Jackson & Clarkson Enter Clean-O World Challenge
Friday, May 6, 2005
This year’s $10,000-to-win Clean-O World Challenge at Knoxville Raceway is definitely turning into a ‘challengers versus champions’ match-up with this week’s entries by young New Zealander Bill Clarkson Jr., and three-time World Challenge champion A.J. “Skip” Jackson of Australia. Clarkson, who will be a rookie at the August 10-13 Knoxville Nationals and the August 12 Clean-O World Challenge, will be competing in a car prepared by Osborn Racing of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Jackson, the World Challenge champion in 1995, ’97 and ’98, will be wheeling the J&S Auto Sports entry fielded by himself and friend Rob Sirfus.
Bill Clarkson, Jr., a former Three-Quarter (TQ) midget champion in his native New Zealand, will be racing at the Nationals alongside Interstate Racing Association (IRA) regulars Kim Mock and Mike Kertscher. Bill will pilot a Wesmar-powered Maxim sprint car number 6NZ, which is sponsored by Osborn Trucking (USA), Transport Diesel and Marine (NZ) and Yuasa Batteries (NZ). The Auckland resident qualified for the Clean-O World Challenge invitational by competing at the international qualifier at Willie Kay’s Todd & Pollock Speedway at the Bay Park Stadium in Mount Maunganui.
A.J. “Skip” Jackson is a Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, native who now calls Knoxville home. The former Parramatta City Raceway (AUS) and Knoxville Raceway (USA) track champion will wheel the Shaver-powered J&J sprinter number 2AU, which is sponsored by Mid-land Equipment, McCroskey Chevrolet, Acheson Auto Body West, Acheson Auto Sales, Pearson Brothers, and Raceway Concrete. Jackson qualified for the Clean-O World Challenge, presented by www.fleetbuyinggroup.com, by competing in the international qualifier last weekend at Knoxville Raceway.
According to Knoxville director of racing Ralph Capitani, “We are very excited to see the Clean-O World Challenge continue to grow, year after year. I think this year’s event could be the biggest and best yet, with past champions Randy Hannagan, Daryn Pittman and ‘Skip’ Jackson already entered. However, there appears to be a number of young Canadians and New Zealanders that are determined to make the podium this year, and that could make it an exciting finale to our Friday night program at Nationals.”
The final Clean-O World Challenge international qualifier is set for Wednesday, June 8, at the Budweiser Motorsports Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The official entry forms for the Clean-O World Challenge are now available on the newly redesigned Knoxville Raceway web site at www.knoxvilleraceway.com. For more information on Bill Clarkson, Jr., and A.J. “Skip” Jackson, individuals should visit their websites at www.clarkson-motorsport.co.nz and www.skipjackson.net, respectively.
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