Knoxville Raceway
Fast Facts: 18th annual Lucas Oil Knoxville Nationals
By Robert Holman
DirtonDirt.com staff reporter
Dates: Sept. 15-17 ($7,000-to-win features Thursday and Friday and heats, consolations and $50,000-to-win main event Saturday)
Track: Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway (semi-banked, half-mile clay oval).
Purse: In excess of $290,000, the purse includes $50,000 to the 75-lap winner and at least $2,500 to all 32 starters.
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Most recent winner: Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., winner of his last three visits to Knoxville
Tickets: Thursday and Friday adult general admission $32 (13-19 $22; 6-12 $17; 5-and-under free); Saturday $37 (13-19 $27; 6-12 $22; 5-and-under free). Add $5 for reserved seats. Pit passes: $50 each day.
Live streaming: FloRacing
Track website: knoxvilleraceway.com
Track phone: (641) 842-5431
Notes: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series returns to Knoxville for the 18th Knoxville Lucas Oil Nationals. … The race length has been reduced to 75 laps from 100 with no fuel stop. … Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., won the 2021 event, his third victory (’16-’17). … The 2020 event was cancelled because Covid-19 restrictions. … Last season the winning purse was bumped to $50,000 from $40,000. … There have been in 12 winners in 17 Knoxville Lucas Oil Nationals. … Marlar, Jimmy Owens (2018-’19) of Newport, Tenn.; Scott Bloomquist (’05, ’09) of Mooresburg, Tenn.; and Brian Birkhofer (’04, ’14) of Muscatine, Iowa, are the only repeat winners. … Owens and Marlar are the only back-to-back winners. … Tennesseans have won seven of 17 Knoxville Lucas Oil Nationals, including the last five. … The 2021 event drew 48 entries. … The record car count of 98 was set in 2004’s inaugural event. … Owens has led more feature laps (188) than any other driver in event history. Owens has logged laps at the front in seven of the 16 main events. … The 2006 edition, won by Brian Shirley of Chatham, Ill., produced the most lead changes (9). … The event’s oldest winner, Billy Moyer of Batesville, Ark., was 52 years and 11 months old when he won the Knoxville Nationals in 2010. … Bloomquist and Josh Richards have five top-five finishes, while Brian Birkhofer and Steve Francis had four apiece. … Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., has started 15 of the 17 100-lappers, the most of any driver, with a best finish of fourth place three times (’08, ’14, ’17). Mars started the first 15. … Earl Pearson Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla., owns the track record for Late Models at 16.631 seconds. … To set Saturday’s lineups, drivers earn points through their time trials, heats and features on Thursday and Friday. Teams will take the highest point total of their two nights to set their starting positions for Saturday’s events. The top 24 cars in points are locked into the A-main starting in order by point totals, with the highest point total starting on the pole. Teams must qualify on Thursday. Teams that qualify Friday only can not start better than 15th on Saturday. … Saturday’s program includes two 15-lap B-mains and the 75-lap main event. … The Hoker Trucking Series and Malvern Bank Series co-sanction an invitation-only $4,000-to-win program Saturday. ... A driver autograph session is set for 3 p.m. Saturday in the main show barn. … Knoxville Raceway, originally a horse track, hosted its first automobile race in 1901. The track began hosting weekly events in 1954. … The facility has 24,172 seats, including 16,289 in the main grandstand.
Knoxville Nationals winners
Year: Winner, hometown
2021: Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
2020: Cancelled because of Covid-19
2019: Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
2018: Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
2017: Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
2016: Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
2015: Jared Landers, Batesville, Ark.
2014: Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
2013: Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
2012: Steve Francis, Ashland, Ky.
2011: Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
2010: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
2009: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2008: Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
2007: Brady Smith, Solon Springs, Wis.
2006: Brian Shirley, Chatham, Ill.
2005: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2004: Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
Weekend purses
Thursday and Friday features
1. $7,000
2. $4,000
3. $3,000
4. $2,000
5. $1,500
6. $1,000
7. $900
8. $800
9. $700
10. $600
11. $580
12. $560
13. $540
14. $520
15. $500
16. $490
17. $480
18. $470
19. $460
20. $450
21. $440
22. $430
23. $410
24. $400
(Drivers failing to transfer from B-main, $200)
Saturday feature
1. $50,000
2. $25,000
3. $10,000
4. $8,750
5. $7,500
6. $7,000
7. $6,500
8. $6,000
9. $5,500
10. $5,000
11. $4,500
12. $4,000
13. $3,500
14. $3,400
15. $3,300
16. $3,200
17. $3,100
18-22. $3,000
23-24. $2,700
25-32. $2,500
(Drivers failing to transfer from B-main positions 4-11, $500; drivers failing to transfer from B-main positions 12-24, $400)
Event schedule
(For camping and other details, visit knoxvilleraceway.com)
Thursday
8 a.m.: Ticket office opens
2:30 p.m.: Infield opens
4:30 p.m.: Suites open
5:30 p.m.: Grandstands open
6 p.m.: Driver’s meeting
6:45 p.m.: Hot laps
7:15 p.m.: Competition begins
Time trials
- Heats (12 laps each)
- B-main (15 laps)
- A-main (25 laps)
Friday
8 a.m.: Ticket office opens
11 a.m.: Q&A with Mike Marlar with Dave Argabright on the second floor of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum
2:30 p.m.: Infield opens
4:30 p.m.: Suites open
5:30 p.m.: Grandstands open
6 p.m.: Driver’s meeting
6:45 p.m.: Hot laps
7:15 p.m.: Competition begins
- Time trials
- Heats (12 laps each)
- B-main (15 laps)
- A-main (25 laps)
Saturday
8 a.m.: Ticket office opens
Noon: Memorabilia auction at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum behind turn two
1:45 p.m.: Dirt Racing Outreach church service in main show barn
2:30 p.m.: Infield opens
3 p.m.: Driver autograph session in the main show barn
4 p.m.: Q&A with Jack Hewitt and Wade Aunger in the Dyer Hudson Hall
4:30 p.m.: Suites open
5:30 p.m.: Grandstands open
6 p.m.: Driver’s meeting
6:45 p.m.: Hot laps
7:15 p.m.: Opening ceremonies followed by competition
- B-mains (15 laps)
- Knoxville Nationals (75 laps)
(Action includes a $4,000-to-win event for the Malvern Bank Super Late Model Series)
Tickets
Thursday
General admission (20-and-up): $32
Students (13-19): $22
Children (6-12): $17 (children 5-and-under free)
(Reserved seating available for $5 more)
Pit pass: $50
Friday
General admission (20-and-up): $32
Students (13-19): $22
Children (6-12): $17 (children 5-and-under free)
(Reserved seating available for $5 more)
Pit pass: $50
Saturday
General admission (20-and-up): $37
Students (13-19): $27
Children (6-12): $22 (children 5-and-under free)
(Reserved seating available for $5 more)
Pit pass: $50
Camping
Call (641) 842-5431
