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VIDEO: A Quick National Sprint Car Hall Of Fame Tour
LIVE from the Knoxville Nationals
Presented by Mobil 1 Truck & SUV Oil
Let’s Tour the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum!
A trip to the 59th Knoxville Nationals is not complete without a visit to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. Old sprint cars, helmets, memorabilia and a special A.J. Foyt display are all apart of a visit to the facility. Tony Bokhoven gave us a quick peak!
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KNOXVILLE, Iowa – After climbing from his car Thursday night and realizing his points total was enough to secure a spot in the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals finale, Parker Price-Miller exhaled a huge sigh of relief.
In that moment, the hardest part of the week was over, and the pressure was off the 21-year-old Hoosier. His place in The Granddaddy of Them All was officially confirmed.
“This time around, it’s definitely not as stressful as it was in 2018,” Price-Miller told SPEED SPORT by phone on Friday afternoon. “Last year, I was still pretty happy that we were locked into a good position in the B (main), but I’ll tell you what … that was the most stressful 22 laps of my entire year.
“Thursday night, we qualified well, but what really changed things for us was our heat race. That heat race was huge for us,” added Price-Miller, who was the fastest driver from time trials to move directly into Thursday night’s A-main. “Even with starting eighth, we knew we just had to run inside the top 10 and we’d be top five in points … so we tried to do that and not take too many huge risks. We were conservative in the feature and didn’t do too much to the race car, but I’d say it paid off for us.”
Price-Miller started his first Nationals A-main last year, but that Saturday appearance was far more stressful, as the Kokomo, Ind., native had to race his way in through the Last Chance Showdown.
Luckily for Price-Miller, he started on the pole of that race, easily cruising to the win and a transfer spot.
“Last year, if you recall, I got released from the (Destiny Motorsports) No. 4 car the week before the Nationals,” noted Price-Miller. “I didn’t even know then if I was going to have anything for Knoxville, and then Bernie (Stuebgen, team owner) stepped up and put me in his car. We built our ride for last year’s Nationals the week before the Capitani, and then ended up in the big show when it was all said and done. Preparation-wise, this has been a way better situation this year … Saturday is so important.
“The greatest race car drivers in sprint car racing are at this race, and to be up there with them again this year is a pretty amazing feeling.”
This year, Price-Miller’s consistency spoke volumes about the wisdom and maturity he’s gained in just 12 months’ time. He timed in third-fastest, finished fourth in his heat race and then ran eighth in the 25-lap preliminary feature, earning 473 out of a possible 500 points for his efforts.
With the troubles encountered by many of the top qualifiers on both Wednesday and Thursday, that left Price-Miller fifth overall in total points scored and placing him fifth on the grid for Saturday’s finale.
That’s a far cry from a year ago, when Price-Miller started 21st of 24 cars after winning the B-main.
“Track position for this race is huge,” Price-Miller pointed out. “You can start back that far and pass guys, because it’s a long race, but these guys are the best in the business and you’re not just going to drive by them in the Nationals finale. Starting as far forward as you can is a big key to success here.
“Starting fifth, having a shot and not having to worry (as much) about all those good drivers behind you makes it a lot easier … but they still want to take my head off and I know I have to be on my A game.”
With a third-row starting spot for Saturday night, Price-Miller is aiming high going into the $150,000-to-win, 50-lap feature as he pursues victory with his No. 71p Indy Race Parts team.
“This year has been pretty stress-free, and we’ve been good pretty much every time we’ve hit the race track,” he said. “My confidence is up; I’m not worried about anything happening and I’m not worried about my race car not having speed because I know we’re quick and we have the speed that we need.
“I think if things work out and go our way, we might have a shot at the end of 50 laps on Saturday night,” Price-Miller added. “I’m young and don’t have a lot of experience here, and I think that makes people want to count me out at times, but I like that. Let them think that I don’t have a shot, because then they won’t worry about us as much and we can go out and pounce when it matters most. I know I have a shot, or else I wouldn’t be here, and we’re here to show everyone we can win Saturday night.
“Is it going to be easy? No, but we’re going to give it our all and there’s going to be no holding back.”
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BROOKLYN, Mich. – The last car to take a lap during Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying Friday at Michigan Int’l Speedway proved to be the fastest.
Michigan native Brad Keselowski turned in the fastest lap in qualifying to earn the pole for the Consumers Energy 400 on Sunday afternoon. His 37.801-second lap at 190.471 mph aboard his No. 2 Team Penske Ford was enough to give Keselowski his second pole of the season and the 16th of his career.
