THE DIRT from Knoxville

It was officially announced on October 3, 2022 that Jason Reed has been named the new Knoxville Raceway General Manager. We wanted to introduce Jason to those who don't know him. He has a great resume and passion that will fit the role nicely. 

We continue our 12 questions series with crew chief Chad Morgan who helped Ayrton Gennetten get his first win at Knoxville yo end their 2022 season at Knoxville. Then we recap Season Championship Night, discuss the point battles, end of the season stats, contemplate a Late Model Nationals preview and more! 

Ben and Eric recap the Knoxville Nationals, 360 Nationals, Capitani Classic. We breakdown events of each night, story lines, who disappointed, who surprised us, and discuss rumors heard after hours during the Nationals. Also our 12 Questions interview with two-time Knoxville Nationals winning crew chief, Philip Dietz.

A round of 12 Questions with two-time 360 Knoxville Nationals Champion, Wayne Johnson. Plus a recap of Friday nights action.

Jack Dover joins us for a fun round of 12 questions. Also a quick recap of Thursday Preliminary Night of the 360 Knoxville Nationals! 

FINALLY, Terry McCarl has come to the show! We talk about the Front Row Challenge coming up on Monday, August 8th, his move to the 360 class this season, the new rivalry with Clint Garner, being the villain, broken bones, the joys and risks of being a promoter, why his father didn't want him to grow up to be a racer, his future in promoting races, tires and horsepower. You can buy tickets for the Front Row Challenge at OskyChallenges.com! 

Meet Gunner Ramey from Sedalia, MO. The 19-year-old won his first sprint car feature a couple of weeks ago and it was a big one against the ASCS National Tour at US36 in Osborne, MO. He drivers the Terry Doogs 21 with support of Impact Signs, Awnings, & Wraps in the 360 class and they are beginning to dabble with a 410 engine recently as well. A kid with big racing dreams, Gunner spent a few years racing in Oklahoma in micros and doing school online to focus on racing. Now maturing into a solid sprint car driver, the sky is the limit for another young kid from the Midwest.  Ben and Eric discuss last weeks races at Knoxville, answer some fan questions, and give out some local food dining recommendations for the tourists coming to town as we grown closer to the Knoxville Nationals.

The return of Kelby Watt! A tip from car owner Dennis Gainey leads us to a conversation with Kelby and their partnership to enter the 360 Knoxville Nationals! Watt has been working an internship in Charlotte for Hendrick Motorsports and will be back home in Iowa soon to continue his education at Iowa State and hopefully more racing in his future as well. His journey the past year has been an interesting one working on shocks for Hendrick and more. We also breakdown this past weeks racing at Knoxville, Eldora, and County Fair experiences.

Family, Farming and Racing is the way of life for Sawyer Phillips. After setting quick time this past week, crashing in his heat and rallying to a sixth place feature finish, this 24-year-old from nearby Pleasantville, Iowa has been inching closer to a win in the 410 class. It's time to meet the youngest of the Phillips Brothers. Ben and Eric also discuss this past weeks races, hot topics this week with a new sprint car series being announced, Larson says he won't compete at the Chili Bowl, how Knoxville points could change with some race teams going to the Kings Royal. Who will take advantage? And it is Fair Week in Knoxville! 

Kaleb Johnson is becoming a very good sprint car driver in the Upper Midwest the past few years. He currently sits third in Knoxville 360 points, fifth in Huset's 410 points and he won his first 360 sprint car race at Rock Rapids a month ago. We learn about his racing roots and his journey to managing his own race team to compete every weekend at two tracks. Ben and Eric also discuss the events of this past weekend at Knoxville, driver changes, big money events and more! 

Brandon Wimmer is from Fairmount, IN and has teamed up with Dennis Gainey this season to compete at Knoxville Raceway.  After engine woes early this season they have a fresh power plant ready and will return to Knoxville on July 2.  Wimmer is a legendary name in sprint car racing.  We look at the family history, his time growing up around some big name drivers and crew chiefs and his success in the past, which includes a win at the 2007 Skagit Dirt Cup.  We also break down the Brownells Big Guns Bash Outlaws weekend, Brian Brown looking strong, the NASCAR Trucks at Knoxville and IRONMAN status for Katie.  

