Every August, over 100 drivers dream of rolling onto Knoxville Raceway as one of the 24 starters in the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s.
While the brightest corner of that dream has them basking in the accolades of a Knoxville Nationals champion, the first step is just having a chance at seeing that come true.
Twenty drivers have already secured that honor after Wednesday and Thursday’s qualifying nights set positions one through 16, and Friday’s Hard Knox event filled positions 21st through 24th. Now, nearly 80 drivers will try to race their way through the alphabet of mains – 10-lap E-Main, 12-lap D-Main, 15-lap C-Main and 22-lap Last Chance Showdown – to score one of the final four starting positions for the 50-lap, $195,000-to-win/$15,000-to-start, Feature.
Eighteen-year-old Ryan Timms will make history as the second youngest polesitter in Knoxville Nationals history for his first appearance in Saturday’s Feature (Kenny Weld was the youngest in 1964). He was the high points earner, after a solid showing on Wednesday that resulted in a Feature win at the end of the night – his fourth win in a 410 Sprint Car at Knoxville this year, and sixth overall.
That lines him up next to World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series veteran Carson Macedo. The Lemoore, CA driver will be on the hunt for his first Knoxville Nationals title, while also trying to bring Jason Johnson racing its third Nationals win (Jason Johnson in 2016, David Gravel in 2019).
Only three former Knoxville Nationals champions currently make up the field of 24 cars – Brad Sweet (2018), Kyle Larson (2021, 2023, 2024), and David Gravel (2019). For Sweet, he’s able to breathe a little easier this year going into the finale, as he had to race his way into the field through Saturday’s Last Chance Showdown in 2024. His fourth-place starting spot is his best since starting second and finishing third in 2021.
Larson is in search of making history this year by joining Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz on the list of drivers who’ve won the Knoxville Nationals three years in a row. However, in the three years Larson has won the title, he’s started third, first, and first. This year, he starts ninth, his worst starting position since 2017. Although he did finish second that year.
Reigning World of Outlaws champion David Gravel has made the field of 24 for the 13th straight year, and for the second straight year, he’ll have to fight his way from the back. He was only able to get up to 12th from 19th last year, but had the amazing run of 22nd to second in 2023.
There are four drivers living the dream as a starter in the Knoxville Nationals for the first time this year – Timms, Garet Williamson, Cameron Martin, and Cole Macedo. For Timms, Williamson, and Macedo, it’s their first time making the show in multiple tries, while this is Martin’s first attempt.
Several big names like Donny Schatz, Kerry Madsen, Chris Windom, Brent Marks, James McFadden, and more are still left to try and make their way through the lower mains to live out their dream as a starter in the Knoxville Nationals.
While grandstand tickets are sold out for Saturday’s 64th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s, you can still watch every lap of “The Granddaddy of Them All” live on DIRTVision.
Knoxville Nationals starting lineup:
- Ryan Timms (Oklahoma City, OK) / Liebig Motorsports No. 10
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 0
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: – - Carson Macedo (Lemoore, CA) / Jason Johnson Racing No. 41
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 5
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 4th (2024) - Logan Schuchart (Hanover, PA) / Shark Racing No. 1S
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 8
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 2nd (2019) - Brad Sweet (Grass Valley, CA) / Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 12
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 1st (2018) - Sheldon Haudenschild (Wooster, OH) / Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing No. 17
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 6
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 7th (2019) - Corey Day (Clovis, CA) Jason Meyers Racing No. 14BC
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 2
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 3rd (2024) - Rico Abreu (St. Helena, CA) / Rico Abreu Racing No. 24
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 8
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 7th (2023) - Emerson Axsom (Franklin, IN) / KCP Racing No. 18
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 1
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 20th (2024) - Kyle Larson (Elk Grove, CA) / Silva Motorsports No. 57
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 10
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 1st (2021, 2023, 2024) - Justin Peck (Monrovia, IN) / Rudeen Racing No. 26
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 4
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 12th (2022) - Garet Williamson (Columbia, MO) / Fischer Motorsports No. 23
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 0
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: – - Austin McCarl (Altoona, IA) / Country Builders Racing No. 88
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 3
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 16th (2022) - Bill Balog (North Pole, AK) / B Squared Motorsports No. 17B
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 1
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 18th (2024) - Giovanni Scelzi (Fresno, CA) / Clauson Marshall Racing No. 7BC
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 6
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 2nd (2024) - Cameron Martin (Ankeny, IA) / Chris Martin Racing No. 4
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 0
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: – - Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, IN) / Jason Meyers Racing No. 14
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 1
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 11th (2023) - Last Chance Showdown Transfer
- Last Chance Showdown Transfer
- Last Chance Showdown Transfer
- Last Chance Showdown Transfer
- David Gravel (Watertown, CT) / Big Game Motorsports No. 2
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 12
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 1st (2019) - Michael Kofoid (Penngrove, CA) / Roth Motorsports No. 83
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 2
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 8th (2023) - Cole Macedo (Lemoore, CA) / TwoC Racing No. 2C
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 0
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: – - Daryn Pittman (Owasso, OK) / Lunstra Motorsports No. 3L
Knoxville Nationals Starts: 19
Knoxville Nationals Best Finish: 3rd (2019)