By T.J. Buffenbarger
ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 13, 2017) – ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 13, 2017) – Kerry Madsen opening the Kings Royal weekend at Eldora Speedway in victory lane winning the Joker’s Wild main event for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. Madsen waited out a rain delay that held up the start of the program for three and 20 minutes and a handy injury that occurred during the race to led all 30-laps in route to the victory.
“That was 30 wild open laps for me, that was cool,” Madsen said grimacing in victory lane while favoring his hand. “Bouncing all over the joint you get in dirty air and don’t know where to go. The car was quick, so that was a confidence builder. There are so many good cars here if you make one mistake in traffic they are going to get you.”
The rain delay produced a very fast, heavy track that Madsen did not mind.
“Just put the pedal to the metal, keep it wide open, and go for clean lines. I don’t mind getting on a track like that when its elbows up and foot down.”
The initial start to the 30-lap main event was short lived as Brady Bacon got up into the cushion and ended up in the wall upside down. Bacon emerged from the car uninjured.
During the second attempt to start the feature Madsen and Sweet raced side by side for the opening lap, crossing lines in three and four before Madsen led at the stripe. Madsen then pulled away from Sweet, Brian Brown, and David Gravel.
By lap eight Madsen started overtaking slower cars at the back of the field. After blasting through traffic at a furious pace Madsen was held up in traffic on lap 10, allowing Sweet and Brown to close.
Just as it appeared Sweet might mount a challenge to Madsen for the lead the caution flag appeared for Logan Schuchart stopped up against the infield wall in turn four with a broken front axle. Schuchart was unable to continue.
Madsen chose the outside lane for the restart. As Madsen and Sweet came slowly to the restart the field bunched up when the green came out. Brian Brown got a run on the outside and moved past Sweet for second in turn two just as the start was called back.
The second attempt at the restart saw Madsen lead with Sweet holding onto second ahead of Brown.
From there Madsen pulled away blasting through Eldora’s choppy cushion unchallenged to victory. Sweet held on for second with Brown rounding out the podium.
For Sweet it was the third time in four races he ran second to Madsen.
“I wish Kerry would just go home,” said Sweet jokingly after running second. “He’s beat us three nights now. We ran second to him at Cedar Lake both nights and again tonight. I can’t complain about a second-place finish. The track was what it was, it got little bit of rain and we were lucky to get the show in. We’ll take a second, try to work on our car, and obviously Saturday is the big night. We have one more night to get a little better.”
For Brown a third place finish was a missed opportunity after moving into second with the restart that was called back.
“We had a fast race car, I think a lot of it was circumstantial. I needed that restart where I go to second and they called that one back. We’ll take third, I’m proud of this podium so far from home.”
Jokers Wild
World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series
Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, OH
Thursday July 13, 2017
Qualifying Flight #1: 1. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 12.862; 2. 18 – Ian Madsen, 12.945; 3. 2 – Kerry Madsen, 12.957; 4. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 13.012; 5. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.028; 6. 2 – Shane Stewart, 13.038; 7. 15 – Donny Schatz, 13.061; 8. 12 – Cole Duncan, 13.073; 9. 24 – Rico Abreu, 13.114; 10. 49 – Shawn Dancer, 13.156; 11. 4 – Paul McMahan, 13.180; 12. W20 – Greg Wilson, 13.214; 13. 55XM – Dale Blaney, 13.248; 14. 07 – Ryan Smith, 13.254; 15. 2 – Parker Price-Miller, 13.266; 16. 21AU – Jordyn Brazier, 13.293; 17. 83 – Rob Chaney, 13.314; 18. 45 – Trevor Baker, 13.320; 19. 7S – Jason Sides, 13.348; 20. 19M – Paige Polyak, 13.348; 21. 17 – Josh Baughman, 13.373; 22. 1A – Jacob Allen, 13.399; 23. 7 – Joe Swanson, 13.631; 24. 22M – Dan McCarron, 13.882.
