by Bryan Hulbert/Bill Wright

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA, August 7, 2014 – After rains washed out Wednesday night at the Knoxville Raceway, the skies finally gave a sigh of relief as Thursday’s Lucas Oil Qualifying Night opened up the 54th running of the FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store with Brian Brown scoring his third victory of the week during Southern Iowa Sprintweek.

In Victory Lane, Brown explained that he was running out of tear-offs and was signaling to his crew on a Lap 19 red, “Their answer was let’s just get the lead, and not worry about the tear-offs.”

Going after Sam Hafertepe, Jr. for the lead on the restart, Brown had to re-think his approach after nearly making contact with the Lone Star Speedway No. 15h, “I guess I’m getting a little bit smarter in my old age,” joked Brown.

“The car was pretty good, we weren’t great…probably not as good as we’ve been…but we were able to maneuver there on that restart. I got a good run on Sam [Hafertepe] and was going to try and slide him, and thought why not try and stick it, and I did, but then he kind of chopped me so I rolled out of it and said well–I guess I’ll just run second–but then I got a pretty good run and stuck it there on the bottom.”

Gridding the FVP / Casey’s General Store No. 21 fifth, Brown began working through a torrid battle from second through fifth. Moving to third on Lap 16, Brown gave chase as Sam Hafertepe, Jr. worked on running down Jeff Swindell for the lead.

Setting a blistering pace through slower traffic, Sam Hafertepe, Jr. grabbed the lead on Lap 14 with Brown working past Swindell for second five laps later.

Rolling to the red on Lap 19 for the No. 71 of Kevin Swindell, Brown worked low on Hafertepe on Lap 20, but would have to wait until the following revolution to grab the point for his twenty-ninth Knoxville Raceway triumph; putting the No. 21 second in the week’s standings with 485 points.

Sam Hafertepe, Jr. posted a runner-up finish to put himself fifth in the overall standings going into Saturday night with 457 points.

“You never want to see a yellow flag with the No. 21 behind you for sure,” said Hafertepe of the restart with six laps to go. “We were getting through traffic really awesome, and felt like we were really gapping ourselves just hitting the bottom really good, and on the restart, I just said…You know what…I’m just going to make these guys drive underneath me. It was pretty hard to hit down there, and if anyone could hit it, it’s Brown, and thought we were going to have enough momentum to make him stay on the outside and maybe hold him off. I chopped him one time, and thought about chopping him again, but he had such a good run coming off the bottom; I didn’t want to lose a couple more spots.”

Kerry Madsen posted his best preliminary night finish to complete the night’s podium; getting around Jeff Swindell on the restart as the No. 94 began slowing in the closing laps. Madsen’s third place finish effectively positioned the No. 29 atop the points with 491.

“We got great points, and should have a fairly good starting position on Saturday night. We just had a great night,” commented Madsen. “We’re having a little fun, not really taking anything too serious, and just enjoy having a good night”

Terry McCarl from sixth gabbed fourth with Bryan Clauson slipping to round out the top-five.

Paul McMahan was sixth with Jason Johnson seventh from thirteenth. Joey Saldana from the night’s B-Feature came from twenty-second to eighth as the night’s Hard Charger. Clint Garner and Jon Agan completed the top-ten.

Thursday night saw 52 drivers drawing in to take time. Paul McMahan set the fast time at 14.633 seconds. Five Heat Races went to Bill Balog, Jon Agan, Jack Dover, Ian Madsen, and Kevin Swindell. C-Feature action was won by Dustin Selvage with the B-Feature topped by Cody Darrah.

Kerry Madsen leads the points with 491 markers. Brian Brown with 485, Paul McMahan at 484, Terry McCarl with 481, and Sam Hafertepe, Jr. at 457 make the top-five point getters after the first night of competition.

Drivers originally scheduled to run Wednesday night will get their chance to qualify on Friday, August 9 with racing getting underway 7:15 P.M. (CT).  For more information, log on to www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!

