View From the Stands: Quality racing on tap in the 360 Nationals

Former Knoxville Raceway track announcer and Newton resident Tim Trier is retired from the mic at Knoxville nowadays, but I sure miss him saying “It’s Race Time in the Valley!” And is it ever. The prestigious big money races come around once a year and that time has come. You will see me follow the Boone Super Nationals the first week of September and some special stock car races as well. But the end of July and the first part of August are known to Sprint car racing as “The Month of Money.” Last week Daryn Pittman won the coveted Kings Royal race at Eldora Speedway in Ohio that netted him $50,000. A couple of nights later in Lernerville, Pa., it was Steve Kinser winning the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup paying $40,000. Randy Hannagan won the All-Star series Ohio Sprint Week title and Levi Jones won the USAC Indiana Sprint Week crown last week. But now the focus of the Sprint car world comes to Iowa for the next couple of weeks beginning on July 30 when the World of Outlaws visits 34 Raceway in Burlington. It’s a semi banked 3⁄8-mile facility that always provides for a great show. The All-Star series will race at Oskaloosa on Monday, Aug. 4 for the annual Front Row Challenge and the USAC non-wing Sprints will be there the following night for the Ultimate Challenge on Tuesday the 5th racing for a $30,000 first place check, one of the biggest all year for non-wing Sprints. Before we go to Oskaloosa, Knoxville Raceway will host the 18th annual Arnold Motor Supply 360 Nationals on Thursday, July 31, Friday, Aug. 1 and the finals on Saturday, Aug. 2. The Thursday and Friday qualifying programs are two of the best nights of racing all season. Casual Sprint car fans underappreciate this event. 360 Sprint car racing continually seems to be treated like the little brother to the 410 division here in Iowa, but in my opinion it’s closer racing. Racing is about speed, but it’s also about entertainment. I’m almost always more entertained by the 360 Nationals than the bigger show that comes the following week. The 360 Nationals will attract some big names to this event. Local 410 drivers Brian Brown, Billy Alley, Skip Jackson and national names like Terry McCarl, Jonathan Allard and Tyler Walker are entered. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Danny Lasoski enter as well. And don’t forget about weekly 360 competitors Matt Moro and Josh Higday. The heavy favorites for this $10,000-to-win event are ASCS touring drivers Wayne Johnson, Gary Wright, and Jason Johnson. Jason Johnson won the ASCS National Event at Knoxville on June 20, but was in a fierce battle for the lead with Wayne Johnson when Wayne’s engine failed halfway through the race. I can’t wait for the rematch next week! See you in the stands!