JAMES McFADDEN WINS CAPITANI CLASSIC

Feature photo by Paul Arch…James McFadden took the $13,000 Capitani Classic at Knoxville Raceway on Sunday.

By Bill Wright    

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 3, 2025) – It was all James McFadden at the 13th running of the Avanti Windows & Doors Capitani Classic Presented by Great Southern Bank Sunday night at the Knoxville Raceway. The Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia pilot earned $13,000 aboard the Tarlton Racing #21T for his first career 410 victory here.

Daison Pursley, who won the $2,500 K-1 Racegear Pole Shuffle over McFadden earned the pole for the 25-lap main event, but his front row starting mate was too much, leading early over Pursley, Brian Brown, Gio Scelzi and Rico Abreu.

Abreu slid by Scelzi for fourth on lap two. On lap four, Austin McCarl entered the top five on lap four. Contact with another car brought Sheldon Haudenschild to a stop five laps in. Tarlton led Pursley, Brown, Abreu and McCarl back to green flag racing.

Scelzi moved back into the top five on the restart, but by lap ten, McFadden had built his lead to 4.2 seconds. Carson Macedo entered the top five before McFadden was into traffic on lap 13. Macedo and Abreu traded fourth before the latter took the spot for good with eight to go.

At the chequered flag, McFadden won by a healthy margin over Pursley, Brown, Abreu and Macedo. Scelzi, McCarl, Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart and Ryan Timms rounded out the top ten. Anthony Macri earned a $2,500 bonus from Avanti Windows & Doors as the hard-charger.

Seventy-five cars signed in for the event. Pursley and McFadden set quick time in their respective groups. Schuchart, Brad Sweet, Buddy Kofoid, Abreu, Timms and Kerry Madsen won heats. Justin Peck won the C main, and Sye Lynch and Justin Sanders won the B’s.

“You strive to win races at places like Knoxville, Williams Grove and Eldora,” said McFadden in Victory Lane. “To win here in the 360 was cool (he was the 2019 360 Knoxville Nationals champion), but man this is bad-ass. I felt really good. We worked at it all night. Not doing a lot of half-mile laps, you second guess what you’re feeling. The guys just made the right decisions. For the team and myself, it’s a pretty special win.”

Join us for the 64th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals Presented by Casey’s August 6-9! For tickets for Wednesday through Friday, or more information on the Knoxville Raceway, visit us online at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!

Photo: James McFadden . . . Capitani Classic winner.(Paul Arch photo).

14th Annual Avanit Windows & Doors Capitani Classic Presented by Great Southern Bank Results

Time Trials Group #1 (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 13-Daison Pursley, Locust Grove, OK 00:15.686[2]; 2. 21-Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO, 00:15.742[3]; 3. 88-Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA,  00:15.826[15]; 4. 42-Sye Lynch, Cowansville, PA, 00:15.844[4]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA, 00:15.996[12]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND, 00:16.025[27]; 7. 14BC-Corey Day, Clovis, CA, 00:16.049[13]; 8. 4W-Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA, 00:16.051[9]; 9. 7S-Chris Windom, Canton, IL, 00:16.073[33]; 10. 1S-Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA, 00:16.081[32]; 11. 49-Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA, 00:16.121[26]; 12. 83-Michael Kofoid, Penngrove, CA, 00:16.122[30]; 13. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH, 00:16.132[14]; 14. 88T-Tanner Thorson, Minden, NV, 00:16.145[6]; 15. 39M-Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA, 00:16.160[31]; 16. 9R-Chase Randall, Waco, TX, 00:16.164[25]; 17. 3L-Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK, 00:16.211[37]; 18. 25-Tim Kaeding, San Jose, CA, 00:16.242[5]; 19. 18T-Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR, 00:16.252[22]; 20. 26-Justin Peck, Monrovia, IN, 00:16.320[38]; 21. 11-Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK, 00:16.344[10]; 22. 8-Jacob Hughes, Hartford, SD, 00:16.344[7]; 23. 17A-Jack Anderson, Newton, IA, 00:16.345[29]; 24. 22-Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA, 00:16.354[11]; 25. 4-Cameron Martin, Ankeny, IA, 00:16.380[24]; 26. 23D-Chase Dietz, York, PA, 00:16.436[36]; 27. 11N-Kasey Jedrzejek, Lagrange, OH, 00:16.438[1]; 28. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, Jonestown, PA, 00:16.461[28]; 29. 55H-Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO, 00:16.493[35]; 30. 12X-Hank Davis, Sand Springs, OK, 00:16.503[23]; 31. 17GP-Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA, 00:16.523[19]; 32. 45C-Derek Hagar, Marion, AR, 00:16.603[16]; 33. 71-Brandon Worthington, Indianola, IA, 00:16.742[18]; 34. 44X-Scotty Johnson, Melcher-Dallas, IA, 00:16.774[21]; 35. 6K-Kaleb Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD, 00:16.787[34]; 36. 24-Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA, NT (20); 37. 27-Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA, NT (8); 38. 39-Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust., NT (17).

