By Bob Wilson: KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 21) Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, California captured both the Friday and Saturday portions of the 7th annual Knoxville Midget Nationals. Friday he was crowned King Doodlebug VI and 24-hours later he led nearly every lap of the championship feature to place his name on the list of Nationals champions at this central Iowa race track.
Sweet, who started on the pole of the 25-lap feature event, beat fellow front row starter Michael Pickens (Auckland, N.Z.) to the first turn and rolled his Kasey Kahne Racing/Mopar midget on the cushion to grab the first of many circuits of this race. Cole Whitt, also of California, filled in behind him but could not keep pace with the fleet Sweet. By lap 10 he was nearly half a front chute ahead of Whitt on this giant half-mile dirt oval. Behind him Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, Arizona), Dave Darland (Lincoln, Indiana) and Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Oklahoma) slugged it out for the third spot.
A yellow slowed the action of the 26 starters when Brad Kuhn lost a left-rear tire in turn one. He did not restart. Just prior to that incident, Coons had taken the runner-up spot in the race.
On the restart it was Sweet, Coons, Bacon, Pickens and Darland in that order. The battle at this point was really for second through fifth on the track and again a yellow was displayed slowing the field on lap eighteen.
On the restart, Coons dove to the bottom in turns one and two while Sweet took to the high cushion. Coming out of turn two the duo were side by side and down the backstretch Coons assumed the lead. Coons kept that spot for one more circuit but on lap twenty, Sweet dove hard into turn three and came out of turn four with the lead again. Coons tried to maintain momentum on the bottom of the oval but could not keep up with the leader. Bacon took third for good two laps later and relegated Pickens back to fourth. And, that’s the way it stayed to the end as Sweet celebrated his $3,350 win flashing past the finish line.
Darren Hagen, Riverside, California was fifth. Completing the top ten finishers were Whitt, Ricky Stenhouse of Olive Branch, Mississippi (the defending champion), Tracy Hines of New Castle, Indiana, Darland and Mike Hess of Riverton, Illinois.
38 cars competed on this final night of competition sanctioned by USAC. Other sanctioning bodies of this event were BMARA, POWRi and SMRS.
By Bob Wilson
Lasoski hits milestone 90th Feature Event Win at Knoxville
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 21) Danny Lasoski, the winningest driver in Knoxville Raceway history, won a milestone 90th feature event at Knoxville Raceway Saturday night. The win came during the 2-day Midget Nationals at this central Iowa racing facility.
Front row starter Travis Cram was the initial leader as he soared to the top of this half-mile oval and seemingly had the field of 24 starters covered. Behind him Lynton Jeffrey, Billy Alley, Dion Hindi and Mark Dobmeier chased in that order. Lasoski, who started 10th by virtue of the invert, quietly rode the bottom of the track in his Guy Forbrook sprinter and began to slowly move forward.
Everything looked great for Cram until lap eight. That was when tail-ender Rager Phillips backed his sprinter into the first turn fence and slowly drifted back onto the racing surface. The onrushing Cram had nowhere to go as he slammed his brakes and slid into the hapless Phillips.
On the restart, second running Alley pulled along side leader Jeffrey and took the point as those two roared into the third turn. Behind, Lasoski was battling it out with Justin Henderson for a top five spot.
Another yellow was thrown at the half-way point for a stopped car on the track and when the race resumed, Dobmeier drove to third behind Hindi and in front of Jeffrey. Lap 13 saw Lasoski, from a bottom groove, take fourth. With 15 laps down, Alley could only muster a five car length advantage.
On the next circuit, Alley moved into lap traffic and the complexion of the race began to change. With four laps to go, Lasoski took third from Dobmeier with a low move out of turn four. Alley would lead one more lap until he came upon a backmarker on the frontstretch. When he slowed, close following Hindi also checked up. That is when third running Lasoski, who was on the low side, soared past both of them to take lap nineteen. From that point on he was out in front and claimed the 20-lap feature at this central Iowa raceway.
Chasing Lasoski to the stripe were Hindi, Alley, Dobmeier and thirteenth starting Skip Jackson. Completing the top ten were Henderson, Brandon Wimmer, Brian Brown (from 18th), Jeffrey and Ricky Logan who started beside Brown.
