9/21/2024
Knoxville Raceway
Bill W's Notes for 9/21
Welcome to the finale of the 20th Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals Presented by Your Life Iowa! In addition to the big $50,000 to win 75-lap finale tonight, we have the Malvern Bank Super Late Models also in competition with a full program.
You can find notes and stories here. If you're interested in lineups and results, you can get them on the MyRacePass App or at KnoxvilleRaceway.com. If you're interested in the PPV broadcast, you can find that at FloRacing.com.
4:08 p.m. B main hot laps are on the track
Malvern Bank SLMR hot laps/time trials are up next...
Tad Pospisil sets quick time at 18.772 seconds...
Late Model B Main is next...15 laps, top six to the A main...
4:39 p.m. and here we go....
Bruening leads early, followed by B Smith, Owens, Nothdurft, Zeitner and Furman...B Smith to the lead on lap two...Harris now sneaks by Furman for the sixth and final transfer spot...Marrant stops in turn four, 7 to go, B Smith leads Bruening, Owens, Nothdurft, Zeitner, Hariis, Furman, Sillman, Lawler, Lance, Coover...Humphrey and Huston are off...Zeitner is up to fourth on the restart, Furman takes sixth from Harris....B Smith is into the turn three wall! 5 to go, Bruening is your new leader over Owens, Zeitner, Nothdurft, Furman, Harris, Lance, Lawler, Sillman and Coover...Zeitner is up to 2nd, Furman to 4th, followed by Nothdurft and Harris...Harris to 5th....Harris by Furman for 4th...Bruening, Zeitner, Owens, Harris, Furman and Nothdurft move on....\
Malvern Bank SLMR Heats
Heats are 8 laps in distance, have an invert of six, and add finish points to qualifying points. The top six in points redraw for the feature...
Heat one
Hahne leads DeFrance, Wyamn, Horn and Aikey...Wyman to 2nd, Aikey to 3rd on lap 2...Pospisil enters the top five on lap three...Aikey is by Wyman for the secon dspot and reeling in your leader...Pospisil by DeFrance for 4th...Aikey takes the lead coming for the white flag and will win it...
Heat two
Thornton leads Schroeder, Berry, Neal and Sillman...Berry passes Schroeder for 2nd, Bridge into the top five...Neal up to 3rd, and Bridge follows him into 4th...Neal is by Berry now for 2nd...Sillman works around Schroeder for 5th...Zeitner now into 5th...Thornton wins it...
Heat three
D Eckrich out early over Berck, McKenna, A Kosiski and Holladay...Holladay shoots from fifth to 3rd...Berck to the lead on lap three...Tharp enters the top five...Tharp by McKenna for 4th...Holladay by Eckrich for 2nd...A Kosiski into 5th...McKenna pulls off...Berck wins this one...
The Big Dance is next...Cory Lawler and Brenden Smith will take provisionals...Smith will drive the back-up Lawler car and be scored the 93x...
5:23 p.m., track prep...
6:23 p.m. track prep is nearing completion...
6:37 p.m. drivers heading for staging...
6:49 p.m. pace trucks are rolling
Feature time!
Pierce leads Moran, Davenport, O'Neal and McCreadie....Pierce lapping cars on lap seven...McCreadie by O'Neal for 4th on lap 10...1.4 second lead for Pierce...Lap 18, Davenport is under Moran for 2nd in turn one...Lap 19, caution for Gustin, who stops in turn four...56 to go, Pierce leads Davenport, Moran, McCreadie, O'Neal, Wilson, Sheppard, Shirley, Blair, Ferguson....
Gustin restarts at the tail....O'Neal to 2nd on the restart, followed by Moran, Davenport and McCreadie...Shirley by McCreadie for 5th on the high side on lap 26...Shirley by Davenport for 4th on lap 27...Pierce lapping cars on lap 28...McCreadie by Davenport for 5th on lap 30...Caution on lap 34 for McCowan...41 to go, Pierce leads O'Neal, Moran, Shirley, McCreadie, Sheppard, Davenport, Wilson, Marlar, Blair, Hilsabeck, Alberson, Ferguson, Junghans, G Smith, Troutman, RTJ, Erb, Bruening, Harris, Chris Simpson, Owens, Gustin, Robinson, Chad Simpson, Nothdurft, Briggs, Lawler...Gustin and McCowan back out after visiting the work area...
O'Neal takes the lead on the restart ahead of Pierce, Shirley, Sheppard and Moran...McCreadie back by Moran for 5th...lap 38, McCreadi eand Wilson by Moran for fourth and fifth...Sheppard to 3rd....Shirley and Wilson by McCreadie for 4th and 5th...Pierce puts a slider on O'Neal to lead lap 43...Lapped traffic on lap 45...Moran by Wilson and back into the top 5...Shirley by Sheppard in lapped traffic to take third on lap 53....caution on lap 55 for a slowing Marlar....Pierce leads O'Neal, Shirley, Sheppard and Wilson....
O'Neal over the cushion ini turn two, and loses several spots, Shirley second, then Wilson, McCreadie and Sheppard....McCreadie by Wilson for third on lap 57, Moran 5th....O'Neal slows with 15 to go to bring a caution....Pierce leads Shirley, McCreadie, Wilson and Moran...light rain begins to fall...
Rain delay with 15 to go...
7:17 p.m. the rain has stopped, trucks are working the track back in...
7:50 p.m. Cars are back on track...we are ready to go...
15 to go, Pierce leads Shirley, McCreadie, Wilson, Moran, Alberson, Sheppard, Davenport, Gustin, Ferguson, Junghans, Troutman, Chris Simpson, Thornton, Blair, O'Neal, Marlar, Bruening, Lawler, G Smith...
McCreadie to 2nd, then Moran, Shirley and Alberson...Shirley back to 3rd on lap 62, Shirley by McCreadie for 2nd on lap 63.....Moran to 3rd on lap 66....Alberson by McCreadie for 4th on lap 68...Pierce lapping cars on lap 71....Pierce wins his first Knoxville Late Model Nationals!
Malvern Bank SLMR Feature
22 laps is the distance...
Pospisil leads Berck, Neal, Aikey and A Kosiski early...Berck closing on Pospisil...Berck takes the lead on lap 6...Neal and Aikey move into second and third by Pospisil...Berck is in lapped traffic on lap 14...Aikey passes Berck for the lead on the low side on lap 16...throw a blanket over the top five...mad scrable on lap 18, sees Aikey leading Neal, Pospisil, Leighton, and Berck...Leighton to 3rd...Leighton to 2nd with two to go...Berck to 4th...Aikey wins it!
Submitted By: Bill Wright
