Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame Welcomes Five New Members
Knoxville Hall of Fame
Friday, June 20, 2014
Five Knoxville Raceway dignitaries will be inducted into the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Saturday June 21 at 3:00pm in the Show Pavilion, and introduced to the public trackside during the night’s event. The afternoon banquet and luncheon is free for Hall of Fame members and open to the public for a cost of $15. The meal will be pork loin, potatoes, beans, rolls, pop/water, ticket must be purchased by Thursday at the ticket office, call 641-842-5431.
The inductions will mark the 36th year that the track has honored those who have made "Knoxville" a world-wide name. The inductions will be a part of this weekend’s festivities including “Nostalgia at Knoxville” on Friday night, June 20, and Saturday’s Mid-Season Championships presented by Farm Bureau.
The Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame will welcome owner-driver Craig Agan, safety crew member Randy Brisel, driver-owner-media member Tony Moro, longtime Marion County Fair Board member Grant Rankin, and driver Jeff Tuttle.
Craig Agan (Knoxville, Iowa) has been a passionate fan of Knoxville Raceway since he was a child. In the early 1980’s Craig helped several drivers as a crew member which ultimately led to Craig’s racing career in 1988 and 1989 in the 360 class. He hung up the helmet and became a collector and restorer of vintage sprint cars. Craig was instrumental in the initial fund-raising to get the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum built in 1991 and while there as an employee served as the Marketing Director for 15 years and on that museum’s Board of Directors. He has also donated his collection of cars to be on display in the museum. In 1997 Craig became a car owner again, this time for his son Jon to get his racing career started, and he remains involved with Agan Motorsports still today.
Randy Brisel (Newton, Iowa) joined the Knoxville Raceway safety crew in July of 1973 and loyally served for 40 years through the 2013 season. Randy was committed by being at the track each week to help drivers climb from their cars and to help improve safety. He has seen a lot of great racing, from Opperman and Weld to Kinser and Schatz. He has also had to deal with leaving the racetrack with a heavy heart on several occasions, but he wouldn’t trade his involvement for a minute. Safety awareness evolved dramatically in Randy’s time, seeing improvements in helmets, arm restraints, seats, HANS devices. The safety crew at the Knoxville Raceway is second to none in dirt track racing thanks to people like Randy. Randy’s son Dustin continues the family tradition today as a member of the fire crew.
Tony Moro (Des Moines, Iowa) has been a driver, owner, and media member over the years at the Knoxville Raceway. Tony raced in the 360 class in 1992 and 1993 and in the 410 class from 1994-1996. He has been instrumental in helping his son Matt start racing. Tony was the host of the Knoxville Raceway Weekly television program from 1997-2002 that aired on cable TV each week with highlights of the prior week’s races. Sprint car feature wins eluded Tony as a driver at Knoxville, but he won as an owner. Tony has also won four Dirt Truck features at Knoxville as a driver.
Grant Rankin (Bussey, Iowa) was a member of the Marion County Fair Board from 1981-2013, serving three terms as Vice President, and two terms as President from 1987-1988 and 1990-1991. Grant’s contributions can be felt all across the fairgrounds as he was instrumental in overseeing several projects in which he helped the facilities improve and grow. His dedication and hospitality to race fans, drivers, owners, and sponsors helped make Knoxville Raceway what it is today. He has been a tireless ambassador for this track at numerous venues throughout the years, not only locally but nationwide.
Jeff Tuttle’s (Des Moines, Iowa) career as a driver at the Knoxville Raceway spanned from the 1983 to 1996 seasons. In that time he accumulated 9 career feature wins in the 410 class. The winter of 1986-1987 Jeff spent racing in Australia and when he came home for 1987 he had his best season when he won 5 features in the first 9 weeks that year. He finished in the top five of Knoxville Raceway season points five times, with his best finish coming in 1991 as the runner-up to Randy Smith. Jeff drove his father’s #10 sprinter the majority of his career at Knoxville, but also drove for the Jordan Brothers, VanderEckens, and the Larry Ball Racing #3B. Jeff joins his father, Bob Tuttle, who was inducted into the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame 1997.
See the cars that made Knoxville home on Friday night at “Nostalgia at Knoxville”. Admission is just $5 for adults, and it’s FREE for 19 and under. Pit passes are also $5. Festivities get underway at 6:45 p.m.
All three sprint car classes will be in action Saturday night. The 305, 360 and 410 classes have been ultra-competitive this season! Hot laps get underway at 6:45 p.m. Saturday night. Admission is $15 for adults, 19 & under are FREE admission this Saturday night!
For more information on these events and on the inductees, keep an eye on the track’s website at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
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