KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 21, 2018) — Brian Brown, Joey Saldana, and Kelby Watt scored victories Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway. Brown overcame a couple of close calls in slower traffic that allowed Austin McCarl to drive by for the lead on two different occasions, overcoming both to secure the lead and the victory. Saldana picked up his first win in the 360 sprint car division at Knoxville Raceway while Watt also overcame losing the lead early in the 305 feature to retake the top spot in the closing stages.
Father/son front row with Austin and Terry McCarl on the front row of the 410 sprint car feature, but Brian Brown broke up the family affair driving to the lead with Austin and Terry McCarl in tow. Terry tried to slide by his second between turns one and two for the second spot on lap two but could not make the pass.
On lap 10 Brown stumbled while running the cushion and allowed Austin McCarl to close and take the lead between turns three and four, but Brown was able to retake the lead. When Brown started to enter lapped traffic, he tagged the right rear of a slower car which allowed Austin McCarl to take the lead.
Brown closed again on traffic and drove back to the inside of Austin McCarl to take the lead again, but Brown was picked again by a slower car which allowed to Austin McCarl to take away the top spot. As the leaders entered slower traffic Terry McCarl and Kerry Madsen quickly closed in lead duo when the red flag appeared on lap 17 when Brooke Tatnell and Chris Martin tangled with Tatnell getting upside down.
Brown closed quickly on Austin McCarl for the lead after the restart, sliding past McCarl to lake the lead between turns three and four. Behind them Terry McCarl and Kerry Madsen tangled while racing for second with Madsen getting upside down. R.J. Johnson then mad heard contact with Madsen and turned over as well. All drivers exited the cars under their own power.
Brown pulled away during the final restart from Austin McCarl as Cory Eliason drove into third with Davey Heskin following him through for fourth spot. Eliason and Heskin then tussled for third while Brown drove away for the victory. Austin McCarl held on for second while Eliason, Heskin, and Terry McCarl rounded out the top five.
Hafaertepe and Saldana made up the front row for the 360 sprint car feature. After the first attempt to star the main ended up with a caution flag when Thomas Kennedy’s top wing inverted into turn one, forcing him to slow. During the second try to start the main Saldana drove away from the field going into the first corner while Eliason and Hafertepe raced for second with Eilason taking the spot. Saldana just started to overtake slower car on lap eight when the caution appeared for debris between turns one and two.
Eliason tried sliding Saldana through turns one and two during the restart but could not make the pass. That was the last time Saldana was seriously challenged as he drove way for the victory. Eliason held on to the runner up spot with Hafertepe, Giles, and Johnson rounding out the top five.
Watt overcame a mistake early on in the 305 sprint car feature that allowed Mike Mayberry to take the lead following a restart on lap seven. After a red flag for Vance Weber getting uptside down Mayberry changed his line and was able to pass Watt with three laps to go to retake the lead. Mayberry would not relinquish the top position driving away for the win. Mayberry held on for second while Matthew Stelzer, Jayce Jenkins, and Eric Bridger rounded out the top five.