Greg Hodnett Dominates Night #2 Of 360 Knoxville Nationals

Story By: BILL WRIGHT & BRYAN HULBERT / KNOXVILLE RACEWAY – KNOXVILLE, IA – Greg Hodnett won a three-way battle for the lead and cruised to his first career 360 win at the Knoxville Raceway on night #2 of the 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank.

The win, aboard the Heffner Racing #27, was worth $3,000 for the Thomasville, Pennsylvania native. Clint Garner and Wayne Johnson emerged as the two high-point drivers heading into Saturday night’s $15,000 to win finale. They’ll sit on the front row, with Nate Van Haaften and Jamie Ball in row two, and Aaron Reutzel and Tim Shaffer making up the third row.

Trey Starks led Brian Brown and Jeff Swindell to start the 20-lap feature event. Brown would shoot under Starks to lead lap two. Hodnett was up to third by lap four, and shortly after, Sawyer Phillips spun in turn three.

Brown led Starks, Hodnett, Swindell and Wayne Johnson back to green flag racing. Starks shot by Brown back into the lead when the green fell, while Johnson moved into fourth. Hodnett stuck his car to the low side, taking second on lap six. Two laps later, he was by Starks into the lead and checking out.

One final caution for a stopped Parker Price-Miller at the halfway point set up a ten lap Dash. At the time, Hodnett led Starks, Brown, Johnson and Garner. Brown moved into second, while Garner took fourth and Swindell got back into fifth.

No one had anything for Hodnett, who took off from the field like a galloping horse. Brown was second, followed by Starks, Garner and Swindell. Dusty Zomer, Van Haaften, Wayne Johnson, hard-charger Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Christopher Bell completed the top ten. Garner set quick time over the field, while Johnny Herrera, Ryan Giles, Zomer, Scott Bogucki and Tim Kaeding won heats. Ryan Leavitt won the C main in his first ever 360 start, while Hafertepe won the B.

“Mr. Aliquippa himself (Tim Shaffer), the ‘Steel City Outlaw’ got ’er done last night,” said Hodnett in Victory Lane. “We were fortunate enough to take advantage of a pretty decent starting spot. We had a good race car and we came out on top in this one. It’s been a long time since we’ve been up here. I didn’t even know how to get here. I’m just very fortunate and very blessed to have this car, car owner and the guys who work on it. I’m very thankful. This is really important. We come out here one time a year, and get minimal laps here. We don’t get as many as we used to with the Outlaws. This is hard to do. These guys are tough, and it’s hard to do. We’re going to keep working as a team to get better.”

“I’m just a little disappointed in the driver,” said Brown. “You get guys like Greg and Trey Starks, and you give them opportunities…they’re going to make it count. For Greg to come back from Pennsylvania and put it on us says something about how strong his team is. Greg is a true ambassador to our sport. To run second to him isn’t the end of the world. I just feel I didn’t run 20 good laps. I need to make better laps and better decisions as a driver. We’ll come back tomorrow and hopefully, I can do my job.”

“I wish I had more laps around here and knew how to run the bottom,” said Starks. “The bottom was hooked up, and good and fast. I just tried to run the top as hard as I possibly could. That was a fun one with Greg and Brian there. I can’t really complain very much. Hopefully, we’re set up good for tomorrow.”

The 27th Annual Knoxville 360 Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank comes to a close tomorrow night, August 5! The 305 sprint car class will also be in action. For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!

