Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
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6/16/07

Knoxville Raceway

WoO

50 410s

37 360s

410s

Stevie Smith (10th car out to time) made his first start away from Pennsylvania and set quick time as the only man below 16 seconds at 15.859. The one lap qualifying procedure was used. A slow track with dust in hot laps saw Jason Meyers (15th car out) second quick, followed by Danny Lasoski (6th), Donny Schatz (36th), Paul McMahan (18th), Tim Shaffer (35th), Sam Hafertepe Jr. (19th), Brooke Tatnell (12th), Kerry Madsen (1st) and Justin Henderson (22nd). The night came to an end before it started for four drivers. When Zach Chappell slowed after having a motor let go in hot laps, Greg Jones got over his right rear and flipped wildly in turn two. He was done for the night, as was Robert Bell who shelled a motor in practice. Chad Kemenah struck the turn four fence and scratched for the night. Tony Shilling also scratched before time trials.

Heat one (started): 1. Madsen 11H (2) 2. Randy Hannagan 1x (1) 3. Smith 19 (4) 4. McMahan 20 (3) 5. Brian Brown 21x (7) / 6. Davey Heskin 56 (5) 7. Jac Haudenschild 35 (6) 8. Dion Hindi 11D (8) 9. Jack Potter 47 (9) 10. Dave Saffell 03 (11) 11. Tony Bruce Jr. 18T (10) DNS - Randy Anderson 81, Chad Kemenah 3x

Madsen led the duration of the 8 lapper. The only real racing was for the final transfer. Heskin held off Brown until three laps to go, when he took advantage of a bobble.

Heat two (started): 1. Henderson D1 (2) 2. Calvin Landis 70 (1) 3. Meyers 14 (4) 4. Shaffer 6 (3) 5. Jason Solwold R19 (5) / 6. Jason Sides 7s (8) 7. Bronson Maeschen 96 (6) 8. Lynton Jeffrey 12 (7) 9. Skip Jackson 2x (9) 10. Rager Phillips 9P (10) 11. Bob Weuve 19x (11) DNS - Ricky Logan 10, Robert Bell 71

Henderson led the parade flag to flag. With nothing to grasp down low on the parched surface, it was single file around the top.

Heat three (started): 1. Craig Dollansky 7 (1) 2. Terry McCarl 24 (2) 3. Lasoski 83 (4) 4. Dennis Moore Jr. 17G (6) 5. Billy Alley 55 (9) / 6. Mark Dobmeier 13L (10) 7. Dusty Zomer 1z (5) 8. Hafertepe Jr. 15H (3) 9. Mike Deavers 72 (11) 10. Kaley Gharst 3 (7) DNS - Brent Antill 1, Greg Jones 3J

Dollansky held off McCarl for the win, as the two qualified for the dash. Moore Jr. did well to move into a transfer early, and Alley went by Hafertepe and Zomer for the final transfer to the A.

Heat four (started): 1. Steve Kinser 11 (2) 2. Schatz 15 (4) 3. Joey Saldana 9 (8) 4. Tatnell 2 (3) 5. Daryn Pittman 21 (5) / 6. Chad Hillier 5c (1) 7. Jeremy Campbell 10c (6) 8. Jason Martin 36 (7) 9. Zach Chappell 8K (9) 10. Jack Dover 53 (11) 11. Mike Moore (10) DNS - Tony Shilling 47T

Kinser led throughout, but the fastest cars may have been Schatz and Saldana. They found rubber developing on the bottom of turn two, and utilized it to move up. Pittman found it late and shot by Hillier for the final transfer with two to go. Saldana had to overcome a dreadful qualifying lap.

C main (started): 1. Bruce (1) 2. Dobmeier (3) / 3. Dover (5) 4. M. Moore (4) 5. Deavers (6) 6. Phillips (2) 7. Weuve (7) 8. Saffell (8) DNS - Logan, Bell, Kemenah, Shilling, Jones, Anderson

Dobmeier (Grand Forks 410) and Phillips (Knoxville 305) were both victors on Friday night, but found themselves in a rubber-down C main event on Saturday.

Dash (started): 1. Hannagan (2) 2. Madsen (1) 3. McCarl (3) 4. Henderson (4) 5. Kinser (5) 6. Dollansky (8) 7. Landis (7) 8. Schatz (6) 9. Smith (9) 10. Meyers (10)

Any moves were made early. A three-wide bid for the rubber in turn one went to Hannagan, and he pulled away to win with authority.

