1/18/2010
Written By: Brian Stickel, Knoxville Raceway
Category: CASEY'S Pit Pass  

KNOXVILLE -  To use a common Aussie expression, the Knoxville World Challenge, set for Friday, August 13, during the 50th Goodyear Knoxville Nationals presented by Lucas Oil, has just gone “from strength to strength” with the announcement that a record eleven Americans are entered in this weekend’s The Standard-sponsored Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic (GASC) at the Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia.  The previous record was a total ten Americans competing in the GASC, set in 2002 and 2005.  American sprint car drivers competing in the January 23-24 event will be eligible to participate in the $10,000-to-win international invitational in Knoxville, as will all Aussie participants.
 
                Already qualified for the World Challenge, based upon their competition in the two recent New Zealand qualifiers at Western Springs Speedway in Auckland and the Robertson Holden International Speedway in Palmerston North, are Sammy Swindell of Tennessee, Ricky Logan of Arkansas, Jonathan Allard of California, Joey Saldana of Indiana, and Craig Dollansky of Minnesota.  Those ‘Yanks’ that are pre-entered for the $30,000-to-win GASC at Warrnambool are:
 
Jonathan Allard, California;
Craig Dollansky, Minnesota;
Jason Johnson, Louisiana;
Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma;
Terry McCarl, Iowa;
Paul McMahan, California;
Jerry Richert, Jr., Minnesota;
Jason Sides, Tennessee;
Danny Smith, Indiana;
Shane Stewart, Oklahoma; and
Lucas Wolfe, Pennsylvania.
 
                Amongst the top Australian drivers that are entered at Warrnambool and are possible entrants at Knoxville, August 12-15, are:
 
Garry Brazier, New South Wales;
Max Dumesny, Victoria;
Mitchell Dumesny, Victoria;
Ian Madsen, New South Wales;
Kerry Madsen, New South Wales;
Matthew Reed; Victoria; and
Brooke Tatnell, New South Wales.
 
                International sprint car drivers from Australia, Canada and New Zealand will continue to be eligible for the Knoxville World Challenge simply by competing in the 50th annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals at the world-famous Knoxville Raceway in Iowa.  The starting line-up for the 2010 World Challenge will remain a sixteen-car inversion based upon a driver’s qualifying night points.  For more information on the Knoxville Raceway and its seventeenth annual World Challenge, fans are urged to visit www.knoxvilleraceway.com.