Gharst Wins Brodix Tournament of Champions; O'Reilly ASCoT National Series Takes Team Title
by: Lonnie Wheatley

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 5, 2007) – While Illinois shoe Kaley Gharst raced to victory lane in Sunday night's Ninth Brodix Tournament of Champions at Knoxville Raceway, the American Sprint Car Series fared well by snagging six of the top twelve positions in the 30-lap feature event.

And for the third time in event history, the O'Reilly American Sprint Cars on Tour National series claimed the team championship with four representatives among the top eleven feature finishers.

Current ASCS Northern Plains Region points leader Chuck Swenson of Watertown, SD, was the top finishing series representative with a third-place run, finishing just ahead of O'Reilly ASCoT National series championship contender Wayne Johnson.

After timing in 46th among the field of 48 entries, Joe Ramaker raced from eighth to third in his heat to somehow earn the pole position for the feature following an invert of six. However, the Boise, ID, native was unable to make the call for the feature event, with current O'Reilly ASCoT National points leader Gary Wright of Hooks, TX, moving forward to take the pole starting position.

Wright gunned into the lead at the drop of the green flag and paced the opening rounds in front of Joe Beaver and Chuck Swenson. Wright's pace was interrupted after six laps when Josh Higday came to a stop.

A stuck bleeder valve in Wright's right rear tire reared its ugly head under the caution, with third-running Swenson charging into the lead on the restart.

The red flag flew a lap later when Rager Phillips tagged the turn four wall, while at the same time, defending ASCS Midwest Region champion Toby Chapman jumped the turn three cushion and flipped.

Under the ensuing stoppage, Wright's tire deflated and he surrendered the second position when he retired to the pit area.

Swenson led Gharst and Garry Lee Maier on the restart and held the lead until lapped traffic came into play at the midway point. Gharst reeled in the X car and charged by in turn two on the 18th round.

Gharst led the rest of the way, with Jeff Mitrisin taking the runner-up position. Swenson held on for the show position, with Wayne Johnson racing from 15th to snare fourth. Maier rounded out the top five, with Randy Martin crossing the stripe sixth.

O'Reilly ASCoT National ace Jason Johnson charged from 23rd to claim seventh, with Joe Beaver in eighth. Travis Rilat was the third O'Reilly ASCoT National representative among the top ten by advancing from 19th to ninth, with Bryan Dobesh completing the top ten.

ASCS National contender Nick Smith was eleventh, with ASCS Northern Plains racer Lee Grosz in twelfth.

Other ASCS representatives among the 30-car feature event included Eric Baldaccini (15th), current ASCS Rebel Region points leader T.J. Winegardner (16th), current ASCS Patriot points leader Chuck Hebing (17th), 16-year-old Kathryne Minter (23rd), Wright (25th) and Chapman (27th).



Ninth Brodix Tournament of Champions Results from Knoxville Raceway:

