2014 Knoxville Raceway 360 Preview

Studio 92 Photo

The Knoxville Raceway 360 class will be interesting this season.  Clint Garner, the winner of the past five 360 track championships has moved up to the 410 class.  Justin Henderson and Ryan Bunton are 410 drivers, but plan to race in the 360 class as well all season to try to win the car owner championship.  But the race for the driver’s championship will be a tough one with several strong contenders.



Joe Beaver finished second in points last season and could be the driver to beat in 2014. The driver has 15 years of experience at Knoxville and three career wins.  He put together 13 top ten finishes in 2013, and no other driver accomplished that besides Clint Garner.  Joe broke the 360 one lap qualifying record in 2013 with a lap of 15.520.  He has also been voted the Junior Fan Club favorite driver of the year three times.

Nate Van Haaften has been one of the best 360 drivers in recent years, winning four features the past three seasons and was third in points last season.  He was voted 360 most improved driver in 2011.  Look for Nate to be eyeing his first championship.    

Jamie Ball might be the best 360 driver yet to win a 360 feature.  He has one victory in the 305 class, and after a serious injury suffered in 2012, he rebounded nicely in 2013 by finishing fourth in points with 11 top ten finishes and four quick times.  Look for Jamie to keep showing improvement in 2014 and get that win.

Jon Agan is sure to be a contender in the top five of points.  The past five seasons his average points finish is 5.2.  He has 5 career wins in the 360 class and he won an ASCS feature in Texas earlier this spring. 

Matt Moro was the 2008 track champion and over the past five seasons his average points finish is 5.8.  He has 7 career wins in the 360 class.  Look for Moro to be a contender.

Russ Hall was seventh in points last season, and he was the 2013 Sprint Invaders series champion.  Hall has proved to be one of the best drivers in the 360 class in recent years, winning two features.  No one passed more cars in 2013 than Hall.  If the 29 team can improve their qualifying effort look for them to win some races.

Calvin Landis hasn’t competed full time in a sprint car since 2009.  He has three career 410 wins at Knoxville and he will be driving the #10 car owned by Mike VanderEcken.  The Arizona native now calls Knoxville home and it will be great to see Calvin back on the track, and just maybe we will see him in victory lane.

Carson McCarl was eight in points in 2012, but after sitting out much of 2013 he will be back behind the wheel of the Mastell Brothers Racing #27.  I have a hunch Carson, the 2011 track champion in the 305 class, will be hungry to compete for some wins.

Zach Blurton finished tenth in points in his rookie season and will be back for 2014.

Other drivers that should be competing each week are Alan Ambers, Laney Feight, Tyler Groenendyk, John Hall, Mike Houseman Jr., Tom Lenz, Ricky Montgomery, Jarrod Schneiderman, Tony Shilling, Alan Zoutte.  Rookies are Dylan Peterson and Mike Van Haaften.

I'm picking Joe Beaver to win a tight points battle.  I think this is as close of a battle as we have ever seen.  I fully expect Joe, Nate, Jon, Jamie, Carson, and Moro to have a whale of a battle for the top six positions.  Justin Henderson will likely stink up the show by winning most of the features, I'm predicting six wins for Henderson.  He basically has the same set up as Garner did a year ago with support from Al Parker horsepower. But with Henderson competing for the 410 title, he is only eligible for one point race, so that leaves the 360 point race a super competitive one!  April 19 can't get here soon enough!