Christensen collects top Harris Clash cash
 

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 19) – While considerable shuffling went on throughout the field, the one constant position in the Harris Clash feature for IMCA Modifieds was held by Clayton Christensen.

Christensen led all 25 laps of Thursday night’s main event at Knoxville Raceway, taking charge from his outside row one starting spot and then holding off Todd Shute the last time around the track to collect the $2,000 top prize.

Shute had raced his way up from the 25th starting spot in his bid for the checkers, nearly pulling even with Christensen at the white flag. A lapped car came into play on the backstretch, however, as Shute had to move out of his preferred lower line to get around and Christensen pulled ahead to win the 16th annual event and earn a spot on the 2008 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot as a bonus.

Brett Ladehoff, Dave Trauernicht and Rich Lewerke rounded out the top five. Ninety-four Modified drivers competed, with six states represented in the feature.
Cautions slowed the early going, with the yellow coming out on laps three, four, nine and 10. Defending race winner Jeremie Hedrick and Ricky Stephan were knocked out of the running after getting together to bring out the first caution.

Christensen remained at the front as the race stayed green, with Shute taking over second on the 18th lap. Shute continued to reel in the leader but came up little more than a car length short at the finish.

Shute was the third and final qualifier from his “B” feature after starting last in the field of 20. He’d been disqualified after winning his heat race for failing to comply with pre-race tech instructions.

Trauernicht moved up nine spots in finishing fourth while Lewerke was a plus 12 on the night for fifth.

The top two finishers from each of eight heats and the top three from each of four “B” races advanced to the main event.

Brett Moffitt took over the lead midway through the 15-lap Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature and cruised to a $500 victory.

Brian Miller and Austin Kaplan swapped the front spot back and forth at the start, with Moffitt moving ahead just before the only caution of the contest.

Ryan Lundy, Jason Mallicoat, Miller and Scott Davis completed the official top five after Kevin Sather and Kaplan were disqualified following post-race tech inspection.

Twenty-eight Northern SportMods were on hand for the second appearance by the division at Knoxville.

Modified Feature Results –
1. Clayton Christensen, Spencer;
2. Todd Shute, Des Moines;
3. Brett Ladehoff, Marshalltown;
4. Dave Trauernicht, Beatrice, Neb.;
5. Rich Lewerke, Garner;
6. Greg Cox, Altoona;
7. Joe McBirnie, Boone;
8. Vern Jackson, Waterloo;
9. Pat Graham, Ames;
10. Mark Zorn, Russell, Kan.;
11. Jon Snyder, Ames;
12. Dean McGee Sr., Galesburg, Ill.;
13. John Logue, Boone;
14. Julie McDermid, Oconto Falls, Wis.;
15. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.;
16. Yancy Shepard, Smithville, Mo.;
17. Jeremy Mills, Garner;
18. Jason Murray, Hartford;
19. Jeff Nielsen, Pocahontas;
20. Dan Ratajczak, Luxemburg, Wis.;
21. Jared Siefert, Green Bay, Wis.;
22. Rich Smith, Davenport;
23. Reese Coffee, Hinton;
24. Randy Havlik, Waukee;
25. Jake Durbin, Perry;
26. John Davis, Altoona;
27. Ricky Stephan, South Sioux City, Neb.;
28. Jeremie Hedrick, Clintonville, Wis.
1st heat (top two) – 1. Davis; 2. Stephan. 2nd heat – 1. Durbin; 2. McBirnie. 3rd heat – 1. Hedrick; 2. Siefert. 4th heat – 1. Ladehoff; 2. McGee. 5th heat – 1. Jackson; 2. Trauernicht. 6th heat – 1. Christensen; 2. Shepard. 7th heat – 1. Coffee; 2. Zorn. 8th heat – 1. Cox. 2. Nielsen. 1st “B” feature (top three) – 1. Lewerke; 2. Smith; 3. Logue. 2nd “B” – 1. Mills; 2. Snyder; 3. Shute. 3rd “B” – 1. Saathoff; 2. McDermid; 3. Ratajczak. 4th “B” – 1. Murray; 2. Graham; 3. Havlik.

Northern SportMod Feature Results –
1. Brett Moffitt, Grimes;
2. Ryan Lundy, Knoxville;
3. Jason Mallicoat, Boone;
4. Brian Miller, Grand Junction;
5. Scott Davis, Madrid;
6. Fred Schimmels, Van Meter;
7. Austin Lucas, Ames;
8. Tim Jorgenson, DePere, Wis.;
9. Tony Olson, Cedar Rapids;
10. Marcus Yarie, Wausau, Wis.;
11. James May, DeSoto;
12. Kyle Brown, Kellogg;
13. Josh May, DeSoto;
14. Dean Taylor, Boone;
15. Jared Timmerman, Norwalk;
16. Andy Tiernan, Woodward;
17. J.D. Albright, Norwalk;
18. Jeremie Gibbs, Sioux City;
19. Kenny Hay, Urbandale;
20. Lynn Brockett, Ogden;
21. Jack Myer, Ankeny;
22. Josh O’Donnell, Urbandale;
23. Duwayne Mertens, Luxemburg, Wis.;
24. Brett Meyer, Ames;
25. Nick DeLeeuw, Orange City;
26. Joel Thorpe, Urbandale.
DQ-Kevin Sather, Ankeny, and Austin Kaplan, Ankeny.
1st heat (top four) – 1. Lundy; 2. Kaplan; 3. Sather; 4. Meyer. 2nd heat – 1. Moffitt; 2. Davis; 3. Mallicoat; 4. Lucas. 3rd heat – 1. Miller; 2. Josh May; 3. James May; 4. Schimmels.