360 Results

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (2), 16.196; 2. 2C, Wayne Johnson, Knoxville, IA (8), 16.293; 3. 14B, Christopher Bell, Norman, OK (3), 16.319; 4. 23S, Stu Snyder, Waverly, NE (1), 16.334; 5. 3, Nate Van Haaften, Otley, IA (17), 16.449; 6. 41, Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, CA (6), 16.523; 7. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (26), 16.562; 8. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (10), 16.581; 9. 55, McKenna Haase, Des Moines, IA (18), 16.622; 10. 71, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (45), 16.653; 11. 5M, Troy Manteufel, St. Peter, MN (5), 16.664; 12. 27, Greg Hodnett, Spring Grove, PA (39), 16.685; 13. 94, Jeff Swindell, Bartlett, TN (23), 16.700; 14. 090, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (29), 16.716; 15. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (7), 16.757; 16. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (19), 16.765; 17. 10H, Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH (15), 16.767; 18. 55S, Trey Starks, Puyallup, WA (46), 16.779; 19. 26, Tayler Malsam, Seattle, WA (13), 16.802; 20. 25, Dylan Peterson, Hartford, SD (27), 16.806; 21. 35V, Jamie Veal, Warrnambool, VIC, Au (4), 16.813; 22. 36, Jason Martin, Lincoln, NE (20), 16.817; 23. 82, Dusty Zomer, Brandon, SD (44), 16.852; 24. 67X, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (25), 16.872; 25. 3K, Tim Kaeding, San Jose, CA (47), 16.897; 26. 45X, Johnny Herrera, Albuquerque, NM (24), 16.919; 27. 9, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (48), 16.923; 28. 17H, Jared Horstman, Cloverdale, OH (11), 16.954; 29. 84, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (37), 16.959; 30. 12N, Cole Duncan, Lockbourne, OH (34), 16.987; 31. 9M, Ricky Montgomery, Lakewood, CO (30), 17.011; 32. 71C, Stacey Alexander, Lacona, IA (36), 17.023; 33. 1B, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (14), 17.024; 34. 07, Michael Bookout, Tulsa, OK (12), 17.040; 35. 22S, Sean McClelland, Tulsa, OK (32), 17.113; 36. 63, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust. (42), 17.127; 37. 16, Dustin Clark, Agency, IA (33), 17.160; 38. 9N, Wade Nygaard, Grand Forks, ND (28), 17.193; 39. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (40), 17.220; 40. 7M, Chance Morton, Coweta, OK (31), 17.222; 41. 40H, Howard Moore, Memphis, TN (16), 17.259; 42. X1, Mason Moore, Chico, CA (35), 17.459; 43. 10C, Jeremy Campbell, Wichita, KS (41), 17.489; 44. 38, Mike Dapra, Gillette, WY (38), 18.171; 45. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (43), 18.444; 46. 9Z, Jared Goerges, Brainerd, MN (21), NT; 47. 26X, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (22), NT; 48. 53D, Jack Dover, Springfield, NE (9), NT

Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:18.9: 1. Johnny Herrera (1); 2. Brian Brown (3); 3. Jamie Veal (2); 4. Clint Garner (6); 5. Dominic Scelzi (5); 6. Howard Moore (9); 7. Troy Manteufel (4); 8. Jared Goerges (10); 9. Ricky Montgomery (7); 10. Brooke Tatnell (8);

Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:16.3: 1. Ryan Giles (1); 2. Jason Martin (2); 3. Wayne Johnson (6); 4. Greg Hodnett (4); 5. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5); 6. Chad Kemenah (3); 7. Stacey Alexander (7); 8. Dustin Clark (8); 9. Mason Moore (9); DNS 10. Josh Higday (10);

Heat three (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Dusty Zomer (2); 2. Jared Horstman (1); 3. Jeff Swindell (4); 4. Trey Starks (3); 5. Christopher Bell (6); 6. Terry McCarl (5); 7. Wade Nygaard (8); 8. Jeremy Campbell (9); 9. Ryan Leavitt (7); DNS 10. Jack Dover

Heat four (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Scott Bogucki (1); 2. Parker Price-Miller (2); 3. Sawyer Phillips (8); 4. Tayler Malsam (3); 5. McKenna Haase (5); 6. Stu Snyder (6); 7. Matt Juhl (4); 8. Michael Bookout (7); 9. Mike Dapra (9);

Heat five (started), 8 Laps, 2:17.2: 1. Tim Kaeding (2); 2. Cole Duncan (1); 3. Nate Van Haaften (6); 4. Chris Martin (4); 5. Joey Saldana (5); 6. Sean McClelland (7); 7. John Anderson (9); 8. Chance Morton (8); 9. Dylan Peterson (3);

C main (started), 8 Laps, 2:24.4: 1. Ryan Leavitt (1); 2. Ricky Montgomery (2); 3. Brooke Tatnell (4); 4. Mason Moore (3); 5. Mike Dapra (5); DNS 6. Dylan Peterson; 7. Josh Higday; 8. Jack Dover;

B main (started), 12 Laps, NT: 1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4); 2. Christopher Bell (1); 3. Terry McCarl (5); 4. Chad Kemenah (10); 5. Joey Saldana (7); 6. Stu Snyder (2); 7. Dominic Scelzi (3); 8. McKenna Haase (6); 9. Wade Nygaard (15); 10. Stacey Alexander (11); 11. Matt Juhl (9); 12. Howard Moore (17); 13. Troy Manteufel (8); 14. Jeremy Campbell (16); 15. Ryan Leavitt (21); 16. Dustin Clark (14); 17. Michael Bookout (12); 18. John Anderson (19); 19. Mason Moore (22); 20. Brooke Tatnell (23); 21. Sean McClelland (13); 22. Ricky Montgomery (20); 23. Jared Goerges (18); DNS 24. Chance Morton (24);

