A twenty-minute delay after a power surge couldn’t stop Kerry Madsen from sweeping the evening’s festivities, including the non-stop 20-lap National Sprint League feature at Knoxville Raceway Saturday night. The St. Mary’s, New South Wales, Australia native took the lead at about the halfway point from his brother Ian, and took home the $5,000 prize aboard the Keneric Racing #29 for his 19th career main event win here.
A half a lap after the green flag fell in the 20-lap NSL main event, a power surge temporarily knocked out a number of lights around the race track. A 20-minute delay ensued, but it just built the anticipation for what would be another great race at Knoxville.
Ian Madsen shot out from his starting spot outside row one once the lights were restored. Brooke Tatnell and a surging Craig Dollansky gave chase. Brian Brown and Kerry Madsen battled for the fourth spot, and Brown garnered that position on lap four. In great racing action, Kerry battled past Brown and Dollansky to claim third a lap later.
Meanwhile, Tim Kaeding was on the move from his starting spot in row four. He took fifth from Brown on lap six and claimed fourth from Dollansky a lap later. Meanwhile, Kerry was on the move, shooting around Tatnell for second on lap eight. After reeling in Ian, he would power by with a slider to lead lap nine.
A three-way battle for third was on, between Kaeding, Tatnell and Brown in the middle stages. After a heated battle, Brown would wrestle that spot from Kaeding on lap fourteen. With five laps to go, Kerry led Ian, Brown, Kaeding and Tatnell. Brown looked to be gaining on the leaders on the cushion, but when he chose a lower groove, Kaeding would secure the third position behind Kerry and Ian at the checkers. Brown and hard-charger Sammy Swindell would follow. Tatnell, Danny Lasoski, Dollansky, Terry McCarl and Davey Heskin would round out the top ten. Kerry’s sweep also included setting quick time and winning his heat race. Austin McCarl and Dollansky won the other heats, while Tasker Phillips claimed the B main.
“The guys gave me a great race car,” said Kerry Madsen in Victory Lane. “They worked their guts off all day to get that ready. Fortunately, for me, I had to move around. Dollansky came up through there pretty quick, and we had to make some moves to figure out the line. It’s great to be here. We make the effort to come back to Knoxville, because it’s a great place. We enjoy that we’re welcomed here, and we’re glad to be a part of a great track like Knoxville.”
The 18-lap 360 main event would see five lead changes early. Front row starters, Carson McCarl and Ryan Giles, would exchange the point four times in the first four laps. That was halted when Rob Weuve spun in turn four. McCarl would lead Giles, Clint Garner, Joe Beaver and Nate Van Haaften back to the green.
Garner would hit a cushion that was nearing the wall and first grab second and then the lead shortly after the green flag fell. Meanwhile, Van Haaften was on the move, surging into the top three by lap five. While Van Haaften chose the low line, Tony Shilling was reeling him in on the top. He and Van Haaften would exchange third twice before the latter grabbed it for good on lap 11.
While Garner was out front, Van Haaften was gaining speed. He overcame Giles for second coming for the white flag lap. While Garner stumbled behind a lapper, Van Haaften closed in. At the checkers, Garner would claim his 26th career 360 win here by .261 seconds over Van Haaften. Giles, Shilling and Matt Moro followed the lead pair. McCarl, hard-charger Josh Schneiderman, Beaver, Calvin Landis and John Schulz rounded out the top ten. Garner set quick time, while Landis, Shilling and Beaver won heats.
“I didn’t want to push the issue there,” said Garner in Victory Lane. “The track really got slick there, and I was running with my tongue hanging out for most of that. Running that cushion was the highest I’ve been this year for sure. It was a blast running up there. I figured when I caught the lapped cars, I’d make sure the track was covered. It’s hard to pass when there’s nowhere to go.”
Christian Bowman fired out early to lead the 15-lap 305 feature ahead of Mike Mayberry and Devin Kline. Kline would utilize the bottom of the track, surging from third to the lead on the fifth lap. Behind him, McKenna Haase grabbed third from Mayberry and second from Bowman on lap six and seven.
A lap ten caution for a spun Dan Henning tightened the field. Kline led Haase, Bowman, Mayberry and Chris Walraven back to green. Haase would poke the nose of her car under Kline on lap 11 entering turn three. When Kline suddenly cut in front of her, she had to hit the brakes and lost her momentum. She was back, however, two laps later, sticking the bottom of turn four to take the lead on lap 13.
The leaders were past the flag stand when Joe Simbro spun on the backstretch, bringing the final caution. Haase was able to hold off Kline for her third career win. Bowman, Mayberry and Kade Higday followed. Corey Kautz, Chase Wanner, Walraven, Brad Comegys and Cliff Jones competed the top ten. Haase also set quick time, while Wanner and Higday were the heat winners.
“It’s been a rough year for my team and me both off and on the track,” said an excited Haase in Victory Lane. “It’s a blessing to be here and have my team here in good health. I was a little worried, because I lost a lot of ground (after her first bid to get by Kline). I was able to get back underneath him though.”
Join us next Friday night, June 24 for a blast from the past at “Nostalgia at Knoxville”. All three sprint car classes will be back in action Saturday night, June 25 for Marion County Farm Bureau Mid-Season Championship Night featuring $5,000 to win with the National Sprint League! Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame inductions will also be a part of the weekend. For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
- administrator on Jun 21, 2016
- Article Date: 6/18/2016