KNOXVILLE, Iowa — It’s been a long wait for Chris Martin, but he is finally a Knoxville Raceway feature winner.
The Ankeny, Iowa native claimed the $6,000 to win Leighton State Bank 410 main event on Farm Bureau Financial Services Night Saturday.
Tasker Phillips grabbed a mid-race lead and went on to win his third Randall Roofing 360 feature of the year. The defending 360 champ earned $2,000 for his win.
J Kinder made history in a pair of ways by winning a record five times in a row in the Raceway Tire & Muffler Pro Sprints class. He also became the all-time feature win leader with the Pros with his 18th career win.
Martin led from the outset in the 25-lap Leighton State Bank 410 main event, ahead of JJ Hickle, Austin McCarl, Lynton Jeffrey and Brian Brown. The pace was swift on a tacky surface, but Hickle stayed within striking distance.
Ryan Timms started in row five, but entered the top five by lap seven. Martin was into lapped traffic by the eighth circuit. Timms’ charge continued when he moved by Jeffrey for fourth on lap 11.
Martin was weaving through heavy traffic and putting lappers between himself and Hickle. With six to go, Timms slid by McCarl for third, and then got by Hickle coming for the white flag.
Martin stayed steady, getting to the checkers and claiming his first win. Hickle used a pass of Timms in the last corner to reclaim second, while McCarl and hard-charger Jace Park finished fourth and fifth.
“I thought this day would never come,” said Martin. “We’ve had good speed a lot of places with our 360 short track, and now we’re seeing more speed with the 410 on all different shapes and sizes of tracks. But this place has always been my kryptonite. I never could quite figure it out. Three years ago, a guy named Danny Lasoski took a chance on me. I thought this might be a legitimate chance for me to win at Knoxville. I have to thank him and my Dad. I don’t know how to thank them enough.”
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 44, Chris Martin (1); 2. 2M, JJ Hickle (2); 3. 10, Ryan Timms (9); 4. 88, Austin McCarl (3); 5. 28, Jace Park (12); 6. 2K, Lynton Jeffrey (4); 7. 21, Brian Brown (5); 8. 45X, Rees Moran (7); 9. 11, Justin Henderson (10); 10. 27, Carson McCarl (14); 11. 25, Jy Corbet (13); 12. 4, Cameron Martin (19); 13. 3P, Sawyer Phillips (6); 14. 2KS, Jack Anderson (15); 15. 22, Riley Goodno (17); 16. 10V, Joe Beaver (21); 17. 24, Terry McCarl (18); 18. 44X, Scotty Johnson (16); 19. 15J, Jack Potter (22); 20. 56, Joe Simbro (23); 21. 15JR, Cole Mincer (20); 22. 121, RJ Johnson (11); 23. 4W, Jamie Ball (8); DNS – 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips.
