8/16/2017
Inside Line Promotions
Sides Earns Best Knoxville Nationals Finish Since 2010
(Photo by Speedway Shots)
Inside Line Promotions – KNOXVILLE, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2017) – Jason Sides drove his way into the Knoxville Nationals A Main last weekend for the first time since 2012 during the 57th annual 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store at Knoxville Raceway.
“That’s the goal,” he said. “It’s the toughest race of the year and it offers a good payday to make the A Main so the goal is to make the show. Then anything you can do from there is icing on the cake.”
Sides kicked off the event on Thursday when he qualified eighth quickest around the half-mile oval. He then advanced from seventh to sixth place in a heat race, which relegated him to the B Main. Sides ended where he started – fourth – in the consolation race to garner the final transfer position into the back of the main event.
He maneuvered from 24th to a 15th-place finish in the main event.
“Once we got going we focused on nailing the bottom and concentrating on hitting that,” he said. “I knew for every car we passed it was a couple of points. Points were so important. I kept thinking about passing to get ourselves in position for Saturday night.”
Once preliminary points were calculated Sides ranked 19th, which was only three positions shy of locking into Saturday’s $150,000-to-win main event. That lined him up third in the B Main.
“We had a good starting spot for Saturday night,” he said. “The two guys in front got away from us. We kept nailing the bottom and passed them both. We had a couple of late cautions with (Tim) Shaffer behind me. He showed me his nose. I kept doing what I needed to do and got ourselves into the race. It’s huge. We hadn’t made that show in five years. It’s a big relief just to get in the show.”
Sides won the B Main to transfer into his seventh career Knoxville Nationals A Main, which he started 21st.
“Starting back there where we did we got a couple of cars and before you know it there’s a caution and they do single-file restarts,” he said. “You’re a straightaway behind the leaders and they come around there quick. We raced with the leader for a lap or two trying to stay on the lead lap because I knew if there was another caution it’d get you a few more spots. The biggest thing was trying to stay on the lead lap. The leader got by us and then we were racing with the other lapped cars the rest of the time.
“All in all, making the show and passing a few cars, I’m pretty happy with it. For our team to make the show and make a little money to pay some bills was great.”
Sides ended 16th, which tied his second-best finish at the Knoxville Nationals. It also marked his best result during the event since placing a career-best 12th in 2010.
He is slated to compete this Friday at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D.; Saturday at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D.; and Sunday at Nodak Speedway in Minot, N.D., with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series.
QUICK RESULTS –
Aug. 10 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 8; Heat race: 6 (7); B Main: 4 (4); Feature: 15 (24).
Aug. 12 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – B Main: 1 (3); Feature: 16 (21).
SEASON STATS –
59 races, 0 wins, 8 top fives, 21 top 10s, 32 top 15s, 46 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D.; Saturday at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D.; and Sunday at Nodak Speedway in Minot, N.D., with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series
MEDIA LINKS –
Website: http://www.SidesMotorsports.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SidesMotorsport
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sides-Motorsports/283833970847?ref=br_tf
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Clean Seal, Inc.
Clean Seal, Inc. has supplied extruded rubber products to the transportation industry since 1978. The company, which is based in South Bend, Ind., is a full-line, full-service source for standard and custom-designed seals and gaskets. For more information, visit http://www.CleanSeal.com.
“Clean Seal came on board a couple years ago and we’re excited to have them as part of our program,” Sides said. “I want to say thanks to Bill Dawson and the entire team at Clean Seal. We look forward to future success together.”
Sides would also like to thank Wetherington Tractor Service, Inc., East Coast Logistics, VRP Shocks, Dancer Logistics, Inc., King Racing Products, R.E. Enterprises, BR Motorsports, Jim Schuhknecht, FSR Radiators, Mid-States Equipment, Pat Hanley Auction Co., Brad Roller, Driven Racing Oil, Ingles Racing Engines, Wings Unlimited and All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads for their continued support.
INSIDE LINE PROMOTIONS –
Inside Line Promotions specializes in affordable public relations and media management for motor sports drivers, teams, sponsors, tracks, series, events, organizations and manufacturers. ILP Founder Shawn Miller leverages professional journalism with new media technologies and social networking to improve your exposure and the return on investment for your sponsors.
To meet the media relations needs of your program by joining Team ILP, contact Shawn at 541-510-3663 or Shawn@InsideLinePromotions.com. For more information on Inside Line Promotions, visit http://www.InsideLinePromotions.com.
Article Credit: Inside Line Promotions
Submitted By: Shawn Miller
