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Walking On Air: Mike Knight Wins First-Ever IRS Event At Eriez Speedway & Grabs Lead In Alltel Ohio Speedweek All-Star Contest

Wednesday August 20, 2008

 

RIPLEY, NY –Mike Knight finally has that first big Super Late Model victory he’s been chasing.

The 21-year-old sensation from Ripley, N.Y., broke through on Sunday night, capturing the 50-lap Independent Racing Series (IRS) event on his home turf at Eriez Speedway in Hammett, Pa.

“Our whole team couldn’t be any happier,” Knight said after pocketing a career-high $5,000 first-place prize at the one-third-mile oval where he reigned as the 2007 Super Late Model champion. “We’ve been trying so hard to win a special show this year and now we’ve done it.”

It was a command performance by the driver known as ‘Hollywood.’ Starting fourth in his familiar family-owned Rocket No. 9K, Knight surged forward to take the lead from Brent Rhebergen just past the race’s halfway point and never looked back.

“Only than finishing fourth in the dash because we went too soft on tires, we did everything right all night,” said Knight, who registered his first career IRS victory and his fourth overall triumph of 2008 at Eriez. “I was a little worried when I got up to second and Rhebergen was already checked out on me (in the lead), but I knew our car was real good so I figured he must have been on soft tires.

“Well, once my 48s (American Racer tires) started working I caught right up to him, passed him and then checked out. I ran side-by-side with Richie Gardner for a while when I was lapping him late in the race because I knew nobody could pass me if we were racing two-wide, but they told me Scott Johnson (the eventual runner-up) was pretty far back anyway.”

Knight, who still sits sixth in the IRS points standings despite dropping off as a regular midway through the 2008 season to retool his racing program, felt his run to the checkered flag was a sign that he’s maturing as a driver.

“We’ve run a lot of 50-lap races this year and I’ve learned a lot,” said Knight. “I realized that you can’t use up all your stuff running too hard early in the race, so I was patient (at Eriez) and kept the car under me. I had plenty of car left after halfway.”

Adding more luster to Knight’s evening at Eriez, he jumped in Chris Ottoway’s Limited Late Model immediately after the IRS Victory Lane ceremonies were completed and charged from the 12th starting spot to win the division’s 20-lap feature in dominating fashion.

A former regular in Eriez’s Limited Late Model class, Knight accepted a ride offer for the night from Ottoway, who is sidelined by a back injury he suffered recently after being thrown off a live bull. Ottoway is one of Knight’s sponsors and keeps his Limited Late Model in Knight’s race shop.

Knight also learned on Monday that he had taken the outright lead in the Alltel Ohio Speedweek All-Star voting by a slight margin, holding 16% of the vote to Robbie Blair’s 14%. A $10,000 prize goes to the winner of the contest, which allows fans to vote for their favorite driver once a day through Sept. 9 at www.AlltelAllStar.com.

The only down point of Knight’s weekend was his Saturday-night visit to Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y. He finished 25th in the 25-lap Super Late Model feature after a slap of the outside wall eliminated him on lap 11 as he was battling for the lead with eventual winner Rick ‘Boom’ Briggs and John Lobb.

Knight will head back out on the road with the IRS tour this Friday night (Aug. 22) for a 50-lap event at The Rock/Allegany County Speedway in Cumberland, Md. He also plans to go for another win at Eriez Speedway in a regular show on Sunday night (Aug. 24).

An up-and-coming dirt Late Model driver whose breakout 2007 season was highlighted by a points title at Eriez Speedway, Knight has an ambitious schedule of 70-plus races across the region planned with his family-owned team in 2008. His operation carries sponsorship from Arrowhead Wine Cellars, Mobilia Fruit Farm, Ottaway’s Auto Parts, Ottaway’s Auto Body, Knight Farms, NYPenn Surveying, TeCulver Contracting, Ripley Machine & Tool, Genesis Shocks, Slavic Custom Racing Shirts, Farr MotorSports, MWB Web Designs and American Racing Tires.

For more information on Mike Knight, visit www.mikeknight9k.com.

To vote for Mike Knight in the Alltell All Star contest visit www.AlltelAllStar.com.

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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.

 

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