By Bob Wilson
Gustin takes Knoxville’s Harris Clash on White Flag Lap
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 8) Richie Gustin, Gilman (Iowa) grabbed a final lap lead to capture the 19th annual Harris Clash at Knoxville Raceway Thursday night.
Gustin, who started in the 20th spot in the thirty car field, was nowhere to be found in the early stages of the race. The early leader was front row starter Mark Elliott who appeared to be in command of the event.
Elliott grabbed the lead at the start and began to pull away from the pack that was racing for position right behind him. Two grooves had developed on the big Knoxville half-mile oval. The preferred line was the bottom but several cars were making inroads on the cushion which was nearly at the 5/8th mile mark just shy of the fences.
A yellow for debris on the track on lap six brought the field to a slow down and when the race resumed the big benefactor was Jordan Grabouski who cruised into the runner-up spot. That position was contended to the bitter end between Grabouski, Johnny Saathoff and Josh Foster.
Elliot, who preferred the top groove, continued to pull away from the battle behind him. By lap sixteen Foster had moved into the third position and it was he who raced Grabouski for second place.
All eyes could see that with the racing going green for such a lengthy period of time that it would be inevitable for race leader Elliott to hit lap traffic before the end. And, that happened on the 19th go around. Second place Grabouski just could not make any headway into the gap that separated him from the lead though.
Then, on lap 23, Elliott finally hit heavy traffic and the lead suddenly narrowed significantly. At that same time a yellow flag came out for third running David Murray who had come to a halt in turn two. Murray had started 16th.
On the double file restart, Elliott held his own until he shot out of turn two and down the backstretch. Suddenly his car faltered and several cars got by him. As he ran toward turn three he again picked up the pace but by then it was too late. Whatever the cause, he finished 15th in the final countdown after leading for 23 laps.
In front of him Grabouski and Gustin were racing for the lead which Gustin took by a nose as they crossed the start/finish line. Grabouski motored full bore around the bottom while Gustin remained on top. At the finish Gustin’s Shryocket Chassis came to the checkered flags two car lengths in front in a very exciting finish for the $2,000 to win event.
Grabouski was second and Jeremy Mills, a ninth row starter claimed third. They were followed by Foster, Saathoff, Mike Long, Jay Noteboom, the 2009 champion, Todd Shute, Erick Dailey and Chris Abelson.
Heat race winners were Jay Schmidt, Kyle Strickler (Mooresville, NC), Noteboom, Elliott, Abelson and Bill Davis, Jr. The three B-Main winners were Nate Caruth, Gustin and Saathoff.
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
July 8, 2010
Modifieds RESULTS
Heat 1, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Jay Schmidt, Tama IA; 2. Robert Tippery, Council Bluffs IA; 3. Josh Foster, Montrose IA; 4. Josh Gilman, Earlham IA; 5. Mark Schulte, Delhi IA; 6. Clayton Christensen, Spencer IA; 7. Bub Lerette, Portsmouth IA; 8. Mike OLear, Marshalltown IA; 9. Dan Mueller, Griswold IA; 10. Justin Jurgens, Lincoln NE; 11. Matt Waugh, Des Moines IA; 12. Russell Dickerson, Boone IA;
Heat 2, 8 laps, 3:04.3: 1. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville NC; 2. Vern Jackson, Waterloo IA; 3. Eric Dailey, Armstrong IA; 4. Nate Caruth, Ames IA; 5. James Slawson, Spirit Lake IA; 6. Todd Shute, Des Moines IA; 7. Toby VandeKamp, Knoxville IA; 8. Tyler VandeKamp, Knoxville IA; 9. Fred Schimmels, Van Meter IA; 10. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield MO; 11. Max Corporon, Marion IA;
Heat 3, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Jay Noteboom, Hinton IA; 2. Randy Havlik, Madrid IA; 3. Levi Nielsen, Mason City IA; 4. Tim Murty, Tama IA; 5. David Brown, Kellogg IA; 6. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson IA; 7. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton IA; 8. Jake Durbin, Perry IA; 9. Lyle Shepherd, Manhattan KS; 10. Jon Snyder, Ames IA; 11. Jerry Pratt, Blue Grass IA; 12. John Allen, Chanute KS;
