Brad Sweet Invades Knoxville

Jamie Ball Roars to Another 360 Win; Devin Wignall Leads Wire to Wire in Pro Sprints 

by Bill Wright 

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (May 29, 2021) – A night off from the World of Outlaws paid off for Grass Valley California’s Brad Sweet, as he garnered his seventh career feature win at the Knoxville Raceway Saturday on Knoxville Hospital & Clinics/Slideways Night.  The win, aboard the Kasey Kahne Racing #49s was worth $5,000.  Jamie Ball made a mid-race pass of last week’s feature winner, Ryan Giles, to claim his eighth career win here in the 360 class.  Devin Wignall led all 15 laps to take the Pro Sprints presented by Pace Performance feature. 

Gio Scelzi was a rocket from his pole position in the 25-lap 410 main event early on.  Spencer Bayston, Brad Sweet, Brian Brown and Carson Macedo were in tow.  Macedo quicly moved into fourth, while Bayston pressured the leader.  On lap four, there was a dead heat for the lead between Scelzi and Bayston, before the former pulled back in front. 

On lap six, Sweet was able to get by Bayston for second, and set his sights on the leader.  Beginning lap seven, he shot by Scelzi for the lead, but Gio spun in turn two, and had to restart at the tail.  Aaron Reutzel also surrendered his top ten run, and headed to the work area.  He would restart at the tail and work his way back up to sixth at the checkers. 

With 19 laps to go, Sweet led Bayston, Brown, Macedo and James McFadden back to green.  Brown, who won two features here a week ago, moved into second, while Macedo found his way by Bayston in great racing for the third spot.  At that point, seventh running Justin Henderson and Rico Abreu made contact.  The result was a flat left rear tire for Henderson, and another restart at the tail. 

Sweet took off on the restart and was back in lapped traffic with ten to go.  With five to go, Tasker Phillips had a left front tire go flat as he spun in turn four.  It would prove to be the last caution.  

Sweet pulled away for the win.  Macedo moved into second on the final restart, while McFadden took third from Brown with three to go.  Abreu ended fifth.  Reutzel came from the tail to sixth, and Bayston, Austin McCarl, Davey Heskin and Parker Price-Miller rounded out the top ten.  Terry McCarl was the hard-charger with a 360 under the hood, coming from an alternate position to finish fourteenth.  He was an alternate for Lynton Jeffrey, who flipped after his car suffered a malfunction in his heat race.  He was uninjured.  Bayston set quick time, while Henderson, Matt Juhl and Reutzel were heat race winners.  Josh Schneiderman claimed the B main. 

“This was some stiff competition,” said Sweet in Victory Lane.  “We were just focused on getting this car feeling better at Knoxville.  I think we actually hit on something that was pretty good there.  We were way better than we’ve been.  I’m happy leaving here.  It was definitely worth the trip over.  The racetrack was great…great crowd, great weather.  It was a fun Saturday night race.  We just got to go out and have some fun.” 

Collin Moyle tested the turn one wall with a series of flips to start the 18-lap 360 feature.  He walked away.  When the green flew again, Ryan Giles set the pace, ahead of Josh Higday and Kaleb Johnson.  Jamie Ball was quickly in the conversation, taking fourth by the second lap.  The leaders were in lapped traffic by the sixth circuit.  That’s when Ball moved by Johnson for third. 

Ricky Montgomery spun seven laps in, setting up a restart that had Giles leading Higday, Ball, Johnson and Clint Garner back to green.  Johnson’s streak of bad luck continued when he slowed with mechanical issues on the restart.  In the meantime, Ball had moved by Higday for second.   

At the halfway point, Ball worked by Giles to take the lead.  Garner moved up to third, and on lap ten, Kelby Watt, who started in row seven, was fourth.   

Ball was back into lapped traffic with five to go, but was never seriously challenged the rest of the way.  Giles settled for second, ahead of Garner, the hard-charger Watt and Nate Mills.  Jack Dover, Calvin Landis, Matt Moro, Higday and Christopher Thram completed the top ten.  Mills set quick time over the field, while Thram, Dover and Giles won heats. 

“This one is for Wade, Angie and Nate at Keizer Wheels,” said Ball in Victory Lane.  “They just lost their business in a fire this week and he’s supported me since my first laps here.  The Dunkin’s are incredible.  This track was absolutely perfect tonight, and that car was absolutely perfect.  I was just the lucky one that got to drive it.” 

The 15-lap Pro Sprints presented by Pace Performance main event got off to a rocky start when front row starters Alex Vande Voort and Scotty Johnson got together in turn one.  The result was Johnson taking a nasty ride into the turn one wall.  He walked away.  Brandon Worthington also tipped over trying to avoid the fray, and was done for the night. 