410 Results

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 51, Paul McMahan, Nashville, TN (26), 14.633; 2. 29, Kerry Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust (33), 14.738; 3. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (9), 14.748; 4. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (17), 14.753; 5. 1B, Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH (37), 14.812; 6. 4, Cody Darrah, Red Lion, PA (4), 14.821; 7. 51S, Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, OK (29), 14.829; 8. 71M, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (28), 14.849; 9. 33, Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO (10), 14.866; 10. 1Z, Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg, PA (32), 14.871; 11. 6R, Ryan Bunton, Morton, IL (5), 14.877; 12. 24R, Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA (50), 14.881; 13. 1ST, Gary Taylor, Snohomish, WA (21), 14.895; 14. 14K, Dale Blaney, Hartford, OH (6), 14.908; 15. 19M, Brent Marks, Myerstown, PA (3), 14.935; 16. 11, Steve Kinser, Bloomington, IN (24), 14.947; 17. 55X, Trey Starks, Puyallup, WA (38), 14.968; 18. 10H, Danny Holtgraver, Pittsburgh, PA (31), 14.969; 19. 13V, Seth Brahmer, Wisner, NE (15), 14.972; 20. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (27), 14.984; 21. 94, Jeff Swindell, Bartlett, TN (40), 14.986; 22. 82, Bryan Clauson, Noblesville, IN (41), 15.020; 23. 10, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (22), 15.041; 24. 81, Austin Johnson, Pleasant Hill, IA (42), 15.044; 25. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (43), 15.046; 26. 1S, Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA (19), 15.058; 27. 91, Dusty Zomer, Sioux Falls, SD (49), 15.061; 28. 83X, Jason Meyers, Clovis, CA (30), 15.071; 29. 41, Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA (11), 15.117; 30. 2L, Ed Lynch Jr., Apollo, PA (2), 15.154; 31. 17B, Bill Balog, Brookfield, WI (8), 15.157; 32. 4A, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA (14), 15.165; 33. 53D, Jack Dover, Springfield, NE (16), 15.165; 34. 55J, Ian Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust (18), 15.170; 35. 71, Kevin Swindell, Bartlett, TN (46), 15.227; 36. 1K, Chris Shirek, Thompson, ND (12), 15.231; 37. 24H, Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN (47), 15.244; 38. 17W, Cole Wood, Auburn, CA (23), 15.270; 39. 63, Chad Kemenah, Elvada, OH (51), 15.290; 40. 3G, James McFadden, Ormeau, QLD, Aust. (52), 15.304; 41. 7K, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (20), 15.368; 42. 23K, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (45), 15.425; 43. 21X, Joey Moughan, Springfield, IL (39), 15.447; 44. 7G, Kaley Gharst, Decatur, IL (25), 15.472; 45. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (34), 15.484; 46. 69, Mike Moore, Des Moines, IA (44), 15.495; 47. 4K, Kody Kinser, Bloomington, IN (48), 15.516; 48. 1X, Cap Henry, Bellevue, OH (1), 15.532; 49. 23, Jimmy Light, West Springfield, PA (7), 15.553; 50. 1P, Curtis Evans, Norborne, MO (13), 15.839; 51. 4C, Tyler Courtney, Indianapolis, IN (35), NT; 52. 35, Skylar Prochaska, Lakefield, MN (36), NT.

Heat one (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. Bill Balog (2); 2. Jeff Swindell (4); 3. Paul McMahan (8); 4. Ryan Bunton (6) / 5. Logan Schuchart (3); 6. Steve Kinser (5); 7. Chris Shirek (1); 8. Cody Darrah (7) / 9. Dustin Selvage (9); 10. Mike Moore (10)

Heat two (started), 10 Laps, 2:34.3: 1. Jon Agan (2); 2. Kerry Madsen (8); 3. Bryan Clauson (4); 4. Brandon Wimmer (1) / 5. Dusty Zomer (3); 6. Rico Abreu (6); 7. Stevie Smith (7); 8. Trey Starks (5) / 9. Rob Kubli (9); 10. Kody Kinser (10)

Heat three (started), 10 Laps, 2:34.5: 1. Jack Dover (2); 2. Cole Wood (1); 3. Matt Moro (4); 4. Terry McCarl (8) / 5. Jason Meyers (3); 6. Gary Taylor (6); 7. Joey Saldana (7); 8. Danny Holtgraver (5) / 9. Joey Moughan (9); 10. Cap Henry (10)

Heat four (started), 10 Laps, 2:31.8 (NTR): 1. Ian Madsen (2); 2. Chad Kemenah (1); 3. Jason Johnson (3); 4. Brian Brown (8) / 5. Danny Lasoski (7); 6. Austin Johnson (4); 7. Dale Blaney (6); 8. Seth Brahmer (5) / 9. Kaley Gharst (9); 10. Jimmy Light (10)

Heat five (started), 10 Laps, 2:33.2: 1. Kevin Swindell (2); 2. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5); 3. Clint Garner (4); 4. James McFadden (1) / 5. Brent Marks (6); 6. Lucas Wolfe (7); 7. Sheldon Haudenschild (8); 8. Chris Martin (9) / 9. Ed Lynch Jr. (3); 10. Curtis Evans (10)

