Brown and Higday Capture Knoxville Season Openers
(Pizza Hut/Lions Club Night)
By Bob Wilson

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (April 21) - Brian Brown and Josh Higday showed the fast way around the world-famous Knoxville Raceway oval and celebrated feature event wins during the track's 54th season opener Saturday night.

Brown, who started 17th in the field of twenty-four, was probably given little chance of winning the season opener by the gathered crowd due to the fact that the track surface had turned hard, dry and slick by the end of the night of racing on it. That and the new harder compound tire rule in effect for the 2007 season would make it extremely difficult to move forward in the twenty lap race, most thought.

But, Brown did move forward quickly and by the half-way point was sitting in the runner-up spot and enjoying a dynamic battle for that position with fifth row starter Ricky Logan. Both had managed to chase down race leader Skip Jackson. While Jackson and Brown made their living on the high cushion, Logan found the bottom to his liking.

Laps 10-14 proved to be exciting as it was never certain who would fly by the flagstand with the lead. However, lap 14 was the deciding circuit as both Brown and Logan slid Jackson going into turn one. When they came around the half-mile oval to the start/finish line, a blanket finish showed Brown to be slightly ahead of Logan. From that point to the end Brown was in control but Logan kept it so interesting. Jackson stayed close to that duo as Kaley Gharst (started 16th) came into contention,

As Brown began to pull away ever so slowly, Jackson, Logan and Gharst were having a dog fight for the runner-up slot. On lap eighteen Jackson spun his sprinter in turn four and sat sideways on the track as all oncoming traffic missed him. He was relegated to the tail and finished fifteenth.

When the race resumed, a sudden 5-car melee occurred in turn one, taking four cars to the pits. It was during that red-flag stoppage that it was noted that Brown's right-rear tire was ready for the trash barrel. Once the race went green, Brown did not baby his equipment provided by Wise Guy Motorsports. Brown forced his Maxim full tilt around that final lap to take the $3,000 checkers just ahead of Logan. Surprisingly, B-Main winner and 19th position starter Scott Winters had forged his way to third. Gharst maintained fourth and Dennis Moore, Jr. came through the pack to take fifth. Dustin Lindquist, Randy Anderson, Dusty Zomer, Mark Dobmeier and Brent Antill completed the top ten finishers.

Josh Higday began etching his name on the top line of the Knoxville Championship Cup Series end-of-the- year trophy as he simply ran away and hid from the 20-car field in the 360 division. Higday led every single lap from his pole position start and was so fast that he began entering lap traffic by the seventh circuit. Quickly he extended his lead to a full straightaway over second running Chuck Swenson.

In a feature race that went non-stop, Higday would eventually guide his Snodgrass Eagle to a half-lap lead before the race went checkered for this new team. If one was not watching Higday masterfully plow through traffic then one had to be guessing who would take second. In the end, Jeff Mitrisin captured that spot with Swenson settling for third. Track rookie Bryan Dobesh came home fourth and John Kearney took fifth. Rounding out the top ten finishers were Dustin Selvage, Jake Peters, Rick Ideus, Brett Mather and Mike Houseman, Jr.

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
April 21, 2007


410 RESULTS

Time Trial 1, 1 laps, 1. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA, 15.027; 2. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA, 15.189; 3. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA, 15.202; 4. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE, 15.322; 5. Toni Lutar, (R)White Rock, BC, Can. , 15.349; 6. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 15.35; 7. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA, 15.394; 8. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND, 15.443; 9. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA, 15.499; 10. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD, 15.548; 11. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA, 15.552; 12. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR, 15.557; 13. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA, 15.603; 14. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE, 15.643; 15. Scott Winters, (R)Butterfield MN, 15.65; 16. Dustin Lindquist, (R) Floodwood MN, 15.672; 17. Jon Corbin, Carrollton MO, 15.673; 18. Dennis Moore Jr., Grinnell IA, 15.733; 19. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL, 15.857; 20. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO, 15.878; 21. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE, 15.884; 22. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA, 15.899; 23. Greg Jones, Earlham IA, 15.964; 24. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD, 15.972; 25. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA, 15.999; 26. Jack Potter II, (R)Pleasant Hill MO, 16.012; 27. Mike Deavers, (R)Normal IL, 16.14; 28. Bob Weuve, Newton IA, 16.181; 29. Dave Saffell, Pleasantville IA, 17.217; 30. Robert Bell, Colfax IA, No Time;

Heat 1, 8 laps, 2:10.9: 1. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA; 2. Dustin Lindquist, (R) Floodwood MN; 3. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 4. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 5. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 6. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA; 7. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 8. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA; 9. Bob Weuve, Newton IA;

Heat 2, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Jon Corbin, Carrollton MO; 2. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 3. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 4. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 5. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 6. Toni Lutar, (R)White Rock, BC, Can. ; 7. Greg Jones, Earlham IA; 8. Jack Potter II, (R)Pleasant Hill MO; 9. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA;

