The NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals is an annual sprint car event held at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. An Associated Press writer called winning the event "sprint car racing’s premiere title".[1] It is nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All." The event is the biggest and most prestigious race of the year in sprint car racing. The Saturday finale is held on the second Saturday in August. The event is held for four days (Wednesday-Saturday) and is attended annually by approximately 25,000 fans. The event has the highest paying purse in sprint car racing at $1,000,000 which attracts roughly 100 race teams to compete.

Knoxville Nationals
VenueKnoxville Raceway
LocationKnoxville, Iowa
Corporate sponsorNOS Energy Drink | Casey's General Stores
First race1961
Distance25 mi (40 km)
Laps50
Previous namesSuper Modified National Championship (1961–1974)
Super Sprint National Championship (1975–1976)
National Sprint Car Championships (1977)
Knoxville Nationals (1978–1982, 1984, 1986–1990, 1994)
Coors Knoxville Nationals (1983)
Silver Anniversary Knoxville Nationals (1985)
NAPA Knoxville Nationals (1991–1993)
Amoco Knoxville Nationals (1995–2000)
Amoco Ultimate Knoxville Nationals (2001)
Mopar Parts Knoxville Nationals (2002)
Ford Dealers of Iowa Knoxville Nationals (2003)
Knoxville Nationals presented by Midwest Ford Dealers (2004–2005)
Knoxville Nationals presented by Super Clean, Midwest Ford Dealers and Hoosier Racing Tires (2006)
Super Clean Knoxville Nationals (2007–2009)
Goodyear Knoxville Nationals presented by Lucas Oil (2010)
Goodyear Knoxville Nationals (2011–2012)
FVP Knoxville Nationals (2013–2015)
5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores (2016–2018)
NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores (2019, 2021–present)
The One and Only Weekend featuring the Brownells Capitani Classic presented by Great Southern Bank (2020)
Most wins (driver)Steve Kinser (12)
Circuit information
SurfaceDirt | Black Iowa soil (zook clay)
Length0.5 mi (0.80 km)
Turns4

History

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The idea of the Knoxville Nationals was the brainchild of promoter Marion Robinson. The Knoxville Nationals began as a one-day event for Super Modifieds and was later expanded to two, three, and finally four days of racing for Sprint Cars. The first Knoxville Nationals was held in 1961 with Roy Robbins taking the win.

The prize money for the event has grown over the years. The 1961 winner received $1,000 to win and the total purse was $5,455. In 1971 it was $3,000 to win and a total of $22,000. 1982 was $10,000 to win and $100,500. 1991 the winner received $50,000 and the total was $300,120. 1995 it grew to $100,000 to win and $501,000 over all; by 2003 it had risen to $750,000.[2] The purse continued to swell each year and in 2010 it paid $150,000 to win and the total for four days reached $1,000,255.

Some of the events highlights are its surprise upset winners, most notably being Kenny Gritz in 1969, Bobby Allen in 1990, Tim Shaffer in 2010, and Jason Johnson in 2016.

The 1990 Nationals is regarded as one of the best of all time as Doug Wolfgang, off a poor performance in his qualifying day, was sent to the D Main (one of the lowest levels on Finals Saturday) and advanced through the "alphabet soup" of the D-Main, C-Main, B-Main, and finished fifth in the A-Main. Meanwhile, Mark Kinser led the first 22 laps before his engine expired setting up an epic shootout between Sammy Swindell and Bobby Allen, with Allen winning with a pass with two laps remaining. The 1991 event featured 170 entrants and 75,000 fans (in a city of 8,200).[3] There were drivers from 27 states, 6 from Australia, and one from Canada.[3]

For the 2010 Nationals, the feature race was extended to 50 laps, as a celebration for the 50th anniversary of the event. Sammy Swindell led the first 46 laps before his left rear tire blew up. This handed the lead to Donny Schatz who had engine problems, and Tim Shaffer was able to lead the final two circuits to get the win.

In 1969 Kenny Gritz won the Nationals, passing Jan Opperman with four laps remaining. Gritz was fairly new to super modified racing, only competing for four or five seasons. He had won only one feature at Knoxville a couple of months prior and was beginning to peak as a driver. Unfortunately Gritz lost his life two weeks later in a crash at the Nebraska State Fair where IMCA rules at the time did not allow roll cages. His accident sparked the rule change in which roll cages were mandated after that.