“This Discount Tire Ford Mustang has been incredible since we unloaded,” Keselowski said. “We were really fast in practice and then everybody started picking up a bunch here towards the end of qualifying and I got a little nervous.
“Paul Wolfe (crew chief) and the team did a great job. We picked up just enough to get our second pole here. Hopefully we can convert it into a win.”
Kevin Harvick qualified second to give Ford a sweep of the front row for Sunday’s race. He was .076 seconds off the pace set by Keselowski.
Hendrick Motorsports drivers William Byron and Alex Bowman qualified third and fourth, with Harvick’s Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Clint Bowyer putting down the fifth fastest lap.
Watkins Glen winner Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Paul Menard completed the top-10 in qualifying.
However, the time of Dillon as well as his teammate, Daniel Hemric, were disallowed because their cars lacked full functional alternators. They will start Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.
Consumers Energy 400 Starting Lineup
1. Brad Keselowski
2. Kevin Harvick
3. William Byron
4. Alex Bowman
5. Clint Bowyer
6. Chase Elliott
7. Ryan Blaney
8. Joey Logano
9. Paul Menard
10. Jimmie Johnson
11. Daniel Suarez
12. Aric Almirola
13. Kurt Busch
14. Denny Hamlin
15. Martin Truex Jr.
16. Erik Jones
17. Kyle Larson
18. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
19. Matt Tifft
20. Ryan Newman
21. Ty Dillon
22. Kyle Busch
23. Michael McDowell
24. David Ragan
25. Chris Buescher
26. Bubba Wallace
27. Matt DiBenedetto
28. Landon Cassill
29. Ryan Preece
30. Ross Chastain
31. Corey LaJoie
32. Quin Houff
33. Austin Theriault
34. Cody Ware
35. Reed Sorenson
36. Spencer Boyd
37. Austin Dillon
38. Daniel Hemric
LIVE from the Knoxville Nationals
Presented by Mobil 1 Truck & SUV Oil
Donny Schatz Friday Interview
Ten-time Knoxville Nationals winner Donny Schatz hasn’t had the best Knoxville Nationals experience this year. The perennial favorite to win nearly every year, Schatz and his Tony Stewart Racing team will be starting Saturday’s action in the B-Main.
That means he’ll have to finish in the top-four in that race just to make the main event. On Friday he spoke with Ralph Sheheen and shared his thoughts on the week as he attempts to secure his 11th Knoxville Nationals title.
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Ralph Sheheen Show Taping Live At Knoxville Raceway
KNOXVILLE, Iowa – SPEED SPORT’s hit new podcast, The Ralph Sheheen Show presented by Lucas Oil, which has already featured such legendary personalities as Brad Doty, Gary Scelzi, Ray Evernham and Rico Abreu, will break new ground when it is taped live from the Hercules Entertainment Stage at Knoxville Raceway this Saturday at 4 p.m. CST.
Headlining this year’s lineup are two of the greatest sprint car racers of all time – Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell – together, at the same time, on the same stage. You won’t want to miss this rare opportunity to hear Kinser and Swindell talk about their legendary careers and battles live on stage.
Also appearing are sprint car racing’s young phenoms, Giovanni and Dominic Scelzi, and one of sprint car racing’s most versatile and recent big winners, Brady Bacon. Adding expert analysis and color are Hall of Fame journalist and editor of Sprint Car & Midget Magazine Doug Auld, and four-time winner of the Knoxville Nationals Danny Lasoski.
For those not able to attend the live taping, The Ralph Sheheen Show will air later on SPEEDSPORT.com, and will be available in podcast form on SoundCloud, Stitcher, iTunes, iHeart Radio and Spotify.
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Ancer (65) trying to 'sneak' his way onto International Prez Cup team
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Two weeks ago, Adam Scott was glancing over the International Presidents Cup team standings when he was asked which name stood out to him.
“Abraham Ancer,” he said with little hesitation.
Scott, who will again be the International side’s team leader, explained that Ancer has the perfect game for Royal Melbourne, site of this year’s matches, and he also has some experience there – having finished runner-up at last year’s World Cup that was held on the sand-belt gem.
Ancer gave his Presidents Cup chances a boost on Friday at The Northern Trust where he carded a second-round 65 to move into third place. At 10th on the International side’s point list, the 28-year-old could play his way into the top 8 and automatically qualify.
