Shepard wins 47th Annual Knoxville Nationals opener
By Stacy Ervin

KNOXVILLE, IA (Aug 9) - Jeff Shepard of Upperco, Maryland, opened up the 47th Annual Knoxville Nationals with a win for the Pennsylvania Posse on Thursday, August 9. The win came on what became opening night for the biggest sprint-car racing event in the world after heavy rains washed out the Wednesday night qualifying show and delayed it until Friday night. The event is sponsored by Super Clean and presented by Factory Value Parts. Thursday evening’s show was courtesy of Weld Racing.

Shepard started on the pole of the 25-lap main event, but did not lead the race until a late-race caution forced a green, white, checkered restart. When the race went green, outside front-row starter Brooke Tatnell jumped out to the lead, with Shepard and fourth starter Wayne Johnson duking it out for the runner-up spot. Shepard and Johnson traded that spot a couple of times early on, but when Tatnell came to lapped traffic at lap eight, Shepard closed in from second place.

On the 22nd circuit, Tatnell and Shepard went side-by-side for the lead, but a slower car trapped Shepard from making his move. In turn one the next time by, Lynton Jeffrey put a scare into the leaders as he let off the throttle with mechanical problems right in front of them. Everyone got by safely and that set up a green, white, checkered restart.

On that restart, Shepard went low in turn one to attempt to get the lead away from Tatnell. The two touched wheels going down the backstretch and then Shepard pulled away to the $12,000 payday. Tatnell earned $10,000 for second. Wayne Johnson ran a steady race to finish third.

Paul McMahan set the night’s fast time at 14.817. Heat races were won by Brooke Tatnell, Lynton Jeffrey, Randy Martin, Ben Gregg and Greg Wilson. Kenny Jacobs won the C-Main and transferred to the B-Main along with Chad Hillier. Travis Cram won the B-Main and transferred to the A-Main along with Stevie Smith, Terry McCarl and Dion Hindi.

The fifth heat race saw an interesting incident when Brian Brown got together with Nick Smith. That sent Brownie sideways in turn one and he was subsequently T-boned by Ricky Logan, who was then hit by Steve Kinser. Both Logan and Kinser turned over and only Kinser was able to restart. He was also able to secure a transfer spot. In the B-Main, the machine of World of Outlaws favorite Jason Meyers went up in smoke, ending his night. The machine of Knoxville regular Kaley Gharst went up in smoke in his heat race and he was not able to start the C-Main.

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
August 9, 2007
47th Super Clean Knoxville Nationals

Time Trial, 1. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN, 14.817(New Nationals Track Record); 2. Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow OK, 14.83; 3. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA, 14.874; 4. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA, 14.88; 5. Dion Hindi, Albuquerque NM, 14.894; 6. Kenny Jacobs, Holmesville OH, 14.958; 7. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA, 14.987; 8. Terry McCarl, Altoona IA, 14.991; 9. Rob Chaney, Millersburg OH, 14.992; 10. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN, 15.016; 11. Joey Saldana, Brownsburg IN, 15.02; 12. Jason Johnson, Greenville TX, 15.023; 13. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA, 15.023; 14. Tayler Malsam, Sammamish WA, 15.044; 15. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR, 15.056; 16. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD, 15.061; 17. Chad Hillier, Sedro Woolley WA, 15.062; 18. Wayne Johnson, Mustang OK, 15.071; 19. Don Droud Jr, Lincoln NE, 15.073; 20. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA, 15.092; 21. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. , 15.119; 22. Jeff Shepard, Upperco MD, 15.149; 23. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS, 15.165; 24. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE, 15.189; 25. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO, 15.192; 26. Brock Mayes, Bucyrus OH, 15.197; 27. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 15.213; 28. Neil Shepherd, Warsaw IN, 15.215; 29. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL, 15.223; 30. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH, 15.252; 31. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE, 15.259; 32. Sam Hafertepe, Sunnyville TX, 15.274; 33. Randy Martin, California MO, 15.319; 34. Tim Kaeding, San Jose CA, 15.352; 35. Nick Smith, Broken Arrow OK, 15.354; 36. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD, 15.377; 37. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA, 15.39; 38. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA, 15.409; 39. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ, 15.458; 40. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH, 15.503; 41. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA, 15.535; 42. JD Johnson, Goddard KS, 15.611; 43. Jesse Hockett, Warsaw MO, 15.628; 44. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND, 15.682; 45. Todd King, Sheboygan Falls WI, 15.7; 46. Garrett Ishii, Caruthers CA, 15.92; 47. Ray Allen Kulhanek, Conroe TX, 16.202; 48. Robert Ballou, Rocklin CA, 16.371; 49. Eric Baldaccini, Keller TX, 16.773; 50. Kim Mock, Pleasant Prairie WI, No Time;
 

