Track Schedules

  Driver Profiles Photos Racing Links
Discussion Board Live Chat News Archives Advertising
  Weather  

Wayne Johnson wins opening night of 48th Annual Knoxville Nationals
By Stacy Ervin

KNOXVILLE, IA (August 6) - Wayne Johnson is on the roll of his life. After winning last weekend’s 18th Annual 360 Knoxville Nationals, he won the opening qualifying night of the 48th Annual Super Clean Knoxville Nationals presented by Lucas Oil on Wednesday, August 6, at the Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. Wednesday’s race night was courtesy of Nos Energy Drink.

Johnson, an Oklahoma native who now calls Knoxville home, started on the pole of the 20-lap main event and never looked back, leading every lap on his way to the $12,000 payday.

The race stayed green through the halfway point, in spite of Blake Feese and Greg Hodnett both showing smoke off of their mounts. Johnson hit lapped traffic at lap six. By lap eight, Danny Lasoski, who had started sixth, made his way around third starter Steve Kinser for the second spot. At lap 10, Johnson came to heavy lapped traffic and Lasoski closed fast.

The first caution came out on lap 11 when Ed Lynch Jr. got sideways in turn one right in front of the leaders. On the restart, Lasoski tried to take the point with a move in the low groove, his favorite side of the track. But Johnson pulled a crossover move under the flag stand and held on to the lead.

Another caution slowed the field at lap 13 when Rager Phillips slowed in turn four, again right in front of the leaders. Also at this caution, Travis Rilat pulled to the work area with a downed left-rear tire and Kaley Gharst stopped in turn four.

When the race went back to green, Johnson continued to hold off Lasoski in heavy traffic, while Jac Haudenschild was doing everything he could to fight Kinser for the third spot. He would not get it, though, as Kinser took the final podium spot. Just behind that pair, Daryn Pittman, Justin Henderson, Shane Stewart and Donny Schatz were all dicing for position in an exciting battle.

With two laps to go, Schatz began showing smoke off his motor but he was able to finish the race. The performances of Stewart and Schatz were impressive, as both drivers came from B-Main transfer spots to finish in the top 10.

In victory lane, Johnson was an animated winner, jumping up and down with his crew, climbing to the top of his wing and sharing a hug with his wife, Erin, and baby daughter, Paige.

“I’m a little out of wind for hootin’ and hollerin,’” Johnson told the crowd. “I’m not out of wind for driving.”

He noted he has legendary mechanic Scott Benic coaching him this week. Earlier in the night, Johnson had mentioned that his crew was unhappy with the motor they planned to run on this night and had swapped it for a motor that was seeing its fifth Nationals run.

Johnson said he saw Lynch spin in front of him and thought he would loop the car, but when Lynch gathered up his car, he knew it would be OK. He also knew Lasoski’s prowess on the bottom of the track.

“I knew it was a mistake to go to the top,” Johnson said. “After I seen his nose there off of four, you couldn’t have pried me off that bottom with a crowbar.”

Two-time and defending Knoxville Nationals winner Donny Schatz set the night’s fastest time trial at 14.897, but failed to transfer directly to the A-Main from his heat race.

Heat races were won by Daryn Pittman, Wayne Johnson, Travis Rilat, Jason Solwold and Kaley Gharst. Brandon Wimmer won the C-Main and transferred to the B along with Don Droud Jr., Cody Darrah and Bruce White. Donny Schatz won the B-Main and transferred to the A along with Shane Stewart, Bronson Maeschen and Chad Kemenah. Kemenah actually stole the show in the B, as Randy Hannagan and Jason Johnson had been fighting for the final transfer and Kemenah surprised both of them out of the final corner and took the transfer at the flag stand.

The night’s fourth heat race saw a major wreck at the start in turn one when polesitter Carl Wilson got sideways going into the corner. Doug Esh was caught with nowhere to go and the two went careening toward the fence in front of the rest of the field. Troy Little, Kerry Madsen, Chad Layton, Tim Shaffer, Randy Hannagan and Tony Bruce Jr. were also involved, making seven of the 10 competitors in the race. Hannagan, Bruce and Esh were the only ones able to restart, along with the three cars not involved in the wreck.


KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
August 6, 2008


410 RESULTS

Time Trial, 1. Donny Schatz, Fargo ND, 14.897; 2. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO, 15.119; 3. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA, 15.19; 4. Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro IN, 15.239; 5. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN, 15.298; 6. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK, 15.342; 7. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD, 15.342; 8. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN, 15.345; 9. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS, 15.348; 10. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS, 15.357; 11. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH, 15.358; 12. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN, 15.406; 13. Jason Johnson, Eunice LA, 15.413; 14. Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa PA, 15.42; 15. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN, 15.436; 16. Don Droud Jr., Lincoln NE, 15.495; 17. Fred Rahmer, Salfordville PA, 15.517; 18. Chad Kemenah, Findlay OH, 15.522; 19. Jason Solwold, Mt. Vernon WA, 15.525; 20. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE, 15.53; 21. Brian Paulus, Mechanicsburg PA, 15.551; 22. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA, 15.562; 23. Greg Hodnett, Thomasville PA, 15.578; 24. Chad Layton, Harrisburg PA, 15.589; 25. Jonathan Allard, Chico CA, 15.636; 26. Daryn Pittman, Owasso OK, 15.638; 27. Chad Hillier, Burlington WA, 15.641; 28. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM, 15.659; 29. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 15.691; 30. Spud Gustin, West Union OH, 15.701; 31. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA, 15.733; 32. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND, 15.744; 33. Travis Rilat, Forney TX, 15.752; 34. Troy Little, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 15.772; 35. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA, 15.82; 36. John Lambertz, Sioux Falls SD, 15.826; 37. Cody Darrah, Red Lion PA, 15.828; 38. Blake Feese, Saybrook IL, 15.83; 39. Doug Esh, Lancaster PA, 15.847; 40. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL, 15.909; 41. John VanDenBerg, Albia IA, 16.023; 42. Bruce White, Merrylands West NSW Aust , 16.03; 43. Danny Smith, Danville IN, 16.065; 44. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND, 16.067; 45. JJ Hickle, Quilcene WA, 16.071; 46. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 16.089; 47. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ, 16.202; 48. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA, 16.388; 49. Carl Wilson Auckland, NI, NZ, 16.415; 50. Corey Haigh, Auckland, NI, NZ , 16.438; 51. Steve Dyer, Vancouver, BC, Can. , 16.573; 52. Ty Bartz, Sheboygan Falls WI, 16.685; 53. Robert Bell, Colfax IA, 17.305; 54. Matt Wasmund, Jackson MN, No Time;

Heat 1, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Daryn Pittman, Owasso OK; 2. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 3. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA; 4. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH; 5. Brian Paulus, Mechanicsburg PA; 6. Donny Schatz, Fargo ND; 7. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 8. John VanDenBerg, Albia IA; 9. Don Droud Jr., Lincoln NE; 10. John Lambertz, Sioux Falls SD;

Heat 2, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 2. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN; 3. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 4. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 5. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ; 6. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 7. Fred Rahmer, Salfordville PA; 8. Chad Hillier, Burlington WA; 9. Cody Darrah, Red Lion PA; 10. Bruce White, Merrylands West NSW Aust ;

Heat 3, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Travis Rilat, Forney TX; 2. Danny Smith, Danville IN; 3. Greg Hodnett, Thomasville PA; 4. Blake Feese, Saybrook IL; 5. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM; 6. Chad Kemenah, Findlay OH; 7. Jason Johnson, Eunice LA; 8. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 9. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN; 10. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA;

Heat 4, 10 laps, 2:41.0: 1. Jason Solwold, Mt. Vernon WA; 2. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 3. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 4. Doug Esh, Lancaster PA; 5. Troy Little, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 6. Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro IN; 7. Carl Wilson Auckland, NI, NZ; 8. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 9. Chad Layton, Harrisburg PA; 10. Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa PA;

Heat 5, 10 laps, 2:45.7: 1. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 2. Jonathan Allard, Chico CA; 3. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 4. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 5. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 6. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS; 7. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 8. JJ Hickle, Quilcene WA; 9. Spud Gustin, West Union OH; 10. Corey Haigh, Auckland, NI, NZ ;

C Feature, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN; 2. Don Droud Jr., Lincoln NE; 3. Cody Darrah, Red Lion PA; 4. Bruce White, Merrylands West NSW Aust ; 5. Spud Gustin, West Union OH; 6. Ty Bartz, Sheboygan Falls WI; 7. Corey Haigh, Auckland, NI, NZ ; 8. Robert Bell, Colfax IA; 9. Steve Dyer, Vancouver, BC, Can. ; 10. John Lambertz, Sioux Falls SD; 11. Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa PA; 12. Chad Layton, Harrisburg PA; 13. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA; 14. Matt Wasmund, Jackson MN;

B Feature, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Donny Schatz, Fargo ND; 2. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 3. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 4. Chad Kemenah, Findlay OH; 5. Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro IN; 6. Jason Johnson, Eunice LA; 7. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 8. Fred Rahmer, Salfordville PA; 9. Don Droud Jr., Lincoln NE; 10. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 11. Brian Paulus, Mechanicsburg PA; 12. Chad Hillier, Burlington WA; 13. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 14. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN; 15. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS; 16. John VanDenBerg, Albia IA; 17. Bruce White, Merrylands West NSW Aust ; 18. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM; 19. Troy Little, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 20. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ; 21. JJ Hickle, Quilcene WA; 22. Cody Darrah, Red Lion PA; 23. Carl Wilson Auckland, NI, NZ; 24. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ;

A Feature, 25 laps, No Time: 1. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 2. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 3. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN; 4. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH; 5. Daryn Pittman, Owasso OK; 6. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 8. Donny Schatz, Fargo ND; 9. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 10. Jason Solwold, Mt. Vernon WA; 11. Greg Hodnett, Thomasville PA; 12. Chad Kemenah, Findlay OH; 13. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 14. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 15. Jonathan Allard, Chico CA; 16. Danny Smith, Danville IN; 17. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 18. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA; 19. Doug Esh, Lancaster PA; 20. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 21. Travis Rilat, Forney TX; 22. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 23. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 24. Blake Feese, Saybrook IL. Lap Leader Johnson 1-20