Time Trials Group #2 (Qualifying Order0, 2 laps: 1. 21T-James McFadden, Alice Springs, NT, Aust., 00:16.362[12]; 2. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi, Fresno, CA, 00:16.368[3]; 3. 19-Brent Marks, Myerstown, PA, 00:16.374[11]; 4. 24R-Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA, 00:16.395[18]; 5. 23-Garet Williamson, Kingdom City, MO, 00:16.522[6]; 6. 5-Brenham Crouch, Lubbock, TX, 00:16.587[22]; 7. 87-Justin Sanders, Aromas, CA, 00:16.591[24]; 8. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, Sunnyvale, TX, 00:16.612[4]; 9. 55-Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust., 00:16.624[16]; 10. 44-Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA, 00:16.631[8]; 11. 10-Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City, OK, 00:16.663[27]; 12. 19H-Kevin Thomas Jr, Cullman, AL, 00:16.673[9]; 13. 71P-Parker Price Miller, Kokomo, IN, 00:16.699[15]; 14. 27B-Jake Bubak, Arvada, CO, 00:16.757[1]; 15. 1TAZ-Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA, 00:16.775[31]; 16. 14-Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN, 00:16.814[29]; 17. 48-Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA, 00:16.835[5]; 18. 18-Emerson Axsom, Franklin, IN, 00:16.945[36]; 19. 40-Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD, 00:16.955[2]; 20. 52-Blake Hahn, Sapulpa, OK, 00:16.956[14]; 21. 2M-JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA, 00:17.044[32]; 22. 24T-Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN, 00:17.125[21]; 23. 5W-Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg, PA, 00:17.152[26]; 24. 53-Jack Dover, Springfield, NE, 00:17.178[33]; 25. 2KS-Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aust., 00:17.188[37]; 26. 15JR-Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA, 00:17.220[23]; 27. 45X-Landon Crawley, Benton, AR, 00:17.282[28]; 28. 21H-Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK, 00:17.355[34]; 29. 67-Justin Whittall, Vincentown, NJ, 00:17.421[25]; 30. 09-Matt Juhl, Tea, SD, 00:17.479[20]; 31. G5-Gage Pulkrabek, East Grand Forks, MN, 00:17.484[17]; 32. 36-Jason Martin, Lincoln, NE, 00:17.513[30]; 33. 121-RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL, 00:17.776[19]; 34. 23L-Jimmy Light, Pittsboro, IN, 00:18.209[35]; 35. 85J-Logan Julien, Oconomowoc, WI, 00:18.918[7]; 36. 4X-Heath Nestrick, Caddo Mills, TX, 00:19.408[10]; 37. DQ – 1K-Kelby Watt, Adel, IA,[13]