Qualifying Flight #2: 1. 5 – David Gravel, 12.847; 2. 21 – Brian Brown, 12.923; 3. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 12.954; 4. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 13.008; 5. 17 – Jac Haudenschild, 13.013; 6. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 13.017; 7. 49 – Brad Sweet, 13.036; 8. 41 – Jason Johnson, 13.055; 9. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 13.101; 10. 7K – Cale Conley, 13.103; 11. 99 – Brady Bacon, 13.126; 12. 41S – Dominic Scelzi, 13.155; 13. 13 – Clyde Knipp, 13.160; 14. 44 – Trey Starks, 13.183; 15. 19M – Brent Marks, 13.213; 16. 14 – Christopher Bell, 13.238; 17. 3 – Sammy Swindell, 13.434; 18. 11N – Craig Mintz, 13.435; 19. 3H – James McFadden, 13.542; 20. 23 – D.J. Foos, 13.597; 21. 27Z – Sean Zemunik, 13.605; 22. 97 – Mitch Wormall, 13.651; 23. 71M – Paul May, 13.749; 24. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 13.798.
Heat Race #1 (8 laps): 1. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 2. 2M – Kerry Madsen, 3. 15 – Donny Schatz, 4. 4 – Paul McMahan, 5. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 6. 24 – Rico Abreu, 7. 2X – Parker Price-Miller, 8. 7S – Jason Sides, 9. 17 – Josh Baughman, 10. 55MX – Dale Blaney, 11. 82 – Rob Chaney, 12. 7J – Joe Swanson. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 18 – Ian Madsen, 2. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 3. 2 – Shane Stewart, 4. W20 – Greg Wilson, 5. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 6. 12N – Cole Duncan, 7. 07 – Ryan Smith, 8. 19M – Paige Polyahk, 9. 21AU Jordyn Brazier, 10. 45 – Trevor Baker, 11. 22M – Dan McCaron, 12. 1A – Jacob Allen. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 5 – David Gravel, 2. 49 – Brad Sweet, 3. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 4. 17 – Jac Haudenschild, 5. 99 – Brady Bacon, 6. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 7. 19M – Brent Marks, 8. 3H – James McFadden, 9. 13 – Clyde Knipp, 10. 27Z – Sean Zemunik. DNS: 3 – Sammy Swindell. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 21 – Brian Brown, 2. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 3. 41 – Jason Johnson, 4. 41S – Dominic Scelzi, 5. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 6. 14 – Christopher Bell, 7. 7K – Cale Conley, 8. 44 – Trey Starks, 9. 11N – Craig MIntz, 10. 97W – Mitch Wormall, 11. 23 – D.J. Foos, 27 – Brad Lamberson. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
C-Main (10 Laps): 1. 45 – Trevor Baker, 2. 3H – James McFadden, 3. 19P – Paige Polyak, 4. 23 – D.J. Foos, 5. 17X – Josh Baughman, 6. 97W – Mitch Wormall, 7. 22M – Dan McCarron, 8. 27 – Brad Lamberson. DNS: 7S – Jason Sides, 27Z – Sean Zemunik, 1A – Jacob Allen, 3 – Sammy Swindell, 7J – Joe Swanson. (First two finishers transferred to the B-Main)
Dash (6 Laps): 1. 2M – Kerry Madsen, 2. 49 – Brad Sweet, 3. 21 – Brian Brown, 4. 5 – David Gravel, 5. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 6. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 7. 18 – Ian Madsen, 8. 9 – Daryn Pittman. (Finish determined the first eight starting spots in the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps): 1. 12N – Cole Duncan, 2. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 3. 24 – Rico Abreu, 4. 19 – Brent Marks, 5. 7K – Cole Conley, 6. 14 – Christopher Bell, 7. 07 – Ryan Smith, 8. 13 – Clyde Knipp, 9. 55MX – Dale Blaney, 10. 11N – Craig Mintz, 11. 44 – Trey Starks, 12. 45 – Trevor Baker, 13. 2X – Parker Price-Miller, 14. 21Au – Jordyn Brazier. DNS: 83 – Rob Chaney, 3H – James McFadden. (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
A-Main (30 Laps): 1. 2M – Kerry Madsen, 2. 49 – Brad Sweet, 3. 21 – Brian Brown, 4. 49X – Tim Shaffer, 5. 5 – David Gravel, 6. 2 – Shane Stewart, 7. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 8. 18 – Ian Madsen, 9. 15 – Donny Schatz, 10. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 11. 41 – Jason Johnson, 12. 19 – Brent Marks, 13. 24 – Rico Abreu, 14. 10H – Chad Kemenah, 15. 93 – Sheldon Haudenschild, 16. 41S – Dominic Scelzi, 17. 4 – Paul McMahan, 18. W20 – Greg Wilson, 19. 12N – Cole Duncan, 20. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 21. 49D – Shawn Dancer, 22. 22. 81 – Lee Jacobs, 23. 17 – Jac Haudenschild, 24. 99 – Brady Bacon.