May 3, 2026 | By Bill Wright

Ryan Timms Wins Thriller in Front of Big Crowd at Knoxville

KNOXVILLE, Ia.—Knoxville Raceway fans had to wait a couple of weeks, but they packed the grandstand in one of the largest weekly crowds ever to watch Oklahoma’s Ryan Timms top a solid 40-car Leighton State Bank 410 field Saturday night. The Pella Motors Kraig Ford 73rd Season Opener packed plenty of excitement into a night that saw free admission for the fans. Timms had to win an early race duel with Garet Williamson to record his seventh career victory here, and there was plenty of action behind him. In a repeat of the 2025 Season Championship Night, Kade Higday (360) and Luke Lane (Pro) were winners in their respective classes.

Sheldon Haudenschild started on the pole of the 25-lap Leighton State Bank 410 and led lap one in front of Timms, Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl and Brian Brown, before Timms slid by him in turn one on the second lap. Williamson was fast as well, however, and took the lead form Timms on lap three, after getting by Haudenschild himself. JJ Hickle passed Brown to enter the top five on lap five.

McCarl shot by Timms to briefly take second on lap six, while Brown got back by Hickle into the top five. Timms recovered second from McCarl on lap seven, while Brown continued his advance past Haudenschild for fourth. For three laps, the top four were in close quarters.

Using the low side of the track, Timms shot by Williamson to take lead on lap nine. On the tenth circuit, Williamson briefly got back by in one and two, but Timms reestablished himself on the other side of the famous half-mile to reclaim the lead for good. Haudenschild and Brown battled back and forth for the fourth spot before Brown backed over the turn two cushion and turned over. He was uninjured.

With 11 laps to go, Timms led Williamson, McCarl, Haudenschild and Hickle back to green. Haudenschild and Hickle both moved by McCarl and Williamson into second and third on the restart. McCarl found a resurgence, taking fourth from Williamson on lap 16 and then getting by Haudenschild and Hickle for second on lap 17. Jace Park had his machine roaring in the latter stages, moving into the top five with four to go, and grabbing fourth from Hickle with three to go.

Timms entered traffic late, but no one would challenge him, as he won by 2.6 seconds over McCarl, Haudenschild, Park and Hickle. Kelby Watt, Williamson, Chris Martin, Terry McCarl and hard-charger Tasker Phillips rounded out the top ten. Austin McCarl and Emerson Axsom set quick time in their respective groups, while Park, Sawyer Phillips, Terry McCarl and Chris Martin were heat winners. Jamie Ball claimed the B.

“Garet and Austin, they put up a heck of a fight for me,” said Timms in Victory Lane beside the Liebig Racing #10. “I got going there on the start, and I knew Garet was going to be there, but I thought I’d have an easier time getting my lead stretched out. Garet slid in there and he got to racing me for awhile. (Austin) McCarl got by me, and luckily I was able to get it turned down in three and four every time and get back by him. It was really tricky with a gnarly curb. I about wrecked big going into one, I think two times getting over the cushion. It was hard to keep your car happy up there. You could still make the bottom work. It was a heck of a race and a ton of fun. This is a big confidence booster going into next weekend.”

Carson McCarl led the 20-lap Randall Roofing 360 main event early over Kade Higday, Cam Martin, Clint Garner and Kaleb Johnson. While McCarl led, Johnson and Garner put on a great race for the fourth spot, before Johnson captured that on lap three. McCarl was in lapped traffic on the sixth circuit.

When McCarl slowed a bit in traffic on lap nine, Higday was there to pounce, taking the lead in turn two. Cam Martin reeled in McCarl and got by him with four laps to go, just before Ryan Leavitt flipped hard in turn two while running in the top ten. He walked away.

Higday led Martin, McCarl, Johnson and JJ Hickle back to green. Johnson quickly took third, while defending track champion, Tasker Phillips entered the top five. With two to go, Tasker surged from fifth to third and briefly took second, before surrendering it back to Martin.

Higday’s comfortable win, the second of his career here, came ahead of Martin, Tasker Phillips, Johnson and McCarl. Ryan Giles, Hickle, Sawyer Phillips, Garner and Jamie Ball completed the top ten. The 38-car field saw split qualifying topped by Cam Martin and Tony Rost. Giles, Johnson, Sawyer Phillips and Tasker Phillips won the heats. AJ Johnson topped the B main.

