Knowland Finds Positives Despite Chaotic Shootout Opener
Taegan Knowland leads a pack of cars at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Monday. (Ryan Bille photo)
CONCORD, N.C. – Despite a disappointing result on paper, Taegan Knowland found reasons to be optimistic after Monday’s opening race of the Cook Out Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Wheeling the No. 17 Bandolero entry for Race Driven Performance at the track’s frontstretch quarter mile, Knowland rallied from limited practice, a tough qualifying effort, and brake gremlins that put him behind right at the start of the main event to run as high as fourth at one point.
After a mid-pack qualifying lap in 11th, Knowland found he had no braking ability during the pace laps for the 20-lap feature, forcing him quickly to the work area where his crew made rapid repairs.
Knowland got back out in time for the green flag, but he was a half-lap behind the field and thankfully caught a lap-one caution to get caught up and in contention to pick his way forward.
By halfway, the 11-year-old Topeka, Kan., native had risen to eighth place and was running ninth during a caution with nine to go, when he took advantage of the ‘choose rule’ to move up to sixth on the grid as the third car to elect to restart on the outside lane.
A brilliant restart allowed Knowland to soar to fourth on the top groove down the backstretch, but entering turn three on lap 12 the chain broke and forced his car to a griding halt just past the start-finish line.
With no power, Knowland’s race was over and he was left with 18th in the final rundown, not at all indicative of the pace he found in the middle stages of the round-one feature.
“After all we fought through just to get as high as we did, it’s a real bummer to have a mechanical gremlin take us out of it and not get to know what we could have done,” said Knowland. “I’m super proud of all the Race Driven Performance guys for working hard to get us on track and doing everything they did to give us a chance out there when it mattered. We want to come back from this stronger, now that we know we have the speed to race up front.
“The focus from here is working on qualifying and trying to stay ahead of the eight-ball so that we can start further forward and spend our races fighting up at the front where we belong!”
Prior to weather moving in Tuesday and scuttling feature action for round two of 10, Knowland qualified eighth for the second feature of the summer to put himself in a stronger position to pounce when racing does take place.
Knowland would like to thank marketing partners ATP Restoration; Thrivent Financial; Race Face Brand Development; the Friends of Jacklyn Foundation; Qdoba of Topeka, Manhattan, and Junction City; Jeremiah Bullfrogs Bar & Grille; Daredevil Coffee; Royal Signs; and DC Lawn Care for their continued support of his racing efforts.
The 32nd season of Cook Out Summer Shootout action continues Monday night, June 16 as part of a two-day doubleheader that includes the postponed round-two features for all classes.
Round two rolls off Monday evening with a full program for round three following on Tuesday.
Fans can stream every lap of every Shootout division with a monthly or yearly FloRacing subscription.
For those local to the Topeka area, Jeremiah Bullfrogs Bar & Grille is hosting weekly watch parties in support of Knowland and his team, where fans can come out for a meal and cheer on the No. 17 each race!
About Taegan Knowland
Taegan Knowland is an 11-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 over the past year, competing for Race Driven Performance in the prestigious Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway and other major INEX-sanctioned events.
Away from the racetrack, Knowland is a supporter of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation’s mission to better the lives of children affected by pediatric cancer and their families, and is also a member of his school choir.
For more information, including race results and team news, visit Knowland’s official website at www.taeganknowlandracing.com.
