Brown, Garner, and Beaver Win at Knoxville Raceway

Brian Brown. (T.J. Buffenbarger photo)

From Bill Wright

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 24, 2021) — Brian Brown returned to Knoxville Raceway and led every lap to take home his 54th career win on Saturday night. The Grain Valley, Missouri native earned $5,000 for his victory aboard the Brian Brown Racing #21. Clint Garner held off a stout 31-car 360 field for his 43rd win here. Joe Beaver won his first ever Pace Performance Pro Sprints feature with a late race pass.

The 25-lap 410 feature saw Brown shoot out from his pole position starting spot ahead of Lynton Jeffrey, Tasker Phillips, Justin Henderson and Davey Heskin. Henderson and Heskin moved by Phillips for third and fourth respectively, before the leaders entered lapped traffic on the sixth circuit.

Heskin gained momentum in traffic, disposing of both Henderson and Jeffrey on the low side to take over the second spot. Henderson would follow him into third on lap nine. Sawyer Phillips entered the top four on lap ten.

Brown continued to knife through traffic, while Austin McCarl gained momentum late in the race. He captured fourth from Sawyer Phillips on lap 15, rode the cushion around Henderson for third on lap 17, and passed Heskin in lapped traffic to take over the runner-up spot with six to go.

Brown was gone, winning by over three seconds, but the battle was on for second. Heskin regained his momentum on the low side and cruised back into the second spot by the checkers. McCarl was third, ahead of Henderson and Sawyer Phillips. Tasker Phillips, Matt Juhl, Terry McCarl, Lynton Jeffrey and Carson McCarl rounded out the top ten. Jeffrey set quick time, while Terry McCarl, AJ Moeller and Henderson won heats.

“Obviously, we had a good starting spot and that helps,” said Brown in Victory Lane. “We went to Eldora last week and learned a lot that I think really helped us. My hat’s off to (new crew chief) Danny (Lasoski), he just came on a week and a half ago. It’s crunch time. Every lap is very, very important. I don’t know how far I was ahead. I felt like I was making decent time in traffic, but not great. It doesn’t matter when you go to the bank on Monday.”

Like Brown, Clint Garner took off from the pole in the 18-lap 360 feature, with Josh Higday, Jeffrey, Matt Moro and Ryan Giles in tow. Jeffrey quickly moved into second, while Giles began a move forward, gaining fourth on lap three and moving into the tp three on lap four.

Jack Dover advanced quickly from his starting spot in row six. He was into the top five five laps in, and took fourth a lap later, as the leaders entered lapped traffic.

On lap ten, Giles worked by Jeffrey for second, but Garner was splitting a pair of lappers to extend his advantage. Dover used the low side to move by Jeffrey on lap 13, before Kaleb Johnson spun to bring the only caution.

Garner took off again and was never headed, while Giles finished second. Jeffrey and Dover exchanged third twice in the late stages with Jeffrey grabbing the spot coming out of turn four on the final lap. Jamie Ball was fifth. Higday, Moro, Riley Goodno, Skylar Prochaska and Calvin Landis completed the top ten. Jeffrey also set quick time in the 360’s, and Garner, Dover and Prochaska were heat winners. Rob Kubli claimed the B.

“If (lapped traffic) was hard for me, it was hard for everybody,” said Garner in Victory Lane. “I kind of wanted to see (the caution), just to find out what kind of car we had. There were good cars behind us, and when you take off and run, you don’t really know. I’m happy, happy, happy! (The wins) are really hard to get.”

The 15-lap Pro Sprints feature saw Tyler Groenendyk lead from the pole ahead of Mike Mayberry, Joe Beaver, Devin Wignall and Eric Bridger. Groenendyk’s run would come to an end when his car went up in smoke four laps in.

Mayberry assumed the lead at that point. Cam Martin slowed seven laps in the books to bring the only caution. Mayberry led Beaver, Wignall, Bridger and Chase Young back to green. Wignall quickly pounced, moving into second, while Young moved up to fourth.

While Mayberry led, Beaver kept the pressure on Wignall for second. With three to go, he hit the low side of turn four to claim the second spot. That gave him serious momentum in running down Mayberry, and on the bottom of turns one and two, he made his winning move on lap 13.

