KNOXVILLE, Iowa — Defending Knoxville Nationals champion Jason Johnson headlines the list of drivers trying to race their way into the 57th edition of sprint car racing’s most prestigious event during Toyota Qualifying Night at Knoxville Raceway on Thursday.
Johnson, piloting his own No. 41 Priority Aviation Services/Mesilla Valley Transportation machine, claimed his first Nationals title in a stunner over nine-time winner and eight-time World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series regular Donny Schatz. The Ragin’ Cajun banged wheels with Schatz and took the lead for the final time with five laps to go, pulling away over the final circuits to score the biggest win of his career.
Other previous Nationals champions in Thursday night’s entry pool are 1983 winner Sammy Swindell, piloting the No. 3s for A.G. Rains; and 2005 winner Kraig Kinser, who is driving for his father Steve in the familiar No. 11k entry.
Swindell is a heavy favorite any time he comes to Knoxville, having won last year’s 360 Knoxville Nationals for Rains in addition to his 410 Nationals title for car owner Raymond Beadle.
Among the other heavy hitters in the field will be David Gravel, who has won 12 Outlaws features this season in the CJB Motorsports No. 5 and is seeking his first Nationals title; five-time and defending Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Chad Kemenah, driving the Hunter Racing No. 10H; current ASCS National Tour points leader Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Rico Abreu, who made last year’s Nationals A-Main but had to miss the finale due to obligations in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Sunday night’s Capitani Classic winner Brian Brown will compete as he seeks his breakthrough first Nationals crown after three-straight runner-up finishes from 2012 to 2014, as will Dale Blaney, who is a six-time All Stars champion and has been primarily competing with Zemco Racing this season in Pennsylvania 410 competition.
World of Outlaws regulars scheduled to compete Thursday night include Jacob Allen, Gravel, Jason Sides, Daryn Pittman, Kinser, Clyde Knipp, Brent Marks, Greg Wilson and Johnson.
Rookies in Thursday night’s field are Mason Moore, Jeremy Schultz, Roger Campbell, Jared Goerges, Kyle Reinhardt, Cole Duncan and Skylar Gee.
Of note, the BDS Motorsports No. 1 has not yet listed a driver for their entry.
Grandstand gates for Toyota Qualifying Night open at 5:30 p.m. local time.
For a full look at the Wednesday night preliminary entry list, advance to the next page…
