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Shepard Rides Bottom Groove On Late Restart
BIG GUNS: Jeff Shepard shows what he's made of after taking the opening night at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway. (Ken Simon Photo)
Tatnell Second; McMahan Totals Most Points On Night One
Senior Editor
KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Jeff Shepard was given an opportunity on the opening night of the 47th annual Super Clean Knoxville Nationals on Thursday. The veteran Maryland driver cashed in, driving to a $12,125 triumph as the Nationals got off to a late start after rain washed out Wednesday’s event.
Shepard chased Australian Brooke Tatnell throughout the 25-lap main, but when Lynton Jeffrey stopped on the track with two laps remaining, it set up a two-lap dash to the finish. Shepard blasted John Zemaitis’s No. 1z to the bottom of the track entering turn one and slid up in front of Tatnell as the pair raced down the backstretch. From there, it was all Shepard, with Tatnell picking up the $10,000 check for second place.
“Yellows always help a guy out and second place is the place to be,” Shepard explained. “I was really good on the bottom, and that was one of those things that he (Tatnell) got beat on the restart.
“I wasn’t going to give up. Brooke did a good job. All I needed was a good restart, and I knew I had him going into turn one. I didn’t have a really good time trial. I don’t know how any of that will shake out, but I’m just glad to be in victory lane tonight.”
Perennial Knoxville contender Wayne Johnson, who has raced regularly with the American Sprint Cars on Tour this year, came home third, while Joey Saldana and fast-qualifier Paul McMahan rounded out the top five.
McMahan was the big winner on this night, though. With Knoxville’s unique point system, which rewards drivers for their performance every time they go on the track, McMahan’s qualifying effort coupled with his heat-race and feature finish made him the top point earner on the night.
The driver of Tony Stewart’s Bass Pro Shops machine, McMahan picked up 483 points, giving him a margin of 12 points over Saldana, who ranked second after the first night. Stevie Smith, Steve Kinser and Johnson rounded out the top five in points for Thursday’s program.
Kinser was involved in an accident during the fifth heat, which saw his car turn on its side. Still, he battled back to transfer through his heat and finish sixth in the feature.