Drivers

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The most successful driver in Nationals history is Steve Kinser who has won the event a record 12 times.[4] He leads virtually every major statistic, 17 top five finishes, 26 top ten finishes, won 14 preliminary night features, led 301 championship A-Main laps, set quick time in qualifying 9 times, qualified for the championship race 35 times in 37 entries, including a streak of 34 from 1978 through 2011. In 2005 Steve's son Kraig Kinser won this event, making Steve and Kraig the first father and son to win the Knoxville Nationals.

Donny Schatz has won the event eleven times (2006-2009, 2011–2015, 2017, 2022). Other multiple event winners are Doug Wolfgang a five-time champion, Kenny Weld and Danny Lasoski four-time winners, Mark Kinser and Kyle Larson are both three time champions, and Eddie Leavitt has taken the checkers twice. Larson also won the replacement race in 2020, The One and Only featuring the Capitani Classic.

Statistics

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The event record car count is 166 cars in 1991. Mark Kinser has set the quickest time in qualifying a record ten times. Cody Darrah holds the Nationals event one lap track record with a lap 14.547 in 2009.

Donny Schatz won the championship race in 2013 from 21st starting position, the lowest starting position for a winner since the race was changed to being run in two (2) separate 25 lap segments. The previous record for the lowest position anyone had won from had been 14th by Steve Kinser in 1995 and Jerry Richert 1962, and both drivers accomplished this feat in a single 30 lap race without a controlled break in the middle of the race.

Car owner Karl Kinser has graced victory lane a record 14 times with three different drivers (Dick Gaines, Steve Kinser and Mark Kinser).

Sanctioning body

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From 1961 through 1977, the race was unsanctioned (with the exception of 1973) meaning that it was 'open competition'. The All Star Circuit of Champions sanctioned the 1973 event with winged cars. In 1978 Ted Johnson's World of Outlaws began to sanction the event, and did so through 2005. Because of the sanctioning body split between the WoO and National Sprint Tour in 2006, the Nationals became sanctioned under the Knoxville Raceway track rules. Since 2012 the WoO name has been associated with the race, but the event is still operated by Knoxville Raceway officials.

Female participants

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15 women have participated in the Nationals. Erin Crocker is the only participant to qualify for the championship race and has accomplished that feat twice in 2003 and 2010. The first female entrant was also the first African-American driver, Cheryl Glass in 1982. Other female entrants include Melinda Dumesny (part of both the Nationals-winning Kinser and Dumesny sprint car families) 1991–1992, Lisa French 1992–1993, Shawna Wilsky 1994–1995, Judi Bates 1996–1997, Sarah Fisher 1997–1998, Christi Passmore 2000–2001, Natalie Sather 2005–2006, Becca Anderson 2006, Jessica Friesen (née Zemken) 2006 & 2011, Paige Polyak 2014–2019, Harli White 2017–2019 & 2021-2022, Jenna Frazier 2018, McKenna Haase 2021-2022, and Tori Knutson 2021.

International competition

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In 1979, multiple Australian Sprintcar Champion Garry Rush became the first Australian driver to qualify for the Nationals championship race and finished 7th. Kerry Madsen is the highest finishing Australian, finishing second in 2015 (although he is now legally registered as a local resident). The event is annually attended by over 1,000 people from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and England.

Drivers from Australia who have become or were regular competitors at Knoxville include Australian Championship winners Garry Rush, Max Dumesny who won the 1985 Race of States at the Nationals, becoming the first Australian to win a feature at Knoxville. Others have included Skip Jackson, Jaymie Moyle, Kerry Madsen, Ian Madsen, Garry Brazier, Trevor Green, Mitchell Dumesny, Jamie Veal, James McFadden and current one lap track record holder Brooke Tatnell. In 2018, former World Champion BriSCA Formula 1 Stock Car driver Tom Harris became the first British driver to compete at the Nationals.

