Marlar Masters Knoxville !!
If someone had told you the driver that would win the 13th Annual Late Model Knoxville Nationals would come from Tennessee most of us would guess it would have been the 2-Time winner Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg not Winfield’s Mike Marlar. We really should not have been surprised at all, since he has finished in the top five the last two years. I did hear some talk of him early in the evening but there was still no one really willing to put any money on him especially since he had not won a crown jewel. That has all changed now, as he has put his name on one of the most coveted races of the year the Dirt Late Model Knoxville Nationals. Marlar driving a Marshall Green Capital Race Car with GW Performance and sponsored by Delk Equipment put on a whale of a show Saturday night at the Marion County Fairgrounds in his #157 machine. The win on the big half mile was worth $40,000.
Josh Richards was on the pole for the 100 lapper after being the high point man with Jimmy Owens on the outside. Richards looked to be the man to beat after his preliminary win Friday evening. Josh was definitely the favorite, he looked strong and has had a couple of runner-up finishes in the past. Josh was very fast early but Marlar was right there from the opening never letting Richards out of his sight. The two raced hard throughout the feature. Marlar would take the lead and when a yellow would come out Richards would make a nice move and run him down to make a pass to get the lead back. The two raced hard and clean giving the fans a great show on the blistering fast half-mile oval. Bloomquist meanwhile seemed to be taking his time running the bottom just lingering around waiting to make a move.
Marlar had a great battle with Richards until the Rocket House car ran out of fuel with just a handful of laps remaining in the contest. Sprinkled in some yellows it was just Marlar’s night, Bloomer was able to get close to him but could never muster a challenge to take the lead Zero would finish second. Meanwhile Bobby Pierce coming off winning the biggest race of the year the World 100 last week was picking off cars left and right the last ten laps to take the final podium spot with a third place finish. I think Bobby was more surprised than anyone getting back to the front after falling back to 20th or so. Shane Clanton finished fourth in his Capital Race Car with legend Billy Moyer rounding out the top five. Moyer won the opening night preliminary. Moyer has mentioned retiring and this could have been his last Knoxville, I hope not. He is just too good and I am not ready to say goodbye to one of the best to ever strap in a dirt car.
Close to 70 late models were on hand for the event this year, and the attendance continues to grow. When I spoke with many of the drivers they mentioned to me it is really tough on the motors and equipment running Eldora and Knoxville back to back. Most of them wish there was a break between the two, and some drivers even mentioned they might have to pick one over the other because of being hard to be prepared.
In closing it was a great 3 Days at Knoxville, the track and facility is second to none. Great field of cars, the format with the faster cars in the back makes it tough to make the show which creates some of the best racing of the year. Knoxville comes once a year and it is a special week and I look for the event to continue to prosper. It was a race I will not forget not that it was Mike Marlar’s first major but watching him on the edge for the last 40 laps was fun to watch. It was IMPRESSIVE !!!
GREAT JOB MIKEY !!!