The Sprint Car Capital of the World

In the cornfields we remain for a day longer, as we find ourselves in one of the most hollowed grounds a racer can set their eyes on: the Knoxville Raceway.

make no mistake about it: this place is a national landmark

Overview and History

Known worldwide as the “Sprint Car Capital of the World”, the Knoxville Raceway has been home to racing since 1878. Yes, before the automobile was even invented has this track been around, owned and opened today by the Marion County Fair Association. Originally used for horse racing, the first 2-automobile contest didn’t happen until 1901, with the first official “race” in 1914. The facility didn’t receive a grandstand until the start of America’s involvement in WWI, and hosted high school football games in the infield until around the time WW2 started. Once the world stopped tearing each other apart for awhile, stock car races became popular around the country, most especially at Knoxville.

no idea when this image is from, but my goodness is this beyond vintage

Along with the big events recognized now, the track has hosted weekly racing since 1954, sanctioned by the Southern Iowa Stock Car Racing Association. The half mile dirt oval is home to the most prestigious sprint car race in the world: the Knoxville Nationals. It was first held in 1961, only 5 years removed from the Marion County Fair Board sanctioning races at the track, and was won by Roy Robbins in his famous #37 Chevrolet. A race only meant for super modifieds at first, the Nationals have been held every year since, apart from 2020. 

Kyle Larson's #57 car in victory lane after winning the 2024 Knoxville Nationals

It wasn’t until 1974 that the current 4-day format and point scoring system was created as a result of Marion Robinson’s departure and the introduction of P. Ray Grimes as primary promoter, who spearheaded the changes. In addition to the main 410 sprint cars, a 360 sprint car event was added in 1991, held a week before the main Nationals weekend. Late Models followed 13 years later, usually held at the end of September.

the left rear wheel looks like it's about to fall off, these cars are wild

In 2021, the Knoxville Raceway made its debut on the Craftsman Truck Series calendar as the dirt track replacement for Eldora, the second of 2 dirt races on the year after the inauguration of the Bristol Dirt Race 4 months before Knoxville’s debut. To say things went rough is… a bit of an understatement. The race is remembered as a wreckfest at the end of the night, with numerous overtime finishes all just for Austin Hill to take the victory. In the words of a YouTube comment on the race replay of the 2021 edition, “It took 45 minutes to run the last 5 laps… That’s both sad and hilarious.”

The 2022 race wasn’t remembered too fondly either, with Jessica Friesen going end over end in her #62 Halmar Truck in turn 4 at one point in the night. The flip itself wasn’t the egregious part, however; it was the fact that FOX’s cameras did not capture ANY decent angle of the sidewinder soiree she went on. The only reliable angles found in the multiple years since is an infield shot and a fan video from the grandstands that only gets the latter half of her wreck. The track was unfortunately removed from the Truck calendar for 2023.

how an entire camera crew, director, technical director, executive producer, and replay ops miss a whole 3000+ lb truck flipping through dirt and mud multiple times is still BAFFLING to me years after the fact; it's incomprehensible

Did You Know?

- Notable NASCAR drivers to have won the Knoxville Nationals include Kyle Larson (the most recent winner and victor of 3 out of the last 4), Brad Sweet, Dave Blaney (in 1997, 3 years before his Cup debut), and the King of sprint cars Steve Kinser, who won 3 in a row from 1980 to 1982, won 3 in a row AGAIN from 1986 to 1988, then FIVE in a row from 1991 to 1995, and again in 2002 after his cousin Mark had won 3 times after ‘95, a total of 12 victories (the most all-time).

- Steve’s son Kraig Kinser, who went on to drive for MB2/Ginn Racing in the Truck Series, won the Nationals in 2005, making Steve and Kraig the first father-son duo to have won the famed feature.

- The Knoxville Nationals began airing on TV in 1987, with TNN picking up coverage. In the present day, DIRTVision carries the rights to the weekend’s events.

- In 2015, McKenna Haase became the first female driver to win a feature race at Knoxville, the first in 114 years, in a 360 sprint car in only her second season at only 18 years of age.

- The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame is located on the outside of turn 2 overlooking the backstretch, opening in 1992 and housing some of the most famous sprint cars in history with rotating exhibits and trophy display cases.

- Brian Brown owns the 410 Winged Sprint track record at Knoxville, set in May 2021 with a lap of 14.351 seconds at an average speed of 125 MPH. 

- In 1998, Danny Lasoski made an incredible last lap pass in the A-main feature race smack dab in front of the Hall of Fame building in turn 2 to take his first of 4 victories in the main event, with a massive run on the bottom of the track that sent Ralph Sheheen berserk in the commentary booth.

the clip of the last lap ALONE makes me want to watch this year's Nationals

How Do You Win Here?

Contrary to some major dirt tracks where the high line is prevalent to success, the bottom groove at Knoxville is the ticket to victory oftentimes; it’s primarily how Steve Kinser got a dozen victories in the Granddaddy of Them All. The method of “slow in, fast out” is the catalyst to running the bottom well in the turns, requiring drivers to be patient when entering the corner to maximize grip through the middle of the turn to get the fast run of momentum out of it. The left front tire MUST be placed perfectly up against the mound of dirt to the driver’s left that denotes the racing line, along with proper timing on the pedals to maintain fast laptimes around the 7 degree banks.

While Knoxville Raceway isn’t in anyone’s plans at NASCAR to revisit anytime soon, the sprint cars will always make their return to the Sprint Car Capital of the World, and will do so again in 2025 for the Knoxville Nationals the weekend of September 20th.

A shame the Trucks don't go here anymore, this place is legendary

On the next episode of 2025 Daytona 500 countdown...

Grab your windbreakers, some wireless batteries, and an emergency hotspot because it's gonna get quite blustery tomorrow...