List of Knoxville Nationals winners

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Year Driver Car # Owner
1961 Roy Robbins 37 O. J. Huffman
1962 Jerry Richert, Sr. 69 Ted Ready
1963 Greg Weld 92 Taylor "Pappy" Weld
1964 Kenny Weld 94 Taylor "Pappy" Weld
1965 Kenny Weld 94 Taylor "Pappy" Weld
1966 Jay Woodside 9 Ted Hall
1967 Thad Dosher 74 Jack Cunningham
1968 Ray Lee Goodwin 24 Swenson/Williams
1969 Ken Gritz 12 Larry Snyder
1970 Joe Saldana 2 C&L Racing
1971 Jan Opperman 6 Cahill Racing
1972 Kenny Weld 29 Bob Weikert
1973 Kenny Weld 29 Bob Weikert
1974 Dick Gaines 71 Karl Kinser
1975 Eddie Leavitt 40 Ricke/Hill
1976 Eddie Leavitt 4J Galden, Inc.
1977 Doug Wolfgang 20 Bob Trostle
1978 Doug Wolfgang 4x Speedway Motors
1979 Ron Shuman 75A Gary Stanton
1980 Steve Kinser 20 Bob Trostle/Karl Kinser
1981 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1982 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1983 Sammy Swindell 1 Raymond Beadle
1984 Doug Wolfgang 29 Bob Weikert
1985 Doug Wolfgang 29 Bob Weikert
1986 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1987 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1988 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1989 Doug Wolfgang 8D Danny Peace
1990 Bobby Allen 1a Allen Enterprises
1991 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1992 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1993 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1994 Steve Kinser 11 Karl Kinser
1995 Steve Kinser 11 Steve Kinser
1996 Mark Kinser 5M Karl Kinser
1997 Dave Blaney 10 Blaney/Hylton
1998 Danny Lasoski 83 Dennis Roth
1999 Mark Kinser 5M Karl Kinser
2000 Mark Kinser 5M Karl Kinser
2001 Danny Lasoski 20L Tony Stewart
2002 Steve Kinser 11 Steve Kinser
2003 Danny Lasoski 20 Tony Stewart
2004 Danny Lasoski 20 Tony Stewart
2005 Kraig Kinser 11K Steve Kinser
2006 Donny Schatz 15 Schatz Motorsports
2007 Donny Schatz 15 Schatz Motorsports
2008 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2009 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2010 Tim Shaffer 83 Call/Holbrook Motorsports
2011 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2012 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2013 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2014 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2015 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2016 Jason Johnson 41 Jason Johnson Racing
2017 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2018 Brad Sweet 49 Kasey Kahne Racing
2019 David Gravel 41 Jason Johnson Racing
2020 Replaced by The One and Only (COVID-19 pandemic)
2021 Kyle Larson 57 Silva Motorsports
2022 Donny Schatz 15 Tony Stewart
2023 Kyle Larson 57 Silva Motorsports
2024 Kyle Larson 57 Silva Motorsports

Multiple victories by driver

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Wins Driver Years Won
12 Steve Kinser 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002
11 Donny Schatz 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2022
5 Doug Wolfgang 1977, 1978, 1984, 1985, 1989
4 Danny Lasoski 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004
4 Kenny Weld 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973
3 Mark Kinser 1996, 1999, 2000
3 Kyle Larson 2021, 2023, 2024
2 Eddie Leavitt 1975, 1976

Additional Info

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  • Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz both hold the record for most consecutive wins at 5.
  • Steve Kinser and Kraig Kinser are the only father-son duo to have won the Knoxville Nationals.
  • Greg Weld and Kenny Weld are the only brothers that have both won the Knoxville Nationals.
  • Steve Kinser (1986-1987) and Kyle Larson (2023-2024) are the only two drivers to lead all laps in the A-Main in back to back years.

360 Knoxville Nationals

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In 1991, the Knoxville Raceway started a Nationals event for 360 cubic inch engine sprint cars. It has been held annually each year since and is held the week before the Knoxville Nationals. Shane Stewart and Terry McCarl hold the record for most wins with five victories each.

