GIOVANNI SCELZI TOPS WILD NIGHT AT KNOXVILLE!

Terry McCarl Wins Again in 360’s; Mike Mayberry Wins Three-Way Battle in Pro Sprints 

by Bill Wright 

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (July 9, 2022) – Gio Scelzi stood atop the podium on a night that saw hard luck, hard crashes and plenty of action Saturday night at the Knoxville Raceway.

The Fresno, California driver earned $5,000 for his 410 win on Farm Bureau Financial Night aboard the KCP Racing #18.  Terry McCarl held off Aaron Reutzel to win the 360 main event for the second consecutive week, and Mike Mayberry topped a thriller in the Pro Sprints. 

Scelzi shot out from his starting spot outside row one to lead early in the 20-lap 410 feature over Ian Madsen, a charging Reutzel, Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Sawyer Phillips.  Reutzel quickly took second on lap two, before a seventh running Justin Henderson got into the turn four wall, breaking his front end. 

On the restart, Reutzel slid in front of Scelzi in turn one, taking the lead.  Scelzi kept the pressure on, however, and when Reutzel got against the wall in turn four, he retook the point on lap four.  The contact with the wall may have plagued Reutzel, who blew his right rear tire eighth laps in. 

That set up a restart that saw Scelzi leading Hafertepe, Brian Brown, Ayrton Gennetten and Sawyer Phillips back to green.  Brown quickly moved into second before Tasker Phillips spun with 11 laps to go.  That restart saw Reutzel, who had restarted at the tail, get upside down in turn one.  He was unhurt.  Ian Madsen also headed to the work area at that point, surrendering his sixth place running spot. 

Brown made a bid on the restart, but Scelzi held off the challenge and went away to his fourth career win here.  Brown held onto second, and Gennetten grabbed third with four laps to go, followed by Hafertepe and Austin McCarl.  Sawyer Phillips, JJ Hickle, Davey Heskin, Lynton Jeffrey and Kerry Madsen rounded out the top ten.  Sawyer Phillips set quick time over the 32-car field, while Austin McCarl, Hafertepe, Heskin and Brandon Wimmer won heats.  Scott Bogucki claimed the B.  Sawyer Phillips and Jeffrey both flipped in separate incidents in heat one, but returned for the feature.   

“I was really good early,” said Scelzi in Victory Lane.  “The car kind of got away from me at the end, and I just had to drive it harder and harder.  The harder I drove it, the more it seemed to like it.  I had to work for that one.  I know it was only 20 laps, but it felt like a hundred.  Caution after caution, I couldn’t take off from the bottom, so I tried the top and it was a little bit better.  Brownie and Reutzel and really good and will race you hard.  The car’s getting better.  We have some balance back in this thing.” 

Joe Beaver shot out from the pole in the 18-lap 360 main event, ahead of Terry McCarl, Reutzel, Kaleb Johnson and Garet Williamson.  Clint Garner, who entered the night as the point leader, was unable to get a qualifying time in, so had to come through the B.  By the time lap one was over, he had driver from twenty-first to thirteenth. 

While Beaver was fast on the bottom, McCarl picked a line in the middle of track and carried his momentum to the lead in turn two on lap five.  Nate Mills spun a lap later, bringing the only caution of the event.  McCarl led Beaver, Reutzel, Johnson and Williamson back to green. 

Williamson grabbed fourth on the restart, but McCarl pulled away up front.  By lap ten, Garner was into the top ten himself.  McCarl entered lapped traffic on the thirteenth circuit, while Reutzel was gaining speed, and snagged the second spot from Beaver with four to go. 

The closing laps saw Reutzel edge closer to the leader.  McCarl struggled with the lapped car of Mills in the late stages, but held off Reutzel for his twelfth career 360 win here.  Beaver was third, followed by Williamson and Johnson.  Chase Randall, Ryan Grimes, Carson McCarl, hard-charger Garner and Jamie Ball completed the top ten.

Ball set quick time over the 31-car field, while Williamson, Alex Vande Voort and Timothy Smith won the heats.  Gunner Ramey won the B main.  Tyler Barrick took a hard ride in the B main, and Ben Brown tumbled after contact with Tyler Lee in a battle for the final transfer spot.  Neither driver was injured. 

