The top three - From left, Jeremy Mills (third), Jay Noteboom (first) and Nate Caruth (second) share the podium following the Harris Clash. - Conrad Nelson photo
For the lead - Jay Noteboom (7N) races Jeremy Mills (10) for the top spot in the Harris Clash through turns one and two at Knoxville. - Conrad Nelson photoDivided into eight heats, the field quickly ran off the opening races of the program, I think there was all of one caution for all eight heat events. The track was drying out fast, and the majority of the runners made the dash for the low groove. There was some movement in the rankings, but there wasn’t an all-out rush to the front. Still, eight laps were enough to settle any heat race issues. Heat winners included Jay Noteboom, Alex Hanson, Josh Gilman, Bill Davis, Jr., Mike Long, Jeremy Mills, Jeff Jones and Al Hejna.
Heat action - Richie Smith (8) works his way between Tim Czarenski (front, 21cz) and Greg Metz (29) during the fourth heat race. - B. Johnson photo
Second heat - Tyler VandeKamp (46) and Jesse Cowles (6H) race through turn two. - B. Johnson photo 
Rock on - Jimmy Gustin sported a new look with Guitar Hero III lineage. - B. Johnson photo Four B mains were run, and the action was a little more furious, with a few more cautions than the heats. The top three transferred from the 12-lap Bs, and those that qualified came from the pole, all the way back to eighth. Mark Elliott started eighth in the fourth B and qualified for the feature by taking second. Your B main winners included Nick Deal, Ricky Stephan (taking the place of a DQ’d J. Hedrick), John Logue and Adam Larson.
Josh Gilman and Bill Davis, Jr., started on the front row of the 25-lap main event, which saw two early stoppages. The first with one lap complete for a slowing Matt Waugh; the second was for a red flag on the next restart as the field piled up in turn one and accidents scattered into turn two and starting down the backstretch. A total of 12 cars were involved in one way or another and several starters found their way to an early retirement.
Once the feature got rolling, the early action was paced by an intense duel between Jay Noteboom and Jeremy Mills. Side-by-side, lap-after-lap, this duo raced to decide who would take the lead. They put on the show in the early laps before Noteboom gained the advantage.
As Noteboom held his advantage, the attention of many turned to 15th-starting Nate Caruth who found his line and was motoring to the front. As the laps clicked off, Caruth passed car after car. He passed the second-running Mills and had three laps to make a run on Noteboom at the end. Caruth did close in the corners, but Noteboom powered down the straights to hold his advantage to the end. Caruth was second, Mills third. Mike Long and Todd Shute rounded out the top five, with Long having started seventh, and Shute starting 16th. The bottom line continued to be the favorite, but there were plenty of position changes, due to both the accidents and the racing.
It was a good show, especially good since they finally got it after two summers of rain delays. Noteboom winning couldn’t have been much of surprise considering the roll he has been on, winning big races over the past few weeks. His adding of the Harris Clash just solidifies a good summer for him.
Josh Gilman and Bill Davis, Jr., started on the front row of the 25-lap main event, which saw two early stoppages. The first with one lap complete for a slowing Matt Waugh; the second was for a red flag on the next restart as the field piled up in turn one and accidents scattered into turn two and starting down the backstretch. A total of 12 cars were involved in one way or another and several starters found their way to an early retirement.
Once the feature got rolling, the early action was paced by an intense duel between Jay Noteboom and Jeremy Mills. Side-by-side, lap-after-lap, this duo raced to decide who would take the lead. They put on the show in the early laps before Noteboom gained the advantage.
As Noteboom held his advantage, the attention of many turned to 15th-starting Nate Caruth who found his line and was motoring to the front. As the laps clicked off, Caruth passed car after car. He passed the second-running Mills and had three laps to make a run on Noteboom at the end. Caruth did close in the corners, but Noteboom powered down the straights to hold his advantage to the end. Caruth was second, Mills third. Mike Long and Todd Shute rounded out the top five, with Long having started seventh, and Shute starting 16th. The bottom line continued to be the favorite, but there were plenty of position changes, due to both the accidents and the racing.
It was a good show, especially good since they finally got it after two summers of rain delays. Noteboom winning couldn’t have been much of surprise considering the roll he has been on, winning big races over the past few weeks. His adding of the Harris Clash just solidifies a good summer for him.
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