KNOXVILLE, Iowa – Kerry Madsen followed his car owner, Tony Stewart, as a winner Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway.
After Stewart won the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience feature earlier in the night, Madsen – from St. Mary’s, New South Wales, Australia – won in 410 sprint car action aboard the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing No. 14.
Madsen’s victory was worth $4,000.
Brian Brown shot out to the lead on lap one of the 20-lap main event, but Madsen was hot on his heels, sliding in front to lead lap two. Don Droud Jr. was third, ahead of Lynton Jeffrey and Ayrton Gennetten.
By lap five, Madsen was in lapped traffic and his lead had grown to 2.7 seconds over Brown. Gennetten shot by Jeffrey into fourth on lap six. Things went clean and green, and Madsen’s lead swelled to 3.7 seconds at the halfway point.
At that stage, the track began to change, taking some rubber. Brown found it first and reeled in the leader, closing the margin to a 1.4-second gap with five to go.
It would not matter, however, as Madsen scored his 24th career victory ahead of Brown, Droud, Gennetten and Jeffrey.
“The Knoxville track crew guys did a good job of getting the track turned around (after the SRX race) and giving us a good track to race on,” said Madsen in victory lane. “I love these Ford engines. I’m just having a great time. This car with Ricky Warner wrenching it is such a fun car to drive. (Stewart) did remind me that a win was expected.
“When you have a car that good, you don’t have much pressure … you just drive it hard and see what it’s got.”
Austin McCarl, Justin Henderson, Tasker Phillips, Chris Martin and Matt Juhl rounded out the top 10.
Madsen set quick time over the 27-car field, and Austin McCarl, Tasker Phillips and Sawyer Phillips won the heats.
The finish:
1. Kerry Madsen (4); 2. Brian Brown (2); 3. Don Droud Jr. (1); 4. Ayrton Gennetten (3); 5. Lynton Jeffrey (5); 6. Austin McCarl (10); 7. Justin Henderson (6); 8. Tasker Phillips (12); 9. Chris Martin (9); 10. Matt Juhl (7); 11. Terry McCarl (8); 12. Roger Crockett (11); 13. Davey Heskin (17); 14. Sawyer Phillips (13); 15. AJ Moeller (14); 16. Riley Goodno (20); 17. Ryan Roberts (19); 18. Presley Truedson (15); 19. Clint Garner (16); 20. Austin Miller (18); 21. Ben Brown (22); 22. Joe Simbro (21); 23. Bobby Mincer (23); 24. Cody Ledger (24).