KNOXVILLE, Iowa — First run in 1961 and long recognized as the most prestigious sprint car race in the world, the Knoxville Nationals continues to get bigger and better.
The enthusiasm among racers and fans was greater than ever during this year’s 62nd running of the event at Knoxville Raceway, and new promoter Jason Reed and his staff introduced several tweaks that added to the festive atmosphere.
Their efforts were rewarded as the finale of the four-day event at the Marion County Fairgrounds was completely sold out.
While Kyle Larson claimed a dominant victory in the Saturday night feature, the racing throughout the week was as good as ever, and there was plenty for fans to do both at and away from the fairgrounds.
Here are some of our takeaways from five days in the Hawkeye State:
The Town
The key to the continued success of the Knoxville Nationals is the town of Knoxville. Community support for the Nationals has always been outstanding among the fewer than 7,000 residents, but since the pandemic the community is more committed than ever to the event, which sees the town’s population triple.
Countless events are organized by the town’s citizens and organizations, including the Nationals parade, which is back stronger than ever, and one of the new traditions, an opening night out and concert in downtown Knoxville that opens the festivities on Tuesday.
Traffic Jam
Crowds every night of the Nationals were up from previous years and Saturday night was a complete sellout. Not only were all grandstand tickets sold, but all available pit passes were gone more than three hours before the green flag. Lines for the plentiful concessions and restrooms were long, and traffic was still backed up leaving the overflow parking lots 90 minutes after the checkered flag.
Politics
Unfortunately, the huge crowd and national appeal of the Nationals has caught the eye of politicians as Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis participated in Saturday’s pre-race ceremonies. Speaking of pre-race activities, several simple new wrinkles, including sprint cars carrying flags during the national anthems and sky divers, added to the pageantry.
Fan Pavilion
Remodeled and rebadged as the Fan Pavilion, the barn outside of turn four, which was previously the site of a trade show and other events during the Nationals, hosted numerous activities, including the driver autograph session and nightly press conferences and drivers’ meetings — all of which were open to the public, providing even greater access for fans.
Shopping
Once located across the street from Knoxville Raceway, the majority of driver merchandise is now sold on the Marion County Fairgrounds property directly behind the main grandstand, where food options are also more diverse than ever. Additional vendors and establishments — including the world-famous and always-expanding Dingus Lounge — offer food and drink only steps from the frontstretch grandstands.
The Legends
One of the things that makes the Knoxville Nationals stand above most other major events is the presence of racing royalty. Whether working in the pits like Danny Lasoski, Johnny Herrera and Bobby Allen, hanging out in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum like Shane Carson, Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell and others, or just walking the fairgrounds, seeing these racers who made the sport what it is adds to the unique atmosphere of the Nationals.
Track Conditions
It’s difficult to get a dirt track perfect for four consecutive nights, but the Dunkin family that prepares Knoxville Raceway’s half-mile black clay surface did exactly that. Plenty of passing throughout the field was evident on all four nights, with three distinct grooves available. Word is the track was also outstanding during the previous week’s 360 Nationals.
Words of Larson
Larson perfectly described the Knoxville Nationals after winning it for the second time in three years.
“I get to compete in a lot of massive events. Some of the biggest in our country, biggest in the world,” Larson explained. “I would say the staff here at Knoxville does as good of a job, if not better, at building the overall atmosphere.
“When we were doing the four-wide, that was sick. I was watching on the big screen and the fireworks going off and the lights flashing, they’ve really invested a lot of money in the facility and it has paid off in making the overall event a great experience not only for the fans, but us competitors too,” Larson continued. “Knoxville is the event that I look forward to the most. There might be one event (Indy 500) next year that I look forward to more. This is the greatest week of the year for me. I look forward to it all year long.
“I just can’t wait to get to this little town and see all my friends and see the race fans and get to race on the best racing surface in the world. The Knoxville staff does a phenomenal job. They keep amping it up every year. They find a way to make it cooler every year.”
This story appeared in the August 16, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
