Knoxville Nationals
The Knoxville Nationals is an annual sprint car event held at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. An Associated Press writer called winning the event "sprint car racing’s premiere title".[1] It is nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All."
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[edit] History
The idea of the Knoxville Nationals was the brainchild of promoter Marion Robinson. The Knoxville Nationals was originally scheduled as a one day event for Super Modifieds and was later expanded to two, three, and finally four days of racing for Sprint Cars. The first Knoxville Nationals was held in 1961 with Roy Robbins taking the win. Robbins' car was equipped with an "air scoop" which was later banned in future Knoxville Nationals. In later years the "air scoops", now called wings, would not only be allowed but be mandatory equipment.
[edit] Drivers
Steve Kinser has won the event twelve times, and owner Karl Kinser has graced victory lane fourteen times with three different drivers (Dick Gaines, Steve Kinser and Mark Kinser). In 2005 Steve's son Kraig Kinser won this event, making Steve and Kraig the first father and son to win the Knoxville Nationals.
The 49th Annual Knoxville Nationals was held 2009. Donny Schatz from Fargo, ND was the defending champion and captured his fourth Knoxville National win. The race has historically been 30 laps long. The length was extended to 40 laps with a pit stop of fuel in 2009 in preparation for a 50-lap event in 2010 to commemorate the event's 50th anniversary.[1] The 2010 knoxville nationals marked the 50th aniversiry of the "Grandaddy of em all". The 50 lap A-Main was one of the most historic and amazing finishes in nationals history. At the outset of the race germantown Tennessee's Sammy swindell,Grain Valley Missouri's Brian Brown and Five time champion Donny Schatz of Fargo North Dakota battled hard fro the lead on lap one with swindell leading at the stripe. As the race wore on it was clear that Swindell and Schatz were the two to beat battling hard lap for lap swapping the lead several times before a fuel stop on lap 25. At the resume of the race it was SAmmy swindell your leader Schatz in second and legendary 12 time winner Steve Kinser running third. Schatz and Swindell continued there epic battle for the lead with swindell taking a strong lead but Swindell stayed strong as schatz made a diving attempt at the lead in three and four but failed and watched sammy swindell pulled away with 5 to go caution came onto the speedway For polesitter Brian Brown had blown a tire in turn three setting up a epic battle for the knoxville nationals with just 5 laps a away from history. On the restart Swindell again pulled away from the pack leaving schatz in second but just when seeming that Swindell was gonna win his second career nationals in 27 years going into turn three Swindell's left rear tire blew up and sent the car upside down lightly. With a frustrated Swindell received a standing ovation from the crowd. but with 3 to go it looked as if donny schatz's knoxville magic would win again, but as the race restarted it appeared that schaz tz's tire was going down and his engine was going south allowing Aliqippa pennsivania's tim schaffer a chance and on the white flag lap he seized the opportunity and passed schatz to win the 50th annual edition of the Goodyear Knoxville Nationals.
[edit] Sanctioning body
From 1961 through 1977, the race was unsanctioned, meaning that it was 'open competition'. From 1978 through 2005, the race was sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. Because of the split in the sport in 2006, and despite its two WoO Sprint Series races during the regular season, the Nationals has been unsanctioned and ran with track rules since 2006.
Drivers such as Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Kenny Schrader, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, A.J. Foyt, and many other famous drivers have raced on the famous half mile
[edit] Statistics
The 1991 event featured 170 entrants and 75000 fans (in a city of 8200). [2] There were drivers from 27 states, 6 from Australia, and one from Canada. [2] National Speed Sport News had one of its four annual special editions for the race. The purse has risen dramatically: in 1961 it was $5,455, 1971 $22,000, 1981 $82,000, 1991 $284,052, 2001 $707,000, and 2003 $750,000. In 2010, the total payout exceeded $1,000,000[3]
[edit] List of race winners
- 2011 - Donny Schatz
- 2010 - Tim Shaffer[1]
- 2009 - Donny Schatz
- 2008 - Donny Schatz
- 2007 - Donny Schatz
- 2006 - Donny Schatz
- 2005 – Kraig Kinser
- 2004 – Danny Lasoski
- 2003 – Danny Lasoski
- 2002 – Steve Kinser
- 2001 – Danny Lasoski
- 2000 – Mark Kinser
- 1999 – Mark Kinser
- 1998 – Danny Lasoski
- 1997 – Dave Blaney
- 1996 – Mark Kinser
- 1995 – Steve Kinser
- 1994 – Steve Kinser
- 1993 – Steve Kinser
- 1992 – Steve Kinser
- 1991 – Steve Kinser
- 1990 – Bobby Allen
- 1989 – Doug Wolfgang
- 1988 – Steve Kinser
- 1987 – Steve Kinser
- 1986 – Steve Kinser
- 1985 – Doug Wolfgang
- 1984 – Doug Wolfgang
- 1983 – Sammy Swindell
- 1982 – Steve Kinser
- 1981 – Steve Kinser
- 1980 – Steve Kinser
- 1979 – Ron Shuman
- 1978 – Doug Wolfgang
- 1977 – Doug Wolfgang
- 1976 – Eddie Leavitt
- 1975 – Eddie Leavitt
- 1974 – Dick Gaines
- 1973 – Kenny Weld
- 1972 – Kenny Weld
- 1971 – Jan Opperman
- 1970 – Joe Saldana
- 1969 – Ken Gritz
- 1968 – Ray Lee Goodwin
- 1967 – Thad Dosher
- 1966 – Jay Woodside
- 1965 – Kenny Weld
- 1964 – Kenny Weld
- 1963 – Greg Weld
- 1962 – Jerry Richert Sr.
- 1961 – Roy Robbins
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Meredith, Luke. "Tim Shaffer wins Knoxville Nationals". Yahoo!. http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AsMVBEQPhNhKk9APZGSdg3jov7YF?slug=ap-knoxvillenationals. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- ^ a b "Iowa's best-kept secret: Knoxville Nationals"; Bryce Miller; August 17, 1991 Des Moines Register; Retrieved January 17, 2007
- ^ "50 years of champions"; Des Moines Register; Retrieved January 17, 2007
