Carson Macedo Bests Knoxville Field; Garner Wins Thriller in 360’s; Mayberry/Johnson Conquer Pro Sprints

By Bill Wright 

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (May 7, 2022) – A beautiful night at Knoxville Raceway saw a great crowd and great racing.  Lemoore, California’s Carson Macedo emerged victorious amongst a stout field of 43 410 sprint cars.  The win was Macedo’s third, was worth $5,000 and came aboard the Jason Johnson Racing #41.  Sioux Falls, South Dakota’s Clint Garner passed Terry McCarl late in traffic to take his 44^th career 360 win.  Mike Mayberry claimed his third career Pace Performance Pro Sprints win, while Scotty Johnson claimed his first ever win at Knoxville in the Pros make-up feature (from April 23).

Sam Hafertepe Jr. shot out from his pole position to lead early in the non-stop 20-lap 410 main event ahead of Tasker Phillips, Justin Henderson, Carson Macedo and Aaron Reutzel.  Henderson was a master of the low side early, grabbing second from Phillips.  Reutzel used the same line to pass Macedo for fourth, and then Phillips for third on lap three.

Macedo recovered to gain fourth from Phillips on lap four.  Up front Henderson stuck the low side of turn one on lap six to take the point.  On lap seven, Macedo wended his way past both Reutzel and Hafertepe to move into the second spot low in turn three.

Reutzel got past Hafertepe for third on lap nine, while the leaders got into lapped traffic just past the halfway point.  For the second week in a row, Austin McCarl was on a charge, moving from row nine to sixth at one point.

Henderson cruised up front, but Macedo was slowly reeling him in.  His winning pass came on the low side of turn one as he shot between Henderson and the berm.  He never looked back to claim his third career win here.

Hafertepe recovered to finish second, ahead of Henderson, Reutzel and Kerry Madsen.  Brian Brown, Austin McCarl, Gio Scelzi, Cory Eliason and Tasker Phillips rounded out the top ten.  Tyler Courtney and Brown (quickest overall) set quick time over their respective groups.  Reutzel, Tasker Phillips, Carson McCarl and Hafertepe won heats.  Parker Price-Miller claimed the B main.

“It was just really technical there,” Macedo said of the track.  “You had to be really patient when you were on the bottom, and really aggressive on the top.  It was getting pretty thin and “ledgy.”  Hats off to my team, it was a last-minute decision to come here.  I’m really happy that we did.  Any time you can get laps here at Knoxville is a plus.  I got a decent start.  I jumped into fourth, and I ended up in the middle one time.  I remember Jason Meyers telling me never to be in the middle…be on the top or the bottom.  Knoxville is just a really tricky racetrack.  It’s all about track position, being in the right spots and connecting that grip at all times.”

Last week’s 360 winner, Terry McCarl, jumped out to a strong advantage early in the 18-lap feature ahead of Brady Forbrook, Joe Beaver, Jamie Ball and Garet Williamson.  Beaver grabbed second early, but Clint Garner was on the move, shooting from sixth to third, after starting eighth.

On the day of the Kentucky Derby, this one was a two horse race by lap three, with Garner chasing McCarl.  Kaleb Johnson climbed to third before spinning in turn two six laps in.  The restart saw McCarl leading Garner, Williamson, Dylan Westbrook and Ball.

A lap later, Christian Bowman took a hard ride in turn one, destroying his sprinter.  He was taken in for observation.  On the restart, Garner narrowly missed contact with McCarl in turn one, while Ball jetted from fifth to third.  On lap nine, Westbrook was running sixth when he slammed into the turn two wall, breaking his front end.

It would prove to be the last caution.  McCarl shot out again and reached lapped traffic with two to go.  On the white flag lap, a hesitation behind a lapper was all Garner needed to ride the high side around and take the advantage.

