Carson McCarl Wins in the 360 Class; Russ Hall Takes Pro Sprints Feature
by Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 6, 2020) – Brian Brown tied Sammy Swindell on the all-time Knoxville Raceway win list Saturday with his 50th career win here, tying him for fifth all-time. The Pella Motors/Kraig Ford Season Opener saw a welcome return to racing for Knoxville Raceway fans and competitors alike. Brown, who won the 2019 410 track title at Knoxville, earned $4,000 for his win aboard the Brian Brown Racing #21. Carson McCarl also started his title defense with his third career win in the 360 class, while Russ Hall claimed his third career win with the Pro Sprints presented by Pace Performance.
Brown shot out to an early lead in the 20-lap 410 feature from his starting spot outside row one. Rico Abreu trailed him, ahead of Tyler Courtney, Shane Golobic and Lynton Jeffrey, who jumped up five spots from his starting spot outside of row five on the first lap.
Jeffrey gained another position when he got by Golobic on lap three. Austin McCarl followed him into fifth, but had contact with Golobic in turn four. Disaster was avoided and both kept going.
Brown was into lapped traffic by lap six, and pulled away from the field. Davey Heskin, who started twelfth, found the low groove to his liking and climbed to fifth by lap 13. The track became abrasive, and seventh running Terry McCarl blew his right rear with four laps to go. Golobic, who was running ninth, also ducked into the work area to replace a flat left rear.
Meanwhile, Brown pulled away on the restart for the win, ahead of Abreu, Courtney, Heskin and Jeffrey. Anthony Macri, Austin McCarl, Brooke Tatnell, Matt Juhl and Trey Starks rounded out the top ten. Abreu set quick time over the 32-car field, while Brown, Ryan Giles, Heskin and Justin Henderson were heat race winners. Sawyer Phillips won the B main.
“This week has probably been the most down I’ve been as a race car driver,” said Brown in Victory Lane. “The last two weeks have been pretty bad. One thing that’s never changed is the attitude of my guys. They don’t let me get down. I think that’s what this sport is about. You don’t get down, and you look forward to your next one. I never dreamed as a kid, sitting in section G, row 20 with my Grandma Barbara that I would ever win one race, let alone 50. It means a lot.”
Jon Agan, who has teamed with the Seidenkranz Brothers #64 team, dominated the 18-lap 360 feature early. Carson McCarl and Clint Garner trailed before Kelby Watt spun with three laps down.
McCarl slid in front of Agan to the point in laps one and two on the restart, but a Ricky Montgomery spin on the backstretch that collected Nate Mills and Brandon Halverson negated the pass. Agan led McCarl, Garner, Matt Moro and Jamie Ball back to green.
This time, Agan pulled away. Back in the pack, Joe Beaver was climbing from his 17th starting spot, and cracked the top six by lap eight. That circuit would prove disastrous for Agan, who got into the wall, avoiding the spinning car of Rob Kubli. Watt was also involved.
McCarl inherited the lead ahead of Garner, Moro, Ball and Beaver. Ball gained a spot after the restart, as did Beaver, as both moved by Moro. Meanwhile, up front, McCarl was in lapped traffic with three to go and pulling away.
Garner gained on the leader with two to go, but McCarl hit his marks to win ahead of Garner, Ball, Beaver and Moro. Kyle Offill was sixth in his Knoxville debut, ahead of Calvin Landis, Lee Grosz, Matt Howard and Chris Morgan. Ball set quick time over the 30-car field, while Agan, Grosz and Howard won heats. Nate Mills won the B main.
“Jon was really tough out there,” said McCarl. “I got him on that first restart. On the next one, his car took off really well, and got the jump. We probably needed traffic to beat him. They tilled up the top before the feature and it really helped. That was the right call. It got really tricky on both ends. I figured if I was having trouble with it, Garner was too. I just tried to hit my marks and do the best I can.”
Russ Hall paced the field in the Pro Sprints 15-lap feature from the pole. Defending track champ, Matt Stelzer, was hot on his heels, while Chase Young used the low side to gain third on lap two.
Six laps in, Tyler Barrick and Matt Johnson tangled, with Barrick getting upside down. He walked away. On the restart, Stelzer slid in front of Hall to lead lap seven, but Hall countered on the following go-around with a pass on the low side of turn two to take the point for good.
A final caution saw fifth running Evan Epperson stop with a flat tire with three to go. Hall pulled away from there, while Young grabbed second from Stelzer coming for the white flag. Brandon Worthington claimed fourth, with Jeff Wilke fifth. Devin Wignall, Chris Walraven, Mike Johnston, Mike Mayberry and Joel Thorpe rounded out the top ten. Passing points were used to line up the feature, and Hall and Stelzer claimed the two heats.
“I forgot where I was for a second (on the restart that Stelzer took the lead),” said Hall. “We were better on the second. Tonight has been great. I want to thank the fans for coming out. Please go out and support your small businesses, especially the ones that support racing.”
