6/30/2015
Cornell Takes Bounty on Dover, Wins at I-80
(Photo by BA Photos)
KNOXVILLE, Iowa – Over the past two weeks, Sedalia, Mo. native Jonathan Cornell has competed at five different race tracks in Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa. At all five, the increasingly household name in the Midwest racing community secured a victory in at least one race on four of the five nights of action.
Night one of the five-race stretch took place at US 36 Raceway in Cameron, Mo. on June 19. At the high-banked third-mile facility in the northwest corner of the state, Cornell has enjoyed great success in the past, rarely finishing off of the podium in the main event. After winning his “Bud Shootout” heat race from the third starting position, he looked to take the top step on said podium going from the pole in the feature.
Taking the early lead in the ASCS Warrior Region 25-lapper, Cornell was soon challenged by third-starting Austin Alumbaugh, a firm matchup that has existed since the two competed in the micro sprint ranks years ago. Alumbaugh would eventually take the point with Cornell holding steady in second. US 36, a track known for being fast but also rough and tumble, developed its usual rut in turn one that would do Cornell in on lap 20. Up and over he went, with damage to the No. 28 Kiowa Line Builders machine being too heavy to continue. Cornell was scored in the 14th finishing position.
With the battle wounds repaired, Cornell and his team headed south for night two, going to Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. Taking the win there on May 2, they hoped to repeat their triumph. This time around, however, it would be more difficult beating not only the ASCS Warrior drivers, but the drivers on the ASCS National Tour as well. The finale of the ASCS Bob Westphal Memorial Speedweek was on tap, and it was a race everyone wanted to win.
Starting seventh in his heat race, Cornell couldn’t muster his way past enough cars to make the transfer into the feature. Instead, he’d start on the pole of the second of two B-mains. Handily taking the win there, he earned the 18th starting position for the main event. Going for 30 laps, Cornell fought his way past car after car. Charging through the top ten, he rallied as far ahead as seventh. Late in the race, he’d slip backward but still hold on to take the final top-ten spot.
To round out the weekend, Double-X Speedway in California, Mo. was hosting an even bigger event, with the possibility of a driver walking away with over $6000 in prize money, and for good reason, too. “The Tribute to Jesse Hockett” event was paying homage to the late driver whose last race included him earning the outside pole position, but instead electing to start at the tail of the field, but still charging through to win. With dozens of members of the racing community pledging a total of $4100 to anyone that could complete the same feat, plus the already-$2000-to-win payout and a $500 dash for cash, a cool trip to the bank on Monday was very well possible.
Starting fifth in heat race action was no problem for the top driver on the tight quarter-mile over the past several years. Taking the win there earned him the most points, putting him on the pole of the dash. Also winning that race, $500 was in hand. All that was left was to win from the feature pole, which he had rightfully earned. But not to let anyone down, Cornell promptly accepted the Hockett Challenge. Rather than start first, he’d now be starting 22nd. Within two laps, the black and gold No. 28 had already picked off six competitors, and with the lone caution coming with eight laps complete, he ran in ninth. With 17 more circuits to go, Cornell tried high and low to make his way forward. Needing another yellow or two to bring the frontrunners back to him that would never come, Cornell still managed to put a 17th car behind him to capture the fifth-place finish.
Regrouping throughout the week, Cornell was ready to take another challenge. For several weeks, Jack Dover had won nearly everything there was to win in eastern Nebraska. So promoters started putting a bounty on him. $1000 would go to a driver not named Jack Dover who could win the June 26 race at I-80 Speedway. After starting seventh in his heat race, Cornell took third with Dover following him across the line in fourth.
Cornell would go from fourth for the 25-lap feature, with Dover 11th on the grid. It took just four laps for Cornell’s Maxim/Ostrich beast to power into the lead. A hard-charging Dover pulled into second with 11 laps left, and set his sights on the 28. Closing in on the last lap, Dover tossed a slidejob to try for the lead, but Cornell dispatched the attempt and held steady for the victory.
With Sunday’s race eventually being cancelled due to rain, the Saturday event for Cornell would cap the weekend. The timing was just right to make his first start of the season at the Sprint Car Capital of the World, Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway, hopeful to take his fourth 360ci feature victory at the half-mile steeped in lore. Taking 16.895 seconds to traverse the oval in qualifying put him fourth-fastest among the 23 entries on the night. Inverting the top six in all three heat races put Cornell starting fifth in heat one. Moving forward one spot to fourth ensured him a spot near the front of the feature grid. Starting in sixth, the first nine rounds would click off with him in that position, but he was able to pick off two cars on the following lap to move into fourth. A yellow with 11 complete wouldn’t budge the top five any, as they’d run the remaining nine laps in the same order, with Cornell, the lone Missouri driver in the 360 class, scoring the fourth-place finish.
Jonathan Cornell Racing would like to thank Kiowa Line Builders, Starline Brass, Gas Monkey Tequila, VKCC Motorsports, Yeager's Cycle, Champion Brands, Ostrich Racing Engines, Peak Performance, Kinsler Fuel Injection, Weld Racing, Hoosier Racing Tire, Maxim Chassis, Rod End Supply, Lucas Oil, KSE Racing Products, ButlerBuilt, Factory Kahne Midwest, Duinkerken Farms, Steve Watt Enterprises, R2C Performance Products, Simpson Race Products, Don's Truck Towing & Truck Wash, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions LLC, Outlaw Wings, Sparks Electric Co., SureCoat, Xtreme Fuel Stick, and Steve and Charlie Smith, as well as all of his fans for their continued support.
Cornell is next scheduled to compete on July 2-5 in the ASCS Warrior Region Red, White, and Blue Tour at Double-X Speedway, Callaway Raceways, Randolph County Raceway, and again at Double-X Speedway, all in the No. 28 360ci winged sprint entry.
Quick Results
June 19 – Cameron, MO – 360ci Winged Sprint – Heat: 1st (3); Feature: 14th (1)
June 20 – Wheatland, MO – 360ci Winged Sprint – Heat: 5th (7); B-Main: 1st (1); Feature: 10th (18)
June 21 – California, MO – 360ci Winged Sprint – Heat: 1st (5); Dash: 1st (1); Feature: 5th (22)
June 20 – Greenwood, NE – 360ci Winged Sprint – Heat: 3rd (7); Feature: 1st (4)
June 21 – Knoxville, IA – 360ci Winged Sprint – Qualifying: 4th; Heat: 4th (5); Feature: 4th (6)
2015 Stats
12 races, 12 features, 4 wins, 6 top fives, 8 top tens, 2 DNFs
Social Media
Twitter: http://twitter.com/teamtwentyeight
Article Credit: Redbeard Promotions