B main (started): 1. Hafertepe (1) 2. Hillier (2) 3. Zomer (4) 4. Haudenschild (5) / 5. Martin (8) 6. Heskin (3) 7. Maeschen (6) 8. Hindi (11) 9. Campbell (7) 10. Sides (10) 11. Jackson (13) 12. Potter (12) 13. Bruce (15) 14. Dobmeier (16) 15. Chappell (14) 16. Gharst (9) DNS - Jeffrey, Antill

I was looking for a high school marching band, homecoming queen or those Shriners with the funny looking cars in this 12 lap parade. It slowed down on lap three when Gharst stopped and exited. Martin did hold down the final transfer until the "Wild Child" found something remote in the middle of turns three and four on the fifth go-around. Something had to be done with the embarassing situation developing with the track, and in unprecedented fashion the Dunkins were called on to grade out the rubber for the 25-lap main event to be televised on ESPN2. It was a wise decision to be applauded.

A main (started): 1. McCarl (3) 2. Hannagan (1) 3. Dollansky (6) 4. Lasoski (11) 5. Schatz (8) 6. Saldana (23) 7. Smith (9) 8. Shaffer (13) 9. Meyers (10) 10. Henderson (4) 11. Tatnell (15) 12. McMahan (12) 13. Solwold (17) 14. Pittman (19) 15. Zomer (18) 16. Haudenschild (20) 17. Madsen (2) 18. Brown (22) 19. Landis (7) 20. Hafertepe (14) 21. Alley (24) 22. Chappell (25, pr.) 23. Hillier (16) 24. Moore Jr. (21) 25. Kinser (5)

Hannagan led the 25-lapper early on a reworked track. Most followed the low groove that had been reworked early. By lap seven, Hannagan had built an insane lead when Hillier spun in turn four. The restart saw Hannagan leading Madsen, McCarl, Dollansky, Smith and Kinser. Two laps later, Kinser's night would come to an end when his powerplant detonated in flames. Madsen's second place run ceased a lap later when his left rear tire exploded, sending him to the tail after a change. Now Hannagan had McCarl on his nerf bar, with Dollansky, Smith, Henderson and Shaffer in tow. The last slowdown came on lap eleven, when Pittman and Landis tangled, resulting in the former spinning out of a top ten run. Hannagan continued to run well on the bottom while the runner-up McCarl, tested the high side of turns one and two, keeping an equal pace on the leader. Dollansky remained in third on the low side. On lap 19, Hannagan tried to duck under the lapped machine of Moore Jr. on the low side of turn two. He had to get on the binders, giving McCarl the break he needed on the high side. He pulled away from Hannagan and Dollansky the remaining six laps, working lapped traffic to perfection, and grabbing his first WoO win of the season. The win was redemption for the bad luck that has followed the Iowa driver for a month and it paid him $10,000.

360s

Heat one (started, *qualified for feature): 1. Jake Peters 57x (1*) 2. Josh Higday 2x (6*) 3. Jeff Mitrisin 10 (2*) 4. Dave Hall 51 (5*) 5. John Hall 7H (3) 6. Dave Glennon 5x (8) 7. Ryan Roberts 18R (9) 8. Frankie Heimbaugh 04 (7) 9. Travis Porter 31P (10) 10. Don Dawson II 6D (4)

Peters led flag to flag in the 7 lapper. Dawson stopped before a lap could be completed and exited, as did Porter on lap three. The track was one lane around the top, so a good start early on was critical for drivers like Higday, who moved up five spots.

Heat two (started, *qualified for feature): 1. Matt Moro 2m (1*) 2. John Kearney 86 (4*) 3. Rick Ideus 5 (2*) 4. Mike Houseman Jr. Y2 (6*) 5. Dustin Selvage 7 (8*) 6. Eric Baldaccini B4 (9) 7. Nate Mosher 22N (7) 8. CJ Houseman Y5 (5) 9. Danny Heskin 65 (3)

Moro led the single-file affair for the duration.