Wignall made a last corner pass for the second spot, ahead of Mayberry, young and Alex Vande Voort. Jeff Wilke, Bridger, Brandon Worthington, Tyler Barrick and Scotty Johnson rounded out the top ten. Beaver and Mayberry were heat race winners.

“Unfortunately, we’re down (from the 360’s) with some motor issues,” said Beaver in Victory Lane. “It’s not cherry picking in this class I’ll tell you. They kicked my butt the first couple of times out with them. Every class here is competitive. I tried everything I could to give that race away. I don’t know how many times I jumped the berm. If anybody knows me, they know running the bottom was painful.”

Knoxville Raceway
Knoxville, Iowa
Saturday, July 24, 2021

Winged 410 Sprint Cars

Qualifying
1. 83, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (19), 15.914
2. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (10), 15.957
3. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (17), 15.982
4. 56N, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (12), 16.009
5. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (4), 16.011
6. 42, Sye Lynch, Apollo, PA (3), 16.041
7. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (1), 16.094
8. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (15), 16.172
9. 7, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (8), 16.192
10. 17A, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (22), 16.241
11. 1M, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (16), 16.254
12. 7C, John Carney II, El Paso, TX (2), 16.291
13. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (11), 16.295
14. 73, Scotty Thiel, Sheboygan, WI (5), 16.357
15. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (13), 16.42
16. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (9), 16.488
17. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (14), 16.518
18. 2KS, Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH (21), 16.671
19. 7J, Devin Kline, Knoxville, IA (7), 16.729
20. 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (24), 16.822
21. 5, Presley Truedson, Kennedy, MN (20), 16.932
22. 83A, Austin Miller, Lacona, IA (23), 16.938
23. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (18), 17.097
24. 52F, Logan Faucon, Elkhart, IL (6), 17.58

Heat Race #1, 8 Laps, No Time
1. Terry McCarl (1)
2. Sawyer Phillips (4)
3. Riley Goodno (2)
4. Austin McCarl (3)
5. Davey Heskin (5)
6. Lynton Jeffrey (6)
7. Devin Kline (7)
8. Austin Miller (8)

Heat Race #2, 8 Laps, No Time
1. AJ Moeller (1)
2. Don Droud Jr. (3)
3. Tasker Phillips (5)
4. Matt Juhl (4)
5. Scotty Thiel (2)
6. Carson McCarl (6)
7. Bobby Mincer (7)
8. Joe Simbro (8)

Heat Race #3, 8 Laps, No Time
1. Justin Henderson (4)
2. Brian Brown (6)
3. Chad Kemenah (1)
4. Presley Truedson (7)
5. Sye Lynch (5)
6. John Carney II (3)
7. Chris Martin (2)
8. Logan Faucon (8)

A main, 25 Laps, No Time
1. Brian Brown (1)
2. Davey Heskin (7)
3. Austin McCarl (11)
4. Justin Henderson (5)
5. Sawyer Phillips (4)
6. Tasker Phillips (2)
7. Matt Juhl (9)
8. Terry McCarl (12)
9. Lynton Jeffrey (3)
10. Carson McCarl (6)
11. Riley Goodno (14)
12. Chris Martin (19)
13. Sye Lynch (8)
14. Don Droud Jr. (10)
15. Scotty Thiel (17)
16. Chad Kemenah (15)
17. AJ Moeller (13)
18. Presley Truedson (18)
19. John Carney II (16)
20. Devin Kline (20)
21. Bobby Mincer (21)
22. Joe Simbro (23)
23. Austin Miller (22)

Winged 360 Sprint Cars

Qualifying
1. 83L, Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City, IA (11), 16.509
2. 2M, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (4), 16.583
3. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (2), 16.59
4. 35, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (7), 16.616
5. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (10), 16.625
6. 9M, Ricky Montgomery, Denver, CO (1), 16.765
7. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (12), 16.787
8. 22K, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD (8), 16.805
9. 9, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (20), 16.82
10. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (15), 16.841
11. 53D, Jack Dover, Springfield, NE (29), 16.876
12. 15, Christian Bowman, Altoona, IA (9), 16.89
13. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (18), 16.908
14. 5M, Collin Moyle, Knoxville, IA (28), 16.94
15. 24T, Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN (14), 16.945
16. 2F, Casey Friedrichsen, Arthur, IA (5), 17.043
17. J2, John Carney II, El Paso, TX (13), 17.057
18. 35P, Skylar Prochaska, Lakefield, MN (22), 17.075
19. 23K, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (19), 17.092
20. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (30), 17.152
21. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (17), 17.199
22. 7M, Chance Morton, Coweta, OK (21), 17.212
23. 14J, Mike Johnston, Des Moines, IA (31), 17.308
24. 2C, Whit Gastineau, Moore, OK (24), 17.309
25. 35L, Cody Ledger, Omaha, NE (27), 17.311
26. 28V, Luke Verardi, Taylorville, IL (3), 17.402
27. 27B, Jake Martens, Fairview, OK (25), 17.406
28. 2, Chase Porter, St. Joseph, MO (23), 17.42
29. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (16), 17.675
30. 8M, Kade Morton, Coweta, OK (26), 17.876
31. 55B, Brandon Anderson, Glenpool, OK (6), 17.53

