KNOXVILLE, Iowa — 22 cars carrying accomplished sprint car drivers from across the globe will take the green flag in Friday night’s SPEED SPORT World Challenge, hoping to earn the coveted 25th starting spot for Saturday’s Knoxville Nationals.
With a $10,000 winner’s purse on the line at the end of the 20-lap main event in addition to the option of tagging the tail of the championship A-Main field, the action will be fast and furious as Americans and international stars alike duel for supremacy.
The SPEED SPORT World Challenge is an international invitational event. American drivers earn their starting spots by competing at participating international race tracks and events during the preceding winter, while all international drivers who competed on Wednesday or Thursday at the 5-hour Energy Knoxville Nationals are also eligible.
Last year’s World Challenge was won by 2005 Knoxville Nationals champion Kraig Kinser, who started his eighth Knoxville Nationals A-Main as a result of claiming the checkered flag in the prestigious event.
The lineup is set by total points accrued on Wednesday and Thursday, with an invert of 14.
As such, this year’s World Challenge starting field sees American Carson Macedo and Canadian Thomas Kennedy starting on the front row.
Australian nationals Lynton Jeffrey and Brooke Tatnell make up the second row of the starting grid, accounting for four World Challenge victories between them. Jeffrey won the race in 2009 and 2015, while Tatnell claimed top honors in 2006 and 2013.
Defending Knoxville Nationals champion Jason Johnson rolls off fifth, and a World Challenge win would secure his spot in Saturday’s A-Main after an opening lap crash in Thursday night’s preliminary main event took him out of contention for a locked-in starting spot on cumulative points.
Dominic Scelzi, Lucas Wolfe, Ian Madsen, Shane Stewart and Greg Hodnett complete the front five rows of the grid.
In order: Terry McCarl, Brian Brown, Kerry Madsen, Brad Sweet, James McFadden, Harli White, Cory Eliason, Jason Kendrick, Skylar Gee, Scott Bogucki, Logan Schuchart and Jamie Veal make up the remainder of the starting field.
The all-time wins leaders in SPEED SPORT World Challenge competition are Skip Jackson (1995, 1997-1998), Donny Schatz (2001-2002, 2012) and Daryn Pittman (2004-2005, 2014), who have all topped the race three times apiece.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
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