Heat three (started, *qualified for feature): 1. Joe Beaver 53 (1*) 2. Bryan Dobesh 2D (4*) 3. Brett Mather 54 (7*) 4. Alan Zoutte 33 (3*) 5. Russ Hall 29 (5) 6. Tyler Thompson 48 (8) 7. Tyler Houseman 50 (6) 8. Dustin Barks 22 (9) 9. Brent Vonk 21V (2)

Beaver used a gutsy-keep-your-line-on-the-cushion move to fly by Dobesh on the first try at turn two. He stayed out front until a lap seven slowdown by Vonk. When Vonk tried to take evasive action down the frontstretch, he moved in front of Mather, who caught his right front tire. Luckily, it only resulted in a broken front end for Vonk. It could have been worse. Mather continued on to finish third.

Heat four (started, *qualified for feature): 1. John Schulz 2 (1*) 2. Josh Scheiderman 49 (3*) 3. Johnny Anderson 7a (5*) 4. Tom Lenz 8L (4) 5. Larry Pinegar II 00 (6) 6. Alan Gilbertson 97 (9) 7. Nate Van Haaften 2TX (8) 8. Jordan St. Arnold 7s (7) 9. Brett Golik 5G (2)

Golik retired on lap two. Schulz led the duration. Van Haaften took his first spin in the Shaw 2TX.

B main (started): 1. Pinegar (3) 2. Baldaccini (2) 3. R. Hall (7) 4. Lenz (1) / 5. Mosher (11) 6. J. Hall (5) 7. Gilbertson (4) 8. Heimbaugh (12) 9. Thompson (8) 10. Roberts (9) 11. Barks (13) 12. St. Arnold (14) 13. Porter (17) 14. Vonk (19) 15. CJ Houseman (15) 16. Heskin (16) 17. Glennon (6) 18. Dawson (18) 19. T. Houseman (10) DNS - Van Haaften, Golik

Roberts spun before a lap could be completed and restarted at the rear. ASCS-Sooner regular Baldaccini took the early advantage in the 10 lapper. T. Houseman came to a stop on lap three. Baldacinni led Lenz, Pinegar, R. Hall and J. Hall back to green flag racing. Pinegar got around Lenz and set his sights on the leader. He made his winning move coming the white flag, finding rubber in three and four. Mosher moved up nicely from row six, but fell one spot short of a transfer.

A main (started): 1. Schulz (1) 2. Moro (6) 3. Higday (8) 4. Mitrisin (11) 5. Peters (7) 6. Beaver (4) 7. D. Hall (14) 8. Kearney (5) 9. Schneiderman (9) 10. Ideus (12) 11. Dobesh (3) 12. Anderson (10) 13. Baldaccini (18) 14. R. Hall (19) 15. Pinegar (17) 16. Lenz (20) 17. Zoutte (16) 18. Selvage (15) 19. Houseman Jr. (13) 20. Mather (2)

Run after the WoO feature, it didn't take long for the trail of rubber on the low side to return. Schulz took advantage by running huggy pole in the 15 lapper. On lap three, Anderson came to a stop, while Mather lost a right front tire in turn four. Mather was done and Anderson rejoined the field at the tail. Schulz led a high flying Beaver, Higday, Moro and Peters back to green. Moro asserted himself and bested Higday and Beaver to claim the runner-up spot. Though he pulled up to the rear bumper of Schulz several times, he couldn't seriously challenge. A final stoppage came on lap 13, when Selvage got upside down in turn four. He was uninjured, but done. Schulz held on the last two laps to claim his second career Knoxville tally.

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Way to go John Schulz!

The rework was a GREAT call. The WoO A-main was worth the wait. But Cappy said he was going to rework the track for the fans. Right. I've sat through rubber down WoO shows there before with no attemt to rework the track. That was for TV ONLY. If ESPN was not there taping we would have spent $25 each for one of the worst nights of racing there in years. Every event but 2 were won from the front row. Other 2 races were won by the driver starting 3rd.

Once again - thank you Bill. You let us know what was REALLY going on - not the "polished" version from the PR men.

Maybe Cappy meant the fans at home watching the broadcast on ESPN2!

Rome wasn't built in a day......but they sure didn't
waste any time burning it down!

Doesn't look like a very big crowd compared to the last time they were in town earlier this year.

