KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Garet Williamson posted his first 410 sprint car win at the Knoxville Raceway Saturday, holding off Aaron Reutzel at the line.
The win came aboard the Fischer Motorsports No. 23 and was worth $6,000 for the Columbia, Missouri native.
Nathan Mills also won his first career feature in the 360 class in exciting fashion in his family No. 24n, and J. Kinder won in the Pro Sprints class for the sixth time in his career, and for the first time since he won a 305 track title in 2014.
The 20-lap 410 main event got off to a rocky start. Chris Martin got sideways and upside down, with Jack Potter and Scotty Johnson trying to avoid and suffering the same fate.
Williamson led from outside row one early, ahead of Jamie Ball, Austin McCarl, Reutzel and Matt Juhl. McCarl used the low side to move by Ball on lap seven for the second spot. Williamson was lapping traffic on the eighth circuit, when Dusty Zomer entered the top five.
Reutzel was also on the move at the halfway point, taking third from Ball before Kelby Watt came to a stop, bringing out the final caution with nine laps to go. Williamson led McCarl, Reutzel, Ball and Zomer back to green.
Carson McCarl entered the top five by getting by Zomer with seven to go. Meanwhile, Reutzel was hooked up late, sneaking by Austin McCarl for second entering turn one with three to go.
As Williamson approached traffic again the final two laps, Reutzel closed quickly and made a last bid for the win. Williamson slid across the middle of turn three and won the drag race to the checkers. Austin McCarl was third, ahead of Ball and Carson McCarl.
“I heard (Reutzel) coming,” said Williamson. “I got to traffic…I got through one good and I could hear him coming. I figured I better go through the middle, because I’d been running the bottom really hard. I got wide and slid myself in three and four and tried to be wide. I knew he’d do the same to me. I tried to protect and this win…I’ve dreamed of this since I was a kid. It’s special to win at this place!”
Corey Timmerman got upside down before a lap was complete in the 18-lap 360 A main. Nate Mills led the pace from the pole early over Tyler Groenendyk, Clint Garner, Alex Hill and Ryan Giles. Chase Randall entered the top five early on, and found his way by Hill on the high side to capture fourth before a flat right rear tire caused Ryan Leavitt to come to a stop seven laps in.
After one more lap was in the books, Tyler Lee turned over in turn one. He was uninjured. Mills led the field back to green, ahead of Groenendyk, Garner, Randall and Hill. Hill briefly got back by Randall, but surrendered that spot again.
Up front, Mills was keeping his line. Randall made a last-ditch effort from the fourth spot, climbing to second on the last lap, but Mills would not be denied his first Knoxville win. Randall, Groenendyk, Clint Garner and Hill followed.
Fourth starting Kinder got around the front row at the outset of the 15-lap Pro Sprints feature and led Tyler Groenendyk, Casey Friedrichsen, Mike Mayberry and AJ Johnson early.
With just a lap in the books, Chase Young and Jeff Wilke came together, ending their nights. Johnson went from fifth to third on the restart, trailing Kinder and Groenendyk.
Back in the pack, Rob Kubli was moving as well, claiming fourth from Friedrichsen on lap four, and third from Johnson on the low side on lap six. At that point, Chase Fischer tipped over in turn four, bringing the red with nine to go.
another one for a stopped Brandon Worthington with five to go, did nothing to slow down Kinder who won ahead of Groenendyk, Kubli, Johnson and Friedrichsen.
The finish:
Feature (20 laps): 1. Garet Williamson (2); 2. Aaron Reutzel (6); 3. Austin McCarl (4); 4. Jamie Ball (1); 5. Carson McCarl (7); 6. Dusty Zomer (8); 7. Brian Brown (9); 8. Chase Randall (13); 9. Matt Juhl (5); 10. Lynton Jeffrey (10); 11. Emerson Axsom (3); 12. Sawyer Phillips (18); 13. Tasker Phillips (15); 14. Joe B. Miller (12); 15. Dustin Selvage (21); 16. Jace Park (19); 17. Riley Goodno (20); 18. Chris Martin (16); 19. Zach Hampton (17); 20. Tyler Drueke (24); 21. Cole Mincer (22); 22. Kelby Watt (11); 23. AJ Moeller (14); 24. Jack Potter (25); 25. Scotty Johnson (26)