Knoxville weekend preview 2003-06-14

KNOXVILLE, IOWA (June 10, 2003) - This weekend's Advance Auto Parts 360 Nationals at the Knoxville Raceway is setting up to be a shoot-out between the best 360-cubic-inch sprint car racers in the North, South, East and the West. Already entered in the Friday-Saturday doubleheader are northern drivers Jake Peters of Luverne, Minn., and Adam West of Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada, southern driver Kenny Adams of Malabar, Fla., eastern drivers Mike Woodring of Eden, N.Y., and Erin Crocker of Wilbraham, Mass., and western drivers Rick Ziehl of Las Cruces, N.M., Travis Rilat of Forney, Texas, Derek Drown of Amarillo, Tex., and Zach Chappell of Talala, Okla. In addition, former 360 national champions David Hesmer of Iowa (1991, '97), Garry Lee Maier of Kansas (1992, '93), Terry McCarl of Iowa (1996, 2001), Gary Wright of Texas (1998), Iowan-turned-Californian Dennis Moore, Jr. (1999), and Wayne Johnson of Oklahoma (2000) are entered for the $6,000-to-win title event.

Kenny Adams is the former United Sprint Car Series (USCS) champion who was voted 2000 "National 360 Sprint Car Driver of the Year", while former American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) champion Zach Chappell earned the same honor in 2001. Mike Woodring is an eight-time champion with the Empire Super Sprints (ESS). Garry Lee Maier and Wayne Johnson are also former ASCS champions. Jake Peters was the 2002 Nebraska Sprint Car Association (NSCA) champion, while Gary Wright is a nine-time National Championship Racing Association (NCRA) champion. Both David Hesmer (360's) and Terry McCarl (410's) are four-time Knoxville Raceway champions. Derek Drown is a former Amarillo track champion.

Other pre-entered championship challengers are 2002 Knoxville '360' champion Brian Brown of Missouri, 2002 Eagle Raceway champion Billy Alley of Nebraska, and two-time NSCA and former Knoxville '360' champion Mike Chadd of Nebraska. In addition, last week's ASCS Speedweek champion Shane Stewart and his brother Darren of Oklahoma, Knoxville '410' hot-shoe Don Droud, Jr., of Nebraska, 2002 Brodix 360 Tournament of Champions winner Josh Higday of Iowa, and Danny Jennings of Oklahoma can't be discounted. Brown will be driving the car owned by 1995 Knoxville 360 Nationals champion Danny Lasoski, while Darren Stewart will be one of many powered by an engine from Ostrich Racing Engine's Lee Nelson, the 1994 national champion. Former Pennsylvania Posse member Kenny Adams will be in the Goodson Farms entry, which is the same team that won last year's national title with driver Jeff Swindell.

Over seventy entries are expected for the Friday and Saturday night Advance Auto Parts 360 Nationals. In addition, a full card of 410 c.i. sprint car racing, with nearly forty entrants, will take place on Saturday evening. General admission and reserved seat ticket prices are $18 and $20, respectively, for each night. Those seeking more information are urged to visit the track's web-site at www.knoxvilleraceway.com.

-schof-