Id have to say it was a bigger crowd than we have seen all year. The track however took a beating this weekend, I knew it was hot and hadn't rained but forgot all about the 50 lap late model event on friday so after remembering that and the 90 degree temps i predicted it would of took rubber in hot laps. The only thing that kinda drives me crazy about re-working the track last night is the same people that are famous for wanting the tracks smooth and slick and whine about heavy tracks are the Outlaws? I say turn the Dunkins loose and prepare the track like they did 20 years ago and turn that damn dirt that resembles asphault over about 15 inches, get some actual gumboa back in the surface and mix in the calcium chloride to bring the moisture back up when the sun goes down. (and the horse manure mixed in the track as it was tilled before winter time to eat the rubber and let the moisture in) I know thats one they cant do anymore cause of EPA. Ive been goin to knoxville since i could crawl and remember losing a shoe or two off my feet after the races where over going into the pits with our group, the racing surface was actually that tacky even after the nights races. Course that was in the wingless days and the start of the wing era when they where mandated at Knoxville but hell even with the wings and a heavy track it used to be at least a 3-groove race track. I know now that they have the wings dry and smooth is more impressive for the speed and slide jobs, but Id like to see what kinda racing it would make to have the track the way it used to be. Then again they keep talking about making the wings smaller and putting the racing back in the drivers hands? hell could be interesting. Now im not talking about when they have watered the hell out of the track and its a heavy, slick, one grove follow the leader track, If anyone has been around since the late 70's and early 80'syou would know what im talking about where they had the low groove, middle groove and for the guys with the nuts they would actually run in the cushion yes an actual cushion with the marbles and make there own groove by the end of the feature you would see the three grooves and plenty of passing, not just a big drag race down the front chute when they take the green and then pretty much settle in to high speed hot laps 10 bumpers apart and follow the leader to the checkers. As a fan and a friend of many to knoxville it is what i hear the most about the complaints is that the track goes away to fast and makes for bad racing. In my opinion Knoxville has done alot over the years and has one of the classiest facilities in the country I will take nothing away from the drivers cause slick, dry or wet they still are putting on a show for us no matter what and assuming the ultimate risk they usually say the track is the same for everyone so they arent as bothered by it as the fans are. Im just speaking as a fan and think something should be at least tried. And as far as the television coverage i didnt get a chance to see it but although Speed and ESPN have done some good broadcast as of late, I still cant help but miss TNN and there broadcast with Steve Evans and Brock Yates. I may just be throwing dust but hell some of the fans should write in and see what kinda track they wanna see

Kinda reminds me of a beating another popular track took at the beginning of the year, I can't believe no one blamed Tony yet. LOL

_

I would say that the track rework was a World of Outlaws call due primarily to TV. You knew the track was going to be an issue even during hotlaps. So be it.

It's hard to tell about crowds at Knoxville because of the number of seats. Seems to have been a bigger crowd than in April, where it was somewhere around 5,000.

Just a suggestion from someone who is interested in the fans' and racers' benefit and putting out a quality racing product that people will support...instead of running a Late Model race the night before, where the very nature of that type of racing (preferring dry and slick to the fence for LM's) makes it nearly impossible to have a good sprint car track the following night due to rubber and lack of moisture, why not hold your regular Championship Cup races on Friday with the WoO on Saturday? This way, you give your local racers who support the track every week an opportunity to earn some money and publicity without the added cost of excess pit fees, tires, ect. and the fans who support those racers get to see their favorites for regular admission. It also should be easier to get the track back into shape for the next night. Then, on Saturday night, since the WoO already has 25 travelling teams (plus Stevie Smith last night), have the local guys who WANT to compete against the WoO show up on that night, (as opposed to the current way of forcing guys to show up to earn "show up" points for the season championship) with no support class that will further destroy the track.

You only need about QUALITY 32 cars to put on a good show. You save the track, get done at a reasonable time, provide support for your local racers, give fans an opportunity to see good local and national racing at a reduced cost to the track and the fans, with a two day sprint car weekend. Regular Championship Cup races at Knoxville carry about a $29,000 purse and is a proven product at Knoxville. Yes, attendence has fallen over the last several years but there would be potential for a very good crowd as people who come to the WoO race would likely support the Friday race in better than normal numbers. A WoO Late Model program costs the track around $60-65,000 and all you are doing is bringing in teams who don't support Knoxville on a wekly basis. It's not that LM racing is bad, obviously, it's very popular around the country, however, why would you bring this in when you have local sprint car teams who WANT to race, who NEED to race to get spomsorship help and can put on a quality sprint car show for 1/2 of what it costs a track to put on the traveling LM's?

