By Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE — Rico Abreu drove to an impressive win Saturday at the Knoxville Raceway on Weiler Night featuring the All Star Circuit of Champions. The St. Helena, California native earned $8,000 for his sixth career win at the “Sprint Car Capital of the World.” Garet Williamson bested a 52-car 360 field in the last event before the Xtream Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals Presented by Great Southern Bank commences August 3-5. The Columbia, Missouri driver pocketed $2,000 for his victory.
Michael “Buddy” Kofoid led from the pole early in the 25-lap All Star feature, ahead of Anthony Macri, Justin Sanders, Abreu and Justin Henderson. Henderson moved by Abreu on lap two for fourth, before Ian Madsen came to a stop in turn three.
Henderson continued his surge on the restart, garnering third from Sanders on the high side of turn two. Abreu used the same move two laps later to climb to fourth. On lap seven, he reeled in Henderson and passed him for the third spot. Meanwhile, Austin McCarl moved into the top five. Kofoid was in lapped traffic on the ninth circuit, while Abreu disposed of Macri for the runner-up spot behind him. Henderson followed into third on lap 11.
On lap 12, Abreu shot a slidejob on Kofoid in turn one to take the lead. He began to pull away from there. McCarl passed Macri for fourth on lap 14 before Scott Bogucki spun on the frontstretch, bringing the final caution.
Abreu pulled away from there, winning by nearly four seconds. Kofoid was second, ahead of Henderson, McCarl and a late surging Brian Brown. Macri, Sanders, Davey Heskin, Garet Williamson and Sam Hafertepe Jr. rounded out the top ten. Lynton Jeffrey set quick time over the 51-car field. Sanders, Williamson, Hafertepe, McCarl and Brown won heats. Zeb Wise took the C main, Kofoid won the Dash, and Tasker Phillips claimed the B main. Riley Goodno tipped over in his heat, but was unhurt. He returned for the C.
Garet Williamson led from the outset of the 18-lap 360 feature, but it was a rocky event. Two laps in, Jamie Ball spun. Sammy Swindell had nowhere to go and flipped. That collected Davie Franek. Franek was taken in for observation.
Tony Rost flipped in turn one on the restart. He was uninjured. Williamson led Reutzel on the restart. Chase Randall surged into third, ahead of Kelby Watt and Clint Garner. Sixth running Kade Higday flipped five laps in. He was o.k. as well.
The last 13 laps went unimpeded. Williamson set a blistering pace. Reutzel closed with five laps to go, but finished second. Randall was third, and Garner won a great battle with Watt for the fourth spot. Tyler Groenendyk, Sawyer Phillips, Cam Martin, Joe Beaver and hard-charger Dustin Selvage completed the top ten. Randall and Reutzel set quick time over their respective groups. Randall, Ball, Williamson and Scott Bogucki won heats. Cole Garner and Swindell won the B mains. Austin Miller was a flip victim in the second B main, but was uninjured.
