Dylan Knowles Takes His First CRUSA Late Model Win At TST

EASTABOGA, AL – Dylan Knowles of Lanett, AL drove the K-Line Logistics Rocket to his first career Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series win on Friday night at Talladega Short Track. The race showed that the 16-year-old series has come full circle with second-generation drivers taking the top five finishing positions.

Knowles is the son of the late Scotty Knowles who was the 2008 Crate Racin’ USA Rookie of the Year and the 2009 Crate Racin’ USA Weekly Racing Series National Late Model Champion. Dylan Knowles swept the show, as he was the Boyd Built Fabricators Fast Qualifier setting a new track record with a lap in 14.011 seconds, and he led all 50 laps of the main event.

“This was a tough series to get a win when my Dad raced with Crate Racin’ USA, and it’s just as tough with the competition we had here tonight,” Knowles said. “Now I’ve got a series trophy to go with my Dad’s and that’s something special to pass down to the next generation. When I got of the car after the race, I looked around at who finished behind me, and I was like wow, we used to run around here in the pits as kids watching our Dads race!”

Cruz Skinner of Oxford, AL finished second in the Skinner’s Body Shop Rocket, and padded his point lead in the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series National standings. Skinner is the son of former Late Model driver Greg Skinner.

The second-generation theme went back to the third-place driver Jake Rainey of Hiram, GA in the Harrod Logging Special. Rainey’s dad Derrick Rainey has a couple of Crate Racin’ USA winner’s trophies on his shelf. Rainey made a late race charge to earn the VP Racing Lubricants Slick Move of the Race Award.

Jimmy Thomas of Phenix City, AL finished fourth in the Scorpion Race Cars house car. The Thomas name is so prevalent in dirt late model racing, they put the whole family in the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame.

Wil Herrington of Hawkinsville, GA started 14th in the 5m Construction Rocket and finished fifth to earn the Knowles Race Parts and Bodies Hard Charger of the Race Award for the second straight night. Herrington is also a second-generation race car driver, as he grew up at Cochran Motor Speedway in Cochran, GA watching his dad Glenn Herrington race.

Trynt Lloyd of Jacksonville, FL finished sixth in the Tom Kelly Construction Special and was the Cruise With The Champions Rookie of the Race. Lloyd’s Grandfather Frankie Lloyd was the owner/promoter of Golden Isles Speedway in Brunswick, GA for many years. David Kay of Munford, AL took the seventh spot in the Advantage Plus Excavating Special.

T.J. Brittain of Centre, AL was eighth in the Brittain Hauling Warrior, and Jody Knowles of Tyrone, GA came home in ninth driving the Clayton Signs/Gentry’s Used Auto Parts Special. Corey Dunn of Milledgeville, GA rounded out the top ten in the Georgia Timber CVR. In preliminary action, the two ten-lap KRC Power Steering B-Main Races were won by Kay and Brittain.

Dylan Knowles took the lead from the pole position at the start of the race followed by Thomas, Skinner, Dusty Jones of LaGrange, GA in the T&D Towing and Automotive CVR, and Rainey. Jones dusted off the top shelf of the Hornet’s Nest and sailed around Skinner and Thomas to take the second spot on lap two. Thomas got inside Jones on lap four to reclaim the position.

Skinner worked back under Jones on lap seven to take over the third spot. By lap eight, Knowles caught the cars on the tail end of the lead lap and began the lapping process. Rainey passed Jones for the fourth spot on lap 12 while Knowles caught some heavy lapped traffic on lap 16.

The only caution flag of the race came out on lap 19 when the Traylor Racing Special driven by Jake Traylor of LaGrange, GA overheated and stopped on the backstretch. Knowles had clear race track in front of him for the Dixie-Style Double-File Restart. Thomas, Skinner, Rainey, Brittain, Jones, Jody Knowles, Herrington, Lloyd, and Kay doubled up behind the leader in second through tenth respectively.

Skinner drove around the outside of Thomas to take second on the restart. Lloyd got up on the wheel to come from ninth on the restart to sixth by lap 23. Herrington followed Lloyd into the seventh spot.

