(Image Credit: Rob Kocak)
Bryan Hulbert – KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 4, 2023) Fending off the repeated attacks from Brian Brown Friday night during Night 2 of the Xtreme Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank, Indiana’s Parker Price-Miller captured his first career victory with the American Sprint Car Series presented by RacinDirt.com, as well as his first 360 triumph at the Knoxville Raceway.
The 169th driver to top an ASCS National Tour event, Parker Price-Miller is the first to do so from Kokomo and fifth from the state of Indiana, joining Clauson, Saldana, Kinser, and Stewart on the list of Hoosier winners.
Nearly short of breath in Victory Lane, Parker said, “If anyone gets the award for restarts at Knoxville, it’s definitely the No. 21 car. With him [Brian Brown] breathing down your throat, you can’t let up. I had the wing too far back at the beginning, and I started burying myself in the curb and getting tight. I tried my best to get the wing back forward, which is hard to do under green. I can’t thank my guys enough.”
Getting things in just before the rain picked up, Miller led all but one lap, with Brown able to edge ahead of the ChalkStix No. 9p on Lap 3. Squeezing nearly four wide on the start to get ahead from the fifth starting spot, Brown ran inches off the wall to sneak away second from Terry McCarl on the opening revolution.
Going slide for slide quickly for the lead and using restarts to his advantage, the Casey’s General Store/FVP No. 21 worked top and bottom on Parker for the point, with the Kokomo shoe able to answer Brown’s attempts.
Keeping pace with Parker through the feature with the two hunting for an advantage, Brown closed rapidly in traffic. Just off Parker’s back bumper as they crossed on Lap 16, Brown threw the slide only to have it answered again by PPM.
One final run coming to the white flag, the No. 21 shot sidewise off the exit of the fourth turn, allowing Parker to pull away by 1.074-seconds at the checkered flag.
Brian Brown saved the car and held on for second by a slim 0.268-seconds over Zeb Wise. Fourth went to Terry McCarl, with Garet Williamson crossing fifth. Up eight spots for the KSE Hard Charger, Davey Heskin was sixth, followed by Ryan Giles, Anthony Macri, Daryn Pittman, and Kasey Kahne to complete the top ten.
Another 54 drivers drew in Friday night to bring the total to 104 officially drawn in for the 33rd annual Xtreme Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank out of 109 entered.
The Driver’s Project qualifying was topped by Justin Sanders at 16.649-seconds. AR Dyno Specialty Heat Races were won by Davey Heskin, Brooke Tatnell, Parker Price-Miller, Zeb Wise, and Shane Golobic. The Hoosier Tire C-Feature went to Alex Hill, while Justin Sanders atop the BMRS B-Feature.
The 33rd annual Xtreme Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank concludes on Saturday, August 5. For more information, log onto http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com.
Live coverage of Knoxville Raceway can be found at http://www.dirtvision.com.
The 2023 season will mark the 32nd year of competition for the American Sprint Car Series. Spearheaded by the American Sprint Car Series National Tour, the ASCS Nation includes Regional Tours that encompass both wing and non-wing competition.
For other news, notes, and information on any of the tours under the ASCS banner, log onto http://www.ascsracing.com, follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ascsracing).
Bryan Hulbert | American Sprint Car Series