Heat 4, 8 laps, 3:01.3: 1. Mark Elliott, Webster City IA; 2. Jordan Grabouski, Fairbury NE; 3. David Murray, Oberlin KS; 4. Richie Gustin, Gilman IA; 5. Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station WI; 6. Greg Cox, Altoona IA; 7. Chris Snyder, Elk Run Heights IA; 8. Josh Truman, Indianola IA; 9. Kent Croskey, Polk City IA; 10. Derek Hamm, Donnellson IA; 11. Ryan Ruter, Kanawha IA;
Heat 5, 8 laps, No Time: 1. Chris Abelson, Sioux City IA; 2. Todd Inman, Des Moines IA; 3. Jeremy Mills, Garner IA; 4. JJ Wise, Manly IA; 5. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice NE; 6. Patrick Graham, Ames IA; 7. Brett Ladehoff, Marshalltown IA; 8. Rich Smith, Davenport IA; 9. Tony Snyder, Readlyn IA; 10. Jeff Conner, Jefferson IA; 11. Joel Bushore, Boone IA; 12. Jimmie Gustin, Marshalltown IA;
Heat 6, 8 laps, 3:10.5: 1. Bill Davis Jr., Des Moines IA; 2. Jeff Jones, Council Bluffs IA; 3. Mike Long, Keokuk IA; 4. Cory Wray, Jamesport MO; 5. JD Auringer, Evansdale IA; 6. Scott Dickey, Packwood IA; 7. Jeff Waterman, Quincy IL; 8. Adam Johnson, Idependence IA; 9. Mike Albertson, Audubon IA; 10. Mike Fluegel, Davenport IA; 11. Mike Molle, Glidden IA;
B Feature 1, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Nate Caruth, Ames IA; 2. Todd Shute, Des Moines IA; 3. Mark Schulte, Delhi IA; 4. Mike OLear, Marshalltown IA; 5. Tyler VandeKamp, Knoxville IA; 6. Dan Mueller, Griswold IA; 7. Bub Lerette, Portsmouth IA; 8. Fred Schimmels, Van Meter IA; 9. Matt Waugh, Des Moines IA; 10. Clayton Christensen, Spencer IA; 11. Toby VandeKamp, Knoxville IA; 12. Justin Jurgens, Lincoln NE; 13. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield MO; 14. Josh Gilman, Earlham IA; 15. James Slawson, Spirit Lake IA;
B Feature 2, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Richie Gustin, Gilman IA; 2. David Brown, Kellogg IA; 3. Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station WI; 4. Jake Durbin, Perry IA; 5. Tim Murty, Tama IA; 6. Jon Snyder, Ames IA; 7. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson IA; 8. Greg Cox, Altoona IA; 9. Lyle Shepherd, Manhattan KS; 10. Derek Hamm, Donnellson IA; 11. Josh Truman, Indianola IA; 12. Chris Snyder, Elk Run Heights IA; 13. Kent Croskey, Polk City IA; 14. John Allen, Chanute KS; 15. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton IA;
B Feature 3, 12 laps, 4:46.3: 1. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice NE; 2. Cory Wray, Jamesport MO; 3. JJ Wise, Manly IA; 4. JD Auringer, Evansdale IA; 5. Jimmie Gustin, Marshalltown IA; 6. Rich Smith, Davenport IA; 7. Brett Ladehoff, Marshalltown IA; 8. Jeff Waterman, Quincy IL; 9. Adam Johnson, Idependence IA; 10. Tony Snyder, Readlyn IA; 11. Jeff Conner, Jefferson IA; 12. Mike Molle, Glidden IA; 13. Mike Fluegel, Davenport IA; 14. Scott Dickey, Packwood IA; 15. Mike Albertson, Audubon IA; 16. Patrick Graham, Ames IA; 17. Joel Bushore, Boone IA;
A Feature , 25 laps, No Time: 1. Richie Gustin, Gilman IA; 2. Jordan Grabouski, Fairbury NE; 3. Jeremy Mills, Garner IA; 4. Josh Foster, Montrose IA; 5. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice NE; 6. Mike Long, Keokuk IA; 7. Jay Noteboom, Hinton IA; 8. Todd Shute, Des Moines IA; 9. Eric Dailey, Armstrong IA; 10. Chris Abelson, Sioux City IA; 11. JJ Wise, Manly IA; 12. Todd Inman, Des Moines IA; 13. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville NC; 14. Dan Ratajczak, Frog Station WI; 15. Mark Elliott, Webster City IA; 16. Vern Jackson, Waterloo IA; 17. Cory Wray, Jamesport MO; 18. Randy Havlik, Madrid IA; 19. Bill Davis Jr., Des Moines IA; 20. Robert Tippery, Council Bluffs IA; 21. Mark Schulte, Delhi IA; 22. Jay Schmidt, Tama IA; 23. Mike OLear, Marshalltown IA; 24. David Brown, Kellogg IA; 25. David Murray, Oberlin KS; 26. Jeff Jones, Council Bluffs IA; 27. JD Auringer, Evansdale IA; 28. Nate Caruth, Ames IA; 29. Jake Durbin, Perry IA; 30. Levi Nielsen, Mason City IA. Lap Leaders: Elliott 1-23; Gustin 24-25