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Ian Madsen Gets Redemption at Knoxville with $5,000 NSL Victory!

Ian Madsen drove to his second win of the season and the seventh of his career at the Knoxville Raceway Saturday on Weiler Manufacturing Night. The win with the National Sprint League came in the KCP Racing #18 sprinter and paid the St. Mary’s, New South Wales, Australia driver $5,000. It was a bit of redemption for Ian, who retired with motor issues on the first lap a week ago here. Clint Garner, who lost his brother-in-law, Kevin Fluth, this week drove to an emotional wire to wire win in the 360 class, besting Jamie Veal at the line. Thirty-two 410’s and forty-two 360’s were making their last preparations for Southern Iowa Sprintweek, which gets underway this Thursday, August 4th, with the start of the 26th Annual Arnold Motor Supply Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank. Another large crowd was on hand to witness some great action at Knoxville and a large fireworks show at the end of the night!

Jamie Veal, who was performing double duty on the night, led lap one of the 25-lap NSL feature. Ian Madsen battled back to lead lap two, as Danny Lasoski, Brian Brown and Sammy Swindell followed. With three laps in the books, Tasker Phillips and Josh Baughman came together in a nasty looking crash in turn one. Fortunately, both were uninjured.

Veal did his best to run down the leader over the next several laps, while Dustin Selvage and Swindell raced side-by-side for a spot in the top five. On lap eleven, as he tried to reel in Madsen, Veal slowed in turn three and went pitside.

Madsen’s lead was a half straightaway over Lasoski and Brown at that point. Lasoski began to catch the leader in traffic, and with five laps left, close to within four-tenths of a second. Madsen made the moves he needed to in traffic, however, and crossed the checkers in front of Lasoski, Brown, Swindell and Craig Dollansky. Kerry Madsen, Selvage, Bryan Clauson, Josh Schneiderman and Bronson Maeschen rounded out the top ten. Lasoski set quick time for the second night in a row with the NSL, and RJ Johnson, Schneiderman, Selvage and Brooke Tatnell won heat races. Tasker Phillips claimed the B main.

“It seems like every time (Veal) comes here, we end up starting next to each other,” said Ian Madsen afterwards. “He’s doing a great job. We just got out front and went as hard as we could for 25 laps. We’re just happy to get a win in front of such a great crowd again tonight. I’m really happy for my team. We had some bad luck last week, so it’s great to come back and get the win. We have a big couple of weeks coming up, but we can’t get too excited going in. I just really want to thank the fans for coming out tonight. It really was an awesome crowd!”

It looked like a showdown from the season opener when Clint Garner lined up beside Bryan Clauson to start the 18-lap 360 feature. On that night, Clauson would emerge victorious. Garner had other ideas. Back in his familiar powder blue sprinter, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota native led from the outset over Clauson and Ryan Giles.

Contact sent McKenna Haase spinning three laps in. The incident also involved Stacey Alexander, and Joe Beaver, who tipped over. Both Haase and Alexander would return to action. Jamie Veal jumped up to fourth on the restart before Kade Higday stopped in turn three five laps in.

Veal put away Giles for third and a battled ensued with Clauson for the runner-up position. The Aussie claimed the spot on lap eight and tried to reel in the leader. Garner kept his pace up front and was unimpeded when two more cautions, one for Matt Covington and the other for Ryan Roberts, slowed things. Great battles in positions fourth through sixth waged the last half of the race, but up front, Garner would hold off Veal for his 27th career win here.

Behind the lead pair were Clauson, Tony Shilling and Giles. Jon Agan, Sam Hafertepe Jr. (from 19th), Jack Dover, Jamie Ball and hard-charger Danny Lasoski rounded out the top ten. Beaver and Giles posted quick time in their respective groups, while Calvin Landis, Tyler Groenendyk, Covington and Garner were heat winners. Shilling and Nate Van Haaften won the B mains.

“I can’t hardly talk right now,” said an emotional Garner. “I told myself when I got out of the car, that I was going to try to do my best. I want everyone to know that my heart, my thoughts, my prayers…everything I’m doing is with my brother-in-law. I can’t thank my family enough for letting me come race and try to pick some spirits up. Hopefully they were watching, and this could get their mind off of it for a split second. I can’t tell you how much it hurts.”

“I played with the wing the whole race,” he continued. “I was so worried about (Clauson). The first race of the year, he beat me. I told the guys I guess we have a rematch. We had the one restart and I saw a #71. I thought, ‘Ryan Anderson hasn’t been here in a long time.’ I finally got a glimpse of him during a yellow flag, and saw we had the 71 from Indy Race Parts. I know those guys and I know how hard they’re trying. I knew I had to do my best. The racetrack was good and I can’t thank the Dunkin’s enough.”

Join us this Thursday night as the 26th Annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank get underway! For more information on our exciting upcoming schedule, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!

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