By Stacy Ervin
Wayne Johnson hasn’t exactly had the best racing season of his career in 2009. But he made up for that with a win in the opening night qualifying event for the 19th Annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Vermeer.
The win came in the ASCS sanctioned event at the Knoxville Raceway on Thursday, August 6, and was worth $3,000. It was a good start on his quest to be the first driver to win this event three times.
Johnson started fifth, ran down early leader Shane Stewart and took the lead at the halfway point in the Fattfro Maxim.
There was lots of drama before this 20-lap race ever got going. Dale Blaney was scheduled to start sixth but could not get his car to fire and stayed in the infield when the green dropped. However, a flip by Matt Covington in turn one on the start brought out the red flag. Matt Moro was also involved. Eric Baldaccini also made a trip to the work area to check his car over as he drove between the two. Blaney’s crew gambled and changed an MSD box, but the car still would not fire.
Stewart, who started third, took the early lead when the race went green. But the yellow soon returned when Moro stopped in turn three after two laps. After the restart, Johnson made his way to third. The next time around, he made his move to second.
The yellow came out again at lap eight when Lee Grosz spun in turn one. When the race resumed, Stewart led a lap and then Johnson put a slide job on him in turn one to take the lead at the halfway point.
From there, Johnson never looked back, as he came into lapped traffic at lap 16. It wasn’t an easy route to victory lane though, as Justin Henderson slowed to pull into the pits just as Johnson was coming off of turn four to the checkered flags. No contact was made, though, and Johnson went on to the win.
Stewart held on for second. Billy Alley charged up to third.
Billy Alley posted the fastest time trial of the night’s 52 competitors at 16.142. Heat races were won by Nate Van Haaften, Wayne Johnson, Kaley Gharst, Shane Stewart and Jon Agan. Brad Barickman won the C-Main. Johnny Anderson won the B-Main.
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
August 6, 2009
360 RESULTS
Time Trial , 2 laps, 1. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE, 16.142; 2. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS, 16.292; 3. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH, 16.311; 4. Matt Covington, Glenpool OK, 16.325; 5. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA, 16.337; 6. Jason Johnson, Eunice LA, 16.38; 7. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD, 16.392; 8. Chad Corken, Denver CO, 16.399; 9. Eric Baldaccini, Keller TX, 16.404; 10. Austen Wheatley, Lake Stevens WA, 16.43; 11. Dale Blaney, Fowler OH, 16.447; 12. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA, 16.454; 13. Austin Alumbaugh, Higginsville MO, 16.483; 14. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK, 16.509; 15. Chuck Swenson, Watertown SD, 16.528; 16. RJ Johnson, Tampa FL, 16.537; 17. Jon Corbin, Carrollton MO, 16.546; 18. Dave Hall, Des Moines IA, 16.63; 19. Tayler Malsam, Monroe WA, 16.633; 20. Dustin Daggett, Portland MI, 16.656; 21. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA, 16.665; 22. Jonathan Cornell, (R) Sedalia MO, 16.665; 23. Danny Heskin, St. Michael MN, 16.69; 24. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA, 16.709; 25. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR, 16.717; 26. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA, 16.746; 27. Austin McCarl, Altoona IA, 16.795; 28. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL, 16.814; 29. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD, 16.855; 30. Jon Agan, Knoxville IA, 16.879; 31. Randy Martin, California MO, 16.905; 32. JD Johnson, Goddard KS, 16.914; 33. Lee Grosz, Harwood ND, 16.937; 34. Matt Moro, Polk City IA, 16.955; 35. Thomas Kennedy, Winnipeg, MB, Can. , 16.975; 36. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN, 16.996; 37. Tasker Phillips, (R) Pleasantville IA, 17.059; 38. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA, 17.065; 39. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS, 17.071; 40. Kyle Sager, Alto NM, 17.072; 41. Brad Barickman, Richfield MN, 17.14; 42. Chad Humston, (R) Giltner NE, 17.143; 43. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids IA, 17.198; 44. Tim Newman, Cameron MO, 17.208; 45. Brian Parker, Midlothian TX, 17.208; 46. Darren Long, Elida OH, 17.332; 47. Rod Richards, Runnells IA, 17.421; 48. Ricky Montgomery, (R) Lakewood CO, 17.594; 49. Kyle McCutcheon, Alamogordo NM, 18.109; 50. Kevin Ingle, Huron SD, 18.471; 51. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA, No Time; 52. Joe Miller, Vail IA, No Time;
