By Lonnie Wheatley
TULSA, Okla. (August 2, 2010) – Fresh off a tour of the West Coast, the Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters National series returns to the Midwest in grand style with the 21st edition of the ASCS Knoxville Nationals atop the storied Marion County Fairgrounds ½-mile clay oval in Knoxville, IA, this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Approximately $100,000 will be distributed over the course of the ASCS Knoxville Nationals, with Saturday night’s championship feature winner pocketing $10,000.
Already in triple digits, a total of 100 entries from 25 different states as well as Australia have been submitted as of Monday afternoon.
Leading the way into the 21st Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals is defending event winner and current Lucas Oil Sprint Car points leader Shane Stewart, a native of Bixby, OK.
Stewart currently holds a 142-point advantage over Albuquerque’s Johnny Herrera in the driver’s portion of the $60,000 Lucas Oil Sprint Car championship points chase. Stewart’s car owner, Paul Silva, is locked in a tight battle with the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 entry on the owner point charts, with the JJR team holding a slight 10-point edge.
While Stewart added a second ASCS Knoxville Nationals title last year to the one he first earned in 2007, Eunice, LA, native Jason Johnson is still seeking his first event win. With four Lucas Oil Sprint Car National wins this year, Johnson is atop the series win charts.
Stewart and Johnson lead a stellar group of Lucas Oil Sprint Car contenders that includes Herrera, Jeff Swindell (Bartlett, TN), Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK), Gary Wright (Hooks, TX), Tim Crawley (Benton, AR), Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA), Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX), Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS), Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) and Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK). Wayne Johnson comes off a sweep of this past weekend’s Bullring Nationals in the series debut at California’s Placerville Speedway.
A number of top ASCS Regional contenders will take a shot at the big money as well this weekend including current point leaders Matt Covington (ASCS Lone Star), Dustin Daggett (ASCS Sprints on Dirt) and Jack Dover (ASCS Midwest) along with several past Regional champions including Billy Alley (Midwest), Eric Baldaccini (Lone Star), Lee Grosz, Ray Allen Kulhanek (Gulf South), Randy Martin (Warrior) and Kevin Ramey (Lone Star and Sooner).
Currently, nine past ASCS Knoxville Nationals are slated to be among this weekend’s contenders including three-time winner Terry McCarl, two-time winners Stewart, Billy Alley, Wayne Johnson, Garry Lee Maier and Dennis Moore, Jr., and one-time winners Danny Lasoski, Jeff Swindell and Gary Wright.
Shane Stewart bested a field of 102 competitors to win last year’s ASCS Knoxville Nationals.
The Series:
Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters
When & Where:
21st Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals:
Thursday, August 4 at 7:15 p.m. – Qualifying Night #1
Friday, August 5 at 7:15 p.m. – Qualifying Night #2
Saturday, August 6 at 7:15 p.m. – ASCS Knoxville Nationals Championship Features
Track Information:
Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA) – ½-mile, semi-banked dirt oval located at the north edge of Knoxville, IA on SR 14 at the Marion County Fairgrounds. For more information, contact the track at 641-842-5431 or check http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/.
Lucas Oil ASCS Knoxville Raceway History:
A total of 41 ASCS National events have been completed at Knoxville Raceway including each night of the track’s 360 National over the past 15 years since 1996. Current Lucas Oil Sprint Car points leader Shane Stewart captured his second ASCS Knoxville Nationals title in 2010.
Knoxville Raceway Lucas Oil ASCS National winners include: Wayne Johnson 6, Billy Alley 5, Terry McCarl 4, Shane Stewart 4, Jason Johnson 3, David Hesmer 2, Dennis Moore, Jr. 2, Gary Wright 2, Kenny Adams 1, Johnny Anderson 1, Brian Brown 1, Kaley Gharst 1, Jesse Giannetto 1, Josh Higday 1, John Kearney 1, Matt Moro 1, Jake Peters 1, Roger Rager 1, Jeff Swindell 1, Doug Wolfgang 1, Dusty Zomer 1.
Knoxville Raceway Lucas Oil ASCS Race-by-Race Winners: Doug Wolfgang (7/26/96), Terry McCarl (7/27/96), David Hesmer (7/12/97), David Hesmer (7/30/98), Gary Wright (7/31/98), Gary Wright (8/1/98), Dennis Moore, Jr. (6/12/99), Roger Rager (6/15/00), Matt Moro (6/16/00), Wayne Johnson (6/17/00), John Kearney (6/14/01), Wayne Johnson (6/15/01), Terry McCarl (6/16/01), Jake Peters (6/13/02), Wayne Johnson (6/14/02), Jeff Swindell (6/15/02), Josh Higday (6/13/03), Kenny Adams (6/13/03), Dennis Moore, Jr. (6/14/03), Jason Johnson (6/11/04), Billy Alley (6/12/04), Billy Alley (8/6/04), Dusty Zomer (8/4/05), Billy Alley (8/4/05), Billy Alley (8/5/05), Johnny Anderson (8/3/06), Billy Alley (8/4/06), Jesse Giannetto (8/5/06), Kaley Gharst (8/2/07), Shane Stewart (8/3/07), Shane Stewart (8/4/07), Jason Johnson (6/20/08), Jason Johnson (7/31/08), Wayne Johnson (8/1/08), Wayne Johnson (8/2/08), Wayne Johnson (8/6/09), Terry McCarl (8/7/09), Terry McCarl (8/8/09), Brian Brown (8/5/10), Shane Stewart (8/6/10), Shane Stewart (8/7/10).