“In our family, we consider Aaron Reutzel one of the top five drivers in the world,” said McCarl in Victory Lane.  “Clint and Jamie, everyone else in this thing, are great competitors.  What a racetrack, but when he’s back there, you know Aaron is coming.  I had to do what I did.  I had to give up the bottom (for the lapped car).  When you have Aaron behind you, I was going to win or wad it there.” 

Before the 15-lap Pro Sprints feature could get a lap in, Brandon Worthington got upside down in turn three.  He was unhurt.  Mike Johnston got off to a fast start from the pole once the race turned green, followed by Scotty Johnson and Ryan Navritil.   

On lap two, Mike Mayberry shot from fourth to second, but Johnson suck back by him a lap later.  By the halfway point, Johnson was reeling in Johnston, and with four to go got below him and just above the turn four berm to lead.  

Johnston slammed low into turn one and took the point back.  Mayberry pulled to the high side, as the top three drivers were three-wide entering turn three on lap 13.  

Mayberry emerged with the lead and went on to his fifth career win here, ahead of Johnston, Johnson, Chase Young and Tyler Groenendyk.  Kade Higday, Eric Bridger, Matthew Stelzer, Navritil and Josh Jones rounded out the top ten.  Groenendyk set quick time, while Johnston and Higday won heat races. 

“(Johnston and Johnson) just got to battling and slowed each other down a little bit,” said Mayberry of his late pass for the win.  “We were able to get around them.  We had to do some redemption from last week.  This is the exact same setup.  We found a right rear torsion bar failed last week.  It’s good that we’re here.” 

On Friday, Martina McBride will be performing at the Knoxville Raceway in conjunction with the Marion County Fair!  Contact the ticket office for admission.  On Saturday, July 16, it will be Van Wall Equipment Night. All three sprint car classes will be in action.

The 360’s will include the second visit of the year for the Midwest Power Series, featuring a $3,000 to win main event, and a $3,000 bonus for sweeping Jackson’s feature Friday and Saturday at Knoxville. 

The DTRA Trucks will also be in competition, and it will also be Future Stars Night.  On Sunday, join us for the Twin States Pulling Association Truck and Tractor Pull.  For more information, visit or check Knoxville Raceway’s website at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com or on Facebook and Twitter. 

 410 Results 

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (9), 15.698 ($100 from OpenWheel101.com); 2. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (18), 15.707; 3. 8, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (26), 15.728; 4. 3, Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO (28), 15.799; 5. 7, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (8), 15.837; 6. 2KS, Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (13), 15.857; 7. 18, Gio Scelzi, Fresno, CA (15), 15.887; 8. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (17), 15.924; 9. 25, JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA (24), 15.957; 10. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (10), 15.964; 11. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (11), 15.993; 12. 11, Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK (32), 16.008; 13. 2, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (20), 16.022; 14. 5, Brady Forbrook, Morgan, MN (27), 16.030; 15. 83JR, Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (7), 16.064; 16. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (12), 16.075; 17. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (4), 16.076; 18. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (23), 16.133; 19. 2M, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (31), 16.152; 20. 6, Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN (22), 16.193; 21. 7W, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (3), 16.239; 22. 14T, Tim Estenson, Fargo, ND (21), 16.243; 23. 35, Zach Hampton, Plainfield, IN (2), 16.263; 24. 65, Jordan Goldesberry, Springfield, IL (5), 16.275; 25. 84, Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust. (16), 16.294; 26. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (1), 16.297; 27. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (6), 16.435; 28. 14, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (30), 16.450; 29. 12, Tyler Drueke, Eagle, NE (29), 16.560; 30. 76, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (14), 16.663; 31. 36A, Eddie Lumbar, Denilquin, VIC, Aust (25), 17.599; 32. 9H, Landon Hansen, Newton, IA (19), 17.982 

 Heat one (started), 9 Laps, NT: 1. Austin McCarl (2); 2. Dustin Selvage (1); 3. JJ Hickle (4); 4. Justin Henderson (5); 5. Scott Bogucki (7); 6. Tyler Drueke (8); 7. Lynton Jeffrey (3); 8. Sawyer Phillips (6) 

Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:14.5: 1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4); 2. Riley Goodno (2); 3. Brian Brown (6); 4. Tim Estenson (1); 5. Ian Madsen (5); 6. Brady Forbrook (3); 7. Chris Martin (7); 8. Nathan Mills (8) 

Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:12.3: 1. Davey Heskin (2); 2. Aaron Reutzel (4); 3. Kerry Madsen (3); 4. Gio Scelzi (5); 5. Zach Hampton (1); 6. Carson McCarl (7); 7. Eddie Lumbar (6) DNS – Matt Juhl 

Heat four (started), 8 Laps, 2:14.1: 1. Brandon Wimmer (2); 2. Roger Crockett (4); 3. Ayrton Gennetten (6); 4. Tasker Phillips (5); 5. AJ Moeller (3); 6. Jordan Goldesberry (1); 7. Josh Higday (7); 8. Landon Hansen (8) 

B main (started), 10 Laps, 2:48.8: 1. Scott Bogucki (3); 2. Zach Hampton (1); 3. Carson McCarl (5); 4. Tim Estenson (2) 5. Jordan Goldesberry (4) / 6. Tyler Drueke (7); 7. Chris Martin (6); 8. Nathan Mills (8); 9. Eddie Lumbar (9); 10. Landon Hansen (10) DNS – Matt Juhl, Josh Higday 

A main (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Gio Scelzi (2); 2. Brian Brown (7); 3. Ayrton Gennetten (6); 4. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4); 5. Austin McCarl (12); 6. Sawyer Phillips (3); 7. JJ Hickle (9); 8. Davey Heskin (13); 9. Lynton Jeffrey (18); 10. Kerry Madsen (15); 11. Dustin Selvage (17); 12. Carson McCarl (23); 13. Tasker Phillips (10); 14. Scott Bogucki (21); 15. Brandon Wimmer (14); 16. Tim Estenson (20); 17. AJ Moeller (16); 18. Jordan Goldesberry (22); 19. Ian Madsen (1); 20. Roger Crockett (11); 21. Aaron Reutzel (8); 22. Brady Forbrook (19); 23. Justin Henderson (5) DNS – Zach Hampton, Riley Goodno.

Lap Leaders: Scelzi 1-2, Reutzel 3, Scelzi 4-20.

Hard-charger: C. McCarl. 

 360 Results 

 Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (1), 16.514; 2. 9G, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (17), 16.521; 3. 9, Chase Randall, Waco, TX (2), 16.577; 4. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (30), 16.692; 5. 22K, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD (22), 16.829; 6. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (12), 16.841; 7. 24W, Garet Williamson, Kingdom City, MO (19), 16.867; 8. 83, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (21), 16.873; 9. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (8), 16.890; 10. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (3), 16.933; 11. 99, Tony Rost, Omaha, NE (27), 16.968; 12. 7C, Devin Kline, Knoxville, IA (26), 16.990; 13. 4, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (31), 16.991; 14. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (10), 17.036; 15. 86, Timothy Smith, Rocheport, MO (11), 17.096; 16. 22S, Slater Helt, Harrisonville, MO (6), 17.099; 17. 5A, Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville, IA (15), 17.100; 18. 5M, Collin Moyle, Knoxville, IA (9), 17.114; 19. 21, Gunner Ramey, Sedalia, MO (24), 17.115; 20. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (28), 17.118; 21. 2, Chase Porter, St. Joseph, MO (13), 17.147; 22. 17, Matt Allen, Adel, IA (29), 17.269; 23. 7, Tyler Lee, Cedar Rapids, IA (7), 17.286; 24. 11, Tyler Barrick, Slater, IA (16), 17.304; 25. 7B, Ben Brown, Marshall, MO (25), 17.495; 26. 22W, Aaron Werner, Colman, SD (4), 17.510; 27. 11X, Austin O’Neal, Kearney, MO (23), 17.547; 28. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (18), 17.659; 29. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (20), 17.661; 30. 28, Luke Verardi, Taylorville, IL (14), 18.475; 31. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (5), NT 