Heat 1, 8 laps, 201.5: 1. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 2. Dale Blaney, Fowler OH; 3. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 4. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 5. Jason Johnson, Eunice LA; 6. Randy Martin, California MO; 7. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 8. RJ Johnson, Tampa FL; 9. Brad Barickman, Richfield MN; 10. Darren Long, Elida OH;
Heat 2, 8 laps, 2:16.5: 1. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 2. Austin McCarl, Altoona IA; 3. Jonathan Cornell, (R) Sedalia MO; 4. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 5. Tasker Phillips, (R) Pleasantville IA; 6. Chad Humston, (R) Giltner NE; 7. Jon Corbin, Carrollton MO; 8. JD Johnson, Goddard KS; 9. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 10. Rod Richards, Runnells IA;
Heat 3, 8 laps, 2:18.1: 1. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 2. Austin Alumbaugh, Higginsville MO; 3. Lee Grosz, Harwood ND; 4. Danny Heskin, St. Michael MN; 5. Dave Hall, Des Moines IA; 6. Ricky Montgomery, (R) Lakewood CO; 7. Chad Corken, Denver CO; 8. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids IA; 9. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 10. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH;
Heat 4, 8 laps, 2:17.7: 1. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 2. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 3. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 4. Matt Moro, Polk City IA; 5. Matt Covington, Glenpool OK; 6. Eric Baldaccini, Keller TX; 7. Tayler Malsam, Monroe WA; 8. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS; 9. Kyle McCutcheon, Alamogordo NM; 10. Tim Newman, Cameron MO;
Heat 5, 8 laps, 2:18.0: 1. Jon Agan, Knoxville IA; 2. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 3. Chuck Swenson, Watertown SD; 4. Dustin Daggett, Portland MI; 5. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 6. Austen Wheatley, Lake Stevens WA; 7. Kyle Sager, Alto NM; 8. Thomas Kennedy, Winnipeg, MB, Can. ; 9. Kevin Ingle, Huron SD; 10. Brian Parker, Midlothian TX;
C Feature, 6 laps, 1:47.6: 1. Brad Barickman, Richfield MN; 2. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA; 3. Kevin Ingle, Huron SD; 4. Tim Newman, Cameron MO; 5. Brian Parker, Midlothian TX; 6. Darren Long, Elida OH; 7. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH; 8. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 9. Rod Richards, Runnells IA; 10. Kyle McCutcheon, Alamogordo NM; 11. Joe Miller, Vail IA; 12. Dustin Selvage, Indianola IA;
B Feature, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 2. Matt Covington, Glenpool OK; 3. Jason Johnson, Eunice LA; 4. Eric Baldaccini, Keller TX; 5. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 6. Austen Wheatley, Lake Stevens WA; 7. Jon Corbin, Carrollton MO; 8. Dave Hall, Des Moines IA; 9. Tayler Malsam, Monroe WA; 10. Chad Humston, (R) Giltner NE; 11. Randy Martin, California MO; 12. Brad Barickman, Richfield MN; 13. RJ Johnson, Tampa FL; 14. Chad Corken, Denver CO; 15. Tasker Phillips, (R) Pleasantville IA; 16. Kyle Sager, Alto NM; 17. JD Johnson, Goddard KS; 18. Lee Sowell, Nesbit MS; 19. Jody Rosenboom, Rock Rapids IA; 20. Ricky Montgomery, (R) Lakewood CO; 21. Thomas Kennedy, Winnipeg, MB, Can. ; 22. Alan Zoutte, Knoxville IA;
A Feature , 20 laps, No Time: 1. Wayne Johnson, Knoxville IA; 2. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 3. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 4. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 5. Dustin Daggett, Portland MI; 6. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 7. Jason Johnson, Eunice LA; 8. Chuck Swenson, Watertown SD; 9. Ricky Logan, Little Rock AR; 10. Johnny Anderson, Indianola IA; 11. Jon Agan, Knoxville IA; 12. Nate Mosher, Prairie City IA; 13. Ryan Anderson, Charter Oak IA; 14. Lee Grosz, Harwood ND; 15. Danny Heskin, St. Michael MN; 16. Austin Alumbaugh, Higginsville MO; 17. Austin McCarl, Altoona IA; 18. Nate Van Haaften, Otley IA; 19. Eric Baldaccini, Keller TX; 20. Matt Moro, Polk City IA; 21. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 22. Jonathan Cornell, (R) Sedalia MO; 23. Matt Covington, Glenpool OK; 24. Dale Blaney, Fowler OH; Lap Leaders: Stewart 1-9; W. Johnson 10-20