California kid turned World of Outlaws hot shoe, Carson Macedo is having a good year to start the 2022 season with five wins already. The driver of the JJR #41 was able to sweep the Brownells Big Guns Bash weekend a year ago, and he won a weekly event at Knoxville earlier this season.  We discuss the grind of being on the road all season, the crew of the JJR 41 team, what it takes to be a champion and how his relationships with the Tarlton family and Jason Meyers have helped to mold the life he has.

Our invited guests dodged us, so it is Ben and Eric recapping this past weekend at Knoxville in all classes. We talk about the Garner/McCarl rivalry that has developed this season, the 410 points battle, preview the Brownells Big Guns Bash World of Outlaws two-day show this weekend. Members of the PA Posse leaving the porch to come Knoxville. Thursday's in Pella with Lori Cutter and Champion Race Promotions. New lights, Eldora Million dirt prep, and a preview of Katie and Matthew Johnson in the Iron Man this weekend! 

Austin McCarl doves a drive by to discuss his win this past week at Knoxville Raceway. Then we meet 17-year-old Chase Randall from Waco, TX who is a Rookie in the Knoxville 360 class and is currently fourth in points. Randall picked up a win on Sunday at 34 Raceway. The 2021 USAC National Midgets Rookie of the Year joins us to discuss his racing career thus far with karts, micros, ASCS, USAC, Chili Bowl, educates us about Bush's Chicken, home-schooling, his long-term goals and the challenges of being a teenager in the racing world. 

Nine-Time 360 Track Champion, Clint Garner joins us for a chat in this episode!  Fresh off of his 45th career win at Knoxville this past week, the Sioux Falls native talks about the two features this past week, Doug Wolfgang, being on the road with the Outlaws, family, the excavating business, his boys racing karts, neck muscles, duct taping shoes to his drivers seat, and his "All Lobby" status at the banquet. 

Scotty Johnson is an 18 year old driver who drove to his first win at Knoxville this past Saturday at Knoxville Raceway. He started at age four racing at English Creek Speedway and has has a successful career with multiple track championships. He jumped up to the Pro Sprint cars at Knoxville when he turned 16, but missed almost an entire season after an unfortunate fire accident where he suffered burns and spent a month in the hospital. He continues to work hard to keep his body in shape and now that is paying off with success behind the wheel.  We discuss his win, the accident, safety, and learn about his life goals on and off the track. 

Fresh off another win at Knoxville Raceway we interview Brian Brown! We talk racing, marketing, family, merchandise, Casey's Pizza, the Chiefs, career paths after racing, The Dude, Grandpa George, and Ruth Langmore.   

Ben and Eric discuss news surrounding Knoxville Raceway, the season opener, driver changes, drivers changing classes, the weather, tires, supply chain, and more!  

After the announcement last week at PRI that the World Racing Group is expanding with a midget and non-wing sprint car series' we bring in the man who will be the series director, Casey Shuman. Being a sprint and midget driver himself in the past and now the series director for the WoO Late Models, this guy has a full plate in 2022.  We discuss the how's and why's of this new series and his career path in the dirt track industry.   

Hey Dudes! Interview with TYLER CARPENTER! After winning the Gateway Dirt Nationals last Saturday, Carpenter has won himself a ride with Niece Motorsports at Knoxville Raceway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event on June 18. We were able to interview the late model driver live on Knoxville Raceway's Facebook page. 

He is the Knoxville Raceway 410 Rookie of the Year, Ayrton Gennetten. This third generation racer from Missouri nearly won a couple of times this year at Knoxville and has won nine total this season across the Midwest. After the 2020 derecho where his trailer tipped over and things were at a low point, he was been able to turn that experience into a positive by building a competitive sprint car team in 2021. He has a bright future ahead of him. We learn about his roots around the Ozarks, family, and get sidetracked with a crazy Missouri deer hunting story, him being banned from iRacing and then the usual bench racing discussions about the World of Outlaws, Tony Stewart expanding TSR with drag racing, Formula 1, and banquet build up.

