By Bill Wright

KNOXVILLE — Austin McCarl was patient in taking a late race lead to win the $5,000 and a half beef Van Wall Night feature during the Marion County Fair Saturday at Knoxville. The Altoona, Iowa native’s win was his seventh 410 victory here, and his first of the year aboard the Offil family Country Builders Construction #88. Chase Randall threw a slider at Garet Williamson on the last lap to take the 360 Shootout worth $5,000 and a half hog. The Waco, Texas driver’s win was his third in a row here, on a night that saw plenty of bonuses from the Knoxville 360 Boosters.

Tasker Phillips led the 20-lap 410 main event early over Terry McCarl, Lynton Jeffrey, Jake Bubak and Austin McCarl. Terry McCarl and Phillips tussled for the lead, exchanging the spot three times before Terry took it for good on lap six. He entered lapped traffic on lap seven as Bubak found his way around Phillips and into second. Meanwhile, Davey Heskin moved into the top four.

Bubak tracked down the leader and passed McCarl in turn three in traffic on lap eleven. Heskin followed him into second. Bubak looked strong up front before losing a driveline with six to go and pulling off. Heskin assumed the lead at that point ahead of Terry and Austin McCarl, who grabbed third on lap 15.

Chase Randall passed Phillips for fourth on lap 17, before the latter stopped with a flat left rear on lap 19, setting up a green, white, checker finish. Heskin led Terry McCarl, Austin McCarl, Randall and Lynton Jeffrey. Ayrton Gennetten also suffered a flat under the caution. He would have restarted seventh.

Austin McCarl shot around his father for second on the restart, while Randall moved into third. Heskin took off from the field and took the white flag, but before a lap could be completed, Gennetten came to a stop again.

It was the chance that Austin needed, as he moved around Heskin to gain the victory. Randall finished third, ahead of Terry McCarl and Justin Henderson. Jeffrey, Riley Goodno, Roger Crockett, Tasker Phillips and Sawyer Phillips rounded out the top ten. Jeffrey set quick time, and Gennetten, Tasker Phillips and Henderson won the heats.

“Normally, I hate yellows and they come out for me when I pass somebody,” said Austin in Victory Lane. “About halfway through the race I was trying to pass a guy who was running the middle and Davey smoked me, and some other guys. I had no idea where I was running. I was running down my Dad and I knew he started on the front row. I thought I had to be close. When the yellow came out, I was running third and I was thankful for the yellow. I needed that one. This feels really good. We’ve been working and working on this thing, just trying to look like that 21 (Brian Brown) car. Tonight the car was really nice.”

Garet Williamson shot by the front row to lead early in the 25-lap 360 Shootout ahead of Tony Rost by .018 second, Davey Heskin, Dusitn Selvage and Chase Randall. Kaleb Johnson spun but kept it going. After a caution he blended back into the field. Selvage took third from Heskin on the restart, and Randall moved into fourth.

On lap three, Randall gained second from Rost with a slider, and Selvage followed him into third on lap four. Heskin moved up to fourth on lap five before the leaders hit lapped traffic on the eighth circuit. Heskin moved by Selvage for third on lap nine. Williamson set a torrid pace in traffic, but with four laps to go, Randall, started reeling him in.

In the final corners on the last lap, Randall slid at Williamson, causing the leader to get above the cushion. Randall would cross first, while Williamson held on for second. Heskin was third, ahead of Selvage and Scott Bogucki. Austin McCarl, Rost, Jamie Ball, Ryan Giles and Clint Garner completed the top ten. The 54-car field saw Bogucki and Groenendyk set quick time in their respective groups. Selvage, Dusty Zomer, Gunner Ramey, Kade Higday, Jacob Hughes and Chris Martin won heats. Collin Moyle claimed the C main and Tasker Phillips took the B. The 360 Booster Club paid out several bonuses in addition to the feature paying $5,000 to the winner and $1,000 to start.

“I wanted to get to the lead early, but Garet did a phenomenal job kind of controlling the race,” said Randall in Victory Lane. “Being up front was the key with how the track was. I was making so many bad decisions in lapped traffic. I couldn’t find a good place for me. I found the bottom in one and two on one lap, and it worked for me. Garet kind of got crossed up behind guys like I did, and I kind of ran him down. I got just close enough to make a move. This is 90% mental. Once you get your first one, you know hard work can pay off.”