WoO Notes: Massive Field For Knoxville Opener
KNOXVILLE, Iowa — There’s never a bad time to visit The Sprint Car Capital of the World.
The entire sport converges on Knoxville Raceway in August for the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s, but the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars make a pair of trips prior to The Nationals.
The first is set for this weekend (April 18-19) as The Greatest Show on Dirt heads to the Marion County Fairgrounds for the first leg of the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash. Not only will it be the World of Outlaws’ first visit to the historic half-mile this year, but it’ll also mark the first race of 2025 for Knoxville.
The fun starts before the racing even kicks off. On Thursday at 2 p.m. CT, fans can attend the grand opening of the Dennis Albaugh Suite Tower next to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum outside Turn 2. Then, later that night, engines will come to life as the track hosts a practice session that’s free for fans to attend.
A massive field of cars is expected to fill the pit area as Knoxville opens their gates for the first time this year.
SCHATZVILLEFor as long as Donny Schatz is racing sprint cars, he’ll always top the headlines when the World of Outlaws roll into Knoxville.
The 10-time series champion owns 30 victories at Knoxville. Eleven of those are Knoxville Nationals titles, ranking second behind only Steve Kinser’s dozen. Outside of Nationals competition, Schatz has picked up another 11 World of Outlaws checkered flags in four different months including an April win in 2007.
Schatz carries the momentum of his best weekend of the year into the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash. He drove from 18th to sixth on night one at I-55 before taking the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 to his first podium of the season on Saturday.
BUILDING MOMENTUMDavid Gravel and Big Game Motorsports pulled ahead early, but as of late Carson Macedo and his Jason Johnson Racing crew may be the hottest team on tour.
They’ve put together six podiums in the last eight races with a 3.38 average finish over that stretch. Macedo is fresh off a win and a runner-up at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park. The recent speed has allowed the Lemoore, Calif., native to trim David Gravel’s lead atop the points down to 64 markers.
Knoxville is a special place for the JJR crew. Jason Johnson’s epic triumph in the 2016 Knoxville Nationals will never be forgotten. It’s also where Macedo took the No. 41 to victory lane in the team’s first race back during the 2018 360 Nationals after Johnson’s passing.
Macedo owns four wins at the half-mile, and they’ve all come with Jason Johnson Racing. Recently, he topped a 2023 Knoxville Nationals prelim. He also swept the 2021 June World of Outlaws weekend.
OUTLAW EXCELLENCESchatz and Macedo aren’t the only current World of Outlaws drivers who have experienced success at Knoxville.
David Gravel is a 12-time Knoxville winner, most notably taking the 2019 Knoxville Nationals title. Four of the current point leader’s victories have come since joining Big Game Motorsports including one last June.
Giovanni Scelzi may be a California native, but he now calls Iowa home and has stood in Knoxville victory lane on eight occasions.
Logan Schuchart is the series’ most recent winner entering the weekend after claiming the I-55 finale, and he’s got a trio of Knoxville scores under his belt. His first was the 2018 Hard Knox Night. In 2022, the Hanover, Pa., driver won the Capitani Classic and followed that up with a Nationals prelim win a few days later.
Garet Williamson may be a World of Outlaws rookie, but he’s got plenty of Knoxville experience. He claimed a pair of 360 sprint car wins at the half mile in 2023, and then last year with his current Fischer Motorsports team he got his first in a 410 there.
Sheldon Haudenschild thrilled in 2021 when he wheeled the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink No. 17 from 14th to his first Knoxville win at a local race. He’s still going after one in World of Outlaws competition on the Marion County Fairgrounds.
KNOCKING ON THE DOORThere are a handful of World of Outlaws competitors who’ve come close but are still yet to enjoy the feeling of making that right turn into Knoxville victory lane. They’ll look to seal the deal this weekend.
A Knoxville win remains a missing piece from Michael “Buddy” Kofoid’s résumé. He’s been in the top 10 in half of his 14 starts, peaking with a runner-up in the Roth Motorsports ride against ASCoC in 2023.
Chris Windom was close to Knoxville glory in his wingless days. The current Vermeer Motorsports driver has been in the top five on five occasions with USAC including a pair of runner-up finishes.
Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, and Skylar Gee have also been in the top five at least once at Knoxville but not stood on the top step of the podium yet.
KNOXVILLE KNOWLEDGEKnoxville has one of the healthiest weekly programs as a nation, and as a result many track regulars await to face off with the best in the business with hopes of performing under the bright lights.
Brian Brown calls Missouri home but has become synonymous with Knoxville Raceway. He’s a five-time track champion and Knoxville’s second winningest driver with 66 wins to his credit – three in World of Outlaws competition.
Austin McCarl continues the McCarl family tradition of performing at Knoxville. The Altoona, IA native claimed the two most recent track titles, bringing his total to a trio. One of his three career World of Outlaws top fives came at Knoxville.
Several other regulars are likely to be in attendance including Tasker Phillips, Cole Mincer, Jamie Ball and more.
NATIONALS PREVIEWA massive field is expected to invade and treat fans to a preview of the Knoxville Nationals. In addition to the stars of the World of Outlaws tour and the local contingent, several stout names are planning to join them.
After winning the NASCAR Cup race at Bristol over the weekend, Kyle Larson indicated he’ll be in attendance aboard the Silva Motorsports No. 57. Three of the last four Knoxville Nationals went to “Yung Money.” The Elk Grove, Calif., native owns 12 total wins on the Marion County Fairgrounds.
2013 World of Outlaws champion Daryn Pittman has joined forces with Lunstra Motorsports for select races including this weekend. The Owasso, Okla., driver is a three-time Knoxville Feature winner and sat on the front row of last year’s Nationals.
Tanner Holmes and the Tarlton Motorsports crew are hauling the black No. 21 from the West Coast to Iowa. The combo has already won at California’s Silver Dollar Speedway this year and nearly got another this past weekend. Holmes’ best Knoxville finish is eighth.
Other talented gassers planning on joining the weekend’s roster include Tyler Courtney, Ryan Timms, Chase Randall, Emerson Axsom, Aaron Reutzel and more.
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