KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Giovanni Scelzi opened up the 36th Annual Xtream Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals Presented by Great Southern Bank with a big win on Thursday night.
The Fresno, California native and 2021 360 Nationals champ led wire to wire in the Spire Motorsports No. 77. His win was worth $3,000.
“The middle got dirty midway through the race,” said Scelzi. “I didn’t realize the bottom would come in so fast. I saw Chris (Martin) in the B main, and he looked pretty stuck down there. I hit the first corner wide open and I hoped it was the same down in three and four. Single-file restarts help, and there’s no games. Thanks to Trey Starks. Their second baby is due, and we were able to use their motor. This was cool. We had to win to be anywhere decent in points for Saturday.”
Aaron Reutzel left Thursday with the point lead, having accumulated 492 Thursday. James McFadden (482), Justin Henderson (478), Kyle Larson (477), Scelzi (473) and Chase Randall (471) followed (complete points are below the results).
Scelzi shot out from the pole position in the 20-lap main event. Randall, Larson, McFadden and Reutzel followed. On lap three, Larson shot by Randall for second on lap three. Reutzel got by McFadden on the low side of turn two for fourth on lap seven.
Scelzi was in lapped traffic by the eighth circuit. Twelve laps in, John Carney II brought the only caution of the race when he blew his left rear tire.
Scelzi led Larson, Randall, Reutzel and McFadden back to green. Randall shot by Larson for second on the restart, while Corey Day entered the top five on the restart. McFadden regained fifth from Day on lap 14, while Larson repassed Randall on the high side with five to go to take second.
Reutzel, who started eighth, passed Randall with four to go for third. He reeled Larson in, and got by in the last corner to finish second to Scelzi, who won his fourth career 360 feature here. Randall was fourth, ahead of McFadden.
“The middle got dirty midway through the race,” said Scelzi. “I didn’t realize the bottom would come in so fast. I saw Chris (Martin) in the B main, and he looked pretty stuck down there. I hit the first corner wide open and I hoped it was the same down in three and four. Single-file restarts help, and there’s no games. Thanks to Trey Starks. Their second baby is due, and we were able to use their motor. This was cool. We had to win to be anywhere decent in points for Saturday.”
“That was really good,” said Reutzel of his run. “Hopefully, that’s the pole. We’ll have to see what happens tomorrow, but our car was phenomenal. It was a great way to get Nationals started. It feels like a long time since I ran the Nationals having to miss last year (due to injury). I’m just really proud of this race team.”
“I just didn’t do a good job on either of the starts,” said Larson. “After I got through one and two poorly, I would run a couple good laps and get going and feel pretty good there. Obviously, I wish we stayed green. On the restart, I knew there was a lot of meat in the middle, but I didn’t think (Randall) had enough to circle me. I was happy to get back by him, and Aaron caught me off guard at the end. I was getting kind of tight. I just have to do a better job. You just can’t make any mistakes.”
Reutzel set quick time over the 53-car field, while Peck, Carney, Tanner Holmes, Austin McCarl and Matt Juhl won the heats. Jesse Pate took the C main, and Chris Martin claimed the B. Skylar Prochaska took a nasty ride in the B, collecting Jack Thomas.
The finish:
Feature (20 Laps): 1. 77, Giovanni Scelzi (1); 2. 87, Aaron Reutzel (8); 3. 57, Kyle Larson (4); 4. 9, Chase Randall (3); 5. 21T, James McFadden (6); 6. 14, Corey Day (10); 7. 26, Justin Peck (12); 8. 11, Justin Henderson (7); 9. 17GP, Brock Zearfoss (11); 10. 4J, Ryan Leavitt (2); 11. 22X, Riley Goodno (22); 12. 9P, Daison Pursley (5); 13. 88W, Austin McCarl (15); 14. 13, Tanner Holmes (14); 15. 44, Chris Martin (21); 16. 01, Carson McCarl (18); 17. 09, Matt Juhl (16); 18. 71B, Brady Baker (20); 19. 8C, John Carney II (17); 20. 64, Kaleb Johnson (24); 21. 4C, Cale Thomas (9); 22. 8M, Kade Morton (19); 23. 86, Timothy Smith (13); 24. G2, Tony Rost (23).