Qualifying:
1. 98-J.D. Johnson (NCRA) 15.984, 2. 32-Justin Barger (ESS) 16.158, 3. 7-Darren Long (NRA) 16.163, 4. b4-Eric Baldaccini (ASCS National) 16.259, 5. 3*-Kaley Gharst (SIA) 16.271, 6. X-Chuck Swenson (ASCS-NP) 16.276, 7. 41-Jason Johnson (ASCS National) 16.305, 8. 9-Gary Wright (ASCS National) 16.320, 9. 2x-Josh Higday (KNOX) 16.331, 10. 27-Don Droud, Jr. (NCRA) 16.342, 11. 29-Travis Rilat (ASCS National) 16.344, 12. 11x-Garry Lee Maier (NCRA) 16.355, 13. 94-Wayne Johnson (ASCS National) 16.358, 14. 23-Seth Bergman (NSCS) 16.395, 15. 10-Jeff Mitrisin (KNOX) 16.410, 16. 2m-Matt Moro (KNOX) 16.447, 17. 7a-Johnny Anderson (KNOX) 16.451, 18. 86x-Josh Fisher (WOW) 16.456, 19. 2d-Bryan Dobesh (KNOX) 16.461, 20. 45-Chuck Hebing (ASCS-PAT) 16.469, 21. 13m-Kathryne Minter (ASCS-Gulf South) 16.485, 22. 34-Luke Hall (NRA) 16.486, 23. Natalie Sather (ASCS-Midwest) 16.498, 24. 91d-Derek Ingalls (NSCS) 16.518, 25. 14-Randy Martin (WOW) 16.524, 26. 14p-Rager Phillips (SIA), 27. 53-Joe Beaver (KNOX) 16.529, 28. 4b-Robbie Vaughn (NSCS) 16.532, 29. Ron Blair (NRA) 16.543, 30. Gabe Maycock (WOW) 16.563, 31. 98m-Gabe Maycock (WOW) 16.563, 32. 54-Brett Mather (KNOX) 16.580, 33. 5-Rick Ideus (KNOX) 16.601, 34. 15s-Nick Smith (ASCS National) 16.614, 35. 4J-Lee Grosz (ASCS-NP) 16.625, 36. 84-Toby Chapman (ASCS-Midwest) 16.658, 37. 51J-Ryan Jamison (SIA) 16.694, 38. 11T-T.J. Winegardner (ASCS-Rebel), 39. 67-Brian Thomas (ASCS-Rebel), 40. 53h-Matt Harms (SIA) 16.757, 41. kr14-Tyler Spath (NSCS) 16.805, 42. 00-Lauren Densley (W-SCCA) 16.818, 43. 57c-Chris Schmelzle (ASCS National) 16.820, 44. 11F-Foster Landon (ASCS National) 16.872, 45. 57-Stu Snyder (NCRA) 16.916, 46. 98r-Joe Ramaker (AST), 47. 5x-Dave Glennon (ASCS-NP), 48. 5ma-Mallory Armfield (WOW) 17.061.



Heat Races – Top 18 in Passing Points to "A" Main, balance to "B" Mains

First Heat (10 Laps): 1. 98m-Gabe Maycock (WOW), 2. 14-Randy Martin (WOW), 3. 94-Wayne Johnson (ASCS National), 4. 2d-Bryan Dobesh (KNOX), 5. 41-Jason Johnson (ASCS National), 6. 98-J.D. Johnson (NCRA), 7. 57c-Chris Schmelzle (ASCS National). DNS: 51J-Ryan Jamison (SIA).

Second Heat (10 Laps): 1. 14p-Rager Phillips (SIA), 2. 9-Gary Wright (ASCS National), 3. 54-Brett Mather (KNOX), 4. 23-Seth Bergman (NSCS), 5. 32-Justin Barger (ESS), 6. 11F-Foster Landon (ASCS National), 7. 45-Chuck Hebing (ASCS-PAT), 8. 11T-T.J. Winegardner (ASCS-Rebel).

Third Heat (10 Laps): 1. 53-Joe Beaver (KNOX), 2. 10-Jeff Mitrisin (KNOX), 3. 2x-Josh Higday (KNOX), 4. 5-Rick Ideus (KNOX), 5. 7-Darren Long (NRA), 6. 57-Stu Snyder (NCRA), 7. 67-Brian Thomas (ASCS-Rebel), 8. 13m-Kathryne Minter (ASCS-Gulf South).

Fourth Heat (10 Laps): 1. 15s-Nick Smith (ASCS-National), 2. 2m-Matt Moro (KNOX), 3. 98r-Joe Ramaker (AST), 4. 34-Luke Hall (NRA), 5. 4R-Robbie Vaughn (NSCS), 6. 27-Don Droud, Jr. (NCRA), 7. b4-Eric Baldaccini (ASCS-National), 8. 53h-Matt Harms (SIA).

Fifth Heat (10 Laps): 1. 3*-Kaley Gharst (SIA), 2. 4J-Lee Grosz (ASCS-NP), 3. 35r-Ron Blair (NRA), 4. 29-Travis Rilat (ASCS National), 5. 7a-Johnny Anderson (KNOX), 6. 94s-Natalie Sather (ASCS-Midwest), 7. kr14-Tyler Spath (NSCS), 8. 5x-Dave Glennon (ASCS-NP).