Next Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13, mark the return of the World of Outlaws to Knoxville Raceway for the Brownell’s Big Guns Bash! For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com or check Knoxville Raceway’s Facebook and Twitter.
410 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 24, Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA (1), 16.161; 2. 17W, Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA (6), 16.247; 3. 7BC, Tyler Courtney, Indianapolis, IN (2), 16.262; 4. 17A, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (7), 16.278; 5. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (23), 16.307; 6. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (15), 16.390; 7. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (26), 16.402; 8. 39M, Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA (27), 16.412; 9. 4, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (25), 16.448; 10. 16, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (30), 16.456; 11. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (17), 16.495; 12. 44S, Trey Starks, Puyallup, WA (8), 16.510; 13. 27, Tucker Klaasmeyer, Paola, KS (3), 16.539; 14. 83, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (16), 16.561; 15. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (22), 16.562; 16. 55, Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO (11), 16.563; 17. 2KS, Chad Boespflug, Hanford, CA (4), 16.581; 18. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (32), 16.673; 19. 56N, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (13), 16.678; 20. 3, Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, OH (21), 16.696; 21. 18, Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE (12), 16.719; 22. 9W, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (20), 16.738; 23. 3X, Ayrton Gennetten, Versailles, MO (5), 16.775; 24. 7, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (28), 16.784; 25. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (14), 16.810; 26. 35, Skylar Prochaska, Lakefield, MN (19), 16.995; 27. 55M, McKenna Haase, Des Moines, IA (29), 17.185; 28. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (10), 17.187; 29. 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (24), 17.241; 30. 50, Mike Ayers, Waukee, IA (18), 18.505; 31. 14K, Tori Knutson, Monticello, MN (31), 20.593; 32. DQ (Illegal Tire) 6, Frank Rodgers III, Lucas, IA (9).
Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:23.6: 1. Brian Brown (5); 2. Rico Abreu (6); 3. Terry McCarl (4); 4. Sawyer Phillips (7); 5. Ryan Roberts (1); 6. Chad Boespflug (2); 7. Bobby Mincer (8); 8. Tucker Klaasmeyer (3)
Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:24.0: 1. Ryan Giles (1); 2. Lynton Jeffrey (3); 3. Tasker Phillips (2); 4. Shane Golobic (6); 5. Brooke Tatnell (4); 6. AJ Moeller (5); 7. Skylar Prochaska (7); 8. Mike Ayers (8)
Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:26.8: 1. Davey Heskin (2); 2. Ayrton Gennetten (1); 3. Tyler Courtney (6); 4. Matt Juhl (5); 5. Josh Schneiderman (4); 6. Chris Martin (3); 7. McKenna Haase (7); 8. Tori Knutson (8)
Heat four (started), 8 Laps, 2:22.1: 1. Justin Henderson (1); 2. Anthony Macri (5); 3. Austin McCarl (6); 4. Jac Haudenschild (2); 5. Trey Starks (4); 6. Joe Simbro (7); 7. Frank Rodgers III (8); 8. Hunter Schuerenberg (3)
B main (started), 12 Laps, 3:53.5: 1. Sawyer Phillips (5); 2. Chad Boespflug (3); 3. Hunter Schuerenberg (2); 4. Ryan Roberts (4) / 5. Bobby Mincer (9); 6. Tucker Klaasmeyer (1); 7. Joe Simbro (8); 8. McKenna Haase (7); 9. Skylar Prochaska (6); 10. Mike Ayers (10); 11. Tori Knutson (11) DNS – Frank Rodgers III
A main (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Brian Brown (2); 2. Rico Abreu (1); 3. Tyler Courtney (3); 4. Davey Heskin (12); 5. Lynton Jeffrey (10); 6. Anthony Macri (6); 7. Austin McCarl (5); 8. Brooke Tatnell (11); 9. Matt Juhl (7); 10. Trey Starks (15); 11. Justin Henderson (17); 12. AJ Moeller (9); 13. Josh Schneiderman (13); 14. Jac Haudenschild (19); 15. Tasker Phillips (16); 16. Shane Golobic (4); 17. Hunter Schuerenberg (23); 18. Ryan Giles (14); 19. Terry McCarl (8); 20. Chad Boespflug (22); 21. Sawyer Phillips (21); 22. Chris Martin (20); 23. Ryan Roberts (24); 24. Ayrton Gennetten (18). Lap Leader: Brown 1-20. Hard-charger: Heskin.
