Mother Nature, Aaron Reutzel, Eric Bridger Big Winners at Knoxville!
Aaron Reutzel
by Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 23, 2022) – Saturday night’s 410 feature was a wash on 3M Night at the Knoxville Raceway, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t plenty of action. Aaron Reutzel drove to his third 360 win of the season here, and Eric Bridger picked up career win number 13 in the Pro Sprints class. An hour rain delay earlier in the night slowed things, and then when it came back with the 410 feature staged, it brought everything to a halt. The 410 feature will be tentatively made up on Season Championship Night, Saturday, August 27.
Terry McCarl shot through the front row of Ryan Leavitt and Reutzel to lead the 18-lap 360 main event early in the going. Reutzel would gain second from Leavitt on lap two and used the low side of turns one and two to shoot by McCarl to lead lap three.
Brian Brown, making his lone 360 start of the season here, moved into third on lap three, while defending track champion, Clint Garner, moved into fourth on lap five. Reutzel was maneuvering through lapped traffic by the seventh circuit.
Chase Randall was also on the move and used the cushion to pass Garner for fourth at the halfway point. At that stage, Reutzel’s lead over McCarl had extended to 2.8 seconds. That was erased when Ricky Montgomery stopped on the front stretch to bring the lone caution of the event.
Reutzel led McCarl, Brown, Randall and Garner back to green flag racing. Brown hit the low side of turn one to take second, while Kaleb Johnson gained momentum and a spot in the top five. Johnson would pass Randall for fourth on lap 13, while Reutzel was already getting back into the lappers.
With four to go, Randall jumped from fifth to third in an impressive move. Up front, it was all Reutzel the rest of the way, and he earned $2,000 ahead of Brown, Randall, McCarl and Johnson. Garner, Ryan Giles, Jamie Ball, Nate Mills and Dustin Selvage rounded out the top ten. Brown set quick time over the 32-car field and won his heat, with other heat winners being Leavitt, Selvage and Calvin Landis. Alex Vande Voort claimed the B. The night was clear of incident save one for newcomer Logan Calderwood, who was the victim of a push truck accident. He was o.k., but a scratch from the B.
Eric Bridger led from the outset of the Pro Sprints feature, leading all 15 laps. The only slowdown came from a Toby Mosher spin two laps in. Bridger led Scotty Johnson, Mike Mayberry, Matthew Stelzer and Ryan Navritil back to green flag racing.
Stelzer took third from Mayberry with a move low in three. On lap seven, Tyler Groenendyk entered the top five with a pass of Navritil on the high side. Mayberry gained momentum late, and took back third with a pass high in turn three on lap 11.
Bridger’s second win of the season came ahead of Johnson, Mayberry, Stelzer and Groenendyk. Navritil, Brandon Worthington, Mike Johnston, Chase Young and Kade Higday completed the top ten. Johnson set quick time, and Young and Johnston were heat winners.
The 410 class had everything run but the feature. Brown set quick time again over the 30-car field. Josh Higday, Zach Hampton and Riley Goodno won heats. Dustin Selvage won the B.
Next Saturday, July 30 will be Weiler Night featuring the All Star Circuit of Champions! The 360 class will also be in action for their last tune-up before the 32nd Annual 360 Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank. For more information, visit or check Knoxville Raceway’s website at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com or on Facebook and Twitter.
410 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (4), 15.963; 2. 2, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (21), 15.965; 3. 8, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (10), 16.113; 4. 7, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (16), 16.113; 5. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (18), 16.118; 6. 2KS, Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (6), 16.189; 7. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (12), 16.210; 8. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (8), 16.216; 9. 2M, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (23), 16.257; 10. 5, Brady Forbrook, Morgan, MN (3), 16.283; 11. 1M, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (20), 16.290; 12. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (25), 16.333; 13. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (2), 16.386; 14. 35, Zach Hampton, Plainfield, IN (11), 16.421; 15. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (26), 16.449; 16. 14, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (1), 16.471; 17. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (30), 16.485; 18. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (27), 16.547; 19. 14X, Corey Day, Clovis, CA (7), 16.560; 20. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (19), 16.589; 21. 7W, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (9), 16.614; 22. 76, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (14), 16.779; 23. 14T, Tim Estenson, Fargo, ND (13), 16.816; 24. 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (15), 16.963; 25. 45, Rusty Hickman, Bendigo, VIC, Aust. (29), 17.081; 26. 4W, Matt Wasmund, Jackson, MN (5), 17.086; 27. 12, Tyler Drueke, Eagle, NE (28), 17.147; 28. 7B, Ben Brown, Marshall, MO (17), 17.345; 29. 9H, Landon Hansen, Newton, IA (24), 18.591; 30. 25, JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA (22), NT.
Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:13.1: 1. Josh Higday (1); 2. Josh Schneiderman (2); 3. Brady Forbrook (3); 4. Justin Henderson (5); 5. Brian Brown (6); 6. Sawyer Phillips (4); 7. Corey Day (7); 8. Rusty Hickman (9); 9. Nathan Mills (8); 10. Ben Brown (10)
Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:13.0: 1. Zach Hampton (2); 2. Lynton Jeffrey (6); 3. Chris Martin (1); 4. Carson McCarl (5); 5. Austin McCarl (4); 6. Tasker Phillips (7); 7. Tim Estenson (8); 8. Don Droud Jr. (3); 9. Matt Wasmund (9); 10. Landon Hansen (10)
Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:13.1: 1. Riley Goodno (1); 2. AJ Moeller (2); 3. Matt Juhl (3); 4. Aaron Reutzel (6); 5. Davey Heskin (4); 6. Ian Madsen (5); 7. Tyler Drueke (9); 8. Dustin Selvage (7); 9. Bobby Mincer (8) DNS – JJ Hickle
B main (started), 10 Laps, 2:52.9: 1. Dustin Selvage (1); 2. Tim Estenson (3); 3. Tyler Drueke (7); 4. Bobby Mincer (4) / 5. Nathan Mills (2); 6. Matt Wasmund (6); 7. Rusty Hickman (5); 8. Ben Brown (8); 9. Landon Hansen (9) DNS – JJ Hickle
A main (Starting Lineup to be Made-Up Later): 1. Zach Hampton (1); 2. Ian Madsen (2); 3. Brady Forbrook (3); 4. Carson McCarl (4); 5. Justin Henderson (5); 6. Aaron Reutzel (6); 7. Brian Brown (7); 8. Lynton Jeffrey (8); 9. Austin McCarl (9); 10. Sawyer Phillips (10); 11. Josh Schneiderman (11); 12. Josh Higday (12); 13. Davey Heskin (13); 14. Matt Juhl (14); 15. AJ Moeller (15); 16. Riley Goodno (16); 17. Chris Martin (17); 18. Don Droud Jr. (18); 19. Tasker Phillips (19); 20. Corey Day (20); 21. Dustin Selvage (21); 22. Tim Estenson (22); 23. Tyler Drueke (23); 24. Bobby Mincer (24)
360 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (5), 16.692; 2. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (1), 16.768; 3. 8, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (25), 16.893; 4. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (2), 16.904; 5. 9G, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (11), 16.922; 6. 9, Chase Randall, Waco, TX (9), 16.938; 7. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (7), 16.967; 8. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (14), 16.994; 9. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (15), 17.095; 10. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (10), 17.125; 11. 5M, Collin Moyle, Knoxville, IA (22), 17.133; 12. 22K, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD (13), 17.157; 13. 24T, Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN (17), 17.184; 14. 9M, Ricky Montgomery, Denver, CO (12), 17.190; 15. 5A, Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville, IA (26), 17.205; 16. 35, Skylar Prochaska, Lakefield, MN (30), 17.263; 17. 99, Tony Rost, Omaha, NE (16), 17.272; 18. 7C, Devin Kline, Knoxville, IA (29), 17.274; 19. 50, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (3), 17.307; 20. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (32), 17.309; 21. 7M, Chance Morton, Coweta, OK (28), 17.341; 22. 8M, Kade Morton, Coweta, OK (4), 17.367; 23. 83, Austin Miller, Lacona, IA (8), 17.420; 24. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (31), 17.498; 25. 2, Chase Porter, St. Joseph, MO (27), 17.547; 26. 75AU, Tyler Blank, California, MO (19), 17.602; 27. 22W, Aaron Werner, Colman, SD (18), 17.634; 28. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (6), 17.715; 29. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (21), 17.760; 30. 7, Tyler Lee, Cedar Rapids, IA (23), 17.853; 31. 6, Logan Calderwood, Goodyear, AZ (20), 17.935; 32. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (24), NT