Past ASCS Knoxville Nationals Champions:
2010 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
2009 Terry McCarl (Altoona, IA)
2008 Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
2007 Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
2006 Jesse Giannetto (Palo, IA)
2005 Billy Alley (Lincoln, NE)
2004 Billy Alley (Lincoln, NE)
2003 Dennis Moore, Jr. (Grinnell, IA)
2002 Jeff Swindell (Bartlett, TN)
2001 Terry McCarl (Altoona, IA)
2000 Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK)
1999 Dennis Moore, Jr. (Grinnell, IA)
1998 Gary Wright (Hooks, TX)
1997 David Hesmer (Marshalltown, IA)
1996 Terry McCarl (Altoona, IA)
1995 Danny Lasoski (Dover, MO)
1994 Lee Nelson (Ames, IA)
1993 Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS)
1992 Garry Lee Maier (Cimarron, KS)
1991 David Hesmer (Marshalltown, IA)
Pre-Entries: As of Monday afternoon, there are currently 100 Pre-Entries for the 21st Annual ASCS Knoxville Nationals according to www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Entries have been received from 25 different states as well as Australia. States represented include Iowa (28), Missouri (8), Oklahoma (8), South Dakota (8), Texas (7), Nebraska (6), Kansas (5), California (3), Washington (3), Colorado (2), Minnesota (2), New Mexico (2), Ohio (2), Tennessee (2), Arizona (1), Arkansas (1), Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Louisiana (1), Michigan (1), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Pennsylvania (1), Tennessee (1). Two drivers from Australia are currently entered.
Thursday
0 Zach Chappell – Talala, OK
00 Brad Foster – Drovin West, VIC, Aust.
04 Chad Heimbaugh – Pleasant Hill, IA
1 Bronson Maeschen – Pleasantville, IA
1M Chad Humston – Aurora, NE
2K Kevin Ingle – Huron, SD
2L Logan Forler – Eatonville, WA
2M Matt Moro – Polk City, IA
2MX Dustin Daggett – Grand Ledge, MI
4 Jon Agan – Knoxville, IA
4B Eric Baldaccini – Keller, TX
4J Lee Grosz – Harwood, ND
4x Jordan Boston – Lincoln, NE
5JR Jamie Ball – Knoxville, IA
7TAZ Tasker Phillips – Knoxville, IA
7x Dustin Selvage – Indianola, IA
8w Jordan Whitehead – Andover, KS
9M Ricky Montgomery – Lakewood, CO
10 Tyler Groenendyk – Oskaloosa, IA
11c Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK
11cx Dakota Carroll – La Monte, MO
14 Randy Martin – California, MO
21 Brian Brown – Grain Valley, MO
21T Ray Allen Kulhanek – Conroe, TX
22 Billy Alley – Bennet, NE
22K Koby Barksdale – Norman, OK
25 Dylan Peterson – Sioux Falls, SD
28 Jonathan Cornell – Sedalia, MO
28 Jeff Swindell – Bartlett, TN
29 Travis Rilat – Forney, TX
29x Bud Kaeding – Campbell, CA
33 Alan Zoutte – Knoxville, IA
33A Austin Alumbaugh – Higginsville, MO
41 Jason Johnson – Eunice, LA
43 AJ Selenke – Wichita, KS
45c Russ Hall – Des Moines, IA
45k Kolt Walker – Graham, TX
47 Brant O’Banion – Norfolk, NE
49 Brad Sweet – Grass Valley, CA
51 David Hall – Des Moines, IA
53 Joe Beaver – Knoxville, IA
54 Casey Friedrichsen – Arthur, IA
55 Terry McCarl – Altoona, IA
56 Davey Heskin – St. Michael, MN
56JC Johnn Cressman – Hartford, SD
71 RJ Johnson – Tampa, FL
71R Ryan Anderson – Deloit, IA
79 Calvin Landis – Knoxville, IA
87 Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX
92C Cody Ambers – Knoxville, IA
94 Derek Hagar – Marion, AR
98 JD Johnson – Wichita, KS
99 Brady Bacon – Broken Arrow, OK
Friday
04x Cap Henry – Bellevue, OH
09 Matt Juhl – Estherville, IA
1s Sammy Swindell – Germantown, TN
1w Chad Meyer – Harrisburg, SD
1x Garry Lee Maier – Dodge City, KS
2 Josh Higday – Des Moines, IA
2D Bryan Dobesh – Sioux Falls, SD
2H Jason Eckard – Milford, IA
3 Nate Van Haaften – Otley, IA
3G TBA
5 Kyle McCutcheon – Alamogordo, NM
5J Larry Ball Jr. – Knoxville, IA
6G Bryan Gossel – Ft. Collins, CO
7M Kevin Ramey – Ft. Worth, TX
8L Tom Lenz – Marion, IA
9 Gary Wright – Hooks, TX
9MX Cody Baker – Lone Jack, MO
9P Rager Phillips – Pleasantville, IA
11x Gregg Bakker – Sioux Falls, SD
12 Rod Richards – Van Meter, IA
D12 Dennis Moore Jr. – Grinnell, IA
14T Brooke Tatnell – Sans Souci, New South Wales AUS
18 Tony Bruce Jr. – Liberal, KS
18R Ryan Roberts – Aurora, NE
19s Steven Cross – Clinton, MO
21A Dustin Beenken – Sheldon, IA
22H Randy Hannagan – San Jose, CA
23 Seth Bergman – Everett, WA
23w Scott Winters – Butterfield, MN
27 Daryn Pittman – Owasso, OK
