The 360 Sprint Car Class at Knoxville Raceway is taking center stage at the Sprint Car Capital of the World this weekend, but it might be bigger this year.
With the COVID-19 outbreak readjusting the look of the annual Knoxville Nationals event, this weekend’s 360 Nationals may be the most normal looking event of the year.
I went through the entry list and pointed out just a small sample of the talent on display this weekend.
Justin Henderson
Henderson isn’t the most heralded driver on this list, but its no secret that the guy knows how to win. He picked up a pair of 360 wins earlier this year with the latter half of the run coming at Knoxville. The win came during one of the biggest fields of 360 cars that Knoxville has seen all year, and he’ll be strong contender to the trophy this weekend.
Sam Hafertepe Jr.
As the current points leader of the top national touring series for 360 sprint cars, Hafertepe Jr. is a driver that should be looked at this weekend. He finished second to Henderson during one of the weekly shows and has proven that he has the speed to put himself in a position to win. The deterrent will be if he can utilize it throughout the weekend.
Tim Shaffer
He’s only had one race in the car to show off what he can do, but the Steel City Outlaw made a good first impression a week ago. Shaffer raced the No. 14 Tony Stewart Racing entry – the same that he will pilot this weekend – to a runner up finish to Lynton Jeffrey in his first night in the car. Although, if Shaffer is as fast as he was in qualifying last weekend, he’ll be up front looking for a victory.
Austin McCarl
As one of the few drivers on the entry list this weekend to win a 360 race at Knoxville this year, McCarl will be a strong contender for a run at a 360 Nationals trophy. The 2018 track champion has never won that title but he’ll give it his best shot this year. If he’s anywhere as fast as he was in his 360 win this season at the track, he’ll be in a podium spot.
Dominic Scelzi
The fan favorite has had a little bit of everything when it comes to results this year, but the one constant he has seen is his ability to pass cars. If anything, Scelzi has been in position to win races, had they been a few laps longer, while climbing through the field in his No. 41 car.
Jamie Ball
Jamie Ball will certainly be a contender in any 360 race at Knoxville, sitting in second in the series points standings and collecting a win earlier this year. He’ll look to keep things rolling in the 5J and add to his Knoxville win totals this weekend.
A.J. Moeller
The driver of the No. 20 car is having one of the best seasons of his career at Knoxville, and it included winning his heat races in both of the top two classes at the track last weekend. Moeller had to sit out from running his 360 in a couple of race weekends this year due to a back injury, but will be set to go this weekend.
Shane Golobic
The California native has had a plethora of experience in winged cars throughout the season, especially at Knoxville this year. While he may not be considered a track regular yet, he has had as much experience as anyone has running on the half-mile.
Cory Eliason
Fresh off his first Ollie’s All Star Circuit of Champions victory of the season, Eliason will be trying to keep his momentum going into the 360 Nationals weekend. The driver of the No. 26 car has cemented himself in second place on the tour standings this year and usually would come to Knoxville to prepare for the ensuing week’s Knoxville Nationals. Although, the ASCoC is still off this weekend, so he’s just one of the national names coming to the track this weekend.
Aaron Reutzel
Speaking of names, Reutzel will be one to watch this weekend if he can get his 360 car dialed in anywhere close to where his 410 car runs. The ASCoC points leader has two wins at Knoxville during weekly competition this season, but hasn’t had the same amount of luck when racing a 360 car. Regardless, he knows what he’s doing at Knoxville and he could have a big weekend coming up.
Brady Bacon
Brady Bacon usually has a prowess in non-wing sprint car action, and he’s really good at running at Knoxville, but he’ll strap a wing on this weekend and go to work. The two-time Corn Belt Nationals champion has more experience than other non-wing stars running with the wing up top, and has actually done pretty well with it in the past.
Eric Bridger
As a two-time track champion in the Knoxville 305 Class, Bridger knows how to work his way around the race track. While he is still on the climb up the ladder in the 360 class, the Winterset native has been constantly improving, qualifying in the top five of his group during last Saturday’s show.
No matter if its an underdog, Knoxville regular like Bridger or a proven, national star; the storylines fans will see are aplenty for this weekend. The crowd (limited to 7,000) can expect hot laps to start each night at or around 6:45 p.m. CT. The full Thursday entry list can be seen below:
360 Nationals Thursday Entry List
1A – John Anderson, Des Moines, IA
1B – Chelsea Blevins, Janesville, CA
2 – Kerry Madsen, Knoxville, IA
J2 – John Carney, El Paso, TX
2m – Matt Moro, Polk City, IA
3 – Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO
4H – Cody Hansen, Nunda, SD (R)
4J – Lee Grosz, Watertown, SD
5H – Michael Faccinto, Hanford, CA (R)
5J – Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA
6 – Jett Carney, El Paso, TX (R)
6x – Frank Rodgers III, Lucas, IA
7TAZ – Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA
11 – Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK
14 – Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA
14B – Bailey Sucich, Granite Falls, WA (R)
15H – Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX
17A – Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA
17W – Harli White, Lindsay, OK
17WG – Shane Golobic, Fremont, CA
20 – AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA
22 – Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA
22K – Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD
22X – Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (R)
23 – Devon Dobie, Wapakoneta, OH
23M – Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
24- Garet Williamson, Columbia, MO (R)
24N – Nate Mills, Bondurant, IA
26 – Cory Eliason, Visalia, CA
28M – Jason Martin, Lincoln, NE
35M – Tim Kaeding, San Jose, CA
41S – Dominic Scelzi, Fresno, CA
44s – Trey Starks, Puyallup WA
50Z – Zach Chappell, Talala, OK
51A – Elliot Amdahl, Flandreau, SD
51T – Tristan Spiers, Adrian, OR (R)
53 – Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA
63 – J.J. Hickle, Quilcene, WA
66 – Ricky Montgomery, Denver, CO
66D – Chase Dunham, Leipsic, OH (R)
69 – Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK
70 – Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA
75X – J.T. Imperial, Mesa, AZ
79 – Jordan Thomas, Harding, PA (R)
81E – Eric Bridger, Winterset, IA
83 – Rob Kubli, Milo, IA
83M – Justin Henderson, Tea, SD
87 – Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX
88- Kyle Offill, Tracy, CA (R)
95 – Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK
115 – Nick Parker, Tucson, AZ (R)