American Veterans & Australian ‘Young Guns’ Enter Speed Sport Knoxville World Challenge
KNOXVILLE, IOWA (June 29, 2012) – Seven entries for the nineteenth annual Speed Sport Knoxville World Challenge, to be held on Friday, August 10, during the 52nd annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals, have now been received, including those from American veteran sprint car racers Danny Smith of Indiana and Sammy Swindell of Tennessee and Australian ‘young guns’ Ian Madsen and Jamie Veal. In addition, entries have been received from Lynton Jeffrey of Australia, Paul McMahan of California, and Shane Stewart of Oklahoma.
According to Tom Schmeh, who co-founded the World Challenge back in 1994 with Jon Evans, Ralph Capitani and the late Ian Sheppard, “I honestly think this could be the best World Challenge ever. We are very excited about having Speed Sport on board as title sponsor and reducing the starting-field inversion to twelve, based on qualifying night points. Whereas drivers like Sammy Swindell and Donny Schatz may have just used the race as their last pre-Nationals championship feature tune-up in the past, it is going to be tougher to do that now that the $10,000 winner’s prize is staring them in the face from a row five or row six starting position.”
American Danny Smith won the Knoxville World Challenge back in 1996, when it was known as the Australian/American Challenge Cup. Aussie Lynton Jeffrey won it in 2009 and it remains one of his biggest career wins. The Speed Sport Knoxville World Challenge is again a points-paying round of the Cox Design & Metal Fabrication Iowa Speed Week, August 2-11, which awards the Jesse Hockett “Mr. Sprint Car” title. Shane Stewart won the “Mr. Sprint Car” title in 2003 and ’04, while National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (NSCHoF) inductee Sammy Swindell earned the same honor in 2010 and ’11. Ian Madsen and Jamie Veal both raced the World Challenge for the first time in 2010, while Paul McMahan made his international invitational debut in 2006.
Those seeking more information on the Speed Sport Knoxville World Challenge or the World of Outlaws-sanctioned 52nd Goodyear Knoxville Nationals are encouraged to visit the Knoxville Raceway web site at www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Speed Sport’s web site can be viewed at www.nationalspeedsportnews.com
Category: Iowa, Knoxville Raceway, News
