KNOXVILLE, Iowa — A win was only a matter of time for Brent Marks.
He’s spent the last several weeks racking up close calls. Entering Friday’s Premier Chevy Dealers Clash at Knoxville Raceway, Marks’ stat sheet showed six podiums in the past seven races including five runner-ups but no victories. A mere step away from victory lane for the first time in 2026 over and over.
At Knoxville, Marks finally made that elusive final step, and he did it with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
The Myerstown, Pa., native came out on top of a wild 25-lapper at The Sprint Car Capital of the World with a determined drive from eighth. Marks worked his way forward from row four to set himself up for a frantic final sequence.
Right after taking over second from Logan Schuchart on Lap 22, race leader Rico Abreu slowed with an expiring engine to hand the lead to Marks. But Schuchart capitalized with a slide job in Turns 3 and 4 to take the top spot and lead the lap. Marks returned the favor the next time around in the same set of corners with a slider of his own to retake the top spot. Sheldon Haudenschild surged into second on the last lap and nearly made a run for the lead, but Marks held on to put his No. 19 in victory lane.
“I was just driving the hell out of the thing,” Marks said. “The car got so good, and it got so grippy that there were times to where it would twitch really bad, and I was fighting it because it had that much grip. What a hell of a run there. Actually, crossing the checkered I think we ran out of fuel. I’m not sure, it just kind of died on me. Hopefully that’s all it was. What a way to get our first win of the year. This is just awesome.”
Marks’ first triumph of 2026 is the 16th of his career with The Greatest Show on Dirt. It’s his second time visiting Knoxville victory lane to go along with a 2022 score. He’s the 14th different winner through 28 races in 2026 with the World of Outlaws.
Sheldon Haudenschild brought the KCP Racing No. 18 home second to notch his third consecutive podium and seventh top five in the last eight races.
Logan Schuchart rounded out the podium after contending for the win late aboard the Shark Racing No. 1s.
David Gravel and early leader Aaron Reutzel completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 19-Brent Marks[8]; 2. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[5]; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart[1]; 4. 2-David Gravel[11]; 5. 87-Aaron Reutzel[2]; 6. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[16]; 7. 57-Kyle Larson[6]; 8. 5-Brenham Crouch[7]; 9. 83-Michael Kofoid[14]; 10. 41-Carson Macedo[12]; 11. 88-Austin McCarl[9]; 12. 2C-Cole Macedo[25]; 13. 11-Justin Henderson[4]; 14. 15-Donny Schatz[23]; 15. 10-Ryan Timms[17]; 16. 27-Emerson Axsom[18]; 17. 23-Garet Williamson[21]; 18. 21-Brian Brown[15]; 19. 26-Justin Peck[19]; 20. 17-Spencer Bayston[24]; 21. 69K-Daryn Pittman[22]; 22. 6-Kasey Jedrzejek[13]; 23. 7S-Chris Windom[20]; 24. (DNF) 24A-Rico Abreu[3]; 25. (DNF) 55-Kerry Madsen[10]