“That's definitely in the back of my mind as one of the goals for the whole year,” said Ancer, who birdied four of his last six holes. “If I just keep thinking about it, it just adds pressure to what I'm doing and it's not going to help. I just have to play solid golf and I'll have a good chance to sneak in there.”
The top 8 on the point list after next week’s BMW Championship qualify for the International team and captain Ernie Els will announce his four picks later this fall.
Missed putt costs Grillo, who vents frustration with finger
Emiliano Grillo missed an important putt late Friday and couldn't hold back his frustration.
Needing birdie at the par-4 9th, his final hole of the day, to make the 1-under cut, Grillo lipped out his bid for a three and then shot a middle finger in the direction of his ball and the hole.
A closing par left Grillo 2 under for the day but even par for the week and thus without a weekend tee time at Liberty National.
Worse, however, is that his T-86 finish at The Northern Trust dropped him from 62nd to 69th in the FedExCup standings, with only the top 70 qualifying for next week's BMW Championship.
Grillo will only need to be passed by two players over the weekend for his 2018-19 season come to an end.
Simpson (73) plays through cracked driver: 'What harm is done by letting me switch?'
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – It was a busy day for rules officials at The Northern Trust.
Rory McIlroy had a high-profile run-in with the Rules of Golf when he was initially penalized two strokes for trying to remove a rock from a bunker on No. 14 that turned out to be sand. The penalty was later rescinded.
Webb Simpson wasn’t as fortunate as McIlroy. Just three holes into his third round Simpson realized the face of driver was cracked. Although he travels with a back-up driver he wasn’t allowed to replace the cracked model under the rules.
“They changed the rules a few years ago, and they have edited some of those rules since,” Simpson said. “Nobody is going to agree with the rule and the driver that they have changed. The consensus among me and the other guys I was with and the other players in the rain delay was if it is cracked, it's cracked. What harm is done by letting me switch?”
Simpson said he hit the cracked driver four more times during his round and finished with a 2-over 73. “I’m glad it didn't cost me a missed cut, but it's unfortunate. I feel like it cost me a few shots,” he said.
DJ leads Spieth, Rahm, Reed through 36 holes at FedExCup Playoff opener
JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Dustin Johnson is hitting the ball so well he doesn't have to make every putt. He made enough birdies Friday for a 4-under 67 that gave him a one-shot lead in The Northern Trust.
Johnson holed an 8-foot putt on the 18th at Liberty National to take the lead going into the weekend of the FedExCup Playoff opener, a tournament he has won twice at other courses.
Spieth began the PGA Tour postseason not assured of advancing beyond the first event. He had a 64 on Friday and is two rounds away from having a chance to end a two-year victory drought.
Johnson was at 12-under 130.
Rory McIlroy had a 68 and was three shots behind, which was better than five. He originally was assessed a two-shot penalty in the bunker until it was rescinded based on intent.
Tiger Woods withdrew before his round started with a mild oblique strain.
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – It was the kind of mistake that could have ruined a round. Instead, for Rory McIlroy his brush with the Rules of Golf turned out to be a much-needed spark.
McIlroy was 2 under par for the day at The Northern Trust when his tee shot at the par-3 14th hole sailed into a bunker. As he was preparing to hit his next shot he reached to remove what he thought was a small rock, which is now allowed under the rules, when he realized it was actually a clump of sand.
After a lengthy discussion with a rules official, McIlroy was assessed a two-stroke penalty but on the next hole McIlroy began to question if they had made the correct ruling.
“The rules are the rules. But I knew that that rule had changed this year, and I just wasn't quite sure if that was the right ruling that was given on the course,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure.”
McIlroy met with rules officials following his round and after consulting with the USGA it was determined that he’d broken no rule and the two-stroke penalty was rescinded.
“They sort of went back and forth a little bit, and then it came down to me and they said, OK, are you comfortable telling us you didn't improve your lie, and for me, I am comfortable saying that,” McIlroy said.
Slugger White, the PGA Tour’s vice president of rules and competitions, reviewed the incident on replay and concluded that McIlroy “didn't improve his line of play or his intended swing.”
McIlroy birdied the 15th hole and ended up finishing with a 3-under 68 for a share of seventh place and was three strokes behind front-runner Dustin Johnson.
“In a way, it nearly worked in my favor. It was like, OK, I sort of need to get these two shots back, and I had a little bit more intensity the next few holes,” McIlroy said. “I guess my mind set was I wanted to get those two shots back that I had lost, that I thought I had lost in the bunker.”
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