Knowland Earns Sr. Animal Win In TKQMA Opener

Taegan Knowland and his team in victory lane at the Topeka Quarter Midget Association. (Race Face Brand Development photo)

TOPEKA, Kan. – A win in the Senior Animal division highlighted Taegan Knowland’s tripleheader slate during the Topeka Quarter Midget Association season opener over the weekend.

After starting from the outside of the front row, Knowland worked his way into the lead on the opening lap and eventually won the 12-lap feature over J.P. Shotts and Dash Forsberg.

The Light 160 and Senior Honda division main events proved to be a bit more of a challenge for the 10-year-old Kansan, as Knowland finished third and fourth, respectively, in those contests.

Knowland started fifth in the 40-lap Light 160 feature, working his way into the lead near the midpoint of the race but stumbling slightly on a late-race restart after several caution flags. The race was ultimately won by Forsberg, with Garrett Houk besting Knowland for runner-up honors.

The 40-lap Senior Honda feature set up well at the start for Knowland, as he started on the pole and led the opening 18 laps before spinning after contact with a lapped car.

From there, Knowland’s No. 17 had to work back through the field from 10th place, and he fought valiantly through traffic en route to a fourth-place finish, just behind Carter Shartzer and Ashlyn Mattox on the podium.

Despite only one checkered flag among the three features, Knowland left the track brimming with optimism after finding the front of the field at some point in every race he contested Saturday.

“It was the first real hot day and sunny day in Kansas, which made for some tough handling conditions after practicing in cooler weather before the season opener,” noted Knowland. “It was a decent start to the year, especially as we overcame some of our handling issues in the hot weather. Overall, it was a good way to fire off with a victory in Senior Animal, and I look forward to what’s ahead this weekend with my Bandolero team in Nashville.”

Saturday also marked the debut of ATP Restoration as a major sponsor of Knowland’s race team.

ATP Restoration is a team of highly qualified professionals providing solutions for disaster recovery and remediation, including emergency, comprehensive turnkey services. The firm’s IICRC-certified teams are equipped to handle any loss, from first notice of loss to complete reconstruction of a home or business.

From water clean up to fire restoration, ATP Restoration handles emergency losses such as water, storm, and fire damage, assessing the situation before taking appropriate action to eliminate further damage.

Additional sponsors of Knowland’s racing efforts include the Friends of Jacklyn Foundation, Qdoba of Topeka, Manhattan and Junction City, Royal Signs, Thrivent Financial, and DC Lawn Care.

Knowland will return to action April 19-20 at the Nashville (Tenn.) Fairgrounds Speedway quarter mile, racing a Bandolero for Race Driven Performance in the INEX Spring Nationals.

It will mark Knowland’s first Bandolero appearance of the young season.

About Taegan Knowland

Taegan Knowland is a 10-year-old Kansan whose dreams of racing were strong from his earliest years. A first-generation racer, Knowland began racing quarter midgets in 2021 and has since compiled a record of more than 30 victories, including a highlight win in 2022 at historic Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway.

Knowland currently races quarter midgets nationally in the NASCAR Youth Series (formerly the USAC.25 Series) and has also branched out into Bandolero car racing, with plans to compete for Race Driven Performance in the prestigious Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and other major INEX-sanctioned events.

For more information on Taegan Knowland, visit his website at https://taeganknowlandracing.com/.

Fans can also follow Knowland on Facebook and Instagram at Taegan Knowland Racing.