Knoxville Raceway
Fast Facts: 19th annual Knoxville Lucas Oil Nationals
By Aaron Clay
DirtonDirt.com weekend editorDates: Sept. 14-16 (25-lap preliminary features Thursday and Friday with points setting consolation and main event lineups for Saturday’s finale
Track: Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway, semi-banked half-mile clay oval
Purse: $7,000-to-win preliminary features and $50,000-to-win finale (Malvern Bank-Hoker Trucking Series racing a $4,000-to-win invitation on Saturday’s undercard)
Primary sponsor: Lucas Oil
Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Last year’s winner: Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., who earned his first career Knoxville Lucas Oil Nationals victory
Tickets: Three-day adult reserved admission $122 (or $34 apiece Thursday and Friday and $39 Saturday; detailed ticket options below)
Live streaming: FloRacing
Track website: knoxvilleraceway.com
Track phone: (641) 842-5431
Notes: The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series rolls into Knoxville, Iowa, for the 19th annual Knoxville Lucas Oil Nationals at the Sprint Car Capital of the World. … The three-day event kicks off with 25-lap, $7,000-to-win preliminary features on Thursday and Friday, with individual points being awarded nightly. Drivers will use their best individual night’s point total to set Saturday’s consolation and main event lineups prior to the 75-lap, $50,000-to-win feature. … Series points leader Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., eyes his first career Late Model victory at Knoxville. … Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., enters as the event’s only three-time winner (2016, ’17 and ’21). … Jimmy Owens of Newport, Tenn. (2018 and ’19), Brian Birkhofer of Muscatine, Iowa (2004 and ’14) and Scott Bloomquist of Mooresburg, Tenn. (2005 and ’09) join Marlar as the only other drivers to win more than one Knoxville Lucas Oil Nationals … Birkhofer famously used a last-lap pass on Bloomquist to secure 2014’s victory. … Shane Clanton of Zebulon, Ga., topped one of last year’s $7,000 prelims, while Tyler Erb of New Waverly, Texas, swept both $7,000 prelims there in 2021. … Off-track entertainment is headlined by a Mike Marlar and Dave Argabright scheduled appearance at 11 a.m. on Friday, at the second floor of the Hall of Fame Museum. A memorabilia auction will take place at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, at the Hall of Fame Museum, with a drivers’ autograph session at 3 p.m. in the Dyer Hudson Hall Barn later that afternoon. … A $4,000-to-win invitational will be contested Saturday for Malvern Bank-Hoker Trucking tour competitors. … Pits open at 2:30 p.m. and grandstands open at 5:30, with hot laps at 6:45 nightly..
Knoxville winners
Year: Winner, hometown
2022: Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
2021: Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.
2020: Cancelled
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-Friday prelims
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
Saturday’s finale
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. $3,000
19. $3,000
20. $3,000
21. $3,000
22. $3,000
23. $2,700
24. $2,700
25.-32. $2,500
Weekend schedule
(All times local)
Thursday
8 a.m. - Ticket office opens
2:30 p.m. - Pits open
4:30 p.m. - Suites open
5:30 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:45 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Late Model heat races (12 laps)
- Late Model consolation races (15 laps)
- Late Model feature (25 laps)
Friday
8 a.m. - Ticket office opens
11 a.m. - Mike Marlar and Dave Argabright appearance (Hall of Fame Museum second floor)
2:30 p.m. - Pits open
4:30 p.m. - Suites open
5:30 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:45 p.m. - On-track activity
- Late Model hot laps
Opening ceremonies
- Late Model time trials (2 laps)
- Late Model heat races (12 laps)
- Late Model consolation races (15 laps)
- Late Model feature (25 laps)
Saturday
8 a.m. - Ticket office opens
11:30 a.m. - Memorabilia auction (Hall of Fame Museum)
1:45 p.m. - Outreach church service (Dyer Hudson Hall Barn)
2:30 p.m. - Pits open
3 p.m. - Driver autograph session (Dyer Hudson Hall Barn)
4:30 p.m. - Suites open
5:30 p.m. - Grandstands open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:45 p.m. - On-track activity
- Malvern Bank Series hot laps
- Knoxville Nationals B-main cars hot laps
- Knoxville Nationals A-main cars hot laps
- Malvern Bank Series hot laps/time trials
Opening ceremonies
- Consolation races (15 laps)
- Malvern Bank-Hoker Trucking feature (22 laps)
- Knoxville Nationals (75 laps)
Tickets
Thursday
One-day adult general admission (20-and-up): $34
Three-day adult reserved (20-and-up): $122
One-day teen general admission (13-to-19): $24
Three-day teen reserved (13-to-19): $92
One-day child general admission (12-and-under): $19
Three-day child reserved (12-and-under): $77
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for all ages
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $50
Friday
One-day adult general admission (20-and-up): $34
One-day teen general admission (13-to-19): $24
One-day child general admission (12-and-under): $19
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for all ages
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $50
Saturday
One-day adult general admission (20-and-up): $39
One-day teen general admission (13-to-19): $29
One-day child general admission (12-and-under): $24
Reserved seating: Additional $5 for all ages
One-day all access pit pass (all ages): $50
Camping
Water and electric camping: $150 at North Campground; other campsites available
Online reservations: vandonsler.com/ and mycountyparks.com/default.aspx
More information: (641) 842-5431 or knoxvilleraceway.com/Hospitality/Campgrounds