It was a night of firsts at the Knoxville Raceway as two winners won for the first time in their respective careers. Emerson Axsom, who has been gaining fame as a midget and non-wing driver also proved he can drive a win 360 sprint car as he beat 61 other drivers in the raceway’s largest car count in recent memory to win the 360 A-Main while Tasker Phillips won his first career 410 feature at Knoxville heard live on KNIA. Phillips led all 20 laps after starting on the pole but he had to deal with Rico Abreu and Austin McCarl breathing down his neck in the Border Battle, which paid $7,000 dollars to win this weekend at races at Jackson Motorplex, Knoxville and Husets. Phillips had to endure a late race restart, and it looked like on the green/white/checkered restart that McCarl may have\snookered Phillips, but he got McCarl back down the backstretch and won. In the 360s, Axsom beat a field of 62 cars to post his first career win at the Knoxville Raceway. Axsom got by Ryan Giles on lap six and held on to the end with 360s master Aaron Reutzel and Tyler Groenendyk chasing him down. Axsom told KNIA/KRLS Sports he was glad to have that challenge from Reutzel knowing that just one of the many drivers he will have to go through to win the 360 Nationals.

Axsom: “If we want a shot to win the 360 Nationals we’re going to have to beat that guy. I’m really glad he lined up behind us, so we could showcase our speed and do our job.”

Saturday night was the final race before Southern Iowa Sprint Week begins this Thursday with the 34th Annual Xtreme Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals.