Madsen Returns and Wins; Higday Garners Third July Victory
By Bob Wilson

KNOXVILLE, IA (July 29, 2006) - Defending Knoxville Raceway track champion Kerry Madsen picked up career win number fourteen at this central Iowa race facility as he led flag to flag in the Selma Shell sprint car to grab a $3,000 pay day. Madsen had just recently left the weekly Knoxville shows to compete with the National Sprint Tour. Higday took a late race lead to capture what might be called the "warm-up feature" for the 16th annual 360 Knoxville Nationals being held next Thursday through Saturday, August 3-5.

Madsen, who started on the pole of the 20-lap feature event, was never truly in danger of loosing the race once it started. By lap five he had created a fifteen car-length lead over second running Tim St. Arnold who was battling hard to fend off the advances of Skip Jackson. Behind those two came Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Ryan Anderson.

Lap seven saw Stenhouse begin a torrid battle with Jackson as they banged wheels at the flagstand and darted into turn one. On the next go around they came past the start-finish line in a dead heat. The next tour finally saw Stenhouse win out but Jackson kept right on his tail.

Behind the Stenhouse-Jackson duel yet another fight broke out between Dusty Zomer and Danny Lasoski. Zomer, who started right in front of Lasoski in row four, would have no part of a Lasoski pass and kept him at bay as Jason Meyers began to catch the two on each passing lap.

Lap ten saw Madsen head into lap traffic and with that, Stenhouse was able to make a pass of St. Arnold to take the runner-up spot. With each passing lap, St. Arnold began to drift backward as the fast cars in the 12-car invert began to move forward.

All the excitement of the racing in lap traffic was brought to a sudden halt when the red flag was thrown on lap fourteen. Tony Bruce, Jr. somehow slammed solidly into the turn two fence. His car was destroyed but he walked away from the mess.

When the race resumed, Madsen again pulled away from the pack. With the track free of backmarkers the Australian ran his mount full bore around the big half-mile oval. Behind him Stenhouse again had his hands full with Jackson. The radios had reported after the red condition push off that Lasoski's engine did not sound healthy. True to the report, Lasoski began to drift backward.

As the laps wound down Stenhouse disposed of Jackson as then Meyers passed him and finally Zomer got by on the final lap. That meant that the top five were Madsen, Stenhouse, Meyers, Zomer and Jackson. Rounding out the top ten finishers were Brian Brown (from 18th), Billy Alley, Shane Stewart (who started beside Brown), Lasoski and Lynton Jeffrey.

In the companion 360 sprint division, Josh Higday led the 15-lap distance to claim his 12th career feature event at this fairgrounds oval. That places the Des Moines driver fifth on the all-time 360 win list here.

The win was never assured for Higday as Joe Beaver took the immediate lead from his pole position start. Through ten laps Beaver had the lead but on lap seven when Higday got by two cars, it looked like he would have company by race's end.

Lap eleven saw Higday seemingly catch Beaver napping on the backstretch and zoomed by him as he roared into turn three. Beaver stayed close but this was not to be his night as on the next round disaster struck. He had been using the low groove and as he exited turn four on the bottom he came upon a slow car that was heading to pull into one of the pit roads. Beaver struck him sidelining himself from the race and perhaps a runner-up finish.

When the race resumed it was just a matter of Higday going through the motions to take the $1.250 win. Jeff Mitrisin, who had run in the top five the entire race finished second. Jon Corbin, a fifth row starter was third, Chuck Swenson, who started behind Corbin was fourth and Jake Peters, a B Main transfer who started near the tail of the 20-car field took fifth. Completing the top ten finishers were Bryan Dobesh, Frankie Heimbaugh, Luke Cranston, Larry Ball, Jr. and tail-end starter Johnny Anderson.

Forty-three 360s and thirty-four 410s were fielded for this last event of July.


KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
July 29, 2006
410 RESULTS

Time Trials, 1 lap, 1. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA, 15.043; 2. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA, 15.05; 3. Bronson Maeschen, (R) Knoxville IA, 15.089; 4. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA, 15.094; 5. Chris Walraven, Knoxville IA, 15.102; 6. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA, 15.111; 7. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO, 15.116; 8. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR, 15.124; 9. Rager Phillips, (R) Pleasantville IA, 15.138; 10. Dusty Zomer, (R) Brandon SD, 15.162; 11. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA, 15.187; 12. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE, 15.191; 13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch MS, 15.206; 14. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 15.218; 15. Tim St. Arnold, Des Moines IA, 15.279; 16. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, AUS , 15.285; 17. Chad Meyer, Sioux Falls SD, 15.297; 18. Eric Vanderploeg, Altoona IA, 15.306; 19. Tony Bruce, Jr., Liberal KS, 15.334; 20. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD, 15.349; 21. Trevor Green, (R) Adelaide, SA, Aust. , 15.351; 22. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK, 15.368; 23. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO, 15.408; 24. Jesse Giannetto, Palo IA, 15.415; 25. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL, 15.519; 26. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA, 15.521; 27. Matt Moro, Ankeny IA, 15.728; 28. Greg Jones, Earlham IA, 15.812; 29. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA, 15.858; 30. Dave Saffell, (R) Pleasantville IA, 15.931; 31. Tyler Houseman, Runnells IA, 16.223; 32. Tony Shilling, (R) Knoxville IA, 16.242; 33. Robert Bell, Colfax IA, 17.392; 34. Michael Strader, Rock Island IL, No Time;

