KNOXVILLE, Iowa — After nearly 70 victories during the past two seasons, Kyle Larson finally got the one he wanted Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway.
Larson led the final 26 laps of the 60th running of the NOS Energy Knoxville Nationals to earn $176,000, including $1,000 per lap for the 26 laps of the historic half-mile, black-dirt track that he led.
The big-money score came a month after he picked up $175,000 for winning the 37th Kings Royal at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway. Larson also earned $50,000 for winning the Prairie Dirt Classic dirt late model race at Fairbury Speedway in Illinois in late July.
Last weekend Larson picked up his fifth NASCAR Cup Series triumph of the season.
“I’ve always dreamed of winning this race,” said Larson after beating Donny Schatz to the checkered flag by a half a car length. “The atmosphere this week was unbelievable. Last year made the roof explode this year. This is as nervous as I have been for a race in a couple of years. During Cup practice all I could do was think about what I needed to do on the restarts and how was I going to beat Donny and the rest of them.”
Still, it was one of the most thrilling Knoxville Nationals in memory with multiple drivers battling for the lead during the first half of the race and during the closing laps.
But ultimately, it was a two-car battle between Larson and 10-time Nationals winner Schatz.
Gio Scelzi started on the pole and led the first 10 laps, but Schatz, who started fifth, took control on lap 11.
Schatz pulled away slightly in the Tony Stewart Racing No 15, but Larson disposed of Scelzi and began the chase.
Larson ran down Schatz and drove Paul Silva’s No. 57 under Schatz on lap 25 of the 50-lap event. “I wanted to get the lead before the halfway break,” Larson said.
Schatz came right back at the top of the track and was poised to take the lead when the yellow flag for the halfway break waved after 26 laps.
“I just went where he wasn’t,” Schatz said. “He passed me on the bottom and I figured I had to do what he wasn’t. I went to the top and I was passing him and the yellow came out.”
That sent the field to the infield for gas, tires and adjustments.
After another red flag for a wild crash that saw Brian Brown and Tyler Courtney flip, the race went green to the checkered flag with Larson pulling far ahead only to have Schatz come back into the picture during the closing laps.
The track started taking rubber with less than 10 laps to go and Schatz began gaining on Larson rapidly.
Schatz got to Larson’s bumper with three laps to go but couldn’t finish the pass. He fell back and made a another run exiting turn four heading to the checkered flag. He came up a half-car-length short.
“I was very surprised that it laid rubber as hard as it did,” Schatz said. “I knew there was plenty there in three. I felt like I had nothing to lose. I was not much for running second. I ran it in there but I just couldn’t clear him on the other end.”
Larson knew Schatz was coming.
“I knew I needed to be patient. I was watching the big screen and I could see Donny back in second and I knew there weren’t any lappers between me and him, so I knew he was going to be coming fast,” he explained. “He got there with like two to go and I knew he was really on me down the frontstretch. I had to not lift too much and get tight in the rubber. I ran a slow pace because I didn’t want to get too close to Shane (Stewart) and get in the dirty air and make a mistake.”
With that Larson had his dream victory.
“I’ve legit had dreams of winning this race,” he said. “It is so big. The atmosphere here is different than any other event in the world. That is what makes this race so special. These guys have won this race. This is the toughest race to win. The way the format is and everything else, it adds so much more to it.”
Brad Sweet finished third, with Scelzi coming home fourth and Logan Schuchart fifth.
To see full results, turn to the next page.