KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA, April 28, 2012 – Sammy Swindell emerged victorious on a cool, but action-packed Mediacom Shootout Saturday at the Knoxville Raceway! The Bartlett, Tennessee driver shot by Brian Brown on lap 15 in the 25-lap event to claim his 48th career win at the historic oval. It was Swindell’s fifth career Knoxville season opening win, but his first since 1986.
Brown led from the pole at the outset after a lap one tangle saw Rager Phillips, Don Droud Jr. and Kraig Kinser get upside down. Only Kinser would continue. On lap two, Joey Saldana cruised by Craig Dollansky to take the runner-up spot, before Ian Madsen spun and tipped over in turn two. Though he continued, he repeated the maneuver on the restart.
Swindell began to assert himself at that point, taking third from Dollansky on the restart, and second from Saldana on lap five. Brown continued a steady pace into traffic. Dollansky claimed third from Saldana on lap 13.
Brown was in heavy traffic on lap 15, and Swindell found a middle to low groove coming off of turn four to claim the lead for good. One stoppage occurred on lap 19, when sixth running, Kerry Madsen tangled with the lapped machine of Robby Wolfgang. He would recover for twelfth.
Both Dollansky and Saldana moved by Brown after the restart with six laps to go, while Swindell cruised to victory. Following Dollansky, Saldana and Brown in fifth was Danny Lasoski, who grabbed the spot from Donny Schatz in the last corner. Dusty Zomer (from 21st) was seventh, followed by hard-charger, Jason Sides (from 23rd), Brad Sweet and Terry McCarl.
“The whole Big Game Treestands team worked hard all night,” said Swindell in Victory Lane. “We were off some. We just kept working on it, and we were really close. It’s a good base for us to come back next time and win another one. I can win every time I’m here if things go right. We’re capable of doing that. My good luck charm, Zoe, is helping me behind the scenes.”
It was a thrilling finish with a surprise result in the 360 class. Nate Van Haaften was awarded his second career feature win after a race-long battle with Josh Higday. After Higday made a last lap pass for the lead, he was disqualified for using an illegal tire. The win was then awarded to Van Haaften.
Lee Grosz crashed hard at the initial try at a green flag. He was uninjured. Tom Lenz led early in the 18-lapper from his front row starting spot. On lap three, Higday surged to the point, but Lenz came back to lead lap four. On lap six, Van Haaften entered the fray, passing the lead pair to take the point for the next eight circuits.
Higday worked by Lenz for second on lap 11 before Joe Beaver had his front-end knocked out on lap 13. The caution period saw Van Haaften leading Higday, Lenz, Clint Garner and David Hall back to green flag racing.
Higday again worked into the lead on lap 14, but Van Haaften denied him again with a pass a lap later. The exciting finish saw Higday get around Van Haaften on the final circuit, only to be DQed.
“We settled into the bottom and really made it work,” said Van Haaften in Victory Lane. “We got into traffic, and I really thought it cost us the win on the last lap. This was a lucky deal. Josh is a great competitor, and it’s an honor to run that close with him.”
Next week marks Knoxville Championship Cup Series action at the Knoxville Raceway and it will feature all three sprint divisions on Saturday night! The 1st Annual Knoxville IMCA Shootout will be Sunday, featuring four divisions of racing. For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
- Admin Account on Apr 30, 2012
- Article Date: 4/28/2012 by Bill Wright