Riley Goodno (3); 7. Slater Helt (1); 8. Ben Brown (9); 9. Matt Allen (8); 10. Gunner Ramey (7); 11. John Anderson (10) 

Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:02.1: 1. Alex Vande Voort (1); 2. Aaron Reutzel (4); 3. Ryan Giles (6); 4. Kaleb Johnson (5); 5. Nathan Mills (2); 6. Tony Rost (3); 7. Ryan Leavitt (7); 8. Tyler Lee (8); 9. Alan Zoutte (10); 10. Aaron Werner (9) 

Heat three (started), 7 Laps, NT: 1. Timothy Smith (2); 2. Collin Moyle (1); 3. Carson McCarl (4); 4. Joe Beaver (5); 5. Chase Randall (6); 6. Chase Porter (7); 7. Austin O’Neal (9); 8. Tyler Barrick (8); 9. Luke Verardi (10); 10. Devin Kline (3) 

B main (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. Gunner Ramey (1); 2. Clint Garner (10); 3. Austin O’Neal (7); 4. Tyler Lee (3) / 5. Alan Zoutte (9); 6. Aaron Werner (6); 7. John Anderson (8); 8. Ben Brown (5); 9. Matt Allen (2); 10. Tyler Barrick (4) DNS – Luke Verardi 

A main, 18 Laps, NT: 1. Terry McCarl (2); 2. Aaron Reutzel (3); 3. Joe Beaver (1); 4. Garet Williamson (6); 5. Kaleb Johnson (4); 6. Chase Randall (5); 7. Ryan Giles (7); 8. Carson McCarl (9); 9. Clint Garner (22); 10. Jamie Ball (8); 11. Chris Martin (11); 12. Riley Goodno (14); 13. Tony Rost (15); 14. Timothy Smith (10); 15. Gunner Ramey (21); 16. Austin O’Neal (23); 17. Ryan Leavitt (20); 18. Nathan Mills (16); 19. Alex Vande Voort (12); 20. Devin Kline (19); 21. Chase Porter (18); 22. Collin Moyle (13); 23. Tyler Lee (24); 24. Slater Helt (17).

Lap Leaders: Beaver 1-4, T. McCarl 5-18.

Hard-charger: Garner. 

Pro Series Results 

Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 17X, Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, IA (8), 17.384; 2. 44, Scotty Johnson, Dallas, IA (13), 17.469; 3. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (1), 17.504; 4. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Papillion, NE (3), 17.545; 5. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA (6), 17.584; 6. 41, Jeff Wilke, Knoxville, IA (10), 17.664; 7. 26M, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA (4), 17.693; 8. 81E, Eric Bridger, Winterset, IA (7), 17.704; 9. 12P, Ryan Navratil, Des Moines, IA (2), 17.853; 10. 02S, Josh Jones, Knoxville, IA (9), 17.991; 11. 14J, Mike Johnston, Des Moines, IA (5), 18.038; 12. 42J, Kade Higday, Pleasant Hill, IA (11), 18.311; 13. 4, Josh Poe, Peculiar, MO (12), 19.044 

Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:49.6: 1. Mike Johnston (1); 2. Ryan Navratil (2); 3. Chase Young (3); 4. Mike Mayberry (5); 5. Tyler Groenendyk (6); 6. Brandon Worthington (4); 7. Josh Poe (7) 

Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:50.9: 1. Kade Higday (1); 2. Matthew Stelzer (5); 3. Jeff Wilke (4); 4. Eric Bridger (3); 5. Josh Jones (2); 6. Scotty Johnson (6) 

A main (started), 15 Laps, 4:41.9: 1. Mike Mayberry (6); 2. Mike Johnston (1); 3. Scotty Johnson (4); 4. Chase Young (3); 5. Tyler Groenendyk (7); 6. Kade Higday (9); 7. Eric Bridger (11); 8. Matthew Stelzer (8); 9. Ryan Navratil (2); 10. Josh Jones (12); 11. Jeff Wilke (5); 12. Josh Poe (13); 13. Brandon Worthington (10). Lap Leaders: Johnston 1-10, Johnson 11, Johnston 12, Mayberry 13-15. Hard-charger: Mayberry.