Smith wins Fourth Annual Late Model Nationals; Alexander wins 305 Sprint Championships
By Stacy Ervin

KNOXVILLE, IA (Sept 29) - Brady Smith of Solon Springs, Wisconsin, won the Fourth Annual Lucas Oil Late Model Knoxville Nationals at the Knoxville Raceway on the Marion County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Iowa, on Saturday, September 29, 2007. He garnered $35,000 for the career win, which saw him put on a dominating performance through the last half of the race.

The race had a tough time starting as Chris Spieker slowed to a stop in turn three before a lap could be completed. When it did go green, outside front-row starter and defending champion Brian Shirley took the lead and held off charges from polesitter Billy Moyer and third starter Steve Francis. Shirley hit lapped traffic on lap seven and continued to hold the lead until the 23rd circuit.

Shirley jumped the cushion in turn four on that lap and Moyer took over the lead. Moyer held on through heavy lapped traffic and soon faced a challenge from Smith, who started sixth. Smith led laps 28 and 29, but Moyer got the lead back on lap 30 in heavy traffic. The yellow flag came out the next time around for debris on the race track.

When the race resumed, Moyer continued to lead, getting back to lapped traffic on the 37th circuit. On the 47th lap, Smith wrestled the lead away in turn one and held it through lap 53. Smith jumped the cushion in traffic on the backstretch at that point and Moyer went back to the lead.

Moyer led laps 54 through 57 before he and Smith went three wide with Rick Eckert, who was being lapped, and Smith took the lead at the line. From there, Smith worked on building a substantial lead through traffic, gaining a half straightaway on Moyer by lap 63. By lap 78, Smith was lapping early leader Shirley in 10th place. By lap 84, Smith had lapped up to seventh place and looked to be cruising to victory.

But the yellow returned at lap 97 when Paul Glendenning spun in turn one, erasing Smith’s nine-second lead. However, Smith was able to hold off all the charges and get the victory.

Moyer finished second and Francis third. Darren Miller rocketed to fourth. Billy Drake made a late-race pass to get fifth. Brian Birkhofer, who won the inaugural event, finished sixth and was the last driver on the lead lap.

John Duty of Portland, Oregon, won the late-model C-Main. Jeep Van Wormer of Pinconning, Michigan, won the B-Main. Darrel DeFrance of Marshalltown, Iowa, transferred to the B-Main from the C and then raced to the final transfer from the B to the night’s main event.

Stacey Alexander came from 10th starting spot to win the 20-lap 305 Mid-States Sprint Championship. The Lacona, Iowa, native won $1,500 for his second-ever win at the hallowed half-mile. Alexander, who has been a longtime regular in the 360 division, won his first race during Thursday night’s preliminary qualifying event.

Outside front-row starter Marty Stephenson led the first lap of the event, but polesitter Jack Potter wrestled the lead away on lap two. Clint Garner took over the second spot from Stephenson on lap three and set his sights on Potter. The next time around, Stephenson got into the fence and lost a couple of spots before he coasted to a stop with a flat right-rear tire to bring out the yellow on lap five.

On the restart, Garner tried a slide job on Potter for the lead but did not make it work. And the red flag came out as John Kearney turned sideways in turn one, was hit in the right-rear tire by another car and was then T-boned by Josh Padellford, who flipped violently down the frontstretch.

When the race resumed, Potter held the point as Garner began to face a challenge from Alexander. Potter hit lapped traffic just past halfway and Alexander quickly disposed of Garner and stuck himself on Potter’s tail. When Potter got held up by a slower car on lap 15, Alexander got the lead in turn four and held on to it for the finish. Potter was second with Garner third. The only female competitor in the division this weekend, Trish Dover, ran a steady race to finish fourth.

The 305 A-Main was originally scheduled to see Rager Phillips start on the pole, but he blew his only motor on Friday’s qualifying night and was unable to return for the finale.

Kearney won the 305 B-Main, coming from his last-row starting spot and taking the lead at the halfway point.
 