Heat Race #1, 7 Laps, No Time
1. Clint Garner (4)
2. Josh Higday (5)
3. Lynton Jeffrey (6)
4. Calvin Landis (3)
5. Casey Friedrichsen (1)
6. Cody Ledger (9)
7. Chase Porter (10)
8. Chance Morton (8)
9. Rob Kubli (7)
10. Brandon Anderson (11)
11. Ryan Leavitt (2)

Heat Race #2, 7 Laps, No Time
1. Jack Dover (3)
2. John Carney II (1)
3. Kaleb Johnson (4)
4. Matt Moro (6)
5. Jamie Ball (5)
6. Riley Goodno (7)
7. Collin Moyle (2)
8. Mike Johnston (8)
9. John Anderson (10)
10. Luke Verardi (9)

Heat Race #3, 7 Laps, No Time
1. Skylar Prochaska (1)
2. Ryan Giles (4)
3. Christopher Thram (2)
4. Christian Bowman (3)
5. Nathan Mills (6)
6. Ricky Montgomery (5)
7. Kade Morton (10)
8. Jake Martens (9)
9. Whit Gastineau (8)

B main, 10 Laps, No Time
1. Rob Kubli (1)
2. Chance Morton (3)
3. Whit Gastineau (5)
4. Jake Martens (7)
5. Mike Johnston (4)
6. Kade Morton (10)
7. Chase Porter (8)
8. Brandon Anderson (11)
9. John Anderson (9)
10. Luke Verardi (6)

A main, 18 Laps, No Time
1. Clint Garner (1)
2. Ryan Giles (6)
3. Lynton Jeffrey (4)
4. Jack Dover (9)
5. Jamie Ball (7)
6. Josh Higday (3)
7. Matt Moro (2)
8. Riley Goodno (18)
9. Skylar Prochaska (12)
10. Calvin Landis (11)
11. Nathan Mills (5)
12. John Carney II (14)
13. Ricky Montgomery (10)
14. Chance Morton (22)
15. Ryan Leavitt (20)
16. Rob Kubli (21)
17. Kaleb Johnson (8)
18. Whit Gastineau (23)
19. Christopher Thram (15)
20. Collin Moyle (17)
21. Cody Ledger (19)
22. Casey Friedrichsen (16)
23. Jake Martens (24)
24. Christian Bowman (13)

Pro Sprints

Heat Race #1, 6 Laps, No Time
1. Joe Beaver (7)
2. Devin Wignall (3)
3. Alex Vande Voort (4)
4. Tyler Groenendyk (8)
5. Jeff Wilke (6)
6. JJ Beaver (1)
7. Brandon Worthington (2)
8. Kelby Watt (5)

Heat Race #2, 6 Laps, No Time
1. Mike Mayberry (2)
2. Eric Bridger (6)
3. Chase Young (4)
4. Joel Thorpe (1)
5. Tyler Barrick (5)
6. Scotty Johnson (7)
7. Jaslyn Jones (3)
8. Cam Martin (8)

A main, 15 Laps, No Time
1. Joe Beaver (4)
2. Devin Wignall (5)
3. Mike Mayberry (2)
4. Chase Young (7)
5. Alex Vande Voort (6)
6. Jeff Wilke (8)
7. Eric Bridger (3)
8. Brandon Worthington (15)
9. Tyler Barrick (10)
10. Scotty Johnson (11)
11. Joel Thorpe (9)
12. JJ Beaver (12)
13. Jaslyn Jones (13)
14. Cam Martin (14)
15. Tyler Groenendyk (1);