Our Aussie friend Wade Aunger is back in Australia after a three month tour of the USA. He is stuck in a hotel to quarantine for two weeks before he can go home to Mildura, Victoria. We talk about his travel dilemma, his journey in America, how he fell in love with racing, his family, differences between America and Australia, and some stories over the years about Earl Baltes, Jason and Bobbi Johnson, the making of the Forever 41 music video, Hawkeyes, Vegemite, and more! 

A conversation with Davey Heskin who won the Knoxville Raceway Track Championship in 2021. The small family owned Maxwell Racing team is led by his grandfather Butch Maxwell and his sister Sam. Together they reached the summit at Knoxville thanks to their consistent performance all season and one stellar driver in the seat of the car known for his berm hugging driving style. Davey is a married to a Knoxville girl, Kristen and a father of three little girls. He was a serious hockey player growing up and we love our hockey discussions. We touch on all subjects on and off the track.  Work, family, kids, driving the bottom, blistering left front tires and the Ben and Eric traditional post interview BS session about 360 engines and more.

Post Race interview with Kyle Larson. Ben and Eric recap the Knoxville Nationals with local journalist and media member, Connor Ferguson from Always Race Day! Ben also enlightens us about fire and safety with Paul McMahan's crash.  Thank Your to our sponsors:  Jetco, Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps, Skin Fusion FX, Dennison Racing Tee's and Realtor, Nic Meyer. 

Victory Lane Interview with 360 Knoxville Nationals Champion Gio Scelzi, Terry McCarl talks about the Front Row Challenge on Monday, and David Gravel talks about his win in the Capitani Classic! Thanks to Wade Aunger and Knoxville Raceway for the victory lane content.

Ben, Eric, and Rustin Nelson break down night one of the 360 Knoxville Nationals and preview night two. Victory Lane interview with Sam Hafertpe Jr. is courtesy of Wade Aunger and Knoxville Raceway! 

(Episode Recorded Wednesday on 7/21/21) Shane Stewart "retired" at the end of the 2020 season, but he is coming back to compete in the 2021 Knoxville Nationals, Capitani Classic, Front Row Challenge, and one additional All Star race on Tuesday at I-70. After becoming the own of Port City Raceway near his hometown of Tulsa he has a new career path, but with an off weekend in their schedule, he has decided to come to Knoxville and see if he can get to the front.

After the Corn Belt 150 weekend we bring in the man who straddles both the NASCAR world and sprint cars, Steve Post from MRN and Winged Nation! We discuss the Truck Race at Knoxville, reaction from fans and the NASCAR industry, Steve's racing roots, how Winged Nation happened, food, hair, and more. Plus a bench racing session at the end with Ben and Eric about a variety of topics, including Ben's love for Jimmy Buffet.

Our guest is Matt Juhl from Tea, SD who is a driver in the Knoxville 410 sprint cars.  He has a couple of Knoxville 410 wins on his resume, but his 2021 season has changed course recently as he bolts his seat back into the family owned 09 sprinter.  He is also an entrepreneur with his Octane Ink. business venture and was a track stud.  He's also been speedy off the track, which has maybe been an issue at times.  Ben and Eric also bench race about last weeks on track action and preview the NASCAR Trucks Corn Belt 150 this week.

Ben and Eric breakdown the past couple of weekend of racing at Knoxville with the World of Outlaws, SRX, Huset's 50 and how much of a badass Katie Truetken is.

Ben and Eric interview 360 driver Tony Rost from Nebraska. Known as Dr. Rost during the week, the Knoxville Rookie of the Year candidate has a unique background in the medical world and in business administration. His new Catalyst Autosport team has a plan to build for the future and to one day move up to 410 sprint cars. But this week, the man needs help to get a race ready engine to get out on the track. 

Robert Bell, known also known as the Colfax Comet, is a legendary figure in central Iowa and now also nationally after traveling with USAC in recent years. At age 58, Robert has finally found victory lane in the non-wing sprint car class at Oskaloosa's Southern Iowa Speedway. We wanted to help celebrate his accomplishment. 

Ryan Giles won his tenth career 360 main event this past week at Knoxville and is now the point leader. We learn more about Ryan, his new team, racing background, and the challenge of balancing family and racing.  Also post race interviews with Pro Series winner, Tyler Groenendyk and Brian Brown who won both 410 main events and broke the 15 year old one-lap track record last Saturday.