“This weekend is a little more special for the win,” said Higday, whose father Josh, a former track champion here, was announced as a Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame inductee. “I didn’t know after the first four laps if we had the car to do it. It ended up coming to me, and I can’t thank my dad and Marty enough for getting this car as good as it is. I found a slim moisture strip on the back straightaway that I could get down on the bottom good. I made my big arc on the corner and it worked out. I knew Cam was behind me and he likes to rip the lip. I knew if I stuck the bottom and hit my marks…I got lucky. It was a good win.”

Before a lap could be completed in the 15-lap Pro Sprints main, front row outside starter Chase Young spun, and had to restart at the tail. That opened the door for Luke Lane, who inherited his spot and took off ahead of J Kinder, Matt Allen, Tyler Thompson and Matthew Stelzer. A lap three tip-over for Tim Young (he was unhurt), slowed things, but not Lane.

On lap five, Thompson and Allen started a battle for third, that eventually went to the latter. Lane was back in lapped traffic, closely pursued by Kinder with four to go. Things seemed to be set at the finish, but Carter Hansen spun in turn one, creating a situation that saw a green, white, checker finish and an additional lap.

Kinder made it close late, coming within .041 of a second at the checkers, but he settled for second behind Lane, who picked up his second win here. Allen was third, ahead of Thompson and Stelzer. Chase Young, Casey Friedrichsen, Mike Mayberry, Brody Johnson and Jeff Wilke rounded out the top ten. Lane set quick time for the night, while Stelzer and Kinder won the heats.

“We have a lot of momentum right now,” said Lane in Victory Lane. “I can’t thank my guys enough. I knew I had to make it happen in that first corner. I saw a gap and went for it. I pulled my wing back a little bit and kept the car tied down. I had to go slow and drive the bottom Danny Lasoski style. I think J had a faster car than me, and I knew if I rolled around the bottom there, I was going to get driven by. I tried the slider line to maybe take some momentum away from him. It ended up working out. I appreciate him racing me clean.”

Join us Saturday, May 9 for Local 5/Iowa Live Night! The Leighton State Bank 410’s, Randall Roofing 360’s and the Pro Sprints will all be in action! For more information on the Knoxville Raceway, visit us online at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!


Pella Motors Kraig Ford Season Opener Results

Leighton State Bank 410 Results

Time Trials Group 1 (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 88, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA, 15.933 (12); 2. 10, Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City, OK, 15.968 (16); 3. 2K, Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust., 15.990 (2); 4. 11, Justin Henderson, Tea, SD, 15.996 (10); 5. 2M, JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA, 16.002 (18); 6. 1K, Kelby Watt, Adel, IA, 16.020 (1); 7. 28, Jace Park, Overland Park, KS, 16.043 (14); 8. 3P, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA, 16.179 (3); 9. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD, 16.183 (7); 10. 15K, Creed Kemenah, Alvada, OH, 16.296 (4); 11. 2KS, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA, 16.326 (8); 12. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA, 16.332 (20); 13. 8, Jacob Hughes, Hartford, SD, 16.355 (9); 14. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA, 16.401 (15); 15. 17A, Jack Anderson, Newton, IA, 16.463 (6); 16. 19H, Joel Myers Jr., Santa Rosa, CA, 16.464 (13); 17. 121, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL, 16.472 (19); 18. 31M, Kameron Key, Warrensburg, MO, 16.617 (17); 19. 44X, Scotty Johnson, Melcher-Dallas, IA, 16.706 (11); 20. 31, Koby Werkmeister, Armour, SD, 16.807 (5).

Time Trials Group 2 (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 27, Emerson Axsom, Franklin, IN, 15.827 (4) ($100 from OpenWheel101.com); 2. 83, Michael Kofoid, Penngrove, CA, 15.848 (15); 3. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO, 15.862 (5); 4. 23, Garet Williamson, Kingdom City, MO, 15.936 (3); 5. 18, Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH, 16.011 (6); 6. 44, Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA, 16.012 (14); 7. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA, 16.066 (8); 8. 24T, Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN, 16.111 (9); 9. 22, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA, 16.115 (11); 10. 19, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD, 16.170 (12); 11. 3, Ayrton Gennetten, Gravois Mills, MO, 16.180 (10); 12. 80P, Jacob Peterson, Hartford, SD, 16.183 (16); 13. 85J, Logan Julien, Oconomowoc, WI, 16.504 (19); 14. 7B, Ben Brown, Marshall, MO, 16.520 (7); 15. 98P, Miles Paulus, Marshall, MO, 16.661 (17); 16. 15, Jack Potter, Lee’s Summit, MO, 16.896 (13); 17. 10V, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA, 16.963 (20); 18. 56, Joe Simbro, Pleasantville, IA, 16.972 (2); 19. 15JR, Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA, 17.285 (1); 20. 74N, Natalie Doney, Odessa, MO, 17.547 (18).