Heat 3, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Dennis Moore Jr., Grinnell IA; 2. Scott Winters, (R)Butterfield MN; 3. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 4. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 5. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 6. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 7. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE; 8. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 9. Mike Deavers, (R)Normal IL; 10. Robert Bell, Colfax IA;

B Feature , 12 laps, No Time: 1. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 2. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA; 3. Scott Winters, (R)Butterfield MN; 4. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE; 5. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 6. Greg Jones, Earlham IA; 7. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA; 8. Jack Potter II, (R)Pleasant Hill MO; 9. Mike Deavers, (R)Normal IL; 10. Bob Weuve, Newton IA; 11. Dave Saffell, Pleasantville IA; 12. Robert Bell, Colfax IA;

A Feature , 20 laps, No Time: 1. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 2. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 3. Scott Winters, (R)Butterfield MN; 4. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 5. Dennis Moore Jr., Grinnell IA; 6. Dustin Lindquist, (R) Floodwood MN; 7. Randy Anderson, Clarion IA; 8. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 9. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 10. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA; 11. Toni Lutar, (R)White Rock, BC, Can. ; 12. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA; 13. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE; 14. Jack Potter II, (R)Pleasant Hill MO; 15. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 16. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 17. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 18. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 19. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 20. Greg Jones, Earlham IA; 21. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 22. Robert Bell, Colfax IA; 23. Jon Corbin, Carrollton MO; 24. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA. Lap Leaders: Jackson 1-13; Brown 14-20


360 RESULTS

Heat 1, 7 laps, 1:59.8: 1. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 2. Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA; 3. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA; 4. Frankie Heimbaugh, Des Moines IA; 5. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 6. Joe Beaver, Knoxville IA; 7. Gregg Bakker, Sioux Falls SD; 8. Russ Hall, Des Moines IA; 9. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 10. Troy Meyer, Sioux Falls SD;

Heat 2, 7 laps, 2:00.4: 1. Rick Ideus, Silver City IA; 2. Terry Alexander, Knoxville IA; 3. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls SD; 4. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 5. Ryan Roberts, Aurora NE; 6. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 7. John Schulz, West Burlington IA; 8. David Hall, Des Moines IA; 9. Jonathan Cornell, (R)Sedalia MO; 10. Danny Heskin, St. Michael MN;

Heat 3, 7 laps, 2:00.2: 1. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 2. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA; 3. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 4. John Hall, Marion IA; 5. Matt Moro, Ankeny IA; 6. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 7. Larry Pinegar II, Des Moines IA; 8. Tyler Thompson, (R) Des Moines IA; 9. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 10. Don Dawson II, Indianola IA;

Heat 4, 7 laps, No Time: 1. Chuck Swenson, Watertown SD; 2. Bryan Dobesh, Sioux Falls SD; 3. Tim Newman, Cameron MO; 4. Brett Mather, Ames IA; 5. Tyler Houseman, Runnells IA; 6. Pete Crall, DeSoto KS; 7. David Langford, Kearney MO; 8. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 9. C.J. Houseman, Norwalk IA; 10. Glen Hunt, (R)Knoxville IA;

C Feature, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Tyler Thompson, (R) Des Moines IA; 2. Jonathan Cornell, (R)Sedalia MO; 3. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 4. Russ Hall, Des Moines IA; 5. Danny Heskin, St. Michael MN; 6. C.J. Houseman, Norwalk IA; 7. Glen Hunt, (R)Knoxville IA; 8. Don Dawson II, Indianola IA; 9. David Langford, Kearney MO; 10. Tom Lenz, Marion IA; 11. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA;

B Feature , 10 laps, No Time: 1. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 2. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 3. Joe Beaver, Knoxville IA; 4. Ryan Roberts, Aurora NE; 5. John Schulz, West Burlington IA; 6. David Hall, Des Moines IA; 7. Tyler Houseman, Runnells IA; 8. Jonathan Cornell, (R)Sedalia MO; 9. Gregg Bakker, Sioux Falls SD; 10. Tyler Thompson, (R) Des Moines IA; 11. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 12. Larry Pinegar II, Des Moines IA; 13. Pete Crall, DeSoto KS; 14. Matt Moro, Ankeny IA;

A Feature , 15 laps, No Time: 1. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA; 2. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 3. Chuck Swenson, Watertown SD; 4. Bryan Dobesh, Sioux Falls SD; 5. John Kearney, Valley Falls KS; 6. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA; 7. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 8. Rick Ideus, Silver City IA; 9. Brett Mather, Ames IA; 10. Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines IA; 11. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 12. Frankie Heimbaugh, Des Moines IA; 13. Terry Alexander, Knoxville IA; 14. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 15. Ryan Roberts, Aurora NE; 16. Joe Beaver, Knoxville IA; 17. Tim Newman, Cameron MO; 18. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 19. Mitch Runge, Sioux Falls SD; 20. John Hall, Marion IA. Lap Leaders: Higday 1-15