Donny Schatz wanted to win the Knoxville Nationals in the worst way possible. Not just to add an 11th trophy to his already overflowing case. But this was the first Knoxville Nationals without his father Danny, who passed away after a long battle with Cancer in July. Schatz started off the 50 lap finals of the Nationals, heard live on KNIA going backwards as smoke was puffing from under his hood. He would make up to 5th by the fuel stop, then started patiently waiting his turn to pounce and with three laps left he slid David Gravel in turn three and never looked back for Nationals win #11. Gravel settled for 2nd place, Logan Schuchart, who had a great week winning the Capitani Classic, and his Wednesday preliminary night took 3ird. Buddy Kofoid won Rookie of the Nationals, Sheldon Haudsenschild was hard charger, and Aaron Reutzel on the strength of his 360 Nationals win last week won the Mr. Sprint Car Award winning Southern Iowa Sprint Week.