Thursday winner - Wayne Johnson celebrates his Thursday night 360 Nationals win from atop his wing. - BWJ photo
Friday winner - Terry McCarl is all smiles after winning Friday's 360 Nationals coming out of turn four. - BWJ photoFifty-two cars took times on Thursday night, and when the final checkered flag flew, it was Wayne Johnson in victory lane, after catching early feature leader Shane Stewart. Johnson seems to peak when he unloads at Knoxville, and Thursday night showed that.
Friday night, Brian Brown started on the front row and pulled away from the field, but a persistent Terry McCarl made steady progress after starting seventh, and coming out of turn four on the final lap grabbed the lead from Brown and won night number two.
McCarls’s win puts him outside row one for tonight’s main event. On the pole will be Billy Alley, the top point getter for both qualifying nights, who had quick time and finished third in the opener. Wayne Johnson takes his Thursday win to a second row starting spot outside Tony Bruce, Jr.
That is a lot of fire power in just two rows, but on their heels are plenty more hard chargers and potential 360 Nationals champions. Just as impressive Saturday will be the 360 B main, with names like Brad Sweet, Tim Crawley, Kaley Gharst, Johnny Herrera, Gary Wright and Dale Blaney among those looking to transfer to the A. We should be treated to some great 360 sprint action.
Friday night, Brian Brown started on the front row and pulled away from the field, but a persistent Terry McCarl made steady progress after starting seventh, and coming out of turn four on the final lap grabbed the lead from Brown and won night number two.
McCarls’s win puts him outside row one for tonight’s main event. On the pole will be Billy Alley, the top point getter for both qualifying nights, who had quick time and finished third in the opener. Wayne Johnson takes his Thursday win to a second row starting spot outside Tony Bruce, Jr.
That is a lot of fire power in just two rows, but on their heels are plenty more hard chargers and potential 360 Nationals champions. Just as impressive Saturday will be the 360 B main, with names like Brad Sweet, Tim Crawley, Kaley Gharst, Johnny Herrera, Gary Wright and Dale Blaney among those looking to transfer to the A. We should be treated to some great 360 sprint action.
Record setter - Cale Conley now holds the 360 sprint one-lap record at Knoxville with a time of 15.973 seconds. - BWJ photoI mentioned a track record. That came during qualifying on Friday. The first car out, Jack Dover set a new 360 sprint mark of 15.977 seconds for one lap of qualifying. That time kept Dover in the record books for a while, but Vienna, West Virginia’s Cale Conley came out and topped it with a time of 15.973 seconds. Conley’s time would hold, putting him into the Knoxville record books as the fastest 360 sprint to turn the half mile. Both Conley and Dover used the strength of their times to make the A main tonight. 
Blaney - Dale Blaney sported this paint scheme on Thursday night, but mechanical problems kept him from making the A main. - Conrad Nelson photo
Blaney - Dale Blaney sported this paint scheme on Thursday night, but mechanical problems kept him from making the A main. - Conrad Nelson photo
Action - Johnny Anderson (2A) and Matt Covington (95) race for position Thursday night. - Conrad Nelson photo
Thursday Top 3 - From left: Billy Alley (third), Wayne Johnson (winner) and Shane Stewart (second). - Conrad Nelson photo
Moving up - Terry McCarl (24) works for a position against Travis Rilat (29) in Friday's feature. - Conrad Nelson photo
Friday Top 3 - From left, Travis Rilat (third), Terry McCarl (winner) and Brian Brown (second). - Conrad Nelson photoThe 360 Nationals are always one of my favorite events, and this year’s version hasn’t disappointed. There have been drivers from all corners of sprint car country, including the big names and the up-and-comers. To me, that is what 360 racing and the 360 Nationals are all about. I can’t wait.
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