Once green, it was all Devin Wignall, as he led the distance.  He entered lapped traffic with three to go, and was never headed.  Eric Bridger challenged early and settled for second, followed by Tyler Groenendyk, who passed Vande Voort for third coming for the white flag.  Chase Young, Matthew Stelzer, Mike Mayberry, Jeff Wilke, Devin Kline and JJ Beaver rounded out the top ten.  Mayberry and Bridger were heat race winners.  Tyler Barrick was a scratch for the night after tipping over in his heat.  He was uninjured. 

“I can’t thank my crew enough,” said Wignall in Victory Lane.  “Early part of the season, we’ve been struggling a bit, but last week and this week we’ve had it spot on.  I started running the top early on.  I saw how many marbles were being kicked into the middle.  A lot of people were down low.  I went down low a couple laps and stuck it pretty good, so I rolled that for the rest of the race.” 

Next Saturday, June 5 is McKay Group/Nationwide Insurance Night!  It’s also induction weekend for the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame!  All three sprint car divisions will be in action again!  For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com or check Knoxville Raceway’s Facebook and Twitter. 

410 Results 

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 71, Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN (6), 15.202; 2. 18, Gio Scelzi, Fresno, CA (22), 15.247; 3. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (9), 15.378; 4. 49S, Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA (18), 15.391; 5. 9, James McFadden, Warrnambool, VIC, Aust. (29), 15.413; 6. 83, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (1), 15.424; 7. 3, Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO (17), 15.447; 8. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (19), 15.456; 9. 41, Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA (26), 15.463; 10. 56N, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (8), 15.469; 11. 17A, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (14), 15.493; 12. 24R, Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA (21), 15.528; 13. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (10), 15.560; 14. 5X, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (7), 15.573; 15. 83X, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (28), 15.581; 16. 7, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (11), 15.586; 17. 2KS, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (4), 15.682; 18. 5, Presley Truedson, Kennedy, MN (16), 15.720; 19. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (27), 15.770; 20. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (5), 15.787; 21. 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (3), 15.827; 22. 83A, Austin Miller, Lacona, IA (15), 15.849; 23. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (13), 15.903; 24. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (30), 15.910; 25. 18R, Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE (12), 16.006; 26. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (25), 16.069; 27. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (2), 16.233; 28. 7B, Ben Brown, Marshall, MO (24), 16.280; 29. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (20), 16.287; 30. 19, Bob Weuve, Newton, IA (23), 16.400; 31. 20G, Noah Gass, Mounds, OK (31), 16.464 

Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:11.9: 1. Justin Henderson (1); 2. Ayrton Gennetten (4); 3. Davey Heskin (3); 4. Brad Sweet (5); 5. Carson McCarl (2); 6. Spencer Bayston (6); 7. Sawyer Phillips (7); 8. Ryan Roberts (9); 9. Ben Brown (10); 10. Noah Gass (11); 11. Austin Miller (8);  

Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:12.6: 1. Matt Juhl (1); 2. Parker Price-Miller (2); 3. Gio Scelzi (6); 4. Austin McCarl (3); 5. James McFadden (5); 6. AJ Moeller (4); 7. Josh Schneiderman (7); 8. Chris Martin (8); 9. Terry McCarl (10); 10. Riley Goodno (9) 

Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:11.6: 1. Aaron Reutzel (2); 2. Rico Abreu (3); 3. Carson Macedo (4); 4. Brian Brown (6); 5. Tasker Phillips (8); 6. Presley Truedson (1); 7. Bobby Mincer (7); 8. Joe Simbro (9); 9. Bob Weuve (10); 10. Lynton Jeffrey (5) 

B main (started), 12 Laps, 3:29.8: 1. Josh Schneiderman (1); 2. Chris Martin (4); 3. Bobby Mincer (2); 4. Ryan Roberts (5); 5. Terry McCarl (9); 6. Riley Goodno (6); 7. Bob Weuve (10); 8. Noah Gass (11); 9. Austin Miller (3); 10. Ben Brown (8); 11. Joe Simbro (7) 

A main (started), 25 Laps, NT: 1. Brad Sweet (4); 2. Carson Macedo (7); 3. James McFadden (6); 4. Brian Brown (2); 5. Rico Abreu (9); 6. Aaron Reutzel (10); 7. Spencer Bayston (3); 8. Austin McCarl (15); 9. Davey Heskin (8); 10. Parker Price-Miller (12); 11. Ayrton Gennetten (5); 12. Gio Scelzi (1); 13. Carson McCarl (16); 14. Terry McCarl (24, alt.); 15. Sawyer Phillips (19); 16. Justin Henderson (11); 17. Matt Juhl (13); 18. Josh Schneiderman (20); 19. Chris Martin (21); 20. Bobby Mincer (22); 21. Ryan Roberts (23); 22. Presley Truedson (17); 23. Tasker Phillips (18); 24. AJ Moeller (14) DNS – Lynton Jeffrey. Lap Leaders: Scelzi 1-6, Sweet 7-25. Hard-charger: T. McCarl. 

