After not holding the event due to a pandemic last year, the Knoxville Raceway is set to conclude the 2021 racing season with the 17th Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals which starts tonight. The first two nights of racing mirror the format used for the sprint car Nationals in August where drivers will time trial, race in heats and run in two B-Mains and a 25 lap A-Main. The driver’s highest point total from the two nights of racing will be where the drivers start on Saturday night with the high point total starting in the pole of the 100 lap A-Main. Tonight’s action will be highlighted by the appearance of reigning Knoxville Nationals Champion Kyle Larson, who has been running several sprint car and late model shows in between his NASCAR events. Larson is scheduled to run only tonight due to his commitments to NASCAR and would not be able to race Saturday in Knoxville due to the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup race in Bristol, Tennessee on Saturday night. Tonight’s action is set to begin with hot laps at 6:45, and qualifying at 7:15.