Heat one (started), 8 Laps, 2:20.7: 1. 1S-Logan Schuchart[1]; 2. 13-Daison Pursley[4]; 3. 14BC-Corey Day[2] / 4. 42-Sye Lynch[3]; 5. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[5]; 6. 18T-Tanner Holmes[7]; 7. 9R-Chase Randall[6]; 8. 4-Cameron Martin[9]; 9. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[10]; 10. 8-Jacob Hughes[8]; 11. 17GP-Tim Shaffer[11]; 12. 44X-Scotty Johnson[12]; DNS – 27-Carson McCarl

Heat two (started), 8 Laps, 2:31.0: 1. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 2. 21-Brian Brown[4]; 3. 41-Carson Macedo[3] / 4. 88T-Tanner Thorson[5]; 5. 4W-Jamie Ball[2]; 6. 3L-Daryn Pittman[6]; 7. 6K-Kaleb Johnson[10]; 8. 55H-Hunter Schuerenberg[8]; 9. 23D-Chase Dietz[9]; 10. 26-Justin Peck[7]; 11. 45C-Derek Hagar[10]; DNS – 17A-Jack Anderson; 39-Lynton Jeffrey

Heat three (started), 8 Laps, 2:25.5: 1. 83-Michael Kofoid[1]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz[3]; 3. 88-Austin McCarl[4] / 4. 39M-Anthony Macri[5]; 5. 7S-Chris Windom[2]; 6. 25-Tim Kaeding[6]; 7. 22-Riley Goodno[8]; 8. 71-Brandon Worthington[11]; 9. 11-Roger Crockett[7]; 10. 11N-Kasey Jedrzejek[9]; 11. 12X-Hank Davis[10]; DNS – 24-Terry McCarl

Heat four (started), 8 Laps, 2:32.7: 1. 24R-Rico Abreu[3]; 2. 21T-James McFadden[4]; 3. 44-Chris Martin[1] / 4. 71P-Parker Price Miller[5]; 5. 87-Justin Sanders[2]; 6. 14-Spencer Bayston[6]; 7. 40-Clint Garner[7]; 8. 24T-Christopher Thram[8]; 9. 2KS-Brooke Tatnell[9]; 10. 21H-Brady Bacon[10]; 11. 1K-Kelby Watt[13]; 12. 23L-Jimmy Light[12]; 13. G5-Gage Pulkrabek[11]

Heat five (started), 8 Laps, 2:33.9: 1. 10-Ryan Timms[1]; 2. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi[4]; 3. 48-Danny Dietrich[6] / 4. 23-Garet Williamson[3]; 5. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[2]; 6. 27B-Jake Bubak[5]; 7. 36-Jason Martin[9]; 8. 52-Blake Hahn[7]; 9. 67-Justin Whittall[10]; 10. 5W-Lucas Wolfe[8]; 11. 85J-Logan Julien[11]; DNS – 15JR-Cole Mincer

Heat six (started), 8 Laps, 2:24.3: 1. 55-Kerry Madsen[2]; 2. 19H-Kevin Thomas Jr[1]; 3. 19-Brent Marks[4] / 4. 18-Emerson Axsom[6]; 5. 5-Brenham Crouch[3]; 6. 2M-JJ Hickle[7]; 7. 45X-Landon Crawley[9]; 8. 53-Jack Dover[8]; 9. 1TZ-Tasker Phillips[5]; 10. 121-RJ Johnson[11]; 11. 09-Matt Juhl[10]; 12. 4X-Heath Nestrick[12]

C main (started), 10 Laps, 3:23.3: 1. 26-Justin Peck[3]; 2. 8-Jacob Hughes[1]; 3. 21H-Brady Bacon[2]; 4. 5W-Lucas Wolfe[4] / 5. 17GP-Tim Shaffer[6]; 6. 1K-Kelby Watt[7]; 7. 45C-Derek Hagar[8]; 8. 11N-Kasey Jedrzejek[5]; 9. 85J-Logan Julien[9]; 10. 12X-Hank Davis[10]; 11. 23L-Jimmy Light[11]; DNS – 121-RJ Johnson; 09-Matt Juhl; 4X-Heath Nestrick; G5-Gage Pulkrabek; 17A-Jack Anderson; 24-Terry McCarl; 27-Carson McCarl; 39-Lynton Jeffrey; 15JR-Cole Mincer