Sixth Heat (10 Laps): 1. X-Chuck Swenson (ASCS-NP), 2. 11x-Garry Lee Maier (NCRA), 3. 84-Toby Chapman (ASCS-Midwest), 4. 5L-Eric Lutz (ASCS-NP), 5. 91d-Derek Ingalls (NSCS), 6. 00-Lauren Densley (W-SCCA), 7. 5ma-Mallory Armfield (WOW), 8. 86x-Josh Fisher (WOW).



"B" Mains – Top 2 From Each Advance to "A' Main

First "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 29-Travis Rilat (ASCS National), 2. b4-Eric Baldaccini (ASCS National), 3. 91d-Derek Ingalls (NSCS), 4. 5-Rick Ideus (KNOX), 5. 13m-Kathryne Minter (ASCS-Gulf South), 6. 00-Lauren Densley (W-SCCA), 7. 67-Brian Thomas (ASCS-Rebel), 8. 98-J.D. Johnson (NCRA), 9. 57-Stu Snyder (NCRA). DNS: 86x-Josh Fisher (WOW).

Second "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 2d-Bryan Dobesh (KNOX), 2. 41-Jason Johnson (ASCS National), 3. 32-Justin Barger (ESS), 4. 34-Luke Hall (NRA), 5. 23-Seth Bergman (NSCS), 6. 4r-Robbie Vaughn (NSCS), 7. 51J-Ryan Jamison (SIA), 8. 53h-Matt Harms (SIA), 9. 57c-Chris Schmelzle (ASCS National).

Third "B" Feature (12 Laps): 1. 27-Don Droud, Jr. (NCRA), 2. 7-Darren Long (NRA), 3. 7a-Johnny Anderson (KNOX), 4. 94s-Natalie Sather (ASCS-Midwest), 5. 5L-Eric Lutz (ASCS-NP), 6. 11F-Foster Landon (ASCS National), 7. 11T-T.J. Winegardner (ASCS-Rebel), 8. 45-Chuck Hebing (ASCS-PAT), 9. 5ma-Mallory Armfield (WOW). DNS: kr14-Tyler Spath (NSCS).



Brodix Tournament of Champions "A" Main

"A" Feature (30 Laps): 1. 3*-Kaley Gharst (SIA), 2. 10-Jeff Mitrisin (KNOX), 3. X-Chuck Swenson (ASCS-NP), 4. 94-Wayne Johnson (ASCS National), 5. 11x-Garry Lee Maier (NCRA), 6. 14-Randy Martin (WOW), 7. 41-Jason Johnson (ASCS National), 8. 53-Joe Beaver (KNOX), 9. 29-Travis Rilat (ASCS National), 10. 2d-Bryan Dobesh (KNOX), 11. 15s-Nick Smith (ASCS National), 12. 4J-Lee Grosz (ASCS-NP), 13. 7-Darren Long (NRA), 14. 2m-Matt Moro (KNOX), 15. b4-Eric Baldaccini (ASCS National), 16. 11T-T.J. Winegardner (ASCS-Rebel), 17. 45-Chuck Hebing (ASCS-PAT), 18. 98m-Gabe Maycock (WOW), 19. 35r-Ron Blair (NRA), 20. 4r-Robbie Vaughn (NSCS0, 21. 54-Brett Mather (KNOX), 22. 00-Lauren Densley (W-SCCA), 23. 13m-Kathryne Minter (ASCS-Gulf South), 24. 32-Justin Barger (ESS), 25. 9-Gary Wright (ASCS National), 26. 14p-Rager Phillips (SIA), 27. 84-Toby Chapman (ASCS-Midwest), 28. Josh Higday (KNOX) 29. 27-Don Droud, Jr. (NCRA), 30. 98r-Joe Ramaker (AST).

Lap Leaders: Gary Wright 1-6, Chuck Swenson 7-17, Kaley Gharst 18-30.

Note: Provisional starting positions awarded to 13m-Kathryne Minter (ASCS-Gulf South), 45-Chuck Hebing (ASCS-PAT), 00-Lauren Densley (W-SCCA0, 32-Justin Barger (ESS), 4R-Robbie Vaughn (NSCS), 11T-T.J. Winegardner (ASCS-Rebel).