By Alex Nieten
KNOXVILLE, IA (June 9, 2026) – An important trip to Iowa is ahead for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
All eyes are on the “Hawkeye State” as a massive collection of Sprint Cars is ready to invade Knoxville Raceway for the final leg of the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash this weekend (June 12-13).
For the full-timers on the World of Outlaws tour, it’s the final official tune-up ahead of the 65th running of the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s (Aug. 12-15) – an opportunity to see how you stack up against one of the toughest fields of the year, made up of regional and national talent.
Knoxville, IA is the place to be for any Sprint Car fan this weekend.
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CHAMPS AT THE CAPITAL
Two of the most successful drivers at Knoxville are the two champions on the World of Outlaws tour, Donny Schatz and David Gravel.
Schatz’s Knoxville résumé is among the greatest to ever turn a lap on the Marion County Fairgrounds. Among his 30 victories are 11 Knoxville Nationals titles, which trails only Steve Kinser’s 12 for the most all-time. Schatz’s three trips to Knoxville this year in the CJB Motorsports No. 15 have resulted in finishes of ninth, 10th, and second. The 10-time champion is looking to rebound this weekend after a DNF at Angell Park Speedway.
Gravel’s Knoxville speed has surged considerably since teaming with Big Game Motorsports. The pairing has won seven times at the Iowa oval together, including one earlier this year, bringing Gravel’s career total there to 15. The two-time and defending titlist hasn’t finished worse than fourth in his last seven Knoxville Features.
CLOSING IN
They’ve still got some work to do, but the Wisconsin weekend allowed a few competitors to make up significant ground on Gravel in the championship battle as he suffered his first DNF since the season opener.
Carson Macedo is the hottest driver on tour with three wins in the last six races aboard the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41. His drive from 16th to fifth at Plymouth and his Angell Park victory shrank Gravel’s advantage from 114 markers to 70. The Lemoore, CA native has five career wins at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World.”
Third-running Michael “Buddy” Kofoid took a sizeable chunk out, shrinking his gap from 126 to 86 points. The Roth Motorsports No. 83 is the winningest car on tour in 2026 with six trips to Victory Lane, but Kofoid is still in search of his first-ever Knoxville checkered flag.
Macedo may be stealing the headlines for racking up wins in recent weeks, but Sheldon Haudenschild and the KCP Racing crew have been the most consistent combination during the stretch. They’ve finished no worse than seventh in the last seven races and have bagged eight top fives over the last 10. Haudenschild is still fourth in points but chopped 50 markers off his distance to Gravel, narrowing it from 194 to 144. The Wooster, OH native topped a local Knoxville race in 2021.
DEFENDING THE FAIRGROUNDS
Knoxville boasts one of the strongest weekly programs in the country, and several of its regular competitors plan to be in action with hopes of defending the Marion County Fairgrounds.
Ryan Timms may be from Oklahoma City, OK and Liebig Motorsports may be based in Rapid City, SD, but the pairing has become synonymous with Knoxville. Timms has taken the No. 10 to Victory Lane in half of his last 10 races at Knoxville, including a current streak of three in a row. He may have the best shot at a win this weekend among the track’s weekly competitors.
He’s yet to make a trip to Victory Lane this season, but 69-time Knoxville winner Brian Brown can never be overlooked. A trio of those came against the World of Outlaws (2019, 2022, and 2023). The Higginsville, MO driver was fifth at the track’s regular show over the weekend.
J.J. Hickle is originally from Washington but shifted his racing focus to the Midwest in recent years with an emphasis on Knoxville. He’s turned heads aboard Matt Moro’s No. 2M this year with five top-five finishes at the 1/2 mile already, including a pair with the World of Outlaws. Hickle drove from 12th to second this past Saturday at Knoxville.
This trio will be a few of the many weekly Knoxville participants battling the best.
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
The Premier Chevy Dealers Clash is attracting talent from all over the country to face off with the World of Outlaws and Knoxville regulars.
A pair of famed Pennsylvania cars are making their way off the porch with Knoxville in the GPS. Macri Motorsports is heading west with Kasey Kahne. The two sides partnered in May and gelled quickly as Kahne got his first career World of Outlaws win at Williams Grove Speedway after nearly three decades of trying. They decided to tack on some more races as Anthony Macri continues to heal. Kreitz Racing will also be in attendance with Daryn Pittman behind the wheel. The 2013 World of Outlaws champion put the blue No. 69K on the front row of the Knoxville Nationals two years ago. Pittman owns three career Feature wins at the 1/2 mile.
Aaron Retuzel, the nation’s winningest Sprint Car driver this year with 10 triumphs, will be in action this weekend. One of those came at Knoxville with the World of Outlaws during May’s Stars and Stripes Salute, the Clute, TX native’s 28th overall victory at the 1/2 mile.
St. Helena, CA’s Rico Abreu topped five Knoxville races last year, including one against The Greatest Show on Dirt in April. He brought the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing No. 24 home third last month at Knoxville and will be back for more at the Premier Chevy Dealers Clash.
Additional drivers expected include Giovanni Scelzi (Fresno, CA), Parker Price-Miller (Kokomo, IN), Tanner Holmes (Jacksonville, OR), Tyler Courtney (Indianapolis, IN), and many more.
HUSET’S AHEAD
While Knoxville can’t be overlooked, a massive week of racing awaits the World of Outlaws once the weekend ahead wraps up. Knoxville serves as the last chance to get the car dialed in ahead of the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals (June 17-20).
Huset’s Speedway continues to elevate the sport by offering up life-changing money. Next week packs two events into one with the Hefty Seed Huset’s Hustle (June 17-18), dishing out $150,000 to the winner. Then, the slate is wiped clean for High Bank Nationals (June 19-20) as teams will contend for the largest winner’s share in Series history, $300,000. Huset’s also announced a bounty for an extra $100,000 if any competitor that isn’t full-time with the World of Outlaws can take down the country’s best drivers. Add it all up, and nearly $1 million in purse money will be handed out at Huset’s. If someone can cash in on the bounty, it’ll push the total north of $1 million.
Knoxville and Huset’s may share few similarities in terms of size and shape, but it never hurts to get a little confidence and momentum rolling into one of the biggest events of the year.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday-Saturday, June 12-13 at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, IA
AROUND THE TURN
Wednesday-Saturday, June 17-20 at Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, SD (TICKETS)
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (27/84 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (3756 PTS)
2. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-70 PTS)
3. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-86 PTS)
4. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-144 PTS)
5. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-214 PTS)
6. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-236 PTS)
7. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-410 PTS)
8. Cole Macedo – TwoC Racing No. 2C (-440 PTS)
9. Chris Windom – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-506 PTS)
10. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-522 PTS)