Ian Madsen Cruises to Second Knoxville Win of Season!
Knoxville winners were Clint Garner (360), Ian Madsen (410), and Kade Higday (305) (Joanne Cram Photo)
Clint Garner Scores 30th Win in 360’s, Kade Higday Sweeps 305 Class
by Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (May 27, 2017) – Ian Madsen drove the KCP Racing #18 to his second win of the season at the Knoxville Raceway Saturday on Slideways Karting Center/Salute the Troops Night. The St. Mary’s, New South Wales, Australia driver held off fellow countryman, Brooke Tatnell, to claim $4,000 for his ninth career victory here. Clint Garner took the lead on lap seven of the 360 feature to win for the 30th time here, while Kade Higday swept time trials, his heat and the feature, driving from eighth to claim the 305 main event. A crazy night saw several cars upside down in and outside the track, but fortunately, no one was seriously injured.
Ian Madsen shot out from his pole position to lead early in the 20-lap 410 feature. Brooke Tatnell shot by Austin McCarl into second when the green flag flew. Two laps were in the books when Tim Kaeding spun in turn four. Madsen led Tatnell, Austin McCarl, Kerry Madsen and Terry McCarl back to green flag racing.
Kerry Madsen put a slider on Austin McCarl in turn two, to take over third on lap four, but McCarl stayed close. Meanwhile, Brian Brown entered the top five with a pass of Terry McCarl on lap six. Tatnell closed on the leader in traffic as the racing got intense behind them. On lap 16, Tasker Phillips smacked the turn one wall, bringing the final caution right after Brown worked by Austin McCarl for fourth.
Ian led Tatnell, Kerry, Brown and Austin back to green. Brown shot around Kerry to claim third on the restart. Meanwhile, up front, Ian Madsen was in command and flew under the checkers ahead of Tatnell, Brown, Kerry Madsen and Austin McCarl. Terry McCarl claimed sixth from Rager Phillips on the last lap, ahead of Davey Heskin, Matt Juhl and Josh Schneiderman. Brown set quick time for the second time this season and won his heat. Cap Henry and RJ Johnson won the other heat races.
“You always have to expect a yellow late in the race,” said Ian in Victory Lane. “You better hope you make a good decision on the restart. It’s always 50/50. We’re just really thankful we could hang on for the win. The team gave me an awesome racecar tonight. It was a pleasure to drive. You like the front row, but it’s kind of a ‘catch 22’. There’s only one other way to go. You have to capitalize on it when you can. I’d like to thank Knoxville Raceway for getting this in tonight. There was a lot of rain today.”
Sawyer Phillips grabbed the early advantage in the 18-lap 360 main event ahead of Matt Moro and Clint Garner. Ryan Giles entered the top three on the second lap, as he and Garner traded third in some tight racing. Moro pressured the leader as well, and took the point after a good battle on lap four.
John Anderson spun, bringing out the caution at that point, and Moro led Phillips, Garner, Cap Henry and Giles back to green. Garner jumped into second at that point, followed by Henry. Anderson spun a second time six laps in, bringing the yellow flag again. Garner used this restart to shoot into the lead. Chris Martin’s top ten run ended when he stopped with a broken shock at the halfway point.
Garner cruised the final nine laps. The only mystery was who would finish behind him. Henry won a good battle with Moro for second, while Phillips would win the fourth position over Giles. Jamie Ball, hard-charger Matt Juhl, Calvin Landis, Joe Beaver and Nate Van Haaften rounded out the top ten. Giles posted quick time on the night, and Christian Bowman, Chris Martin and Jon Agan were heat winners. Tyler Groenendyk claimed the B.
Mike Dapra flipped wildly in hot laps and was done for the evening. He joined all other flip victims in not being seriously injured. The scariest incident of the night was in the 360 B main. Alex Hill slid her car in front of Alan Zoutte entering turn one. The two made contact. Zoutte’s car launched off the right rear of Hill propelling him through the turn one billboards and nearly onto Highway 14. Hill also destroyed her car.
“The bottom was good,” said Garner in Victory Lane. “We knew it was going to be good all night, so we planned on running the top. Once I got out front, I did some laps down there. The worst part about that race was…Ryan Giles passed me at the beginning, and I was really trying to draft off him. He may have spun his wheels, but I hit him way harder than I wanted to. I didn’t want to go by him that way. We’re friends and teammates and I felt horrible about it. I was happy that we got the races in, and here we stand with a trophy. I can’t say enough about my team.”
Mike Mayberry set the pace ahead of Brad Comegys and Ryan Leavitt early in the 15-lap 305 feature. Kade Higday, who had already set quick time and won his heat, didn’t let an invert of eight slow his progress. He was into the top five by the second lap. When Mayberry nearly spun out in turn four, Comegys assumed the lead with Chris Walraven and Leavitt in tow.
Higday jumped up to third on a restart for a stalled Brandon Worthington on the fourth lap. On lap five, carnage ensued in turn four. Corey Kautz, Joe Simbro and Matt Stephenson all flipped, while Jeff Wilke, Casey Greubel and Chase Young were also involved. Comegys led Leavitt, Higday, Walraven and Eric Bridger back to green flag racing.
Bridger snatched up fourth, and used the bottom to pass Higday and Leavitt to move into second. When Dallas Mendenhall stopped on lap nine, Comegys led Bridger, Higday, Leavitt and Walraven. Higday was a man possessed when the green flew again, shooting by Bridger for second, and then snagging the lead for good from Comegys on lap 11.
Higday would survive on last restart after Greubel flipped in turn two, and win ahead of Comegys, Leavitt, Bridger and Matthew Stelzer. Kelby Watt, Walraven, Kevin Hetrick, Tyler Glass and Mayberry completed the top ten. Higday swept qualifying and his heat as well, before winning for the third time here. Hetrick and Leavitt also won heats.
“This past Wednesday, we lost my great grandma, and it’s pretty cool to sweep the night,” said Higday. “It’s just crazy. The top is kind of like a freeway in this class sometimes. A lot of guys like to run the bottom. The top is kind of my forte, and that’s where I’m going!”
Join us next Saturday night, June 3, for Iowa Corn District 5 and Iowa Corn District 9 Night as the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars invade the Knoxville Raceway for the first time since 2010! The Knoxville Championship Cup Series 360’s and 305’s will also be in action! For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
