Dover Eager to Move Forward Following Frustrating Moment at Knoxville Nationals - Speedway Digest

Jack Dover showcased speed throughout the 63 rd annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s.

Dover drove for Tim Estenson Motorsports at the marquee event hosted by Knoxville Raceway last weekend, when a simple mistake proved costly.

Dover kicked off the event last Wednesday by qualifying sixth quickest. He placed eighth in a heat race and 10 th in the B Main. The team returned to the half-mile oval on Friday for Hard Knox Night and Dover continued to hone in. Out of 80-plus competitors, he qualified 10 th quickest in his group and placed second in a heat race to transfer into the main event. However, Dover didn’t drive to the scales directly after the race and was disqualified.

“I’ve never had that in my entire career,” he said. “I was so in a zone. I heard my two-way radio, but I couldn’t tell you a word they said. I was pumped. I had figured the points I had and where we were sitting. We were going to have the best run I’ve ever had in my career at the Knoxville Nationals. I was thinking about the important things except the most important thing at that time.

“I’m very disappointed in myself. I’ve been doing this a long time to make a silly mistake like that. We probably would have started third or fourth row in the A Main. We’ve been trying this for 18 years and finally put ourselves in a good spot and I made a mistake that cost us our best run ever.”

Dover hustled from 11 th to sixth in the C Main and from 21 st to 17 th in a B Main that night. He wrapped up the event the following night by charging from 17 th to 10 th in the D Main. It was the most positions gained in the race when no other driver passed more than two cars.

“I am very, very pleased with the speed we had,” he said. “I was not expecting to have the speed and results that we had to be honest. The first night at Knoxville was my fourth night in a race car this season. We passed a ton of cars all week.”

Dover will drive for Tim Estenson Motorsports this Friday at Midway Speedway in Lebanon, Mo.; Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.; and Sunday at Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo., during a POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprints tripleheader.

“My expectations are high,” he said. “I think we can run in the top three every night. After last week I feel great. Considering it was my fourth through sixth races of the season, we had really good speed and passed a lot of cars so that makes me feel really good.”

QUICK RESULTS –

Aug. 7 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 6; Heat race: 8 (7); B Main: 10 (6).

Aug. 9 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – Qualifying: 10; Heat race: DQ (1); C Main: 6 (11); B Main: 17 (21).

Aug. 10 – Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa – D Main: 10 (17).

SEASON STATS –

6 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 2 top 10s, 2 top 15s, 2 top 20s

UP NEXT –

Friday at Midway Speedway in Lebanon, Mo.; Saturday at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.; and Sunday at Missouri State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, Mo., with the POWRi 410 Outlaw Sprints

ILP PR