KNOXVILLE, Iowa —– Corey Day loves racing at Knoxville with the NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars in June. For the second year in a row, he won the finale of the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash at the Knoxville Raceway on Saturday.
The Clovis, Calif., native banked $12,000 for his win.
Brad Sweet led early in a 25-lap main event that went non-stop for the second night in a row. Day, Ryan Timms, Bill Balog and Aaron Reutzel made up the top five early. Timms put a slider on Day in turn four on lap two to take second, but Day got back by the Oklahoma youngster on lap four to retake the spot. Friday winner David Gravel entered the top five at the same time.
Gravel’s charge continued with a pass of Balog for fourth on lap eight. Day reeled in the leader and pounded the cushion around Sweet to lead lap nine. Timms slid by Sweet for second on lap 11, as Day entered traffic. Kofoid moved into the top five on lap 12.
Gravel worked by Sweet for third on lap 16, and rolled by Timms on lap 17 for second as his momentum gained down the final stretch. Sweet and Timms battled for third, but Kofoid got a run in turn three and passed both for the spot with six laps to go. Macri gained fifth with four to go, and took fourth from Sweet with two to go.
Gravel reeled in Day and was within striking distance entering turn three on the last lap, but a lapped car blocked any attempts at a slider and he settled for second. Kofoid was third, ahead of Macri and Sweet.
“I was trying not to be too tight on the top,” said Day. “I was getting really tight. I didn’t want to be the guy to drop to the bottom and then get circled. I’m glad it worked out. I hate that (Gravel) got close. I don’t like when they’re close. I like to win by a lot. We’ll work on that one for the Nationals. I destroyed our good car at Eagle, and this one has been a work in progress.
“To win an Outlaw show here at Knoxville in such a short time is something to be proud of. The track had a huge ledge on top all night and I knew it would be fast. When they knocked it down, I could run it wide open. I was hoping those guys would leave me a lane, and they did. We were able to get a run on Brad and slide him. I’m really proud of this team.”
“I felt really good,” said Gravel. “I tried running the bottom a few times, and one time it really cost me a lot of time. Those last ten laps I could really carry some speed through the corner. I wish I could take a couple of laps back and gain some time. These guys continue to give me a fast race car every night. I had to back off in the last corner, but it was a strong weekend for us. To be good every time we hit the track feels good. We’ll put this car in the shop and bring it back for Nationals.”
“Starting on the outside was crucial,” said Kofoid. “They cut the cushion down and it took awhile to get built back up. It took the challenge away honestly. You could just run in there with your whole car and turn left. The bottom was so narrow, it was preferred to be on the outside the way they worked the track this week. We made a lot of speed up there, and we could go on the bottom as well as I ever have here. I felt like the car got better as the race went on.”
Cam Martin topped the 360 sprint car feature.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 14BC-Corey Day[4]; 2. 2-David Gravel[6]; 3. 83-Michael Kofoid[10]; 4. 39M-Anthony Macri[7]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 6. 10-Ryan Timms[3]; 7. 55V-Kerry Madsen[12]; 8. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[9]; 9. 87-Aaron Reutzel[8]; 10. 24A-Rico Abreu[14]; 11. 41-Carson Macedo[22]; 12. 1S-Logan Schuchart[13]; 13. 88-Austin McCarl[17]; 14. 5-Brenham Crouch[16]; 15. 15-Donny Schatz[20]; 16. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[5]; 17. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[23]; 18. 2C-Cole Macedo[21]; 19. 17B-Bill Balog[2]; 20. 23-Garet Williamson[15]; 21. 44-Chris Martin[11]; 22. 6K-Kaleb Johnson[19]; 23. 27-Emerson Axsom[18]; 24. 21-Brian Brown[24]; 25. 7S-Chris Windom[25]
