Knoxville Nationals

Sprint car event

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". 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.

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. 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 75000 fans (in a city of 8200). There were drivers from 27 states, 6 from Australia, and one from Canada. 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 three time champ, and Eddie Leavitt & Kyle Larson each have taken the checkers twice.

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. The previous record for the lowest position anyone had won from had been 14th by Steve Kinser in 1995 and Jerry Richert 1962. Car owner Karl Kinser has graced victory lane a record 14 times with three different drivers (Dick Gaines, Steve Kinser and Mark Kinser).

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.

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.

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.

YearDriverCar #Owner1961Roy Robbins37O. J. Huffman1962Jerry Richert, Sr.69Ted Ready1963Greg Weld92Taylor "Pappy" Weld1964Kenny Weld94Taylor "Pappy" Weld1965Kenny Weld94Taylor "Pappy" Weld1966Jay Woodside9Ted Hall1967Thad Dosher74Jack Cunningham1968Ray Lee Goodwin24Swenson/Williams1969Ken Gritz12Larry Snyder1970Joe Saldana2C&L Racing1971Jan Opperman6Cahill Racing1972Kenny Weld29Bob Weikert1973Kenny Weld29Bob Weikert1974Dick Gaines71Karl Kinser1975Eddie Leavitt40Ricke/Hill1976Eddie Leavitt4JGalden, Inc.1977Doug Wolfgang20Bob Trostle1978Doug Wolfgang4xSpeedway Motors1979Ron Shuman75AGary Stanton1980Steve Kinser20Bob Trostle/Karl Kinser1981Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1982Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1983Sammy Swindell1Raymond Beadle1984Doug Wolfgang29Bob Weikert1985Doug Wolfgang29Bob Weikert1986Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1987Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1988Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1989Doug Wolfgang8DDanny Peace1990Bobby Allen1aAllen Enterprises1991Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1992Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1993Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1994Steve Kinser11Karl Kinser1995Steve Kinser11Steve Kinser1996Mark Kinser5MKarl Kinser1997Dave Blaney10Blaney/Hylton1998Danny Lasoski83Dennis Roth1999Mark Kinser5MKarl Kinser2000Mark Kinser5MKarl Kinser2001Danny Lasoski20LTony Stewart2002Steve Kinser11Steve Kinser2003Danny Lasoski20Tony Stewart2004Danny Lasoski20Tony Stewart2005Kraig Kinser11KSteve Kinser2006Donny Schatz15Schatz Motorsports2007Donny Schatz15Schatz Motorsports2008Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2009Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2010Tim Shaffer83Call/Holbrook Motorsports2011Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2012Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2013Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2014Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2015Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2016Jason Johnson41Jason Johnson Racing2017Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2018Brad Sweet49Kasey Kahne Racing2019David Gravel41Jason Johnson Racing2020Postponed until 2021 due to the COVID 19 pandemic2021Kyle Larson57Silva Motorsports2022Donny Schatz15Tony Stewart2023Kyle Larson57Silva Motorsports

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.

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.

YearDriverCar #Owner1991David Hesmer1Action Auto Racing1992Garry Lee Maier11xJimmie Rogers1993Garry Lee Maier11xJimmie Rogers1994Lee Nelson26Bob Brody1995Danny Lasoski45Ray Lipsey1996Terry McCarl51Brad Gray1997David Hesmer11Ergenbright Motorsports1998Gary Wright9Gary Wright1999Dennis Moore Jr.71Dennis Moore Jr.2000Wayne Johnson29JFred and Joe Threatt2001Terry McCarl24xTerry McCarl2002Jeff Swindell6sDon Goodson2003Dennis Moore Jr.75xDoug Brown2004Billy Alley22Stewart and Susette Alley2005Billy Alley22Stewart and Susette Alley2006Jesse GiannettoD1Bulldogg Motorsports2007Shane Stewart1HDMike Doyle2008Wayne Johnson94Mike and Tim Hammers/Robbie Forbes2009Terry McCarl24Tod Quiring2010Shane Stewart57Paul Silva2011Shane Stewart57Paul Silva2012Shane Stewart57Paul Silva2013Shane Stewart57Paul Silva2014Brian Brown21Brian Brown2015Terry McCarl24Terry McCarl2016Sammy Swindell3sA. G. Rains2017Clint Garner40Boyd and Glenda Fluth2018Terry McCarl24Terry McCarl2019James McFadden9MKasey Kahne2020Kerry Madsen2MTod Quiring2021Giovanni Scelzi18Bret Nehring and Matthew Barbara 2022Aaron Reutzel8Ridge & Sons Racing2023Brian Brown21Brian Brown

WinsDriverYears Won5Shane Stewart2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 20135Terry McCarl1996, 2001, 2009, 2015, 20182Billy Alley2004, 20052Wayne Johnson2000, 20082Dennis Moore Jr.1999, 20032Garry Lee Maier1992, 19932David Hesmer1991, 19972Brian Brown2014, 2023

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.

YearDriverCar #2004Brian Birkhofer15B2005Scott Bloomquist02006Brian Shirley3s2007Brady Smith22008Tim McCreadie392009Scott Bloomquist02010Billy Moyer212011Don O'Neal712012Steve Francis152013Darrell Lanigan29x2014Brian Birkhofer15B2015Jared Landers7772016Mike Marlar1572017Mike Marlar1572018Jimmy Owens202019Jimmy Owens202020Postponed until 2021 due to the COVID 19 pandemic2021Mike Marlar1572022Jonathan Davenport492023Ricky Thornton Jr.20RT