Heat one (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. 28, Jace Park (1); 2. 2M, JJ Hickle (2); 3. 88, Austin McCarl (4); 4. 17A, Jack Anderson (8); 5. 2KS, Carson McCarl (6) / 6. 44X, Scotty Johnson (10); 7. 8, Jacob Hughes (7); 8. 121, RJ Johnson (9); 9. 2K, Lynton Jeffrey (3); 10. 40, Clint Garner (5)

Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:17.2: 1. 3P, Sawyer Phillips (1); 2. 10, Ryan Timms (4); 3. 11, Justin Henderson (3); 4. 1K, Kelby Watt (2); 5. 19H, Joel Myers Jr (8) / 6. 4W, Jamie Ball (6); 7. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips (7); 8. 15K, Creed Kemenah (5); 9. 31, Koby Werkmeister (9); DNS - 31M, Kameron Key

Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:16.4: 1. 24, Terry McCarl (1); 2. 21, Brian Brown (3); 3. 18, Sheldon Haudenschild (2); 4. 27, Emerson Axsom (4); 5. 22, Riley Goodno (5) / 6. 3, Ayrton Gennetten (6); 7. 85J, Logan Julien (7); 8. 98P, Miles Paulus (8); 9. 15JR, Cole Mincer (10); 10. 10V, Joe Beaver (9)

Heat four (started), 8 Laps, NT: 1. 44, Chris Martin (2); 2. 23, Garet Williamson (3); 3. 24T, Christopher Thram (1); 4. 19, Kaleb Johnson (5); 5. 7B, Ben Brown (7) / 6. 80P, Jacob Peterson (6); 7. 15, Jack Potter (8); 8. 74N, Natalie Doney (10); 9. 56, Joe Simbro (9); 10. 83, Michael Kofoid (4)

B main (started), 12 Laps, 3:41.9: 1. 4W, Jamie Ball (3); 2. 3, Ayrton Gennetten (2); 3. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips (7); 4. 85J, Logan Julien (6) / 5. 98P, Miles Paulus (10); 6. 44X, Scotty Johnson (1); 7. 80P, Jacob Peterson (4); 8. 8, Jacob Hughes (5); 9. 121, RJ Johnson (9); 10. 15K, Creed Kemenah (11); 11. 31, Koby Werkmeister (13); 12. 15, Jack Potter (8); 13. 74N, Natalie Doney (12); 14. 56, Joe Simbro (16); 15. 10V, Joe Beaver (15); 16. 15JR, Cole Mincer (14); DNS - 40, Clint Garner; 83, Michael Kofoid; 2K, Lynton Jeffrey; 31M, Kameron Key

A main (started), 25 Laps, NT: 1. 10, Ryan Timms (4); 2. 88, Austin McCarl (2); 3. 18, Sheldon Haudenschild (1); 4. 28, Jace Park (10); 5. 2M, JJ Hickle (6); 6. 1K, Kelby Watt (15); 7. 23, Garet Williamson (3); 8. 44, Chris Martin (7); 9. 24, Terry McCarl (9); 10. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips (23); 11. 3P, Sawyer Phillips (8); 12. 27, Emerson Axsom (14); 13. 17A, Jack Anderson (13); 14. 19, Kaleb Johnson (16); 15. 11, Justin Henderson (11); 16. 2KS, Carson McCarl (17); 17. 4W, Jamie Ball (21); 18. 19H, Joel Myers Jr (19); 19. 3, Ayrton Gennetten (22); 20. 24T, Christopher Thram (12); 21. 85J, Logan Julien (24); 22. 21, Brian Brown (5); 23. 22, Riley Goodno (18); 24. 7B, Ben Brown (20). Lap Leaders: Haudenschild 1, Timms 2, Williamson 3-8, Timms 9-25. Hard-charger: T. Phillips.



Randall Roofing 360 Results

Time Trials Group 1 (Qualifying Order), 3 laps: 1. 4, Cameron Martin, Ankeny, IA, 16.235 (2); 2. 64, Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD, 16.292 (5); 3. 63, JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA, 16.310 (8); 4. 24H, Kade Higday, Pleasant Hill, IA, 16.351 (13); 5. 2M, Ryan Giles, Grimes, IA, 16.354 (16); 6. 6B, AJ Johnson, Oskaloosa, IA, 16.549 (7); 7. 22P, Jesse Pate, Overbrook, KS, 16.636 (4); 8. 57, Cam Sorrels, Hallsville, MO, 16.716 (9); 9. 4W, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA, 16.730 (17); 10. 22X, Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA, 16.760 (19); 11. 3R, Russell Potter, Boonville, MO, 16.778 (6); 12. 55B, Chase Brown, Yutan, NE, 16.787 (10); 13. 7, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA, 16.844 (14); 14. 33, Alan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA, 16.970 (1); 15. 7G, Jackson Gray, Ankeny, IA, 16.983 (18); 16. 3, Cole Schroeder, Bozeman, MT, 17.145 (12); 17. 5A, Alex Vande Voort, Knoxville, IA, 17.168 (3); 18. 04, Mason Heimbaugh, Pleasant Hill, IA, 17.335 (15); 19. 1A, John Anderson, Des Moines, IA, 17.533 (11)

Time Trials Group 2 (Qualifying Order), 3 laps: 1. 99, Tony Rost, Utica, NE, 16.576 (3); 2. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA, 16.611 (8); 3. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD, 16.670 (1); 4. 59, Evan Semerad, Malcolm, NE, 16.878 (11); 5. 7S, Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA, 16.905 (9); 6. 01, Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA, 16.956 (14); 7. 2A, Austin Wood, Sacramento, CA, 17.032 (19); 8. 83, Kurt Mueller, Reynolds, IL, 17.066 (17); 9. 22, Ryan Leavitt, Knoxville, IA, 17.123 (13); 10. 71, Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA, 17.293 (7); 11. 14, Aidan Zoutte, Knoxville, IA, 17.300 (16); 12. 32D, Daryn Langford, Kearney, MO, 17.436 (5); 13. 52D, Skyler Daly, Columbia, MO, 17.925 (15); 14. T4, Tyler Graves, Chariton, IA, 18.273 (6); 15. 86, Timothy Smith, Rocheport, MO, 18.398 (2); 16. 11, Rodney Huband, Wimberley, TX, 18.467 (10); 17. 3Z, Cole Vanderheiden, Papillion, NE, 19.125 (12); 18. 99D, Tucker Daly, Hallsville, MO, NT; (DQ - Tire) 32, Riley Valentine, Terril, IA, (4)

Heat one (started), 7 Laps, 2:02.7: 1. 2M, Ryan Giles (2); 2. 4, Cameron Martin (4); 3. 63, JJ Hickle (3); 4. 4W, Jamie Ball (5); 5. 7, Dustin Selvage (7) / 6. 3R, Russell Potter (6); 7. 5A, Alex Vande Voort (9); 8. 7G, Jackson Gray (8); 9. 1A, John Anderson (10); 10. 22P, Jesse Pate (1)

Heat two (started), 7 Laps, 2:04.9: 1. 64, Kaleb Johnson (4); 2. 24H, Kade Higday (3); 3. 57, Cam Sorrels (1); 4. 55B, Chase Brown (6); 5. 22X, Riley Goodno (5) / 6. 3, Cole Schroeder (8); 7. 6B, AJ Johnson (2); 8. 04, Mason Heimbaugh (9); 9. 33, Alan Zoutte (7)

Heat three (started), 7 Laps, 2:04.7: 1. 7S, Sawyer Phillips (2); 2. 40, Clint Garner (3); 3. 22, Ryan Leavitt (5); 4. 2A, Austin Wood (1); 5. 99, Tony Rost (4) / 6. 86, Timothy Smith (8); 7. 14, Aidan Zoutte (6); 8. 52D, Skyler Daly (7); 9. 32, Riley Valentine (10); 10. 3Z, Cole Vanderheiden (9)

Heat four (started), 7 Laps, 2:02.8: 1. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips (4); 2. 01, Carson McCarl (2); 3. 59, Evan Semerad (3); 4. 71, Brandon Worthington (5); 5. 11, Rodney Huband (8) / 6. 32D, Daryn Langford (6); 7. T4, Tyler Graves (7); 8. 83, Kurt Mueller (1); DNS - 99D, Tucker Daly

