Aaron Reutzel Wins His 12th Career 360 Feature; Chase Young Steals the Pro Sprints Feature Event Late

by Bill Wright

 KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 8, 2024) – Carson McCarl emerged victorious with a last lap pass in a race that saw five lead changes and plenty of excitement on Vermeer Night Saturday at the Knoxville Raceway. The former 305 and 360 track champion’s win was his first in the 988 Lifeline 410 class and earned him $6,000 aboard his own #27 car. Aaron Reutzel maneuvered lapped traffic well in a non-stop 360 main event, and Chase Young sneaked in a late pass to win his third career Pro Sprints main event.

The start of the 20-lap 410 feature got a slow start. Kelby Watt struggled to take off, collecting several cars, including Lynton Jeffrey, who had to retire. Once green, Tasker Phillips led Carson McCarl, Austin McCarl, Dusty Zomer and Zach Hampton. On lap four, Tyler Drueke spun, bringing out the caution.

Aaron Reutzel entered the top five once the race went green again, as the battle up front intensified. Phillips was riding the cushion on the high side, while Carson McCarl was cruising on the bottom. The latter shot into the lead on lap six.  Two laps later, Phillips used the cushion to get back by McCarl as the two nearly came together. They avoided disaster and continued their battle.

Carson came back to the point low in turn four at the halfway point. Meanwhile, Zomer was on the move, gaining third from Austin McCarl on lap 12, and sliding by Phillips on lap 14 for the second spot. His car appeared to be fastest on the track as he gained quickly on the leader.

Unfortunately, in turn three, he spun. Phillips clipped him on the high side and tumbled into turn four, while Randall, who had moved into fourth performed a direct hit. Randall’s car flipped violently and burst into flames. Fortunately, he was able to clear the wreckage and fire crews were on the scene quickly. All drivers were uninjured.

Once things were cleaned up, Carson McCarl led Austin McCarl, Kerry Madsen, Reutzel and Hampton back to green. Austin used the middle of turn two to work by his brother for the point, and it looked like he would cruise to the win. However, on the last lap he got into the infield berm in turns one and two, and Carson worked back around him to shoot down the back stretch, and lead the final two laps for his first ever win here. He joins grandfather Lenard, father Terry and brother Austin as 410 winners at Knoxville.

Carson was followed by his brother Austin, Madsen, Reutzel and Cole Macedo, who started sixteenth. Hampton, hard-charger Sawyer Phillips, AJ Moeller, JJ Hickle and Jamie Ball rounded out the top ten. Randall set quick time over the 30-car field, while Tasker Phillips, Madsen and Ball won heats. Dustin Selvage claimed the B main.

“I felt good the whole race,” said an emotional Carson McCarl in Victory Lane. “I just thought the top was way too choppy and it wasn’t going to be the place to get the win. I went up there a couple of times and about dumped it. I just had to be patient. I was able to get my wing working and was able to get by Tasker. We came together here on the front straightaway early in the race, and I thought it was going to take us both out. With Austin behind me on that restart, I knew he was going to go to the top. I just thought it would be too choppy and if I hit my marks and could get to the exit that I’d be fine. He got around me there, and I had nothing to lose. I cranked the wing back and just started driving it as hard as I possibly could. All night, I just felt really good.”

Sawyer Phillips led lap one of the 18-lap 360 feature, but it was all Aaron Reutzel after that. Both Reutzel and Tasker Phillips moved by Sawyer on lap two. Jamie Ball moved into fourth and Terry McCarl in fifth.

Reutzel was into lapped traffic by the ninth circuit, and maneuvering well. Tasker Phillips reeled him in on a couple of occasions, but Reutzel was able to maneuver his Ridge & Sons Racing #87 through.  Phillips bobbled on the cushion with four laps to go, all but sealing the deal.

Reutzel and Tasker were followed to the line by Sawyer, Ball and McCarl. Tyler Groenendyk, hard-charger Ryan Giles, Jack Anderson, Clint Garner and Kade Higday completed the top ten. Ruetzel set quick time over the 33-car field. Ball, Timothy Smith, Higday and Jack Anderson won heats, while Nate Mills claimed the B.