33L Danny Lasoski – Higginsville, MO
35 Ronnie Blair – Troy, OH
38 Wayne Johnson – Oklahoma City, OK
40 Clint Garner – Sioux Falls, SD
41W Joshua Williams – Glendale, AZ
45x Johnny Herrera – Albuquerque, NM
47T Tony Shilling – Knoxville, IA
51H Mike Hess – Springfield, IL
53D Jack Dover – Springfield, NE
57 Shane Stewart – Broken Arrow, OK
57X Jake Peters – Sioux Falls, SD
81 Danny Wood – Norman, OK
83 Tim Shaffer – Aliquippa, PA
87B Jason Barney – Bremerton, NY
87J Justin Carver – Drummonds, TN
89G David Gravel – Watertown, CT
91 Henry Van Dam – Enumclaw, WA
Current Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters Points:
Driver Points (Top 15): 1. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK) 1,816, 2. Johnny Herrera (Albuquerque, NM) 1,674 3. Jeff Swindell (Bartlett, TN) 1,622 4. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK) 1,578, 5. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX) 1,537, 6. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR) 1,502, 7. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA) 1,454, 8. Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX) 1,432, 9. Tony Bruce, Jr. (Liberal, KS) 1,350, 10. Jason Johnson (Eunice, LA) 1,274, 11. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK) 1,237, 12. Wayne Johnson (Oklahoma City, OK) 1,096, 13. Logan Forler (Eatonville, WA) 1,091, 14. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK) 877, 15. Tim Kaeding (San Jose, CA) 776.
Owner Points (Top 15): 1. Jason Johnson Racing #41 – 1,826, 2. Paul Silva #57 – 1,816, 3. Herrera/Main #45x – 1,674, 4. Swindell Group #28 – 1,622, 5. Bacon/Tel-Star #99 – 1,578, 6. Mike Ward #88 – 1,502, 7. Petersen Motorsports #23 1,454, 8. Kenny Reutzel #87 – 1,432, 9. Bruce Racing #18 – 1,350, 10. Randy Washburn #0 – 1,237, 11. Bryan Sundby #38 – 1,096, 12. Steve Forler #2L – 1,091, 13. Gary Wright #9 – 941, 14. M&M Motorsports #2 – 877, 15. Cooper/Sperry #01/51 – 872.
2011 Lucas Oil Sprint Car Feature Winners:
Jason Johnson 4, Wayne Johnson 2, Jack Dover 1, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. 1, Johnny Herrera 1, Tim Kaeding 1, Kyle Larson 1, Shane Stewart 1, Jeff Swindell 1, Gary Wright 1.
Lucas Oil ASCS presented by K&N Filters – A Look Ahead:
August 19/20 – Jackson Speedway (Jackson, MN)
September 23/24 – Lucas Oil Speedway (Wheatland, MO)
Lucas Oil ASCS on the Web:
Those unable to catch all the action in person can listen to every Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters live at www.racinboys.com.
Official results, championship point updates, photos and race notes will be available at www.ascsracing.com.
Lucas Oil ASCS on TV:
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters will be featured in nine one-hour shows broadcast on a tape-delayed basis on the VERSUS Network and MavTV.
The full schedule according to www.motorsportshour.com is as follows:
Thunderbowl Raceway (Feb. 9) – 4/23/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Kings Speedway (Feb. 12) – 5/7/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
USA Raceway (Feb. 18) – 5/29/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
USA Raceway (Feb. 19) – 6/5/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Eagle Raceway (RAINED OUT) – 9/11/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Eagle Raceway (June 11) – 9/18/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Grays Harbor Raceway (RAINED OUT) – 10/30/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Cottage Grove Speedway (July 22) – 11/6/11 @ 6:00 p.m. ET
Cottage Grove Speedway (July 23) – TBA
The Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters is currently slated for 35 nights of racing action at 14 different tracks throughout the nation, with the country’s top Sprint Car drivers set to battle it out for their share of the $250,000 points fund.
The 2011 season marks the 20th year of sanctioning Sprint Car racing for the American Sprint Car Series, with approximately 200 nights of competition at tracks throughout the nation and into Canada. Anchored by the Lucas Oil Sprint Car Series presented by K&N Filters, ASCS also consists of ten different Regions throughout the nation.
Additional information regarding the American Sprint Car Series is available at www.ascsracing.com.