A main (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Greg Hodnett (5); 2. Brian Brown (2); 3. Trey Starks (1); 4. Clint Garner (8); 5. Jeff Swindell (4); 6. Dusty Zomer (12); 7. Nate Van Haaften (6); 8. Wayne Johnson (7); 9. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (21); 10. Christopher Bell (22); 11. Jason Martin (11); 12. Tayler Malsam (9); 13. Tim Kaeding (14); 14. Johnny Herrera (15); 15. Chris Martin (3); 16. Terry McCarl (23); 17. Ryan Giles (16); 18. Cole Duncan (19); 19. Jamie Veal (10); 20. Jared Horstman (17); 21. Sawyer Phillips (20); 22. Scott Bogucki (18); 23. Parker Price-Miller (13); 24. Chad Kemenah (24); Lap Leaders: Starks 1, Brown 2, Starks 3-7, Hodnett 8-20. Hard Charger: Hafertepe, Jr.

Tentative Lineups for the 27th Knoxville 360 Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank:

A Main

1. 40, Clint Garner, 485
2. 2C, Wayne Johnson, 478
3. 3, Nate Van Haaften, 474
4. 5J, Jamie Ball, 473
5. 87, Aaron Reutzel, 471
6. 49X, Tim Shaffer, 470
7. 27, Greg Hodnett, 469
8. 17B, Josh Baughman, 467
9. 1, Thomas Kennedy, 467
10. 23, Seth Bergman, 467
11. 14B, Christopher Bell, 466
12. 21, Brian Brown, 465
13. 4, Jon Agan, 465
14. 94, Jeff Swindell, 462
15. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., 460
16. 55S, Trey Starks, 453
17. 13V, Seth Brahmer, 451
18. 18M, Ian Madsen, 451
19. 1M, Danny Lasoski, 450
20. 70, Calvin Landis, 448

B Main (4 transfer)

1. 2M, Matt Moro, 447
2. 82, Dusty Zomer, 446
3. 6, Carson McCarl, 442
4. 22, Rager Phillips, 442
5. 24, Terry McCarl, 441
6. 28, Jonathan Cornell, 441
7. 36, Jason Martin, 435
8. 44, Chris Martin, 435
9. 26, Tayler Malsam, 433
10. 35, Skylar Prochaska, 430
11. 5H, Cory Eliason, 428
12. 3K, Tim Kaeding, 428
13. 45X, Johnny Herrera, 424
14. 56N, Davey Heskin, 423
15. 18, Ryan Roberts, 420
16. 23S, Stu Snyder, 419
17. 35V, Jamie Veal, 418
18. 23D, Devon Dobie, 416
19. 9, Ryan Giles, 416
20. 41, Dominic Scelzi, 416

C Main (4 transfer)

1. 21AU, Jordyn Brazier, 414
2. 3S, Sammy Swindell, 412
3. 71, Joey Saldana, 412
4. 14, Tony Stewart, 412
5. 17, Tyler Groenendyk, 409
6. 55, McKenna Haase, 408
7. 67X, Parker Price-Miller, 407
8. 10H, Chad Kemenah, 407
9. 17W, Harli White, 406
10. 12N, Cole Duncan, 405
11. 17H, Jared Horstman, 405
12. 84, Scott Bogucki, 402
13. 53, Joe Beaver, 397
14. 23W, Scott Winters, 397
15. 77X, Alex Hill, 396
16. 5M, Troy Manteufel, 388
17. 75AU, Matt Egel, 387
18. 9, Matt Juhl, 386
19. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, 378
20. 99, Skylar Gee, 353

D Main (4 transfer)

1. 4J, Lee Grosz, 352
2. 71C, Stacey Alexander, 352
3. 95, Matt Covington, 350
4. 9N, Wade Nygaard, 342
5. 1J, Danny Jennings, 342
6. 45, Chuck Hebing, 339
7. 12, James Mosher, 339
8. 1B, Ryan Leavitt, 334
9. 52, Blake Hahn, 334
10. 40H, Howard Moore, 333
11. 35L, Cody Ledger, 332
12. 7, Michael Bookout, 331
13. 25, Dylan Peterson, 328
14. 16, Dustin Clark, 327
15. 22S, Sean McClelland, 327
16. 9M, Ricky Montgomery, 324
17. 10C, Jeremy Campbell, 319
18. 8M, Kade Morton, 319
19. 27B, Patrick Bourke, 316
20. 63, Brooke Tatnell, 315

E Main (4 transfer)

1. 93, Dustin Morgan, 314
2. 1A, John Anderson, 310
3. 9L, Hunter Lane, 310
4. X1, Mason Moore, 308
5. 33, Alan Zoutte, 307
6. 7M, Chance Morton, 305
7. 98, Chris Masters, 300
8. 9Z, Jared Goerges, 295
9. 38, Mike Dapra, 282
10. 26X, Josh Higday, 269
11. 53D, Jack Dover, 265