Justin Zoch's Upper Midwest Ramblings
Tuesday, May 3, 2005
Steve Kinser is still King in K-Ville. Fans who braved temps flirting with freezing were treated to a dandy of a show on Saturday night, one that would be destined for record books if the date were August instead of April. The years of Steve and Danny battling for top billing at Knoxville are numbered in the singled digits and Sammy Swindell’s place on the podium beside them made this even more special. The three greatest drivers of the post-Doug Wolfgang era ran one-two-three. Mark this one down, it might not happen again. For at least another two months.
News and Notes from the World of Outlaws at Knoxville Raceway
Danny Lasoski and Terry McCarl both needed to get to Knoxville. Lasoski’s troubles have been well-documented this season but the added attraction of rumors circulating about team turmoil, including longtime crew chief Jimmy Carr leaving, built to a boil heading into Knoxville. The Dude needed to do well and a Friday night win and a second place run to the Greatest Ever fits that bill. Now, we’ll see if he can maintain momentum in his homestate of Missouri at Lake Ozark on Friday but it had to feel good for the Dude to be back in victory lane at Knoxville.
As for McCarl, he’s had a fast, frustrating season with the Outlaws and a return to the track where he won six straight titles could have proved redemptive or destructive. Fortuitously for T-Mac, the former occurred. With primary sponsors, Big Game Tree Stands, Fleet Buying Group and Bosma Poultry all on hand, McCarl scored two fourth place finishes, his first top-fives of the year with the Outlaws, and moved up three spots in the point standings.
The Blue, Blue World Award has to go to Brooke Tatnell after dominating the Friday night feature, only to come up 2/3s of a lap shy on the final lap after running over Jesse Hockett’s right rear. Tatnell’s owner Tim Hanson, a native of Washington, was at Knoxville and made sure everyone knew Sprint Car racing’s newest powerhouse was there by giving away over 50 t-shirts to the stands and free posters after the races. Rush Racing seems to have things figured out and the wins will be coming quickly.
Larry Ball Jr. is only racing once a week this year but he’s been making the most of it so far. Last Saturday, he won the B-main and scored eighth from 17th. This week, he had an easier go of it, winning from the pole. Most were shocked that it was only Ball’s second career trip to victory lane at Knoxville.
After last week’s quick time, many figured the new track record would fall this week and that it did. First at the hands of Brian Paulus and then to quick-time assassin Joey Saldana, whose father Joe held the record for a stretch in the 1970s. Many who hit Knoxville nightly, like myself, watched the record go with a tinge of sadness. Don Droud Jr. set the record in Craig Cormack’s 1BK in August of 1998 and it held for six and a half seasons. That’s roughly 40 attempts by the World of Outlaws to break it and it remained a prominent feather in Knoxville’s cap. But, the locals can take comfort in the fact that Calvin Landis was only .18 seconds on opening night. Could the long standing be broken again shortly?
With the All Stars rained out in Farmington, Missouri, Chad Kemenah, Jac Haudenschild, Randy Hannagan and Barry Ruble all made both nights. Ryan Coniam also made the trip but had planned to hit Knoxville regardless. His new team will run about 50 shows spread over the All Stars, Outlaws and weekly shows. Coniam has just started his own fabrication business and has Shane Wisbon, who helped Jon Agan for the 2004 All Star tour, crew chiefing for him.
As for the All Stars, they could take a PR hit despite their best intentions. The Farmington show was canceled on Thursday with rain pending in Missouri to save the traveling troupe money on a long one-day tow. However, the rains never came and St. Francois raced anyway, with Tim Montgomery scoring the win.
Clint Garner brought the family car down for the weekend with a brand new Ott powerplant after rain washed out the All Stars. Garner is scheduled to run for Ray Pullins on the tour and he’ll head to Ohio next weekend. He was supposed to run Lima and Eldora the previous weekend but saw nothing but rain, snow and the Knoxville opener from the stands.
Tim Kaeding turned an impressive weekend double. 20th to sixth. Twice. Keep an eye on Kaeding come Nationals time. He’s very comfortable in Knoxville and on the racetrack and he’s already got a 2004 Thursday night score to prove it… Track historian Bob Wilson believes that Knoxville history was made on Saturday when three generations of Heskins all competed in the 360 division. Dave, D.J. and 16-year-old Davey Heskin, making his Knoxville debut, all missed the A-main. Grandpa passed along that Danny Heskin, who turned 15 on Saturday, will be out next season. This might be the first time any track has seen three generations compete on the same evening in Sprint Cars. If you know anyone else, e-mail me at Justin@mompub.com.
Bob Schaeffer stopped by Knoxville on his way home to Colorado. Schaeffer has been driving, and flying in to do it, for his longtime friend Dan Barth in Florida with the USA Sprints but they are taking their efforts to the ASCS Rocky Mountain region in 2005. Schaeffer has also raced two shows at East Bay and two with the ASCS in Memphis on their way to Colorado. He’ll return to Knoxville for the Brodix Tourney of Champs in August… Eric Jobe and Jarod Smith were going hard for the final transfer on the final lap of the 360 B-main when contact was made in the middle of the backstretch. Jobe’s front end was knocked out and he flipped hard into turn three. He was extremely sore and scrambled after the races but otherwise alright.
Johnny Anderson had his best career finish following an intense bottom-feeding/cushion-busting battle with Dusty Zomer for second in the 360 main. Glenn Freeland seems to be working his magic with young Anderson and a win seems imminent… Court Grandstaff was walking the pits, Trop Arctic 66 back in Oklahoma, trying to figure out how to fill his seat by next Friday. Grandstaff has been fielding offers, and making offers, ever since parting ways amicably with Billy Alley the previous weekend. Grandstaff may have a hard time ultimately replacing Brooke Tatnell, who helped take the team to new heights, including the Nationals A-main and World of Outlaws victory lane in Jetmore, Kansas.
Stacey Alexander made his first start of the season after sitting out the first week. He borrowed an engine from Larry Weeks while he continues to wait for his to be readied… Turn four was notoriously slick on Friday, causing unassisted spins from notables including Dave Hesmer, Joe Beaver, Jason Meyers and Brian Paulus… Steve Kinser is now just two wins away from tying Doug Wolfgang’s 60 wins at Knoxville, second only to Danny Lasoski, who owns 86… How is Dave Hall working out in your Knoxville 360 fantasy league with a fourth and a seventh already this year?... Stevie Smith had not raced at Knoxville since the Nationals in 2003 and he was considerably better on Saturday after shaking some rust on Friday. He missed the A-main by the width of an STP sticker, copyright Tom Savage.
|