KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Four Knoxville Nationals winners are among the 48 drivers scheduled to hit the track during Wednesday’s opening night of the 65th NOS Energy Knoxille Nationals at Knoxville Raceway.
Reigning Nationals champion Ryan Timms headlines the field for BRANDT Qualifying night at the half-mile oval, driving the Liebig Motorsports No. 10 with which he became only the third driver to win the 410 Knoxville Nationals and the 360 Knoxville Nationals.
Eleven-time Knoxville Nationals winner Donny Schatz is chasing his record-tying (Steve Kinser) 12th Nationals triumph aboard the CJB Motorsports No. 15.
World of Outlaws point leader and two-time champion David Gravel seeks his second Nationals crown aboard the Big Game Motorsports No. 2, while Sammy Swindell will drive the familiar No. 1 in a quest for his first Nationals win since 1983.
It’s a stacked field, though, from top to bottom, with World of Outlaws and High Limit Racing regulars as well as numerous talented travelers including the nation’s winningest driver this season.
Chase Dietz, who has won 18 features racing primarily in Pennsylvania, will be aboard the familiar No. 23 won Wednesday night.
World of Outlaws regulars hoping to be among the top point earners on opening night are Sheldon Haudenschild, Cole Macedo Chris Windom, Kasey Jedrezek, Steven Snyder Jr. and Emerson Axsom. Haudenschild has won seven features aboard the KCP Racing No. 18 this season.
The High Limit contingent is led by Rico Abreu, a multi-time winner at the half-mile track this season. Abreu, who drives the Tony Stewart Racing No. 14, has 11 career 410 sprint car wins at Knoxville.
Giovanni Scelzi, Tanner Holmes, Brock Zearfoss, Justin Peck, Sye Lynch and Danny Sams III also represent the High Limit contention.
Corey Day, aboard Jason Meyers’ No. 14 sprint car, will be among the other top contenders on opening night. Others to watch include James McFadden, Brady Bacon, Kasey Kahne, Sam Hafertepe Jr., and Danny Dietrich.
The Wednesday and Thursday night winners will each receive $12,000, while the winner of Saturday night’s main event gets a $200,000 pay day from a four-day purse of $1,187,605.
Wednesday-BRANDT Qualifying Night 1
0 – Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City, IA
1 – Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN
1K – Kelby Watt, Adel, IA
2 – David Gravel, Watertown, CT
2C – Cole Macedo, Lemoore, CA
2KS – Hank Davis, Sandsprings, OK
3P – Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA
4 – Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA
4W – Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA
6 – Kasey Jedrzejek, Lagrange, OH
6T – Zach Hampton, Mooresville, IN
7B – Ben Brown, Marshall, MO
7s – Chris Windom, Canton, IL
10 – Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City, OK
10V – Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (R)
11 – Justin Henderson, Tea, SD
11N – Darin Naida, Adrian, MI (R)
11R – Rodney Huband, Wimberley, TX (R)
13 – Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR
14 – Corey Day, Clovis, CA
14TSR – Rico Abreu, St. Helena, CA
15 – Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND
15H – Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX
15J – Kade Higday, Knoxville, IA
17GP – Brock Zearfoss, Jonestown, PA
18 – Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH
19H – Joel Myers Jr., Santa Rosa, CA
21H – Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK
21T – James McFadden, Alice Springs, NT, Aust.
22 – Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA
23D – Chase Dietz, York, PA
24D – Danny Sams III, North Port, FL
24T – Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN
25 – Jy Corbet, Gympie, QLD, Aust. (R)
26 – Justin Peck, Monrovia, IN
27A – Emerson Axsom, Franklin, IN
28 – Jace Park, Overland Park, KS
42 – Sye Lynch, Apollo, PA
44X – Scotty Johnson, Melcher Dallas, IA
45X – Rees Moran, Tulsa, OK (R)
48 – Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA
51 – Steven Snyder, Jr, Rising Sun, MD (R)
53 – Jack Dover, Springfield, NE
77 – Giovanni Scelzi, Fresno, CA
85J – Logan Julien, Oconomowoc, WI
95 – Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK
111 – Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK
121 – RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL
