Knoxville Raceway

Last updated
Knoxville Raceway
Sprint Car Capital of the World
Knoxvilleraceway-frontgrandstands.jpg
Location1000 N Lincoln St
Knoxville, Iowa 50138
Capacity21,135
OwnerMarion County Fair Association
OperatorMarion County Fair Association
Opened1878 as horse racing track
Major events Knoxville Nationals
360 Knoxville Nationals
Website http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/
Oval
SurfaceDirt
Length0.5 miles (0.8 km)
Banking7 degrees
Race lap record14.351 (Brian Brown, Brian Brown Racing, May 22, 2021)

Knoxville Raceway is a semi-banked half-mile dirt oval raceway (zook clay) located at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Iowa. Races at the "Sprint Car Capital of the World" are held on Saturday nights from April through September each year. Some special events such as the Knoxville Nationals, 360 Knoxville Nationals and Late Model Knoxville Nationals are multi-day events. Weekly racing events at the track features multiple classes of sprint cars including 410 cubic inch, 360 cubic inch and Pro Sprints (previously 305 cubic inch). Each August, the Raceway holds the paramount sprint car event in the United States, the Knoxville Nationals. [1] The track is governed by the 24-member fair board elected by Marion County residents.

Contents

History

The first weekly races were held at the Knoxville Raceway in 1954. After internal issues with the sanctioning body—the Southern Iowa Stock Car Racing Association—in 1956, Marion Robinson of Des Moines, Iowa was appointed as race promoter. During Robinson's tenure, the cars progressed from stock cars to modifieds to supermodifieds to sprint cars. Robinson created what would become the Knoxville Nationals in 1961. The event took place over two days and featured a $5,000 purse where today it is now nearly one million dollars. [2]

Timeline

Track records

One-lap track records

DateDriverLap TimeAverage Lap Speed
410 Wing Sprint Car [10]
May 22, 2021 Brian Brown 14.351125 mph
360 Wing Sprint Car [10]
June 15, 2013Joe Beaver15.520115.979 mph (186.650 km/h)
305/Pro Sprints Wing Sprint Car [10]
May 7, 2016Christian Bowman16.736107.552 mph (173.088 km/h)
Non-Wing Sprint Car [11]
June 3, 2017Kevin Thomas Jr.18.54997.040 mph (156.170 km/h)
Late Model [12]
September 25, 2008Earl Pearson, Jr.16.631108.231 mph (174.180 km/h)
Midget [6]
N/ABob Wente22.2281.008 mph (130.369 km/h)
IMCA Modified [6]
N/AJohn Moore22.93278.492 mph (126.320 km/h)

Sprint car track champions

Knoxville Championship Cup Series Driver Champions [13]
Year410 Class360 Class305/Pro Sprints Class
2022Brian BrownTerry MccarlMike Mayberry
2021Davey HeskinClint GarnerTyler Groenendyk
2020 Brian Brown Carson McCarlMatthew Stelzer   
2019Brian BrownCarson McCarlMatthew Stelzer
2018Austin McCarlClint GarnerEric Bridger
2017Ian MadsenMatt MoroEric Bridger
2016Danny LasoskiClint GarnerChristian Bowman
2015Danny LasoskiClint GarnerStacey Alexander
2014Ian MadsenJoe BeaverJ Kinder
2013Bronson MaeschenClint GarnerLarry Ball Jr.
2012Terry McCarlClint GarnerMatthew Stelzer
2011Danny LasoskiClint GarnerCarson McCarl
2010Brian BrownClint GarnerSteve Breazeale
2009Johnny HerreraClint GarnerMatthew Stelzer
2008Danny LasoskiMatt Moro
2007Brian BrownJosh Higday
2006Billy AlleyJake Peters
2005Kerry MadsenJake Peters
2004Terry McCarlJake Peters
2003Terry McCarlBilly Alley
2002Terry McCarlBrian Brown
2001Terry McCarlRandy Martin
2000Terry McCarlJohn Kearney
1999Terry McCarlDavid Hesmer
1998Skip JacksonDavid Hesmer
1997Skip JacksonDavid Hesmer
1996Danny LasoskiRandy Martin
1995Johnny HerreraLarry Pinegar II
1994Danny LasoskiLee Nelson
1993Danny LasoskiDanny Young
1992Danny LasoskiDwight Snodgrass
1991Randy SmithDwight Snodgrass
1990Danny LasoskiJordan Albaugh
1989Danny LasoskiMike Twedt
1988Randy SmithDavid Hesmer
1987Randy SmithMike Chadd
1986Danny LasoskiWayne Redmond
1985Randy SmithDean Chadd
1984Rocky HodgesStacey Redmond
1983Randy SmithMackie Heimbaugh
1982Tim Green
1981Tim Green
1980Ricky Hood
1979Richard Smith
1978Shane Carson
1977Doug Wolfgang
1976Doug Wolfgang
1975Roger Rager
1974Lonnie Jensen
1973Dick Sutcliffe
1972Lonnie Jensen
1971Ray Lee Goodwin
1970Joe Saldana
1969Bob Williams
1968Dick Sutcliffe
1967Bill Utz
1966Jerry Blundy
1965Jerry Blundy
1964Bill Utz
1963Greg Weld
1962Bud McCune
1961Earl Wagner
1960Jerry Hayes
1959Earl Wagner
1958Earl Wagner
1957Dean Sylvester
1956Jack Delano
1955Kenny Crook
1954Kenny Crook

National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum

The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is located just outside Turn 2 of the Knoxville Raceway. It features rotating exhibits to highlight the history of both winged and non-wing sprint cars.

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References

  1. "Schedule" . Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  2. "Knoxville Raceway News" . Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  3. "The History of Knoxville Raceway Book" . Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  4. "History" . Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  5. Tony MarkovichMay 24, 2015 (2013-05-24). "McKenna Haase Becomes First Woman to Win a Feature Sprint Car Race". Yahoo.com. Retrieved 2015-05-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. 1 2 3 "Knoxville Raceway - Track Facts | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  7. Pryson, Mike (November 20, 2020). "NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Schedule for 2021 Includes 2 Dirt Short Tracks". Autoweek . Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  8. "Career Feature Wins | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  9. "Career 360 Feature Winners | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  10. 1 2 3 "Knoxville "Wing" Track Records | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  11. "Knoxville "Non-wing" Track Records | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  12. "Knoxville Late Model Records | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  13. "Knoxville Season Point Champions and Owners | Knoxville Raceway". www.knoxvilleraceway.com. Retrieved 2020-08-31.

41°19′38.97″N93°6′42.27″W / 41.3274917°N 93.1117417°W / 41.3274917; -93.1117417