Garner would pull away to the checkers ahead of McCarl, Ball, Davey Heskin and hard-charger Chase Randall (from 18^th).  Beaver, Riley Goodno, Williamson, Ryan Roberts and Calvin Landis completed the top ten.  Forbrook set quick time over the 30-car field, while Goodno, Johnson and Garner won heats.  Ryan Leavitt took the B.

“It was a tough decision,” said Garner of his winning pass.  “I’m here to win a championship.  I can run second every night and win a championship.  My whole crew was telling me to go for it.  The cushion in one and two was scary.  I got my tires up to temperature, and I want to win so bad.  To beat Terry is very difficult to do.  We couldn’t be prouder to beat him.  He’s definitely made us step up our game, and he’s got all of our attention.  It was a hard-earned battle.”

Mike Johnston led the first of two 15-lap Pro Sprints early over Brandon Worthington, Mike Mayberry, Tyler Groenendyk and Scotty Johnson.  Worthington was good on the low groove, and claimed the lead on lap two before a Tyler Barrick spin brought caution.

After the restart, Mayberry rode high around Johnston into second on lap five and continued his momentum past Worthington to take the point on lap six.  By lap nine, he was in lapped traffic.  With four to go, Kade Higday stopped to set up a final dash.

Mayberry held his ground to win his third here ahead of Worthington, Johnston, Groenendyk and Matthew Stelzer.  Johnson, Chase Young, Matt Allen, Jeff Wilke and Eric Bridger rounded out the top ten.  Mayberry set quick time, and Johnston and Stelzer won heats.

“I was getting nervous,” said Mayberry of the late restart.  “I tried to knock the front stretch wall down once there.  It felt good from there, and as the race went on, the car felt better.  We got it done.”

In the Pros make-up feature from April 23, Johnson showed the way from outside row one, ahead of Groenendyk, Wilke, Bridger and Worthington.  Bridger and Wilke traded the third position on a pair of occasions, with Wilke holding the spot.

Up front, Johnson could not be headed.  Groenendyk reeled him in twice, but could not mount a serious threat in the end.  Wilke was third, ahead of Bridger and Matt Allen.  Worthington, Mayberry, Young, Ryan Navritil and Johnston completed the top ten.

“I was hoping I could sit on the bottom, because last week we were falling back and couldn’t get our tight setup going,” said a jubilant Johnson in Victory Lane.  “We made some huge adjustments for this week and it seemed to work out.  I was thinking, ‘God, please don’t let me mess up!’  It feels so good!  I went through some struggles back in 2019 (burns), and I went through a lot to get to this point.  It wouldn’t be possible without these guys!”

Join us next Saturday, May 14, for Hy-Vee Night at Knoxville!  All three sprint car divisions will be back in action, with 360’s making up their feature from April 23.  For more information, visit or check Knoxville Raceway’s Facebook and Twitter.

410 Results 

Time Trial Group A (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 7BC, Tyler Courtney, Indianapolis, IN (8), 15.777; 2. 2M, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (17), 15.824; 3. 18, Gio Scelzi, Fresno, CA (16), 15.853; 4. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (7), 15.903; 5. 8, Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX (2), 15.955; 6. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (11), 15.978; 7. 2, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust. (10), 15.984; 8. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (15), 16.000; 9. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (19), 16.018; 10. 3, Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO (14), 16.025; 11. 25, JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA (20), 16.031; 12. 2KS, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA (6), 16.037; 13. 11, Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN (3), 16.085; 14. 24, Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA (22), 16.123; 15. 49, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (5), 16.180; 16. 14, Josh Higday, Des Moines, IA (9), 16.181; 17. 17B, Bill Balog, Hartland, WI (21), 16.390; 18. 19, Chris Windom, Canton, IL (4), 16.459; 19. 76, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (13), 16.551; 20. 15, Bobby Mincer, Burlington, IA (12), 16.642; 21. 19AZ, Tanner Thorson, Minden, NV (1), 16.650; 22. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA (18), 17.802

Time Trial Group B (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (12), 15.764; 2. 7, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD (14), 15.915; 3. 41, Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA (7), 15.921; 4. 83JR, Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust. (1), 15.988; 5. 26, Cory Eliason, Visalia, CA (3), 16.054; 6. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (13), 16.071; 7. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (19), 16.198; 8. 47BC, Emerson Axsom, Franklin, IN (5), 16.205; 9. 27, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA (2), 16.207; 10. 55, Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO (11), 16.285; 11. 09, Matt Juhl, Tea, SD (20), 16.355; 12. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (8), 16.418; 13. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA (18), 16.475; 14. 12, Tyler Drueke, Eagle, NE (6), 16.554; 15. 9K, Kevin Thomas Jr., Cullman, AL (10), 16.581; 16. 14T, Tim Estenson, Fargo, ND (9), 16.664; 17. 7W, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (21), 16.746; 18. 35, Zach Hampton, Plainfield, IN (16), 16.867; 19. 7B, Ben Brown, Marshall, MO (17), 18.071; 20. 9H, Landon Hansen, Newton, IA (15), 19.763; 21. 6, Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN (4), NT.

Heat one (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. Aaron Reutzel (4); 2. Tyler Courtney (6); 3. Lynton Jeffrey (3); 4. Gio Scelzi (5); 5. Mark Dobmeier (2); 6. Parker Price-Miller (7); 7. Bill Balog (9); 8. Tanner Thorson (11); 9. Josh Schneiderman (8); 10. Nathan Mills (10); 11. JJ Hickle (1)

Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:18.0: 1. Tasker Phillips (4); 2. Ayrton Gennetten (2); 3. Ryan Giles (1); 4. Sawyer Phillips (5); 5. Josh Higday (8); 6. Davey Heskin (6); 7. Rico Abreu (7); 8. AJ Moeller (3); 9. Bobby Mincer (10); 10. Chris Windom (9); 11. Joe Simbro (11)

Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:18.4: 1. Carson McCarl (2); 2. Carson Macedo (5); 3. Cory Eliason (4); 4. Matt Juhl (1); 5. Austin McCarl (3); 6. Brian Brown (6); 7. Kevin Thomas Jr. (8); 8. Chris Martin (7); 9. Dustin Selvage (9); 10. Ben Brown (10) DNS – Brandon Wimmer

Heat four (started), 8 Laps, 2:18.5: 1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4); 2. Hunter Schuerenberg (2); 3. Justin Henderson (6); 4. Kerry Madsen (5); 5. Emerson Axsom (3); 6. Riley Goodno (1); 7. Tim Estenson (8); 8. Tyler Drueke (7); 9. Zach Hampton (9); 10. Landon Hansen (10)

B main (started), 12 Laps, NT: 1. Parker Price-Miller (5); 2. Matt Juhl (2); 3. Rico Abreu (7); 4. Riley Goodno (4) / 5. JJ Hickle (3); 6. Bill Balog (11); 7. Chris Martin (6); 8. AJ Moeller (1); 9. Dustin Selvage (14); 10. Josh Schneiderman (9); 11. Chris Windom (13); 12. Tanner Thorson (19); 13. Bobby Mincer (17); 14. Tim Estenson (12); 15. Nathan Mills (15); 16. Ben Brown (18); 17. Kevin Thomas Jr. (10); 18. Zach Hampton (16); 19. Tyler Drueke (8); 20. Joe Simbro (21); 21. Landon Hansen (20) DNS – Josh Higday, Brandon Wimmer

A main (started), 20 Laps, 6:13.9: 1. Carson Macedo (5); 2. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1); 3. Justin Henderson (3); 4. Aaron Reutzel (4); 5. Kerry Madsen (10); 6. Brian Brown (8); 7. Austin McCarl (16); 8. Gio Scelzi (7); 9. Cory Eliason (6); 10. Tasker Phillips (2); 11. Hunter Schuerenberg (14); 12. Ayrton Gennetten (15); 13. Davey Heskin (11); 14. Rico Abreu (23); 15. Parker Price-Miller (21); 16. Lynton Jeffrey (13); 17. Sawyer Phillips (9); 18. Carson McCarl (12); 19. Matt Juhl (20); 20. Mark Dobmeier (17); 21. Riley Goodno (22); 22. Ryan Giles (19); 23. Emerson Axsom (18) DNS – Tyler Courtney. Lap Leaders: Hafertepe 1-5, Henderson 6-14, Macedo 15-20. Hard-charger: A. McCarl.

