05/27/2025
Spithaler Dominates FAST at Knox
It is no secret that some nights, a driver is just on his game. Sunday night at Knox Raceway, two-time and defending FAST champion Brandon Spithaler, was "in the zone", racing to a commanding lead over the first 28 laps that ran caution free. At the checkers, he had lapped all but the top 5 finishers.
The evening began with twenty-one Honest Abe Roofing FAST On Dirt 410 sprints, presented by Ti22 Performance. Knox Raceway owner Brian Steinman, along with Kevin Thomas had the Knox Raceway in near perfect condition as racers and fans both were pleased with the smooth and tacky surface. The large crowd completely sold out the track concession stand and even the FAST souvenir stand!
Unfortunately, tour regular Nathen McDowell became the first casualty of the evening when he made hard contact with the front stretch wall in hot laps. He would be a scratch for the remainder of the program. Ricky Peterson, Jacob Begenwald and Tim Shaffer were quickest qualifiers in their groups. Heat race wins went to A.J. Flick, Begenwald and 2020 tour champion Tyler Gunn.
The 30 lap main event was brought to green by Peterson and Shaffer with Flick and Begenwald starting from row 2. Past tour champions Gunn and Spithaler shared the third row. Peterson grabbed the initial lead before Shaffer got to the point on lap 4. But this night belonged to Spithaler as he found the Knox track to his liking and roared past Shaffer on lap 7, never to be challenged.
The talent was evident throughout the field as the drivers ran 28 laps caution free, but finally, Gunn, in a torrid pace to race with Peterson for the podium spot, left little room as he raced through traffic, resulting in a spin and hard contact between Anthony Gaskins and Jack Sodeman Jr. Both cars were heavily damaged but the drivers emerged unhurt.
The two lap shootout found only 5 cars still on the lead lap. Spithaler again raced away from the field, leaving no doubt who the night belonged to. As Spithaler raced through turn 4 to the checkers, Brandon Matus and Bob Felmlee got together and spun at the exit of turn 2. Under FAST rules, a leader in 3 and 4, unobstructed to the finish, then races to the win with the yellow called at the line. Cars not across the finissh when the yellow was called were scored off the completion of lap 29. Shaffer, Gunn, Peterson and New York's Matt Farnham completed the top 5. Michael Bauer, A.J. Flick, Begenwald, Chase Metheney and hard charger of the night, Jordan Ryan completed the top 10.
Next up for FAST is the 3 day Hoosier state showdown, co-sanctioned with the POWRi 410 sprint car series June 20-22. It will be Lincoln Park Speedway on Friday, June 20th followed by a combined show with the MPD Racing BOSS non wing sprints on Saturday, June 21st at Paragon Speedway. Finally, the weekend will wrap up with a race at the Terre Haute Action Track on Sunday.
BOX SCORE
Honest Abe Roofing
FAST On Dirt
Knox Raceway ; Knox, PA
Sunday, May 25, 2025
Event #4 - 21 Entries
Ti22 Performance Qualifying
Group 1: 1. 98-Ricky Peterson 14.044, 2. 2-A.J. Flick 14.103, 3. 7ny-Matt Farnham 14.227, 4. 22-Brandon Spithaler 14.455, 5. 6-Bob Felmlee 14.517, 6. 25R-Jordan Ryan 14.635, 7. 9-Lance Heinberger 14.740
Group 2: 1. 3J-Jocb Begenwald 14.596, 2. 31c-Chase Metheney 15.079, 3. 76-Davey Jones 15.780, 4. 33-Brent Matus 16.050, 5. 86-Michael Lutz 16.091, 6. 19m-Bodey McClintock 16.224, 7. 11m-Nathen McDowell DNQ
Group 3: 1. 17gp-Tim Shaffer14.566, 2. 68G-Tyler Gunn 14.794, 3. 46-Michael Bauer 14.917, 4. 13-Brandon Matus 15.033, 5. 23jr-Jack Sodeman Jr 15.050, 6. 5-Jeremy Weaver 15.233, 7. 00-Anthony Gaskins 16.661
Patriot Capital Financial - Heat 1: 1. 2-Flick[1] ; 2. 22-Spithaler[3] ; 3. 7ny-Farnham[2] ; 4. 98-Peterson[4] ; 5. 6-Felmlee[5] ; 6. 25R-Ryan[6] ; 7. 9-Heinberger[7]
JLT Enterprises - Heat 2: 1. 3J-Jacob Begenwald[4] ; 2. 31c-Metheney[1] ; 3. 86-Lutz[5] ; 4. 33-Matus[3] ; 5. 19m-McClintock[6] ; 6. 76-Jones[2] ; 7. 11m-McDowell DNS
All Pro Cylinder Heads, Inc.s - Heat 3: 1. 68G-Gunn[1] ; 2. 46-Bauer[2] ; 3. 17gp-Shaffer[4] ; 4. 13-Matus[3] ; 5. 23jr-Sodeman[5] ; 6. 5-Weaver[6] ; 7. 00-Gaskins[7]
Honest Abe Roofing A Main: 1. 22-Spithaler[6] ($4,040) ; 2. 17gp-Shaffer[2] ($2.,020) ; 3. 68G-Gunn[5] ($1,640) ; 4. 98-Peterson[1] ($1,310) ; 5. 7ny-Farnham[9] ($1,020) ; 6. 46-Bauer[8] ($930) ; 7. 2-Flick[3] ($740) ; 8. 3J-Begenwald[4] ($640) ; 9. 31c-Metheney[7] ($580) ; 10. 25R-Ryan[16] ($650) ; 11. 6-Felmlee[13] ($480) ; 12. 13-Matus[12] ($470) ; 13. 9-Heinberger[19] ($600) ; 14. 86-Lutz[10] ($620) ; 15. 33-Matus[11] ($420) ; 16, 23jr-Sodeman[15] ($450) ; 17. 00-Gaskins[20] ($600) ; 18. 19m-McClintock[14] ($400) ; 19. 5-Weaver[18] ($400) ; 20. 76-Jones[17] ($400) ; 21. 11m-McDowell DNS ($300)
Helms & Sons Construction - Hard Charger: 25R-Jordan Ryan +6
Helms & Sons Excavation - Hard Luck: 23jr-Jack Sodeman Jr