Heat one (started), 7 Laps, 2:03.7: 1. Brian Brown (6); 2. Tony Rost (2); 3. Clint Garner (4); 4. Chance Morton (1); 5. Ryan Giles (5); 6. Christopher Thram (3); 7. Chase Porter (7); 8. Tyler Lee (8)
Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:05.0: 1. Ryan Leavitt (4); 2. Terry McCarl (6); 3. Devin Kline (2); 4. Chase Randall (5); 5. Tyler Blank (7); 6. Kade Morton (1); 7. Ricky Montgomery (3); 8. Logan Calderwood (8)
Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 1:57.5: 1. Dustin Selvage (2); 2. Austin Miller (1); 3. Aaron Reutzel (6); 4. Collin Moyle (4); 5. Jamie Ball (5); 6. Alex Vande Voort (3); 7. Aaron Werner (7) DNS – Alan Zoutte
Heat four (started), 7 Laps, 1:57.9: 1. Calvin Landis (2); 2. Riley Goodno (1); 3. Kaleb Johnson (4); 4. Nathan Mills (5); 5. Skylar Prochaska (3); 6. Joe Beaver (6); 7. Dustin Clark (8); 8. John Anderson (7)
B main (started), 10 Laps, 2:59.5: 1. Alex Vande Voort (2); 2. Ricky Montgomery (1); 3. Chase Porter (5); 4. Chance Morton (3) / 5. Kade Morton (4); 6. Tyler Lee (10); 7. Tyler Blank (6); 8. John Anderson (9); 9. Dustin Clark (8); 10. Aaron Werner (7)
A main (started), 18 Laps, NT: 1. Aaron Reutzel (2); 2. Brian Brown (4); 3. Chase Randall (5); 4. Terry McCarl (3); 5. Kaleb Johnson (11); 6. Clint Garner (8); 7. Ryan Giles (6); 8. Jamie Ball (10); 9. Nathan Mills (9); 10. Dustin Selvage (13); 11. Tony Rost (14); 12. Ryan Leavitt (1); 13. Skylar Prochaska (20); 14. Riley Goodno (18); 15. Christopher Thram (19); 16. Calvin Landis (15); 17. Chase Porter (23); 18. Collin Moyle (12); 19. Alex Vande Voort (21); 20. Chance Morton (24); 21. Devin Kline (16); 22. Ricky Montgomery (22); 23. Austin Miller (17); 24. Joe Beaver (7). Lap Leaders: T. McCarl 1-2, Reutzel 3-18. Hard-charger: Prochaska.
Pro Series Results
Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 44, Scotty Johnson, Dallas, IA (9), 17.488; 2. 81E, Eric Bridger, Winterset, IA (3), 17.672; 3. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (8), 17.762; 4. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA (1), 17.779; 5. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Papillion, NE (13), 17.823; 6. 12P, Ryan Navratil, Des Moines, IA (14), 17.936; 7. 41, Jeff Wilke, Knoxville, IA (4), 17.961; 8. 17X, Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, IA (5), 18.068; 9. 02S, Josh Jones, Knoxville, IA (12), 18.194; 10. 14J, Mike Johnston, Des Moines, IA (6), 18.237; 11. 26M, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA (11), 18.253; 12. 42J, Kade Higday, Pleasant Hill, IA (2), 18.371; 13. 55, Toby Mosher, Osceola, IA (7), 18.498; 14. B29, JJ Beaver, Knoxville, IA (10), 18.744
Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:52.7: 1. Chase Young (1); 2. Josh Jones (2); 3. Mike Mayberry (5); 4. Matthew Stelzer (4); 5. Jeff Wilke (3); 6. Scotty Johnson (6); 7. Toby Mosher (7)
Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:52.2: 1. Mike Johnston (2); 2. Ryan Navratil (4); 3. Kade Higday (1); 4. Tyler Groenendyk (3); 5. Brandon Worthington (5); 6. Eric Bridger (6); 7. JJ Beaver (7)
A main (started), 15 Laps, NT: 1. Eric Bridger (1); 2. Scotty Johnson (2); 3. Mike Mayberry (4); 4. Matthew Stelzer (5); 5. Tyler Groenendyk (10); 6. Brandon Worthington (6); 7. Mike Johnston (7); 8. Chase Young (9); 9. Kade Higday (12); 10. Jeff Wilke (11); 11. Josh Jones (8); 12. JJ Beaver (14); 13. Toby Mosher (13); 14. Ryan Navratil (3). Lap Leader: Bridger 1-15. Hard-charger: Groenendyk.
Category: Iowa