Heat 1, 10 laps, 2:35.6 (New Track Record): 1. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. ; 2. Joey Saldana, Brownsburg IN; 3. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 4. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 5. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 6. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Brock Mayes, Bucyrus OH; 8. Garrett Ishii, Caruthers CA; 9. Kenny Jacobs, Holmesville OH; 10. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA;
 

Heat 2, 10 laps, 2"37.0: 1. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 2. Jeff Shepard, Upperco MD; 3. JD Johnson, Goddard KS; 4. Sam Hafertepe, Sunnyville TX; 5. Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow OK; 6. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 7. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA; 8. Jason Johnson, Greenville TX; 9. Chad Hillier, Sedro Woolley WA; 10. Ray Allen Kulhanek, Conroe TX;
 

Heat 3, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Randy Martin, California MO; 2. Wayne Johnson, Mustang OK; 3. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA; 4. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 5. Terry McCarl, Altoona IA; 6. Jesse Hockett, Warsaw MO; 7. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 8. Robert Ballou, Rocklin CA; 9. Neil Shepherd, Warsaw IN; 10. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA;
 

Heat 4, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ; 2. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 3. Tim Kaeding, San Jose CA; 4. Don Droud Jr, Lincoln NE; 5. Rob Chaney, Millersburg OH; 6. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 7. Tayler Malsam, Sammamish WA; 8. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE; 9. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 10. (Did Not Start) Kim Mock, Pleasant Prairie WI;
 

Heat 5, 10 laps, 2:41.5: 1. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH; 2. Daryn Pittman, Pittsboro IN; 3. Todd King, Sheboygan Falls WI; 4. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN; 5. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH; 6. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 7. Nick Smith, Broken Arrow OK; 8. Dion Hindi, Albuquerque NM; 9. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 10. Eric Baldaccini, Keller TX;
 

C Feature, 8 laps, 2:04.0: 1. Kenny Jacobs, Holmesville OH; 2. Chad Hillier, Sedro Woolley WA; 3. Josh Higday, Des Moines IA; 4. Neil Shepherd, Warsaw IN; 5. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA; 6. Ray Allen Kulhanek, Conroe TX; (The following drivers did not start) 7. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 8. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 9. Eric Baldaccini, Keller TX; 10. Kim Mock, Pleasant Prairie WI;
 

B Feature, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 2. Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow OK; 3. Terry McCarl, Altoona IA; 4. Dion Hindi, Albuquerque NM; 5. Jason Johnson, Greenville TX; 6. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 7. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 8. Rob Chaney, Millersburg OH; 9. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 10. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 11. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH; 12. Tayler Malsam, Sammamish WA; 13. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 14. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE; 15. Chad Hillier, Sedro Woolley WA; 16. Jesse Hockett, Warsaw MO; 17. Kenny Jacobs, Holmesville OH; 18. Robert Ballou, Rocklin CA; 19. Garrett Ishii, Caruthers CA; 20. Brock Mayes, Bucyrus OH; 21. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA; 22. Nick Smith, Broken Arrow OK;
 

A Feature, 25 laps, No Time: 1. Jeff Shepard, Upperco MD; 2. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. ; 3. Wayne Johnson, Mustang OK; 4. Joey Saldana, Brownsburg IN; 5. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 6. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN; 7. Don Droud Jr, Lincoln NE; 8. Tim Kaeding, San Jose CA; 9. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 10. Terry McCarl, Altoona IA; 11. Sam Hafertepe, Sunnyville TX; 12. Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow OK; 13. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA; 14. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 15. Dion Hindi, Albuquerque NM; 16. Randy Martin, California MO; 17. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 18. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH; 19. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 20. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 21. JD Johnson, Goddard KS; 22. Todd King, Sheboygan Falls WI; 23. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 24. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ.

Lap Leaders Tatnell 1-23; Shepard 24-25