Madsen brothers lock in Knoxville Nationals A-Main

Following Day 2 of qualifying at the 62nd Knoxville Nationals in Iowa, Australian brothers Kerry and Ian Madsen have gained straight access into Saturday’s A Main feature.

Five Aussies were in action over Day 2 of qualifying, including Ian Madsen, Lachlan McHugh, Jamie Veal, Rusty Hickman, and Trent Pigdon.

The A Main was taken out by Carson Macedo, who goes through to Staurday’s A Main as the fifth highest points qualifier. After a race interrupted by numerous yellow and red flags, he took the chequered over Kyle Larson and Spencer Bayston.

Macedo took out Thursday’s A Main at the Knoxville National’s over Kyle Larson. Image: Richard Hathaway

After James McFadden finished eighth in the points total on Wednesday, his total of 447 points was just two points short of direct access to Saturdays A-Main, or the “Granddaddy of em all” as it’s also known.

He will however have a front row start for the B Main, in which the top-four qualify for positions 17-20 in the feature, with the seven other Aussies needing to go through the “Hard Knox” last chance qualifying on Friday.

Ian Madsen was by far the highest placed Aussie across Thursdays qualifying, with the ultimate honours going to Carson Macedo in the A-Main final, whilst NASCAR star Kyle Larson took the biggest points haul (482) over Rico Abreu (480) – final points table at bottom of article.

Rusty Hickman’s Thursday qualifying didnt go to plan, and will be facing off in Friday’s Hard Knox to get through to Saturday after not making it out of the C Main. Image: Richard Hathaway

Yesterday’s A-main winner Donny Schatz finished third in the points total, with fellow Eldora winner Logan Schuchart roistering fourth.

Things started off well for Madsen in the trials finishing fifth out of 54 entrants with a 15.911s pass, whilst his fourth place in Heat 5 put him straight through to the A Main where he finished 15th after initially starting in P6.

Victorian champion Jamie Veal was the next highest placed Aussie in the time trials in 27th, with both he and McHugh placing in the top four in their respective heats to go through to Thursdays feature.

Jamie Veal made it through to the Thursday’s A Main but finished in 20th. Image: Richard Hathaway

Rookie Trent Pigdon struggled for competitive pace from the get go, finishing fourth last in the opening time trials, and was then one of the four non-heat qualifiers.

Hickman also entered the Heats having placed P40 in the trials, and after finishing last in his Heat, he was knocked out by finishing second last in the C Main.

For the whole field of non-qualifiers, they now face Fridays “Hard Knox”, where a similar format will see the top-four of the A-Main qualify for spots 21-24 in Saturdays big one.

McHugh was the other Aussie to make it to the A Main, finishing in 16th behind Madsen. Image: Richard Hathaway

For the Australian competitors, that includes McHugh, Pigdon, Hickman, Veal, Lynton Jeffrey, Brooke Tatnell, and Scott Bogucki.

The rest of the field will be put into the E Main (10 Laps), D Main (12 laps), C Main (15 laps) and B Main (22 laps) on the Saturday, where the top four of the E, D and C advance up in each race to fill the remaining spots in the B Main.

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