B main (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. 6B, AJ Johnson (1); 2. 86, Timothy Smith (2); 3. 5A, Alex Vande Voort (7); 4. 3, Cole Schroeder (5) / 5. 3R, Russell Potter (3); 6. 14, Aidan Zoutte (6); 7. 7G, Jackson Gray (8); 8. T4, Tyler Graves (9); 9. 52D, Skyler Daly (11); 10. 99D, Tucker Daly (14); 11. 33, Alan Zoutte (15); 12. 32D, Daryn Langford (4); 13. 32, Riley Valentine (12); 14. 04, Mason Heimbaugh (10); 15. 1A, John Anderson (13); DNS - 83, Kurt Mueller; 22P, Jesse Pate, 3Z, Cole Vanderheiden

A main (started), 20 Laps, NT: 1. 24H, Kade Higday (2); 2. 4, Cameron Martin (4); 3. 1TAZ, Tasker Phillips (5); 4. 64, Kaleb Johnson (6); 5. 01, Carson McCarl (1); 6. 2M, Ryan Giles (8); 7. 63, JJ Hickle (9); 8. 7S, Sawyer Phillips (7); 9. 40, Clint Garner (3); 10. 4W, Jamie Ball (13); 11. 7, Dustin Selvage (17); 12. 2A, Austin Wood (14); 13. 22X, Riley Goodno (19); 14. 5A, Alex Vande Voort (23); 15. 57, Cam Sorrels (11); 16. 71, Brandon Worthington (16); 17. 55B, Chase Brown (15); 18. 3, Cole Schroeder (24); 19. 59, Evan Semerad (12); 20. 6B, AJ Johnson (21); 21. 86, Timothy Smith (22); 22. 11, Rodney Huband (20); 23. 99, Tony Rost (18); 24. 22, Ryan Leavitt (10). Lap Leaders: C. McCarl 1-8, Higday 9-20. Hard-charger: Vande Voort.



Pro Sprints Results

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 3 laps: 1. 9, Luke Lane, Milo, IA, 17.699 (14); 2. 17, Matt Allen, Norwalk, IA, 17.816 (10); 3. 0, Mike Mayberry, Fremont, IA, 17.866 (13); 4. 3, Derrike Clark, Newton, IA, 17.977 (8); 5. 99, Matthew Stelzer, Omaha, NE, 18.242 (5); 6. 44, Brody Johnson, Melcher-Dallas, IA, 18.257 (12); 7. 41, Jeff Wilke, Knoxville, IA, 18.276 (11); 8. 88, J Kinder, Iberia, MO, 18.388 (6); 9. 2, Casey Friedrichsen, Arthur, IA, 18.417 (1); 10. 48, Tyler Thompson, Des Moines, IA, 18.504 (9); 11. 26, Chase Young, Des Moines, IA, 18.521 (4); 12. 30C, Carter Hansen, Johnston, IA, 18.785 (7); 13. 14, Tim Young, New Virginia, IA, 18.896 (15); 14. 23B, Matt Botts, Meadville, MO, 19.120 (3); 15. 7C, Devin Kline, Knoxville, IA, NT (2)

Heat one (started), 6 Laps, 1:53.2: 1. 99, Matthew Stelzer (2); 2. 9, Luke Lane (4); 3. 26, Chase Young (6); 4. 0, Mike Mayberry (3); 5. 2, Casey Friedrichsen (5); 6. 41, Jeff Wilke (1); 7. 14, Tim Young (7); 8. 7C, Devin Kline (8)

Heat two (started), 6 Laps, 1:52.2: 1. 88, J Kinder (1); 2. 48, Tyler Thompson (5); 3. 17, Matt Allen (4); 4. 44, Brody Johnson (2); 5. 23B, Matt Botts (7); 6. 30C, Carter Hansen (6); 7. 3, Derrike Clark (3)

A main (started), 16 Laps, NT: 1. 9, Luke Lane (4); 2. 88, J Kinder (5); 3. 17, Matt Allen (1); 4. 48, Tyler Thompson (3); 5. 99, Matthew Stelzer (6); 6. 26, Chase Young (2); 7. 2, Casey Friedrichsen (9); 8. 0, Mike Mayberry (7); 9. 44, Brody Johnson (8); 10. 41, Jeff Wilke (11); 11. 3, Derrike Clark (14); 12. 23B, Matt Botts (10); 13. 30C, Carter Hansen (12); 14. 14, Tim Young (13); 15. 7C, Devin Kline (15). Lap Leader: Lane 1-16. Hard-charger: Lane.