Here's another thought...I think if you polled the WoO sprint car teams, you'd find that most really don't want to see 50 car fields. It really adds nothing to the program, the track goes away, you rush through qualifying with just one lap and it's tougher for guys who travel the entire year on tour but are out of the top 10-12 in points to make the show and earn enough to keep out there week after week.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that if you concentrate on putting on a quality WoO event that starts on time, end up by 10 pm, is a stand-alone program that doesn't wear out the racing surface and focuses on putting people in the grandstand and not burden your local racers with higher costs on the backgate, you have a decent chance at long-term success. At least, I'd like to see it tried onc and see what happens.

" Then, on Saturday night, since the WoO already has 25 travelling teams (plus Stevie Smith last night), have the local guys who WANT to compete against the WoO show up on that night, (as opposed to the current way of forcing guys to show up to earn "show up" points for the season championship) with no support class that will further destroy the track."

I agree with no support class. But paying $200 to the top finishing B-main driver who does not make the A isn't going to bring out many locals. I remember the WoO race at Davenport, 23 cars racing for 24 A-main spots. 3 heats (hot laps actually, they ment nothing, everyone transfered), a dash and A-main. Don't think I'd pay $25 for that. When they have 32 travelers and can do a stand alone show if needed that would be OK but I don't see 10 - 12 Knoxville guys showing up knowing they are most likely going home with less than $200.

4 heats, 4 drivers finished in a transfer spot after NOT STARTING in a transfer spot. Bill's comment "I was looking for a high school marching band, homecoming queen or those Shriners with the funny looking cars in this 12 lap parade." could have been applied to 7 of the nights 8 heats.

If the Friday WoO shows are not profitable then just run the Saturday show and NOTHING on Friday. Make sure you have the best chance of having a great show Saturday to attract back the sprint car fans. You know, the people that fairboard has made all thier money from for 50 years! There is NO WAY they have made a penny on any of the Friday LM shows, and they have tried every sanctioning body out there.

Highest Knoxville local 15th? Stevie Smith 7th?

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

McCarl setting up Schatz during the dash draw to address track condition was classic. Also, great to see the 3 drivers (Schatz, McCarl, and Dollansky) come into the stands to sign autographs during the delay. Thought that was classy.

It seemed as if the crowd was pretty large given that Knoxville front stretch grandstands hold 16,000. Even if they were 1/2 full, 8,000 is more than most sprint car shows have.

One thing about track conditions, these TV shows are important not only for the WoO, but also for the track itself. It is a showcase for Knoxville. To have a track like it was last night does no one good. All effort should be put forth by the speedway to make the surface good for racing, and if that means not having Late Models the night before, then so be it. Last night was the 2nd biggest event of the year for Knoxville (because of TV) and they did not distinguish themselves.

The LM race on Friday night was pretty good.

what was the crowd count on friday nite?

I've been doing comparisons on just what you're talking about. Being an anal historian, just lately I have been comparing feature starting spots with finishes over the years. Guess what? In 2007, we're kicking the crap out of 1980 (for example). We have twice the passing for top five finishers in 2007 that we had in 1980 (when we had no wings) up to this point in the season. There are several factors, obviously, such as a weekly invert of only six in 1980, but the results don't lie week after week. And yes, our 410 car counts are higher now too, even though we only had one class back then and now have two. Much is better now than then, but some of our memories fail us over time (even mine). My next column in FlatOut addresses some of these comparisons, hope you get a chance to read it. I also think Bobby and Brad kick the crap out of the TNN crew (no offense to them, RIP Steve). They were not "sprint car" people. They'd leave here and go do a Swamp Buggy race in Alabama the next week (remember those?).

If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me! 
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com

Cubic, THREE former Knoxville regulars/locals in the top 4, you only dream your Posse boys could do that these days, lmao. Congrats to TMC! Take It Easy....

Former...lol? Didn't McCarl FORMERLY drive the Weikert 29 as well...lol? Hats off to T-Mac, nice to see him turning things around.

 
 
 
They don't even know how to spell sprint car 
much less chromoly...http://www.ycmco.com

Didn't just about EVERYONE drive the Weikert 29 for at least a week or two? Since Andy Hillenburg drove it on one Pa WoO swing I guess was Posse from then on? LOL

My buddy guessed it at 700. Even if he was way off it could not have been a good turnout.