Heat 1, 1 laps, 2:06.5: 1. Trevor Green, (R) Adelaide, SA, Aust. ; 2. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA; 3. Chad Meyer, Sioux Falls SD; 4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch MS; 5. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 6. Rager Phillips, (R) Pleasantville IA; 7. Chris Walraven, Knoxville IA; 8. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA; 9. Robert Bell, Colfax IA;

Heat 2, 1 laps, 2:04.8: 1. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 2. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 3. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 4. Dusty Zomer, (R) Brandon SD; 5. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA; 6. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA; 7. Eric Vanderploeg, Altoona IA; 8. Dave Saffell, (R) Pleasantville IA;

Heat 3, 1 laps, No Time: 1. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 2. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 3. Tim St. Arnold, Des Moines IA; 4. Tony Bruce, Jr., Liberal KS; 5. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 6. Bronson Maeschen, (R) Knoxville IA; 7. Matt Moro, Ankeny IA; 8. Tyler Houseman, Runnells IA;

Heat 4, 1 laps, 2:06.9: 1. Jesse Giannetto, Palo IA; 2. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 3. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 4. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, AUS ; 5. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 6. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 7. Greg Jones, Earlham IA; 8. Tony Shilling, (R) Knoxville IA;

B Feature, 12 laps, 3:15.6: 1. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 2. Bronson Maeschen, (R) Knoxville IA; 3. Chris Walraven, Knoxville IA; 4. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA; 5. Matt Moro, Ankeny IA; 6. Eric Vanderploeg, Altoona IA; 7. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA; 8. Greg Jones, Earlham IA; 9. Robert Bell, Colfax IA; 10. Dave Saffell, (R) Pleasantville IA; 11. Tyler Houseman, Runnells IA;

A Feature 1, No Time: 1. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, AUS ; 2. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch MS; 3. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA; 4. Dusty Zomer, (R) Brandon SD; 5. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 6. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 7. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 8. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 9. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 10. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 11. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 12. Jesse Giannetto, Palo IA; 13. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 14. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 15. Chad Meyer, Sioux Falls SD; 16. Trevor Green, (R) Adelaide, SA, Aust. ; 17. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 18. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA; 19. Chris Walraven, Knoxville IA; 20. Bronson Maeschen, (R) Knoxville IA; 21. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA; 22. Tim St. Arnold, Des Moines IA; 23. Tony Bruce, Jr., Liberal KS; 24. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD. Lap Leaders: Madsen 1-20
 

360 RESULTS

Heat 1, 7 laps, 1;55.9: 1. Bryan Dobesh, Sioux Falls SD; 2. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 3. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 4. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 5. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis IA; 6. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS; 7. Tyler Thompson, (R) Des Moines IA; 8. Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville IA; 9. Jarrod Schneiderman, West Burlington IA;

Heat 2, 7 laps, 1;56.1: 1. Brett Mather, Ames IA; 2. Dustin Lindquist, (R) Floodwood MN; 3. Eric Mason, Knoxville IA; 4. Brett Golik, Newton IA; 5. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 6. Luke Hall, Troy OH; 7. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 8. David Hall, Des Moines IA; 9. Garry Lee Maier, Cimmaron KS;

Heat 3, 7 laps, 1:56.3: 1. Jon Corbin, (R) Carrollton MO; 2. Frankie Heimbaugh, Des Moines IA; 3. Joe Beaver, Knoxville IA; 4. Luke Cranston, Ness City KS; 5. John Anderson, (R) Des Moines IA; 6. Mark Tischer, Hannibal MO; 7. Danny Heskin, (R) St. Michael MN; 8. Pete Crall, DeSoto KS; 9. Rick Ideus, (R) Silver City IA;

Heat 4, 7 laps, No Time: 1. Larry Ball Jr., Knoxville IA; 2. Chuck Swenson, Watertown SD; 3. Stacey Alexander, Lacona IA; 4. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 5. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 6. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA; 7. John Hall, Marion IA; 8. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA;

Heat 5, 7 laps, 1;55.4: 1. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA; 2. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 3. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 4. Matt Stephenson, Des Moines IA; 5. Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale TX; 6. Troy Meyer, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Tim Newman, Cameron MO; 8. Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA;

C Feature , 8 laps, 2:16.9: 1. Tyler Thompson, (R) Des Moines IA; 2. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 3. Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA; 4. David Hall, Des Moines IA; 5. Mitchell Alexander, Knoxville IA; 6. Danny Heskin, (R) St. Michael MN; 7. Jarrod Schneiderman, West Burlington IA; 8. John Hall, Marion IA; 9. Tim Newman, Cameron MO;

B Feature , 10 laps, No Time: 1. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 2. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 3. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 4. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 5. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS; 6. Luke Hall, Troy OH; 7. Matt Stephenson, Des Moines IA; 8. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 9. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA; 10. John Anderson, (R) Des Moines IA; 11. Mark Tischer, Hannibal MO; 12. Stacey Alexander, Lacona IA; 13. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis IA; 14. Tyler Thompson, (R) Des Moines IA;

A Feature , 15 laps, No Time: 1. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA; 2. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 3. Jon Corbin, (R) Carrollton MO; 4. Chuck Swenson, Watertown SD; 5. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 6. Bryan Dobesh, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Frankie Heimbaugh, Des Moines IA; 8. Luke Cranston, Ness City KS; 9. Larry Ball Jr., Knoxville IA; 10. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 11. Dustin Lindquist, (R) Floodwood MN; 12. Brett Mather, Ames IA; 13. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 14. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 15. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 16. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 17. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 18. Brett Golik, Newton IA; 19. Joe Beaver, Knoxville IA; 20. Eric Mason, Knoxville IA. Lap Leaders: Beaver 1-10; Higday 11-15