360 Results 

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 5, Brady Forbrook, Morgan, MN (24), 16.620; 2. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (21), 16.717; 3. 2M, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (27), 16.734; 4. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (8), 16.736; 5. 24W, Garet Williamson, Kingdom City, MO (14), 16.783; 6. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (9), 16.846; 7. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (3), 16.917; 8. 22K, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD (20), 16.959; 9. 5M, Collin Moyle, Knoxville, IA (22), 17.008; 10. 9M, Ricky Montgomery, Denver, CO (18), 17.045; 11. 47X, Dylan Westbrook, Scotland, ONT, Can. (30), 17.065; 12. 18, Ryan Roberts, Aurora, NE (1), 17.077; 13. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA (16), 17.097; 14. 15, Christian Bowman, Altoona, IA (19), 17.126; 15. 70, Calvin Landis, Knoxville, IA (15), 17.134; 16. 4, Cam Martin, Ankeny, IA (6), 17.156; 17. 7C, Devin Kline, Knoxville, IA (2), 17.248; 18. 24N, Nathan Mills, Bondurant, IA (29), 17.267; 19. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA (12), 17.275; 20. 21, Gunner Ramey, Sedalia, MO (26), 17.349; 21. 83, Austin Miller, Lacona, IA (28), 17.371; 22. 5D, Jacob Dykstra, Port Colborne, ONT, Can. (25), 17.444; 23. 2, Chase Porter, St. Joseph, MO (5), 17.453; 24. 5A, Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville, IA (7), 17.623; 25. 9, Chase Randall, Waco, TX (13), 17.636; 26. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (4), 17.642; 27. 7, Tyler Lee, Cedar Rapids, IA (23), 18.128; 28. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA (17), 18.154; 29. 11B, Ben Woods, Newton, IA (10), 18.477; 30. 14, Aidan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA (11), 18.828

Heat one (started), 7 Laps, 2:07.0: 1. Riley Goodno (2); 2. Cam Martin (1); 3. Chase Randall (9); 4. Joe Beaver (4); 5. Terry McCarl (5); 6. Brady Forbrook (6); 7. Brady Forbrook (6); 8. Ryan Leavitt (7); 9. Ricky Montgomery (3); 10. John Anderson (10)

Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:05.5: 1. Kaleb Johnson (4); 2. Dylan Westbrook (3); 3. Christian Bowman (2); 4. Garet Williamson (5); 5. Jamie Ball (6); 6. Devin Kline (1); 7. Gunner Ramey (7); 8. Chase Porter (8); 9. Ben Woods (10); 10. Alan Zoutte (9)

Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 2:04.4: 1. Clint Garner (5); 2. Calvin Landis (2); 3. Nathan Mills (1); 4. Davey Heskin (6); 5. Ryan Roberts (3); 6. Collin Moyle (4); 7. Alex Vande Voort (8); 8. Tyler Lee (9); 9. Austin Miller (7); 10. Aidan Zoutte (10)

B main (started), 10 Laps, 3:10.2: 1. Ryan Leavitt (1); 2. Jacob Dykstra (3); 3. Chase Porter (4); 4. Tyler Lee (7) / 5. John Anderson (8); 6. Austin Miller (2); 7. Alan Zoutte (6); 8. Aidan Zoutte (10); 9. Ben Woods (9); 10. Alex Vande Voort (5)