At the halfway point on lap 25, Knowles had an eight car-length advantage on Skinner, while Rainey got by Thomas to take over the third spot. Knowles reached lapped traffic again on lap 34. Behind the leader, Skinner was getting a side-by-side challenge from Rainey for the second spot. Skinner held on to the spot in lapped traffic. Herrington moved up to the fifth spot on lap 40.

Skinner got close to Knowles in lapped traffic, but the leader prevailed by keeping lapped cars between himself and Skinner. Skinner charged in the closing laps, but Knowles hung on to take a .720 second margin of victory under the checkered flag.

The finale of the Salute To American Nationals for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series will be on Saturday night at Cochran Motor Speedway in Cochran, GA with a $2,500-to-win $250-to-start race.

The economical Aluminum Head, Steel Block, Chevrolet Performance 604 Circle Track Engine is the engine of choice for the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series competitors. The Chevrolet Performance 604 Engine is in stock and available for free next day delivery from Newsome Raceway Parts in Hartsville, SC.

Newsome Raceway Parts gives a portion of the sales from each Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engine sold back to the Crate Racin’ USA Point Funds in four different Divisions. Each economical Chevrolet Performance Circle Track Engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. To place an order call 1-877-497-3624.

For more information and rules about the Newsome Raceway Parts Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series, visit the series web site at www.crateracinusa.com, or visit the series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CrateRacinUSA/. You can follow us on Twitter @CrateRacinUSALM, and at Instagram at crateracinusa.

OFFICIAL RESULTS OF ROUND 6 AT TALLADEGA SHORT TRACK IN EASTABOGA, AL ON 7/3/2020:

POS STRT CAR # DRIVER HOMETOWN LAPS $ WON
1. 1 66k Dylan Knowles Lanett, AL 50 $2,500
2. 3 11 Cruz Skinner Oxford, AL 50 $1,250
3. 6 87 Jake Rainey Hiram, GA 50 $850
4. 2 22 Jimmy Thomas Phenix City, AL 50 $700
5. 14 14 Wil Herrington Hawkinsville, GA 50 $650
6. 15 2 Trynt Lloyd (R/YG) Jacksonville, FL 50 $550
7. 9 K5 David Kay Munford, AL 50 $500
8. 10 05 T.J. Brittain Centre, AL 50 $450
9. 7 03 Jody Knowles Tyrone, GA 50 $400
10. 12 21 Corey Dunn (R) Milledgeville, GA 50 $375
11. 19 5c Mike Combs Odenville, AL 50 $350
12. 16 38 Kasey Hall Geraldine, AL 50 $300
13. 17 10 Cody Overton (R) Grovetown, GA 49 $280
14. 11 23 Ahnna Parkhurst Evans, GA 49 $260
15. 13 14LP Logan Palmer Acworth, GA 49 $250
16. 18 3 Heath Carr Ashland, AL 49 $250
17. 5 19 Marcus Minga Shannon, MS 49 $250
18. 22 1 Ty Ellis (R) Covington, GA 48 $250
19. 4 4 Dusty Jones LaGrange, GA 22 $250
20. 8 9 Jake Traylor LaGrange, GA 17 $250
21. 24 39 Troy Dixon (R) Dallas, GA 14 $250
22. 23 8 Grant Pearl Anniston, AL 7 $250
23. 20 14jr Victor Turner Jr. Pell City, AL 5 $250
24. 21 F97 Red Farmer Hueytown, AL 3 $250

ENTRIES: 24
BOYD-BUILT FABRICATORS FAST QUALIFIER: D. Knowles, 14.011 Seconds (NTR)
PROVISIONALS: None
LEAD CHANGES: None
LAPS LED: D. Knowles, 1-50
KNOWLES RACE PARTS HARD CHARGER: Herrington (started 14th and finished 5th)
VP RACING LUBRICANTS SLICK MOVE OF THE RACE AWARD: Rainey
KRC POWER STEERING B-MAIN WINNERS: Kay and Brittain
CRUISE WITH THE CHAMPIONS ROOKIE OF THE RACE: Lloyd
FULLMOON GRAPHICS LUCKY 7 AWARD: Kay
CAUTIONS: 1
MARGIN OF VICTORY: .720 Seconds
TIME OF THE RACE: 21 Minutes and 27.934 Seconds
NEXT RACE: July 4, $2,500-To-Win $250-To-Start, Cochran Motor Speedway, Cochran, GA