360 Results 

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (3), 16.081; 2. 9M, Ricky Montgomery, Denver, CO (15), 16.165; 3. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (7), 16.199; 4. 22K, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD (6), 16.263; 5. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (24), 16.272; 6. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (1), 16.280; 7. 35, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (5), 16.320; 8. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (21), 16.357; 9. 9, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (16), 16.366; 10. 1K, Kelby Watt, Adel, IA (4), 16.390; 11. 2M, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (19), 16.477; 12. 15, Christian Bowman, Altoona, IA (13), 16.498; 13. 5M, Collin Moyle, Knoxville, IA (23), 16.541; 14. 53D, Jack Dover, Springfield, NE (8), 16.543; 15. 99, Tony Rost, Utica, NE (2), 16.561; 16. 24T, Christopher Thram, Sanburn, MN (18), 16.582; 17. 23K, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (20), 16.604; 18. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (11), 16.703; 19. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (14), 16.887; 20. 199, Ryan Bowers, Nowthen, MN (10), 16.993; 21. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (12), 17.072; 22. 2, Jason Billups, Holt, MO (9), 17.694; 23. 14J, Mike Johnston, Des Moines, IA (17), 17.706; 24. 11B, Ben Woods, Newton, IA (22), NT. 

Heat one (started), 7 Laps, 2:00.3: 1. Christopher Thram (1); 2. Josh Higday (4); 3. Collin Moyle (2); 4. Kaleb Johnson (5); 5. Kelby Watt (3); 6. Nathan Mills (6); 7. Alan Zoutte (7); 8. Jason Billups (8) 

Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:02.6: 1. Jack Dover (2); 2. Rob Kubli (1); 3. Ricky Montgomery (6); 4. Matt Moro (3); 5. Clint Garner (4); 6. Calvin Landis (5); 7. Ryan Bowers (7); 8. Mike Johnston (8) 

Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 2:01.2: 1. Ryan Giles (4); 2. Jamie Ball (6); 3. Riley Goodno (1); 4. Tony Rost (2); 5. Ryan Leavitt (5); 6. Christian Bowman (3); 7. John Anderson (7) DNS – Ben Woods 

A main (started), 18 Laps, NT: 1. Jamie Ball (6); 2. Ryan Giles (1); 3. Clint Garner (10); 4. Kelby Watt (13); 5. Nathan Mills (4); 6. Jack Dover (9); 7. Calvin Landis (8); 8. Matt Moro (12); 9. Josh Higday (2); 10. Christopher Thram (11); 11. Rob Kubli (15); 12. Ryan Leavitt (7); 13. Riley Goodno (17); 14. Christian Bowman (18); 15. Tony Rost (16); 16. Ricky Montgomery (5); 17. Alan Zoutte (19); 18. John Anderson (21); 19. Ryan Bowers (20); 20. Mike Johnston (23); 21. Jason Billups (22); 22. Kaleb Johnson (3); 23. Ben Woods (24); 24. Collin Moyle (14). Lap Leaders: Giles 1-8, Ball 9-18. Hard-charger: Watt. 

Pro Series Results 

Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:48.0: 1. Mike Mayberry (4); 2. Scotty Johnson (1); 3. Jeff Wilke (3); 4. Devin Kline (5); 5. Brandon Worthington (8); 6. Ryan Navratil (2); 7. Matthew Stelzer (6); 8. Jaslyn Jones (7); 9. Cam Martin (9) 

Heat two (started), 6 Laps, NT: 1. Eric Bridger (1); 2. Tyler Groenendyk (5); 3. Alex Vande Voort (4); 4. Devin Wignall (7); 5. Chase Young (6); 6. Matt Allen (3); 7. Joel Thorpe (9); 8. JJ Beaver (2); 9. Tyler Barrick (8) 

A main (started), 15 Laps, 4:42.9: 1. Devin Wignall (3); 2. Eric Bridger (4); 3. Tyler Groenendyk (5); 4. Alex Vande Voort (1); 5. Chase Young (10); 6. Matthew Stelzer (12); 7. Mike Mayberry (6); 8. Jeff Wilke (8); 9. Devin Kline (9); 10. JJ Beaver (16); 11. Cam Martin (14); 12. Ryan Navratil (13); 13. Jaslyn Jones (15); 14. Joel Thorpe (11); 15. Scotty Johnson (2); 16. Brandon Worthington (7) DNS – Tyler Barrick, Matt Allen. Lap Leader: Wignall 1-15. Hard-charger: Stelzer 1-15. 

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