A main (started), 18 Laps, NT: 1. Clint Garner (8); 2. Terry McCarl (2); 3. Jamie Ball (6); 4. Davey Heskin (7); 5. Chase Randall (18); 6. Joe Beaver (1); 7. Riley Goodno (10); 8. Garet Williamson (3); 9. Ryan Roberts (15); 10. Calvin Landis (11); 11. Collin Moyle (13); 12. Brady Forbrook (4); 13. Kaleb Johnson (5); 14. Ryan Leavitt (21); 15. Nathan Mills (16); 16. Jacob Dykstra (22); 17. Chase Porter (23); 18. Cam Martin (12); 19. Gunner Ramey (20); 20. Tyler Lee (24); 21. Devin Kline (19); 22. Dylan Westbrook (9); 23. Ricky Montgomery (17); 24. Christian Bowman (14). Lap Leaders: T. McCarl 1-16, Garner 17-20. Hard-charger: Randall.

Pro Series Results 

Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA (5), 17.904; 2. 44, Scotty Johnson, Dallas, IA (9), 17.941; 3. 81E, Eric Bridger, Winterset, IA (2), 17.976; 4. 17X, Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, IA (7), 18.059; 5. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA (14), 18.171; 6. 41, Jeff Wilke, Knoxville, IA (11), 18.176; 7. 14J, Mike Johnston, Des Moines, IA (8), 18.205; 8. 17, Matt Allen, Adel, IA (1), 18.347; 9. 26, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA (15), 18.395; 10. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Papillion, NE (16), 18.524; 11. 3TJ, Joel Thorpe, Urbandale, IA (17), 18.649; 12. B29, JJ Beaver, Knoxville, IA (12), 18.678; 13. 11, Tyler Barrick, Slater, IA (10), 18.838; 14. 12P, Ryan Navratil, Des Moines, IA (6), 19.598; 15. 42J, Nick Guernsey, Burlington, IA (13), 20.091; 16. 24, Kade Higday, Pleasant Hill, IA (3), NT; 17. 02S, Josh Jones, Knoxville, IA (4), NT

Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:54.7: 1. Mike Johnston (3); 2. Brandon Worthington (4); 3. Mike Mayberry (6); 4. Joel Thorpe (1); 5. Chase Young (2); 6. Eric Bridger (5); 7. Tyler Barrick (7); 8. Nick Guernsey (8); 9. Josh Jones (9)

Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:51.5: 1. Matthew Stelzer (2); 2. Jeff Wilke (4); 3. Scotty Johnson (6); 4. Tyler Groenendyk (5); 5. Matt Allen (3); 6. JJ Beaver (1); 7. Kade Higday (8); 8. Ryan Navratil (7)

A main (started), 15 Laps, NT: 1. Mike Mayberry (4); 2. Brandon Worthington (2); 3. Mike Johnston (1); 4. Tyler Groenendyk (6); 5. Matthew Stelzer (7); 6. Scotty Johnson (3); 7. Chase Young (10); 8. Matt Allen (9); 9. Jeff Wilke (5); 10. Eric Bridger (8); 11. Joel Thorpe (11); 12. JJ Beaver (12); 13. Ryan Navratil (15); 14. Nick Guernsey (16); 15. Tyler Barrick (13); 16. Kade Higday (14); 17. Josh Jones (17). Lap Leaders: Johnston 1, Worthington 2-5, Mayberry 6-15. Hard-charger: Mayberry.

A main April 23 Make-up (started), 15 Laps, 5:02.0: 1. Scotty Johnson (2); 2. Tyler Groenendyk (4); 3. Jeff Wilke (1); 4. Eric Bridger (3); 5. Matt Allen (8); 6. Brandon Worthington (6); 7. Mike Mayberry (5); 8. Chase Young (9); 9. Ryan Navratil (11); 10. Mike Johnston (7); 11. Joel Thorpe (10); 12. JJ Beaver (12) DNS – Tyler Barrick, Kade Higday, Josh Jones. Lap Leader: Johnson 1-15. Hard-charger: Allen.