360 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (4), 17.005; 2. 83, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (3), 17.065; 3. 2M, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (5), 17.097; 4. 6R, Ryan Bunton, Morton, IL (10), 17.153; 5. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (24), 17.190; 6. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (22), 17.215; 7. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (11), 17.241; 8. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (8), 17.256; 9. 15, Christian Bowman, Altoona, IA (21), 17.301; 10. 88, Kyle Offill, Tracy, CA (9), 17.307; 11. 35, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (13), 17.310; 12. 1K, Kelby Watt, Adel, IA (1), 17.339; 13. 64, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA (6), 17.356; 14. 4J, Lee Grosz, Harwood, ND (14), 17.362; 15. 66, Ricky Montgomery, Denver, CO (29), 17.380; 16. 81A, Chris Morgan, Topeka, KS (18), 17.414; 17. 22K, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD (19), 17.425; 18. 37H, Matthew Howard, Lawrence, KS (12), 17.488; 19. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (27), 17.522; 20. 8L, Tom Lenz, Marion, IA (28), 17.526; 21. 81E, Eric Bridger, Winterset, IA (17), 17.637; 22. 76, Brad Comegys, Bondurant, IA (25), 17.832; 23. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (30), 17.972; 24. 13MJ, Brandon Halverson, Jackson, MN (26), 18.143; 25. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (15), 18.207; 26. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (16), 18.230; 27. 41D, Dan Henning, Columbia, IA (2), 18.335; 28. 11B, Ben Woods, Newton, IA (20), 18.465; 29. B29, Eric Mason, Knoxville, IA (23), 19.240; 30. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (7), 20.707.
Heat one (started), 7 Laps, 2:07.3: 1. Jon Agan (2); 2. Chris Morgan (1); 3. Ryan Leavitt (7); 4. Kyle Offill (3); 5. Jamie Ball (6); 6. Calvin Landis (4); 7. Brad Comegys (8); 8. Riley Goodno (9); 9. Ben Woods (10); 10. Ryan Bunton (5)
Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:09.2: 1. Lee Grosz (2); 2. Kaleb Johnson (1); 3. Josh Higday (3); 4. Carson McCarl (5); 5. Rob Kubli (6); 6. Tom Lenz (7); 7. Nathan Mills (8); 8. Joe Beaver (4); 9. Alan Zoutte (9); 10. Eric Mason (10)
Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 2:09.2: 1. Matthew Howard (1); 2. Ricky Montgomery (2); 3. Clint Garner (5); 4. Kelby Watt (3); 5. Matt Moro (6); 6. Christian Bowman (4); 7. Eric Bridger (7); 8. Dan Henning (9); 9. Brandon Halverson (8); 10. John Anderson (10)
B main (started), 10 Laps, 2:39.5: 1. Nathan Mills (2); 2. Brad Comegys (1); 3. Riley Goodno (4); 4. Brandon Halverson (3) / 5. Alan Zoutte (5); 6. Ben Woods (7); 7. Dan Henning (6); 8. Eric Mason (8) DNS – John Anderson, Ryan Bunton
A main (started), 18 Laps, NT: 1. Carson McCarl (2); 2. Clint Garner (3); 3. Jamie Ball (6); 4. Joe Beaver (17); 5. Matt Moro (4); 6. Kyle Offill (10); 7. Calvin Landis (9); 8. Lee Grosz (7); 9. Matthew Howard (12); 10. Chris Morgan (13); 11. Josh Higday (8); 12. Kaleb Johnson (16); 13. Ryan Leavitt (18); 14. Christian Bowman (14); 15. Brad Comegys (22); 16. Eric Bridger (20); 17. Brandon Halverson (24); 18. Riley Goodno (23); 19. Jon Agan (1); 20. Rob Kubli (5); 21. Kelby Watt (15); 22. Ricky Montgomery (11); 23. Nathan Mills (21); 24. Tom Lenz (19). Lap Leaders: Agan 1-8, C. McCarl 9-18. Hard-charger: Beaver.
Pro Series Results
Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:54.5: 1. Russ Hall (2); 2. Mike Mayberry (1); 3. Chris Walraven (3); 4. Devin Wignall (6); 5. Chase Young (5); 6. Joel Thorpe (4); 7. Matt Allen (7); 8. Jaslyn Jones (8)
Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:53.8: 1. Matthew Stelzer (2); 2. Evan Epperson (3); 3. Jeff Wilke (4); 4. Mike Johnston (1); 5. Brandon Worthington (6); 6. Matthew Johnson (5); 7. Tyler Barrick (7)
A main (started), 15 Laps, NT: 1. Russ Hall (1); 2. Chase Young (8); 3. Matthew Stelzer (2); 4. Brandon Worthington (9); 5. Jeff Wilke (6); 6. Devin Wignall (4); 7. Chris Walraven (7); 8. Mike Johnston (10); 9. Mike Mayberry (5); 10. Joel Thorpe (11); 11. Evan Epperson (3); 12. Matt Allen (14); 13. Jaslyn Jones (15); 14. Matthew Johnson (12); 15. Tyler Barrick (13). Lap Leader: Hall 1-6, Stelzer 7, Hall 8-15. Hard-charger: Young.