The SRX Superstar Racing Experience team had a test session at Knoxville Raceway on Monday. We interview Ray Evernham, Ken Schrader and Brian Brown as they prepare for the June 19 event.  Also Ben goes off talking about fights in the pits, fights in hockey, and Midget Monday.

Ben and Eric interview 360 driver, Nate Mills who ended his night in third this past Saturday night at Knoxville!  Also quick interviews with 410 winner, Lynton Jeffrey and 360 winner Clint Garner! 

Our guest for this episode is Austin McCarl who is fresh off of his win this week at Knoxville!  Ben and Eric discuss the race, his plans the rest of the 2021 season with the Tarlton 21 team, and what size shoes the Big Unit wears.  

Presented by Jetco and Realtor, Nic Meyer!  This episode we welcome Knoxville Raceway Season Opener main event winners Jamie Ball and Tyler Groenendyk!  

Ben and Eric give their preview for the 2021 Knoxville Championship Series for all three classes.  Ben gives us an update on his karting plans at English Creek as well as his official campaign to become the next driver of the Pella Motors two-seat sprint car.  The Dirt from Knoxville is presented by Jetco and Realtor, Nic Meyer.

Ben and Eric breakdown the 2021 World of Outlaws field and make their picks and predictions for a stout field of cars this season.

Wade Aunger interviews NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Bobby Labonte! The SRX will be coming to Knoxville Raceway on June 19, 2021 which includes Superstars like Labonte, Stewart, Bill Elliott and more! 

Knoxville Raceway announces today that the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is coming to Knoxville on July 8, 2021! We talk to Marketing Director, Kendra Jacobs about how this event came together! 

Meet Nick and Kirsti Peterson, the owners of Checkered Flag Concessions. It takes a village to make Knoxville Raceway operate, one of those villages are the folks who prepare and serve food and drinks in the concession stands. Tenderloins, Popcorn, Pizza, Chicken Bites top the long list of items they offer to serve dinner to fans on race night! 

We segue out of the 2020 racing season with friend and first year Marion County Fair Association Board Member, Judd Nelson.  He is also the Care Pastor and Facilities Leader of Celebrate Church across Highway 14 from Knoxville Raceway and a life-long fan of sprint car racing. We ask him for some insight into the difficult decisions that had to be made this season to postpone the Knoxville Nationals, delay the start of the season and cancel the last several events on the schedule.  

Ben and Eric discuss the three-night event and breakdown the results. Who had impressive showings and who had a disappointment. Plus we preview The One and Only - Capitani Classic.

Time to geek out with predictions of the 30th annual 360 Knoxville Nationals with Eric, Ben, Heath Jacobson and Rustin Nelson. 

Carson McCarl is the defending 360 Track Champion and won his second feature of the 2020 season at Knoxville this past Saturday. It was time to catch up with the driver of the Jetco #27 sprint car.

Justin Henderson joins the Podcast to talk about his win this last week at Knoxville Raceway! We dive into his career beginnings, his time spent as an Outlaw and in Pennsylvania where he racked up wins Williams Grove and Port Royal. As well as his full-time job in paint and line striping.

Two Rounds of our 12 Questions with 360 Driver Kelby Watt and 410 Rookie Ryan Giles! 

Ben & Eric are joined by Knoxville Nationals and World of Outlaws Champion, Brad Sweet! His path going from Karts to USAC, NASCAR and to the Outlaws are all covered in this episode. This episode is presented by Jetco, Inc. and Nic Meyer, Realtor.

12 Questions with Kraig Kinser, driver of the Mesilla Valley Transportation #11K on the World of Outlaws tour. Kraig was the 2005 Knoxville Nationals Champion and is grinding it out on the road trying to make his way back to victory lane. 

12 Questions with Hunter Schuerenberg, driver of the TK Concrete, Maxim Trucking, Vermeer Motorsports #55 sprint car! Hunter is a 9-Time winner with the USAC National Sprint Cars and is spreading some "wings" in recent years. He is a Rookie in the Knoxville Raceway 410 class in 2020!