KNOXVILLE, Iowa — If the first night of racing during the 63rd annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals is any indication, there could be a first-time winner of the prestigious event on Saturday night.
Giovanni Scelzi captured the victory on opening night and wound up at the top of the point standings along with several other drivers from the new-generation of sprint car racers, while two of the sport’s superstars found themselves buried in the standings and facing the possibility of running Friday night’s Hard Knox qualifying program, which transfers four drivers directly into Saturday night’s main event.
The points totals on Wednesday were low, opening the door for Thursday night’s qualifying field to jump to the top of the board and nab starting spots near the front of the 50-lap main event.
Scelzi ended the night with 471 points, which placed him five points ahead of Pennsylvania traveler Anthony Macri, while Knoxville Raceway regular Scott Bogucki was third with 460 points.
High Limit Racing drivers Corey Day (459) and Brent Marks (458) rounded out the top five. World of Outlaws veteran Sheldon Haudenschild was sixth with 457 markers, which placed him one point ahead of Knoxville racer Chase Randall.
Jacob Allen (453) wound up eighth after finishing second in Wednesday’s feature.
The Knoxville Nationals uses a points system through qualifying nights, which lines up Saturday’s feature and the top half of the B main. All other drivers return on Friday for another attempt at locking into the $190,000-to win event.
Eleven-time Nationals winner Donny Schatz had a miserable opening night. He timed 38th, won his heat race from the pole and came home 18th in the 25-lap main event after an early-race shunt with World of Outlaws point leader David Gravel.
Schatz ended the night 25th in points with 392 markers, which pretty much guarantees he’ll be in Friday night’s program.
Gravel, meanwhile, qualified, eighth, failed to transfer through his heat and raced into the feature with a last-lap pass during the B main. He finished 15th in the feature.
Gravel is in better shape than Schatz in the points, ranking 11th after night one with 443 points. Depending on what happens Thursday, he could be on shaky ground.
Buddy Kofoid, fifth in the World of Outlaws standings, is in the same boat as Schatz. Kofoid ranks 22nd in points with 400 markers and will likely return for Friday’s Hard Knox event.
Wednesday Points
1 18 Giovanni Scelzi 471
2 39M Anthony Macri 465
3 10 Scott Bogucki 460
4 14 Corey Day 459
5 19 Brent Marks 458
6 17 Sheldon Haudenschild 457
7 2KS Chase Randall 456
8 1A Jacob Allen 453
9 13 Justin Peck 450
10 09 Matt Juhl 444
11 2 David Gravel 443
12 23 Garet Williamson 443
13 3Z Brock Zearfoss 435
14 87 Aaron Reutzel 430
15 9 Kasey Kahne 424
16 55 Kerry Madsen 424
17 18T Tanner Holmes 418
18 27 Carson McCarl 417
19 9P Parker Price Miller 413
20 48 Danny Dietrich 407
21 14J Jack Dover 401
22 83JR Michael Kofoid 400
23 15H Sam Hafertepe Jr 398
24 22 Riley Goodno 397
25 15 Donny Schatz 392
26 52 Blake Hahn 390
27 4W Jamie Ball 388
28 2X Lynton Jeffrey 385
29 6B Brandon Wimmer 383
30 3P Sawyer Phillips 382
31 J2 John Carney II 377
32 1M Don Droud Jr 376
33 21T Cole Macedo 376
34 24T Christopher Thram 358
35 49X Tim Shaffer 346
36 23L Jimmy Light 344
37 55T McKenna Haase 343
38 70 Kraig Kinser 337
39 101 Kalib Henry 332
40 45X Jace Park 313
41 44 Chris Martin 310
42 6W Dustin Selvage 307
43 99 Skylar Gee 301
44 17GP Cale Thomas 297
45 19H Joel Myers 290
46 15JR Cole Mincer 278
47 23M Lance Moss 275
48 10V Brian Paulus 268
49 G5 Gage Pulkrabek 267
50 11N Kasey Jedrzejek 255
51 2K Kevin Ingle 236
52 1 Sammy Swindell 229