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
June 21, 2008
410 RESULTS
Time Trial, 1. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO, 15.244; 2. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD, 15.277; 3. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND, 15.339; 4. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD, 15.407; 5. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA, 15.446; 6. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM, 15.463; 7. Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City IA, 15.506; 8. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE, 15.519; 9. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA, 15.575; 10. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA, 15.596; 11. Derek Ingalls, (R) Snohomish WA, 15.606; 12. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA, 15.62; 13. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN, 15.623; 14. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. , 15.647; 15. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE, 15.755; 16. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA, 15.759; 17. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA, 15.762; 18. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR, 15.766; 19. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD, 15.787; 20. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA, 15.818; 21. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO, 15.827; 22. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA, 15.848; 23. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND, 15.913; 24. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA, 15.925; 25. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL, 16.004; 26. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA, 16.055; 27. Dustin Morgan, Owasso OK, 16.098; 28. Kaylene Verville, (R) Avondale AZ, 16.247; 29. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN, No Time;
Heat 1, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN; 2. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 3. Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City IA; 4. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 5. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 6. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 7. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 8. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA; 9. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 10. Kaylene Verville, (R) Avondale AZ;
Heat 2, 8 laps, 2:07.4: 1. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 2. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 3. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 4. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 5. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 6. Derek Ingalls, (R) Snohomish WA; 7. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 8. Mike Moore, Des Moines IA; 9. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 10. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND;
Heat 3, 8 laps,2:08.4: 1. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM; 2. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 3. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 4. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 5. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 6. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 7. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 8. Dustin Morgan, Owasso OK; 9. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA;
B Feature , 10 laps, No Time: 1. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 2. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 3. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 4. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 5. Russ Hall, Des Moines, IA; 6. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 7. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA; 8. Mike Moore, Des Moines, IA; 9. Kaylene Verville, (R) Avondale AZ; 10. Dustin Morgan, Owasso OK; 11. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA;
A Feature, 20 laps, No Time: 1. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 2. Dion Hindi, (R) Albuquerque NM; 3. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 4. Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks ND; 5. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 6. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Brandon Wimmer, (R) Fairmount IN; 8. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 9. Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City IA; 10. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 11. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 12. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 13. Davey Heskin, St. Michael MN; 14. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 15. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 16. Jake Peters, Sioux Falls SD; 17. Josh Schneiderman, (R) West Burlington IA; 18. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 19. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 20. Natalie Sather, Fargo ND; 21. Derek Ingalls, (R) Snohomish WA; 22. Russ Hall, Des Moines, IA; 23. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 24. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA. Lap Leaders: Cram 1-7; Alley 8-18; Lasoski 19-20
USAC Midgets RESULTS
Heat 1, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Darren Hagen, Riverside CA; 2. Chris Windom, Canton IL; 3. Tracy Hines, New Castle IN; 4. Brent Beauchamp, Fairland IN; 5. Levi Jones, Avon IN; 6. Brad Kuhn, Avon IN; 7. Bubba Altig, Mechanicsburg IL; 8. Don Droud Jr., Lincoln NE; 9. Matt Smith, Newcastle, NSW, Aust. ; 10. Scott Hatton, Roscoe IL;
Heat 2, 8 laps, 2:40.9: 1. Danny Stratton, Fontana CA; 2. Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills MO; 3. Russ Harper, Watkins CO; 4. Mike Hess, Riverton IL; 5. AJ Fike, Galesburg IL; 6. Kody Swanson, Kingsburg CA; 7. Bradley Galedrige, Los Altos CA; 8. David Gough, Machesney Park IL; 9. Ryan Criswell, Mt. Vernon IL;
Heat 3, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Gary Taylor, Snohomish WA; 2. Dave Darland, Lincoln IN; 3. Dustin Morgan, Owasso OK; 4. Tim Noble, Janesville WI; 5. Kevin Swindell, Germantown TN; 6. Austin Brown, Millstadt IL; 7. Chad McDaniel, Concordia KS; 8. Daniel Robinson, Wayne City IL; 9. Don OKeefe Jr., Pittsboro IN;
Heat 4, 8 laps, 2:40.5: 1. Chad Boat, Phoenix AZ; 2. Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow OK; 3. Donnie Ray Crawford, Broken Arrow OK; 4. Brett Anderson, Belleville IL; 5. Alfred Galedrige Jr, Los Altos Ca; 6. Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie WI; 7. Jason Holt, Brownsburg IN; 8. Will Pierce, Lees Summit MO; 9. Robby Ross, St. Joseph MO;
B Feature 1, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Brad Kuhn, Avon IN; 2. Levi Jones, Avon IN; 3. Brent Beauchamp, Fairland IN; 4. Bradley Galedrige, Los Altos CA; 5. Don Droud Jr., Lincoln NE; 6. Donnie Ray Crawford, Broken Arrow OK; 7. Scott Hatton, Roscoe IL; 8. Don OKeefe Jr., Pittsboro IN; 9. Tim Noble, Janesville WI; 10. Kevin Swindell, Germantown TN;
B Feature 2, 10 laps, 3:34.5: 1. Bubba Altig, Mechanicsburg IL; 2. Brett Anderson, Belleville IL; 3. AJ Fike, Galesburg IL; 4. Kody Swanson, Kingsburg CA; 5. Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie WI; 6. Ryan Criswell, Mt. Vernon IL; 7. David Gough, Machesney Park IL; 8. Jason Holt, Brownsburg IN; 9. Robby Ross, St. Joseph MO; 10. Will Pierce, Lees Summit MO; 11. Alfred Galedrige Jr, Los Altos Ca; 12. Austin Brown, Millstadt IL;
A Feature, 25 laps, No Time: 1. Brad Sweet, Grass Valley CA; 2. Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson AZ; 3. Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow OK; 4. Michael Pickens, Auckland, NZ ; 5. Darren Hagen, Riverside CA; 6. Cole Whitt, Alpine CA; 7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch MS; 8. Tracy Hines, New Castle IN; 9. Dave Darland, Lincoln IN; 10. Mike Hess, Riverton IL; 11. Brad Loyet, Sunset Hills MO; 12. Bobby East, Brownsburg IN; 13. Chris Windom, Canton IL; 14. AJ Fike, Galesburg IL; 15. Levi Jones, Avon IN; 16. Scott Hatton, Roscoe IL; 17. Aaron Fiscus, Sun Prairie WI; 18. Kody Swanson, Kingsburg CA; 19. Bubba Altig, Mechanicsburg IL; 20. Brett Anderson, Belleville IL; 21. Russ Harper, Watkins CO; 22. Brent Beauchamp, Fairland IN; 23. Gary Taylor, Snohomish WA; 24. Chad Boat, Phoenix AZ; 25. Brad Kuhn, Avon IN; 26. Dustin Morgan, Owasso OK. Lap Leader: Sweet 1-17; Coons, Jr. 18-19; Sweet 20-25