…………...Huxley, IA
1989 Mike Twedt (2)……….Huxley, IA
1990 Bob Thompson………..Des Moines, IA
1991 Mark Wilson………….Des Moines, IA
1992 Danny Young…………Des Moines, IA
1993 Danny Young (2)……...Des Moines, IA.....360 Sprint
1994 Duane Van Heukelom…Colfax, IA
1995 Larry Pinegar II……….Des Moines, IA
1996 Randy Martin………….California, MO
1997 Larry Weeks…………..Montezuma, IA
1998 Doran Doty……………Des Moines, IA
1999 David Hesmer…………Marshalltown, IA
2000 John Kearney………….Ozawkie, KS
2001 Tony Norem…………..Dassel, MN
2002 Jesse Giannetto………..Palo, IA
2003 David Hesmer (2)……..Marshalltown, IA
2004 David Hesmer (3)……..Marshalltown, IA
2005 John Kearney (2)…..….Valley Falls, KS
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