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
September 29, 2007


305 RESULTS

B Feature, 15 laps, No Time: 1. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 2. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 3. Ryan Voss, Okoboji IA; 4. Larry Webb, Ankeny IA; 5. Brandon Grey, Lee Summit MO; 6. Doug Bratrud, Jackson MN; 7. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 8. Jacob Nicoson, Ringsted IA; 9. Kris Miller, Arnett OK; 10. Jeff Metli, Mason City IA; 11. Shadrach Sporaa, Iowa Falls IA; 12. Randy Reinhard, Fort Dodge IA; 13. Jeff Edgington, Sioux Falls SD; 14. Steve Yarns, Jackson MN;
 

Mid-States 305 Championship, 20 laps, No Time: 1. Stacey Alexander, Lacona IA; 2. Jack Potter, Kansas City MO; 3. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 4. Trish Dover, Springfield NE; 5. Steve Breazeale, Trenton MO; 6. Matt Stephenson, Altoona IA; 7. Bruce Anderson, Trimont MN; 8. Rob Kubli, Milo IA; 9. Mitchell Moore, Edgerton KS; 10. Mark Widmar, Ottumwa IA; 11. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 12. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 13. Brandon Grey, Lee Summit MO; 14. Chad Huston, Jamesport MO; 15. Matthew Stelzer, Omaha NE; 16. Ryan Voss, Okoboji IA; 17. Marty Stephenson, Mitchellville IA; 18. Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville IA; 19. Larry Webb, Ankeny IA; 20. Curtis Thorson, Newton IA; 21. Casey Friedrichsen, Arthur IA; 22. Bob Lamb, Mitchellville IA; 23. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 24. Josh Padellford, Pleasantville IA; Lap Leaders: Stephenson 1; Potter 2-14; Alexander 15-20.
 

Late Models RESULTS

C Feature, 15 laps, No Time: 1. John Duty, Portland OR; 2. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA; 3. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown IA; 4. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington IA; 5. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA; 6. Nick Kramer, Pine Island MN; 7. Curt Schroeder, Des Moines IA; 8. Al Stettner, Invergrove Heights MN; 9. Alonzo Grosse, Council Bluffs IA; 10. Junior Coover, Norfolk NE; 11. Chad Chenoweth, Huron SD; 12. Rod Smith, Monmouth IL;
 

B Feature, 20 laps, No Time: 1. Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning MI; 2. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN; 3. Chris Spieker, Massena IA; 4. Kerry Hansen, Spencer WI; 5. Matt Aukland, Fargo ND; 6. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown IA; 7. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA; 8. Dan Schlieper, Sullivan WI; 9. Nick Marolf, Moscow IA; 10. Nick Kramer, Pine Island MN; 11. Wayne Chinn, Bradford OH; 12. Ryan Newman, Mooresville NC; 13. Jay Johnson, West Burlington IA; 14. Darren Duffy, Hazelton IA; 15. Jill George, Cedar Falls IA; 16. Johnny Johnson, West Burlington IA; 17. Curt Martin, Independence IA; 18. Jason Utter, Columbus Junction IA; 19. Jacob Murray, Hartford IA; 20. John Duty, Portland OR; 21. Chris Smyser, Lancaster MO; 22. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City IA;
 

Late Model Knoxville Nationals Champsionship, 100 laps, No Time: 1. Brady Smith, Solon Springs WI; 2. Billy Moyer, Batesville AR; 3. Steve Francis, Ashland KY; 4. Darren Miller, Chadwick IL; 5. Billy Drake, Bloomington IL; 6. Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine IA; 7. Jimmy Mars, Menomonie WI; 8. Shannon Babb, Moweaqua IL; 9. Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg TN; 10. Donnie Moran, Dresden OH; 11. Steve Shaver, Vienna WV; 12. Brian Shirley, Chatham IL; 13. Josh Richards, Shinnston WV; 14. Ken Schrader, Concord NC; 15. Rick Eckert, York PA; 16. Randy Korte, Highland IL; 17. Chad Simpson, Mount Vernon IA; 18. Matt Miller, Arlington OH; 19. Eric Jacobsen, Santa Cruz CA; 20. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown IA; 21. Matt Aukland, Fargo ND; 22. Paul Glendenning, Mount Ayr IA; 23. Darrell Lanigan, Union KY; 24. Ed Kirchoff, Gillette WY; 25. Denny Eckrich, Oxford IA; 26. Chris Madden, Gaffney SC; 27. Jeep Van Wormer, Pinconning MI; 28. Kerry Hansen, Spencer WI; 29. Scott James, Lawrenceburg IN; 30. Ryan Newman, Mooresville NC; 31. Terry Casey, New London WI; 32. Chris Spieker, Massena IA; Lap Leaders: Shirley 1-22; Moyer 23-27; Smith 28-29; Moyer 30-47; Smith 48-53; Moyer 54-57; Smith 58-100.