“It’s always crazy, the lapped traffic with the 360’s,” said Reutzel in Victory Lane. “It seems like we catch them a lot faster, and they’re usually all racing. It makes for a lot of fun. It definitely gets interesting at times. Our car was pretty good tonight. We were off a little early, but it got better and better on the long run. This is the motor (Moyle) we won the 360 Nationals with (2022). It hasn’t finished worse than second. This might be the last night on it before being refreshened. It has a hell of a track record.”

Matt Allen led from the pole early in the 15-lap Pro Sprints feature. Mike Mayberry, AJ Johnson, J Kinder and Chase Young trailed. On lap two, Young jumped from fifth to third, while Kinder moved into fourth.

Up front, it appeared to be a two-man race. Allen stayed glued to the bottom, while Mayberry was running his trademark middle line. Though Young gained on them, the two kept close. On lap thirteen, Mayberry got around to lead, but Allen jumped back by with a slim margin of .006 of a second on lap 14. Coming for the checkers, the two made contact in turn four. Allen suffered the biggest loss, tipping over and ending his night. He was unhurt, while Mayberry sustained minor damage.

The green, white, checker finish made it a 16-lap race. While Mayberry went back to the middle, Young, who restarted second, stuck the bottom of one and two and led the final two lap to gain his third career win here in his #26 car. Mayberry, Brandon Worthington, Kinder and Johnson followed. Toby Mosher, Rob Kubli, Ryan Navratil, Josh Jones and Koddy Hildreth rounded out the top ten. Allen set quick time, and Worthington and Kubli were heat winners.

“I had to get around a couple of cars early,” said a happy Young. “(The leaders) kind of got away, but lap after lap, I could tell I was catching them. I overheated the brakes a little bit so I ‘whoa-ed’ back a little bit. Then we had the big red. I assessed (Mayberry’s) car under the red and it didn’t look right at all. I wasn’t going to give that away. I’m just happy to be back up here.”

Join us Friday and Saturday, June 14 and 15 for Premier Chevy Dealers weekend featuring the NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws! Can the strong local Knoxville contingent knock off the Outlaws? The Pro Sprints will also be in action Friday, and the 360 class will support the Saturday show. For more information on the Knoxville Raceway, visit us online at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!

988 Lifeline 410 Results

 Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 2KS, Chase Randall, Waco, TX (12), 15.397 ($100 from OpenWheel101.com); 2. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (13), 15.398; 3. 35, Zach Hampton, Plainfield, IN (1), 15.474; 4. 3J, Dusty Zomer, Sioux Falls, SD (3), 15.555; 5. 6, Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN (5), 15.570; 6. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (7), 15.601; 7. 2, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (25), 15.765; 8. 22X, JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA (15), 15.797; 9. 87, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (22), 15.817; 10. 1, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (9), 15.832; 11. 55, Kerry Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust. (23), 15.843; 12. 2C, Cole Macedo, Lemoore, CA (10), 15.844; 13. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (8), 15.847; 14. 1K, Kelby Watt, Adel, IA (14), 15.851; 15. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (17), 15.904; 16. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (26), 15.905; 17. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (18), 15.934; 18. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (29), 15.969; 19. 71, Kyle Reinhardt, Neptune City, NJ (27), 16.055; 20. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (28), 16.096; 21. 15JR, Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA (6), 16.128; 22. 23, Jimmy Light, West Springfield, PA (19), 16.174; 23. 95, Tyler Drueke, Eagle, NE (21), 16.196; 24. 9H, Landon Hansen, Newton, IA (2), 16.206; 25. 6W, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (24), 16.309; 26. 45X, Jace Park, Overland Park, KS (30), 16.343; 27. 44X, Scotty Johnson, Melcher-Dallas, IA (11), 16.436; 28. 15, Jack Potter, Raymore, MO (4), 16.658; 29. 80P, Jacob Peterson, Hartford, SD (16), 16.711; 30. 78, Bill Wagner, Reeder, ND (20), 17.440

Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:17.9: 1. Tasker Phillips (3); 2. AJ Moeller (2); 3. Matt Juhl (1); 4. Dusty Zomer (5); 5. Chase Randall (6); 6. Dustin Selvage (9); 7. Kyle Reinhardt (7); 8. Jimmy Light (8); 9. Jack Potter (10); 10. Lynton Jeffrey (4)

Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:19.8: 1. Kerry Madsen (3); 2. Austin McCarl (6); 3. JJ Hickle (4); 4. Kelby Watt (2); 5. Chris Martin (1); 6. Brandon Wimmer (5); 7. Sawyer Phillips (7); 8. Jace Park (9); 9. Tyler Drueke (8); 10. Jacob Peterson (10)

Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:20.2: 1. Jamie Ball (1); 2. Aaron Reutzel (4); 3. Josh Schneiderman (2); 4. Carson McCarl (5); 5. Zach Hampton (6); 6. Cole Macedo (3); 7. Landon Hansen (8); 8. Scotty Johnson (9); 9. Cole Mincer (7); 10. Bill Wagner (10)

B main (started), 12 Laps, 3:07.7: 1. Dustin Selvage (1); 2. Jace Park (6); 3. Tyler Drueke (5); 4. Scotty Johnson (7) / 5. Jimmy Light (3); 6. Landon Hansen (2); 7. Jacob Peterson (9); 8. Jack Potter (8); 9. Bill Wagner (10); 10. Cole Mincer (4)

A main (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Carson McCarl (1); 2. Austin McCarl (6); 3. Kerry Madsen (9); 4. Aaron Reutzel (7); 5. Cole Macedo (16); 6. Zach Hampton (3); 7. Sawyer Phillips (20); 8. AJ Moeller (11); 9. JJ Hickle (8); 10. Jamie Ball (12); 11. Matt Juhl (14); 12. Josh Schneiderman (13); 13. Jace Park (22); 14. Scotty Johnson (24); 15. Tyler Drueke (23); 16. Brandon Wimmer (10); 17. Kyle Reinhardt (19); 18. Chris Martin (18); 19. Dustin Selvage (21); 20. Dusty Zomer (4); 21. Tasker Phillips (2); 22. Chase Randall (5); 23. Kelby Watt (15); 24. Lynton Jeffrey (17). Lap Leaders: T. Phillips 1-5, C. McCarl 6-7, T. Phillips 8-9, C. McCarl 10-14, A. McCarl 15-19, C. McCarl 20. Hard-charger: S. Phillips.

 360 Results

 Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 87, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (16), 16.559; 2. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (9), 16.796; 3. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (14), 16.804; 4. 01, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (6), 16.826; 5. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (12), 16.896; 6. 4C, Tuesday Calderwood, Goodyear, AZ (3), 16.914; 7. 24, Kade Higday, Pleasant Hill, IA (15), 16.976; 8. 17, Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, IA (25), 16.990; 9. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (29), 17.013; 10. 47, Russ Hall, Pleasant Hill, IA (4), 17.026; 11. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (28), 17.050; 12. 4, Cam Martin, Ankeny, IA (20), 17.062; 13. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (10), 17.081; 14. 7B, Ben Brown, Marshall, MO (1), 17.097; 15. 6AJ, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (11), 17.099; 16. 6N, Will Armitage, Athens, IL (23), 17.101; 17. 4G, Cole Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (5), 17.122; 18. 86, Timothy Smith, Rocheport, MO (13), 17.208; 19. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (31), 17.209; 20. 99, Tony Rost, Omaha, NE (24), 17.223; 21. 2M, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (7), 17.260; 22. 83, Kurt Mueller, Reynolds, IL (2), 17.326; 23. 20T, Corey Timmerman, Burlington, IA (32), 17.449; 24. 7A, Jack Anderson, Newton, IA (30), 17.472; 25. 77X, Alex Hill, Six Nations, ONT, Can. (26), 17.478; 26. 5A, Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville, IA (27), 17.739; 27. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (18), 17.899; 28. 3R, Russell Potter, Boonville, MO (33), 17.922; 29. 14, Aidan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (22), 18.009; 30. 38, Logan Alexander, Lacona, IA (19), 18.159; 31. 27W, Weston Wilson, Warren, MN (21), 18.275; 32. 17N, Nathan Anderson, Newton, IA (17), 18.889; 33. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (8), 19.184

Heat one (started), 7 Laps, 2:02.2: 1. Jamie Ball (4); 2. Ryan Giles (1); 3. Sawyer Phillips (5); 4. Cole Garner (2); 5. Aaron Reutzel (6); 6. Ryan Leavitt (3); 7. Alex Hill (7); 8. Aidan Zoutte (8); 9. John Anderson (9)

Heat two (started), 7 Laps, NT: 1. Timothy Smith (2); 2. Russ Hall (4); 3. Ben Brown (3); 4. Alex Vande Voort (7); 5. Kurt Mueller (1); 6. Tuesday Calderwood (5); 7. Logan Alexander (6) DNS – Joe Beaver

Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 2:03.3: 1. Kade Higday (5); 2. Tasker Phillips (6); 3. Corey Timmerman (1); 4. Clint Garner (4); 5. AJ Moeller (3); 6. Nathan Mills (2); 7. Alan Zoutte (7); 8. Weston Wilson (8)

Heat four (started), 7 Laps, 2:03.7: 1. Jack Anderson (1); 2. Tony Rost (2); 3. Tyler Groenendyk (5); 4. Cam Martin (4); 5. Terry McCarl (6); 6. Russell Potter (7); 7. Will Armitage (3); 8. Nathan Anderson (8)

B main (started), 10 Laps, 3:11.6: 1. Nathan Mills (2); 2. Alex Hill (6); 3. Alex Vande Voort (5); 4. Corey Timmerman (3) / 5. Russell Potter (7); 6. Kurt Mueller (4); 7. Aidan Zoutte (10); 8. Weston Wilson (11); 9. Alan Zoutte (8); 10. John Anderson (13); 11. Nathan Anderson (12); 12. Logan Alexander (9); 13. Will Armitage (1)

A main (started), 18 Laps, 5:46.1: 1. Aaron Reutzel (3); 2. Tasker Phillips (4); 3. Sawyer Phillips (1); 4. Jamie Ball (5); 5. Terry McCarl (6); 6. Tyler Groenendyk (7); 7. Ryan Giles (14); 8. Jack Anderson (17); 9. Clint Garner (11); 10. Kade Higday (2); 11. Timothy Smith (10); 12. Ben Brown (12); 13. Cole Garner (16); 14. Cam Martin (13); 15. Tony Rost (15); 16. Joe Beaver (9); 17. Alex Hill (22); 18. Tuesday Calderwood (8); 19. Ryan Leavitt (18); 20. Nathan Mills (19); 21. Alex Vande Voort (21); 22. Corey Timmerman (22); 23. Russ Hall (23);  DNS – AJ Moeller. Lap Leaders: S. Phillips 1, Reutzel 2-18. Hard-charger: Giles.

Pro Series Results

 Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 17, Matt Allen, Norwalk, IA (9), 17.754; 2. 55, Toby Mosher, Osceola, IA (3), 18.188; 3. 8J, AJ Johnson, Oskaloosa, IA (15), 18.260; 4. 88, J Kinder, Linn, MO (11), 18.494; 5. 26, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA (13), 18.610; 6. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (2), 18.719; 7. 02S, Josh Jones, Knoxville, IA (1), 18.772; 8. 12K, Koddy Hildreth, Zearing, IA (8), 18.792; 9. 12P, Ryan Navratil, Des Moines, IA (10), 18.807; 10. 7, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (4), 18.831; 11. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA (14), 18.833; 12. 41, Jeff Wilke, Knoxville, IA (5), 18.839; 13. 7C, Devin Kline, Knoxville, IA (7), 19.294; 14. 8, William Kline, Knoxville, IA (12), 19.462; 15. 55KC, Bob Hildreth, Iowa Falls, IA (6), NT

Heat one (started), 6 Laps, NT: 1. Brandon Worthington (1); 2. Chase Young (4); 3. Ryan Navratil (2); 4. AJ Johnson (5); 5. Josh Jones (3); 6. Matt Allen (6); 7. Bob Hildreth (7) DNS – Devin Kline

Heat two (started), 6 Laps, NT: 1. Rob Kubli (2); 2. Mike Mayberry (4); 3. J Kinder (5); 4. Toby Mosher (6); 5. Jeff Wilke (1); 6. Koddy Hildreth (3); 7. William Kline (7)

A main (started), 16 Laps, NT: 1. Chase Young (5); 2. Mike Mayberry (2); 3. Brandon Worthington (8); 4. J Kinder (4); 5. AJ Johnson (3); 6. Toby Mosher (6); 7. Rob Kubli (7); 8. Ryan Navratil (9); 9. Josh Jones (10); 10. Koddy Hildreth (11); 11. Devin Kline (14); 12. William Kline (13); 13. Jeff Wilke (12); 14. Matt Allen (1) DNS – Bob Hildreth. Lap Leaders: Allen 1-12, Mayberry 13, Allen 14, Young 15-16. Hard-charger: Worthington.