Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame Inductions Saturday!
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
by Eric Arnold, Track Historian
Four Knoxville Raceway dignitaries will be inducted into the Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Saturday June 24 at 12:00pm Noon in Dyer-Hudson Hall and introduced to the public trackside during the night’s event. The afternoon banquet and luncheon is a reunion for all Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame members and their families. Tickets are free for Hall of Fame members and available to the public for a cost of $5. Ticket must be purchased by Friday June 23rd at the ticket office, call 641-842-5431.
The inductions will mark the 39th 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 during Saturday’s Mid-Season Championships presented by Farm Bureau.
The Knoxville Raceway Hall of Fame will welcome;
Track Official: Craig Johnson (Prairie City, IA)
Craig Johnson was a track official for 36 years and was most notably seen on the front stretch for the longest period of time helping with the time trials lineup order. He served as a corner official at times and as an assistant flagman. He and his brother Gary also volunteered for several duties as a teenagers helping their parents Boge & Anita, who were long-time track officials. Craig now joins his parents and brother in the Hall of Fame.
Driver: Danny Lasoski (Dover, MO)
Danny Lasoski has a record 111 career 410 feature wins at Knoxville, four Knoxville Nationals wins (1998, 2001, 2003, 2004), the winner of the 1995 360 Knoxville Nationals, and a record 11 track championships! He is also the 2001 World of Outlaws champion, the 2006 National Sprint Tour series champion, and the 2015 and 2016 National Sprint League champion. His first win at Knoxville came on June 2, 1984 and has won at least one feature in 31 of the past 33 seasons. The most decorated driver in track history is also the first to be inducted as an active competitor.
Track Official: Jim Roush (Knoxville, IA)
Jim Roush was active around the Knoxville Raceway for over 40 years in a variety of capacities ranging from track official, safety crew, push truck marshall, beer sales, plumbing, and as a member of the Marion County Fair Association volunteering his time for several projects to help improve the facility and represent the track at local trade shows and fairs. Jim passed away in 2007.
Mechanic/Owner: Jeff Woodruff (Knoxville, IA)
Jeff Woodruff has been a long-time crew chief in the Knoxville pit area. He has won a combined total of 50 features with ten different drivers and five track championships. He won the 360 track championship in 1987 with Mike Chadd as crew chief and co-owner of the 55 Rasmussen Jensen Construction team. His four 410 track championships came in 1997 and 1998 with Skip Jackson, 2000 with Terry McCarl, and 2006 with Billy Alley. He was named Knoxville Raceway mechanic of the year in 2003 when he and Travis Cram nearly won a championship. Other drivers he was been to victory lane with are Terry Thorson, Randy Smith, Craig Dollansky and Dusty Zomer.
All three sprint car classes will be in action Saturday night for Farm Bureau Mid-Season Championship Night! The 305, 360 and 410 classes have been ultra-competitive this season! Hot laps get underway at 6:45 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, kids 12 and under are free!
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