TJ’s Notebook – TJSlideways.com

T.J.’s Notebook: Big Game Motorsports Adds Manpower to Help Achieve Lofty Goals for 2026

David Gravel and Big Game Motorsports have high expectations coming into the 2026 season and made one change to the race team that was unexpected to try and help achieve them.

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T.J.’s Notebook: Illness Will Not Deter Kofoid From Returning to Australia in 2027

Even a unusual illness has not impacted Buddy Kofoid’s drive twin the biggest events in sprint car racing on two different continents.

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T.J.’s Notebook: Breaking Down the Format for the Classic

The Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic is often referred to as the Knoxville Nationals for Australian Sprintcar Racing. Much like the Nationals, the Classic offers a tricky format that can trip up drivers if they have a misstep on their preliminary night…

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Jimmy McCune (#88) racing with Jason Blonde (#42) Sunday at Owosso Speedway. (T.J. Buffenbarger Photo)

T.J.’s Notebook: Lewis Tabbed to Make Feiler’s Vision Become Reality

Imagine loving the sport of auto racing so much that you wanted to leave behind a thank you note of sorts as you get into an advanced age. This summer Dick Feiler, who most readers will know as the owner of the entry Bobby Santos drives in various pavement sprint car series and the USAC Silver Crown Series, will do just that with the Race for the Million series for winged pavement sprint cars.

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T.J.’s Notebook: RaceSaver Looks to Break the Mold by Producing Their Own Alternate Tire

When RaceSaver president Roger Hadan was getting feedback from his race teams for ideas to improve the experience with the grassroots level sprint car division, one consistent source of frustration for teams was the cost of consumables for a race night, and in particular tires.

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Ricky Thornton Jr (Serena Dalhamer photo)

T.J.’s Notebook: Tuesday Picks for the 40th Chili Bowl Nationals

T.J. makes another round of predictions leading into the second night of action at the 40th Chili Bowl Nationals presented by NOS Energy Drink.

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T.J.’s Notebook: Monday Picks for the 40th Chili Bowl Nationals

T.J.’s list of drivers he feels have the best shot at making Saturday’s finale for the 40th Chili Bowl Nationals through their preliminary night.

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T.J.’s Notebook: Results from Seeding the 2025 Knoxville Nationals

The results of comparing the 2025 Knoxville Nationals seeds to the results is complete.

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T.J.’s Notebook: Cam Martin Backs Up 360 Nationals Success by Making the 410 Nationals

Cam Martin’s run to locking into Saturday’s A-Main in Knoxville as a rookie, Brad Sweet bouncing back from his Eldora crash and crew changes to be in contention for a Nationals title, Logan Schuchart being possible in his best position ever to win a Nationals title, and more covered in this edition of T.J.’s Notebook from Thursday night’s program at the 2025 Knoxville Nationals.

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T.J.’s Notebook: Previewing the Tuesday Prelminary Program at the

Looking ahead at the Tuesday preliminary for the 39th Chili Bowl Nationals…

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T.J.’s Notebook: Kelby Watt’s Crazy Summer

The story of Kelby Watt this year could be billed as a young driver navigating their way through the sprint car ecosystem down an unexpected, winding road through the 2024 season using an extraordinary amount of persistence that led to unexpected opportunities.

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Seeding the 2024 Knoxville Nationals: The Results

Check out how everyone faired from the pre-race seeding for the 2024 Knoxville Nationals.

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Donny Schatz (15) and Logan Schuchart (1S) (Serena Dalhamer photo)

T.J.’s Notebook: Lucky and Good is a Tough Combination to Beat

The theme of the Knoxville Nationals in 2024 could end up being, “I’d rather be lucky AND good”.

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T.J.’s Notebook: Giovanni Scelzi in Prime Position to Contend for Elusive Crown Jewel Victory

Giovanni Scelzi has put himself in position to be in contention for winning one of the biggest sprint car races in the sport. It’s a place Scelzi has been in before sitting on the pole for the Knoxville Nationals in 2021 and leading the Jokers Jackpot earlier this year at Eldora Speedway before crashing out of the feature.

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Teammates Corey Eliason (#8) and Aaron Reutzel (87) are both entered in the 360 Knoxville Nationals this week. (Mark Funderburk Photo)

T.J.’s Notebook: Star Studded Field Competing in the 360 Knoxville Nationals This Week

The 2024 edition of the 360 Knoxville Nationals schedule to start Thursday at Knoxville Raceway appears to have drawn one of the stronger entry lists in recent memory for the event. Multiple factors in sprint car racing have created an opportunity to see some names competing we typically would not see until the 410 Nationals.

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