8/11/2013
Sprint Source
Larson Secures Friday Night Feature
By Mike Kerchner - KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 9, 2013)— Kyle Larson dominated Friday night’s feature during the 53rd annual FVP Knoxville Nationals to claim one of four spots in Saturday night’s $150,000-to-win finale.
Larson blasted into the lead on the second lap, taking the point from Chad Kemenah and leading the remainder of the 25-lap race on a night when 71 cars were attempting to earn the four spots in the feature.
Larson’s second career victory at the half-mile dirt track gives him the 17th starting spot on Saturday. He made it to Knoxville in time to race after practicing his NASCAR Nationwide Series car at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) Int’l. He’ll fly back to New York tonight to race tomorrow and return to Iowa following Saturday afternoon’s race.
“I struggled in lapped traffic,” Larson said. “I was really good in clean air and I was pretty tight in dirty air. Thank God that yellow came out because I never thought I would get by the 49. All day I was nervous at Watkins Glen because it kept raining and they kept pushing practice back and I was afraid I wouldn’t make it here in time to race. We only made six laps in practice and we made it here.”
Ohio drivers Cap Henry, Chad Kemenah and Jac Haudenschild finished second through fourth and wrapped up starting positions 18 through 20 for Saturday night’s feature.
Brandon Wimmer finished fifth and missed the transfer by a single spot.
World Challenge Changes Tatnell's Luck
By Mike Kerchner - KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 9, 2013) — Brooke Tatnell held off the charge from behind to win Friday night’s SPEED SPORT World Challenge sprint car race that concluded the third night of the 53rd annual FVP Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway.
Tatnell started on the pole for the 24-lap race open to international qualifiers, but fell to second as Jason Johnson set the early pace.
Tatnell ran down Johnson and drove to the front with eight laps remaining. From there he set sail while Tim Kaeding, who started sixth, and 10th-starter Daryn Pittman gave chase.
Kaeding came up a car length short at the checkered flag as Tatnell took his second World Challenge victory and brightened up what had been a disappointing season. More importantly, Tatnell became the first driver in the history of the event to earn a transfer spot into the Knoxville Nationals A-main through the World Challenge. He’ll start 25th on Saturday night.
“I am not a big believer in provisionals,” Tatnell said. “I hate the damn things, but I will take this one. We’ve had a horrible year, probably the worst year of my career, but the Nationals brings something out in you and it makes you dig deeper than any other race of the year. It is so hard to get in the show theses days.”
Kaeding finished second with Pittman, Johnson and Donny Schatz rounding out the top five.
The finish:
Brooke Tatnell, Tim Kaeding, Daryn Pittman, Jason Johnson, Donny Schatz, Rico Abreu, Ian Madsen, Shane Stewart, Wayne Johnson, Terry McCarl, Kerry Madsen, James McFadden, Kevin Swindell, Jason Sides, David Gravel, Lynton Jeffrey, Danny Dietrich, Paul Morris, Tim Shaffer, Danny Smith, Jonathan Allard, Bill Rose, Glen Saville, Jack Dover, Thomas Kennedy.
View more Knoxville Nationals news at http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/News.aspx.
About Knoxville Raceway
Since 1954, fans have flocked to Knoxville Raceway to experience the most exhilarating and intense dirt track racing in the world. Top drivers come to Knoxville, Iowa, to compete for prestigious racing titles in events like the Knoxville Nationals, Knoxville Championship Cup Series and the Late Model Knoxville Nationals. As the Sprint Car Capital of the World, Knoxville Raceway has developed into a tradition, legacy and leader in dirt track and open wheel racing.
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