Pole Shuffle 1, 2 Laps: 1. Rico Abreu 2. Carson Macedo

Pole Shuffle 2, 2 Laps: 1. Rico Abreu 2. Brent Marks

Pole Shuffle 3, 2 Laps: 1. Rico Abreu 2. Austin McCarl

Pole Shuffle 4, 2 Laps: 1. Gio Scelzi 2. Rico Abreu

Pole Shuffle 5, 2 Laps: 1. Brian Brown 2. Gio Scelzi

Pole Shuffle 6, 2 Laps: 1. James McFadden 2. Brian Brown

Pole Shuffle 7, 2 Laps: 1. Daison Pursley ($2500 from K-1 Racewear) 2. James McFadden

B main one (started), 12 Laps, 3:44.4: 1. 42-Sye Lynch[1]; 2. 39M-Anthony Macri[3]; 3. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[4] / 4. 18T-Tanner Holmes[7]; 5. 6K-Kaleb Johnson[11]; 6. 25-Tim Kaeding[9]; 7. 88T-Tanner Thorson[2]; 8. 26-Justin Peck[19]; 9. 3L-Daryn Pittman[8]; 10. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[14]; 11. 7S-Chris Windom[6]; 12. 4-Cameron Martin[13]; 13. 22-Riley Goodno[12]; 14. 9R-Chase Randall[10]; 15. 21H-Brady Bacon[18]; 16. 4W-Jamie Ball[5]; 17. 71-Brandon Worthington[15]; 18. 11-Roger Crockett[16]; 19. 23D-Chase Dietz[17]; DNS – 55H-Hunter Schuerenberg

B main two (started), 12 Laps, NT: 1. 87-Justin Sanders[4]; 2. 18-Emerson Axsom[3]; 3. 5-Brenham Crouch[6] / 4. 14-Spencer Bayston[7]; 5. 2M-JJ Hickle[9]; 6. 27B-Jake Bubak[8]; 7. 40-Clint Garner[10]; 8. 53-Jack Dover[15]; 9. 45X-Landon Crawley[12]; 10. 2KS-Brooke Tatnell[16]; 11. 52-Blake Hahn[14]; 12. 36-Jason Martin[11]; 13. 8-Jacob Hughes[19]; 14. 24T-Christopher Thram[13]; 15. 5W-Lucas Wolfe[18]; 16. 67-Justin Whittall[17]; 17. 71P-Parker Price Miller[1]; 18. 23-Garet Williamson[2]; 19. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[5]; 20. (DNS) 1TZ-Tasker Phillips

A main (started), 25 Laps, NT: 1. 21T-James McFadden[2]; 2. 13-Daison Pursley[1]; 3. 21-Brian Brown[3]; 4. 24R-Rico Abreu[5]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 6. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi[4]; 7. 88-Austin McCarl[6]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz[9]; 9. 1S-Logan Schuchart[13]; 10. 10-Ryan Timms[14]; 11. 14BC-Corey Day[11]; 12. 19-Brent Marks[7]; 13. 83-Michael Kofoid[17]; 14. 48-Danny Dietrich[18]; 15. 39M-Anthony Macri[21]; 16. 87-Justin Sanders[20]; 17. 49-Brad Sweet[15]; 18. 55-Kerry Madsen[10]; 19. 18-Emerson Axsom[22]; 20. 44-Chris Martin[12]; 21. 19H-Kevin Thomas Jr[16]; 22. 5-Brenham Crouch[24]; 23. 42-Sye Lynch[19]; 24. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[23]. Lap Leader: McFadden 1-25. $2500 Avanti Windows & Doors Hard-charger: Macri.