Twin Top 10s Help Knowland Extend Shootout Points Gains

Taegan Knowland in action during the Cook Out Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway. (Maci Prowell photo)

CONCORD, N.C. – Kansas racer Taegan Knowland continued his climb up the Cook Out Summer Shootout point standings with twin top 10s during rounds five and six of the 10-race series at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Knowland’s week at the frontstretch quarter mile was highlighted by a fifth-place finish Monday, finishing where he qualified but fighting among the leaders for the entire 20-lap Bandolero Bandits main event.

The 11-year-old Topekan got as high as third in the running order by the halfway point, using the choose rule to his benefit and battling with the likes of point leader Brexton Busch and standouts Evan Johnson and James Behnke along the way.

Knowland and Behnke renewed their duel from round four by again fighting for position late in the race.

A week ago it was for second; this time it was for fourth at the checkers, with Knowland just missing out in a photo finish at the flagstand by .063 seconds.

The Tuesday finish to the doubleheader saw Knowland again qualify fifth, but line up second after the invert in his best starting position of the summer thus far.

Knowland got a solid start to hold the runner-up spot in the early laps, before being shuffled off the bottom and falling back as far as sixth on lap eight of 20. He got back to fourth, but was tagged from behind at halfway and spun, bringing out the caution and falling to the rear as a result.

He rallied back from 13th to 10th, but had too much ground to make up at that point and could advance no further over the remaining seven laps after moving into 10th place.

Despite the frustrating end to his round-six run, Knowland still focused on the positives after improving to sixth in Summer Shootout Bandits points, just five markers behind Cale Weavil for a spot in the top five.

“Tuesday wasn’t what we hoped for, but you’ll have that when everyone is racing so close together and the field is aggressive like they are at the Summer Shootout,” Knowland explained. “Our Monday race was really strong and I think we showed that we’re here and ready to contend for the rest of the summer. We know our Race Driven Performance team has the speed to fight for wins and I want to be able to race with Brexton before the 10 races are up.

“He’s undefeated right now, but we want to change that, and my goal is definitely to battle for a win over these last four races.”

Knowland feels his confidence and comfort driving the Bandolero cars is at an all-time high after his consistency has improved throughout the summer stretch.

“I feel so much better now than I did even during the Spring Series [in Tennessee] and I’m learning more and more about the lines and what it takes to be fast at Charlotte,” he added. “It’s a tricky track, but track time is what helps you improve and I’m getting that each week.”

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; DC Lawn Care; and TruHeight Vitamins for their continued support of his racing efforts.

The 32nd season of Cook Out Summer Shootout action continues Tuesday night, July 8 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 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 on Taegan Knowland, visit his website at www.taeganknowlandracing.com.