360 Knoxville Nationals Champions

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Year Driver Car # Owner
1991 David Hesmer 1 Action Auto Racing
1992 Garry Lee Maier 11x Jimmie Rogers
1993 Garry Lee Maier 11x Jimmie Rogers
1994 Lee Nelson 26 Bob Brody
1995 Danny Lasoski 45 Ray Lipsey
1996 Terry McCarl 51 Brad Gray
1997 David Hesmer 11 Ergenbright Motorsports
1998 Gary Wright 9 Gary Wright
1999 Dennis Moore Jr. 71 Dennis Moore Jr.
2000 Wayne Johnson 29J Fred and Joe Threatt
2001 Terry McCarl 24x Terry McCarl
2002 Jeff Swindell 6s Don Goodson
2003 Dennis Moore Jr. 75x Doug Brown
2004 Billy Alley 22 Stewart and Susette Alley
2005 Billy Alley 22 Stewart and Susette Alley
2006 Jesse Giannetto D1 Bulldogg Motorsports
2007 Shane Stewart 1HD Mike Doyle
2008 Wayne Johnson 94 Mike and Tim Hammers/Robbie Forbes
2009 Terry McCarl 24 Tod Quiring
2010 Shane Stewart 57 Paul Silva
2011 Shane Stewart 57 Paul Silva
2012 Shane Stewart 57 Paul Silva
2013 Shane Stewart 57 Paul Silva
2014 Brian Brown 21 Brian Brown
2015 Terry McCarl 24 Terry McCarl
2016 Sammy Swindell 3s A.G. Rains
2017 Clint Garner 40 Boyd and Glenda Fluth
2018 Terry McCarl 24 Terry McCarl
2019 James McFadden 9M Kasey Kahne
2020 Kerry Madsen 2M Tod Quiring
2021 Giovanni Scelzi 18 Bret Nehring and Matthew Barbara
2022 Aaron Reutzel 8 Ridge & Sons Racing
2023 Brian Brown 21 Brian Brown
2024 Tyler Courtney 7BC Clauson Marshall Racing

Multiple victories by driver

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Wins Driver Years Won
5 Shane Stewart 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
5 Terry McCarl 1996, 2001, 2009, 2015, 2018
2 Billy Alley 2004, 2005
2 Wayne Johnson 2000, 2008
2 Dennis Moore Jr. 1999, 2003
2 Garry Lee Maier 1992, 1993
2 David Hesmer 1991, 1997
2 Brian Brown 2014, 2023

Late Model Knoxville Nationals

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In 2004, the Late Model Knoxville Nationals was created and is held annually at the end of September. Scott Bloomquist, Brian Birkhofer, Mike Marlar, and Jimmy Owens are the only repeat champions of the event. In 2021, Mike Marlar became the first three-time winner of the Late Model Knoxville Nationals.[5]

Late Model Knoxville Nationals Champions

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Year Driver Car #
2004 Brian Birkhofer 15B
2005 Scott Bloomquist 0
2006 Brian Shirley 3s
2007 Brady Smith 2
2008 Tim McCreadie 39
2009 Scott Bloomquist 0
2010 Billy Moyer 21
2011 Don O'Neal 71
2012 Steve Francis 15
2013 Darrell Lanigan 29x
2014 Brian Birkhofer 15B
2015 Jared Landers 777
2016 Mike Marlar 157
2017 Mike Marlar 157
2018 Jimmy Owens 20
2019 Jimmy Owens 20
2020 Not Held (Track closed after Capitani Classic incidents)
2021 Mike Marlar 157
2022 Jonathan Davenport 49
2023 Ricky Thornton Jr. 20RT

Multiple victories by driver

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Wins Driver Years Won
3 Mike Marlar 2016, 2017, 2021
2 Jimmy Owens 2018, 2019
2 Scott Bloomquist 2005, 2009
2 Brian Birkhofer 2004, 2014

References

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  1. ^ Meredith, Luke. "Tim Shaffer wins Knoxville Nationals". Yahoo!. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  2. ^ "50 years of champions" Archived 2012-07-22 at archive.today; Des Moines Register; Retrieved January 17, 2007
  3. ^ a b "Iowa's best-kept secret: Knoxville Nationals" Archived 2013-01-21 at archive.today; Bryce Miller; August 17, 1991 Des Moines Register; Retrieved January 17, 2007
  4. ^ "Past Knoxville Nationals Winners | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  5. ^ "Mike Marlar wins historic third Knoxville Late Model Nationals - NBC Sports". MotorSportsTalk | NBC Sports. 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
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