Everyone knew that it would not take Rico Abreu long to figure out how to get around the Knoxville Raceway. Last night after several trips to the half mile in the last three years, he got his coveted victory in night three of the 56th Annual Five Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals. Abreu led all 25 laps and held the lead up to two seconds at one time before a late race yellow bunched the field and allowed Greg Hodnett and Danny Lasoski one last chance at him. Neither could pull off the pass and Abreu won his first career race at the Knoxville Raceway locking himself into tonight’s championship race. Hodnett was second with Lasoski in third and Lucas Wolfe was fourth. All four advance on to tonight’s A-Main. Abreu said the start of the race was key to put himself in position to win. One other spot in the A-Main tonight was claimed as Kraig Kinser won the Speed Sport News World Challenge and automatically qualified for the 25th starting position. Without the win, Kinser likely would have started in the back of the B-Main. Championship night can be heard live on AM 1320 and 95.3 KNIA and streamed live at kniakrls.com starting with Live Track Side at five and Race Night’s Live at seven.
A main (started), 25 Laps, NT: 1. Rico Abreu (3); 2. Greg Hodnett (2); 3. Danny Lasoski (6); 4. Lucas Wolfe (1) / 5. Tim Shaffer (16); 6. Logan Schuchart (8); 7. Joey Saldana (7); 8. Stevie Smith (5); 9. Sheldon Haudenschild (13); 10. Brady Bacon (11); 11. Tasker Phillips (17); 12. Dustin Selvage (19); 13. Bill Balog (15); 14. Cap Henry (22); 15. Davey Heskin (24); 16. Matt Moro (18); 17. Kraig Kinser (21); 18. Matt Juhl (12); 19. Dave Blaney (9); 20. Dakota Hendrickson (10); 21. Jacob Allen (20); 22. Willie Croft (14); 23. Brian Brown (4); 24. Trey Starks (23). Lap Leaders: Abreu 1-25. Hard-charger: Shaffer.
Speed Sport World Challenge (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. Kraig Kinser (1); 2. Ian Madsen (9); 3. James McFadden (8); 4. Danny Dietrich (4); 5. Jamie Veal (13); 6. Jason Sides (2); 7. Brooke Tatnell (6); 8. Terry McCarl (11); 9. Kerry Madsen (12); 10. Paul McMahan (3); 11. Daniel Harding (5); 12. Brad Sweet (10); 13. Lynton Jeffrey (7); 14. Scott Bogucki (16); 15. Randy Hannagan (14); 16. Danny Smith (17); 17. Glen Saville (15). Lap Leaders: Sides 1, Kr. Kinser 2-20. Hard-charger: Veal.