C main (started), 8 Laps, 2:06.1: 1. Dustin Selvage (2); 2. Rob Kubli (3); 3. Kaley Gharst (5); 4. Mike Moore (6) / 5. Cap Henry (8); 6. Kody Kinser (7); 7. Jimmy Light (9); 8. Curtis Evans (10); DNS – 9. Ed Lynch Jr. (1) DNS – 10. Joey Moughan (4) DNS – 11. Tyler Courtney (11) DNS – 12. Skylar Prochaska (12)

B main (started), 12 Laps, NT: 1. Cody Darrah (2); 2. Joey Saldana (4); 3. Sheldon Haudenschild (1); 4. Stevie Smith (3) / 5. Lucas Wolfe (6); 6. Gary Taylor (8); 7. Dale Blaney (9); 8. Rico Abreu (7); 9. Brent Marks (10); 10. Danny Holtgraver (13); 11. Dusty Zomer (17); 12. Steve Kinser (11); 13. Jason Meyers (18); 14. Seth Brahmer (14); 15. Austin Johnson (15); 16. Kaley Gharst (23); 17. Trey Starks (12); 18. Mike Moore (24); 19. Chris Shirek (19); 20. Dustin Selvage (21); 21. Chris Martin (20); 22. Danny Lasoski (5); 23. Logan Schuchart (16); 24. Rob Kubli (22)

A main (started), 25 Laps, NT: 1. Brian Brown (5); 2. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3); 3. Kerry Madsen (7); 4. Terry McCarl (6); 5. Bryan Clauson (1); 6. Paul McMahan (8); 7. Jason Johnson (11); 8. Joey Saldana (22); 9. Clint Garner (10); 10. Jon Agan (13); 11. Ian Madsen (15); 12. Cole Wood (18); 13. Bill Balog (12); 14. Matt Moro (9); 15. Ryan Bunton (4); 16. Jeff Swindell (2); 17. Cody Darrah (21); 18. James McFadden (20); 19. Stevie Smith (24); 20. Brandon Wimmer (17); 21. Chad Kemenah (19); 22. Kevin Swindell (16); 23. Jack Dover (14); 24. Sheldon Haudenschild (23). Lap Leaders: J. Swindell 1-13, Hafertepe 14-20, Brown 21-25. Hard-charger: Saldana.

Thursday Point Totals…

1. 29, Kerry Madsen 491
2. 21, Brian Brown 485
3. 51, Paul McMahan 484
4. 24, Terry McCarl 481
5. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr. 457
6. 71m, Joey Saldana 454
7. 82, Bryan Clauson 444
8. 6R, Ryan Bunton 443
9. 4, Cody Darrah 437
10. 51s, Stevie Smith 434
11. 40, Clint Garner 430
12. 1B, Sheldon Haudenschild 428
13. 94, Jeff Swindell 427
14. 41, Jason Johnson 426
15. 10, Matt Moro 424
16. 4A, Jon Agan 420
17. 17B, Bill Balog 416
18. 55J, Ian Madsen 414
19. 1z, Lucas Wolfe 409
20. 17w, Cole Wood 401
21. 1^st, Gary Taylor 401
22. 24R, Rico Abreu 399
23. 14K, Dale Blaney 394
24. 19M, Brent Marks 394
25. 53D, Jack Dover 392
26. 71, Kevin Swindell 390
27. 11, Steve Kinser 383
28. 24H, Brandon Wimmer 381
29. 63, Chad Kemenah 381
30. 33, Danny Lasoski 380
31. 3G, James McFadden 379
32. 10H, Danny Holtgraver 377
33. 13v, Seth Brahmer 367
34. 91, Dusty Zomer 366
35. 55x, Trey Starks 365
36. 81, Austin Johnson 361
37. 83x, Jason Meyers 360
38. 1s, Logan Schuchart 344
39. 1K, Chris Shirek 326
40. 7G, Kaley Gharst 310
41. 7K, Dustin Selvage 308
42. 2L, Ed Lynch Jr. 302
43. 44, Chris Martin 301
44. 69, Mike Moore 299
45. 23K, Rob Kubli 298
46. 21x, Joey Moughan 274
47. 1x, Cap Henry 271
48. 4K, Kody Kinser 271
49. 23, Jimmy Light 265
50. 1P, Curtis Evans 261
51. 4c, Tyler Courtney 230
52. 35, Skylar Prochaska 223