Sprint car racing’s grandest event begins tonight with the 63rd Running of the Nos Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Caseys. 110 entries are currently vying for a chance to become a legend of sprint car racing by winning Saturday’s A-Main which pays $190,000 and $15,000 to start. But to get to Saturday all drivers have to run a preliminary night. For Capitani Classic Winner Rico Abreu who is a contender to win on Saturday, he tells KNIA/KRLS Sports his crew has stepped up their game as he has this season.
Abreu: “Just their critical thinking and to have this team behind me. I feel like this is the best we’ve ever come into this event preparation wise.”
Gio Scelzi, who is a full time competitor on the World of Outlaws and was the Nationals A-Main pole sitter in 2021 says after not running well at the outlaw show in June at Knoxville he feels more confident after using an off weekend to come to Knoxville and test in July.
Scelzi: “Came back for a local show 4th of July weekend, and we got a lot of things figured out. We’ve been fast just about everywhere we’ve been since running The Grove and Weedsport, so hopefully we’ll have something for everyone.”
Kyle Larson is the defending champion and seems to be the hottest driver nationally after sweeping last week at the Ironman 55 and winning Monday’s Front Row Challenge. Larson will run tomorrow’s preliminary night. Some of the contenders that are scheduled to run tonight are: 2019 Winner David Gravel, who just won the King Royal, 11 Time Champion Donny Schatz, Scelzi, and weekly 410 driver that could make some noise, Aaron Reutzel. The format is the same as last week’s 360 Nationals where drivers will time trial, run heats and then be put in a C, B, or A-Main, all earning points in each race. Live coverage is on KNIA with Live Track Side at 5:00 and Race Nights Live at 7:00.
WEDNESDAY, August, 7 qualifiers
1 Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN
1a Jacob Allen, Hanover, PA
1M Don Droud, Jr., Lincoln, NE
J2 John Carney II, El Paso, TX
2 David Gravel, Watertown, CT (C)
2K Kevin Ingle, Huron, SD
2KS Chase Randall, Waco, TX
2X Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust.
3P Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA
3Z Brock Zearfoss, Jonestown, PA
4W Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA
G5 Gage Pulkrabek, East Grand Forks, ND
6B Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN
6W Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA
8H Jacob Hughes, Hartford, SD (R)
09 Matt Juhl, Tea, SD
9 Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA
9P Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN
10 Scott Bogucki, McLaren Vale, SA, Aust.
10V Brian Paulus, Six Mile, SC
11N Kasey Jedrezek, Lagrange, OH (R)
13 Justin Peck, Monrovia, IN
14 Corey Day, Clovis, CA
14J Jack Dover, Springfield, NE
15 Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND (C)
15H Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale, TX
15J Jack Potter, Lee’s Summit, MO
15JR Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA
17 Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH
17GP Cale Thomas, Fairland, IN
18 Giovanni Scelzi, Fresno, CA
18T Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR
19 Brent Marks, Myerstwon, PA
19H Joel Myers, Jr., Santa Rosa, CA (R)
21T Cole Macedo, Lemoore, CA
22 Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA
23 Garet Williamson, Columbia, MO
23L Jimmy Light, Indianapolis, IN
23M Lance Moss, Cherryville, NC
24T Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN
27 Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA
39M Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, PA
44 Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA
45X Jace Park, Overland Park, KS (R)
48 Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA
49X Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA (C)
52 Blake Hahn, Sapulpa, OK
55 Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust.
55t McKenna Haase, Des Moines, IA
70 Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, IN (C)
73 Scotty Thiel, Sheboygan, WI
83JR Michael Kofoid, Penngrove, CA
87 Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX
99 Skylar Gee, Leduc, ALB, Can.
101 Kalib Henry, Sacramento, CA