The 71st season of racing at the Knoxville Raceway is a week away and the three sprint car classes are loaded with talent this season. The 360s will likely have a different champion than last season as Chase Randall has made the jump driving 410s for the most part of the season. The class also has five rookies this season including Cole Garner, who is the son of nine time 360 track Champion Clint Garner and last season’s Pro Sprints Champion Kade Higday is also planning to make the jump to 360s full time in 2024. Along with the Garners, there will also be other veterans trying to stamp their name into the record books including Ryan Giles, who is driving for two-time Track Champion Matt Moro, 2014 Champion Joe Beaver and nine time Feature Winner at Knoxville Jamie Ball. He tells KNIA/KRLS Sports drivers like Chase Randall, Aaron Reutzel and Garet Williamson made him a better driver over the last few seasons.
Ball: “This intensity it takes to run with Randall, Reutzel and Williamson is 10x bigger than any of my 9 wins at Knoxville. Those were cake walks compared to how much those guys go, and it has sped my growth probably ten years.”
Ball is planning on concentrating on Knoxville Raceway in 2024 running both 360 and 410 classes each weekend, but will run a few races preseason and postseason in Texas. In the 410s, the usual cast of characters are back for another run like Five Time 410 Champion Brian Brown, Reigning 410 Champion Austin McCarl, joining him this season full time in the 410s will be his younger brother Carson driving for Billy Vielhauer, Aaron Reutzel, who has already run several World of Outlaws and High Limit Shows in the early season, plus local veterans Lynton Jeffrey, Kerry Madsen, and Matt Juhl plus while not eligible for the Rookie of the Year Chase Randall and ]Williamson will be full time in the 410 class. The Pro Sprints will not have a repeat champion as mentioned 2023 Champion Kade Higday is moving to the 360 class, but the many of the same drivers will contend for the title in 2024. 2022 Champion Mike Mayberry is back for his 12th full season as is Matt Allen, Brandon Worthington, and Chase Young among others. Practice Night is set for next Friday at the Knoxville Raceway, where drivers can take hot laps staring at around 7:00. Opening Night is set for next Saturday. KNIA will have live flag-to-flag coverage starting next Saturday with Live Track Side at 5:00 and Race Nights Live at 7:00.