“It’s Iowa”: NASCAR regional boss takes the case for craze among fans for legendary racetrack

NASCAR's Managing Director of Weekly and Touring Series Joey Dennewitz recently shared a video, capturing the moment the last ticket for the NOS Energy Drink race at Iowa's Knoxville Raceway was sold. This year, Iowa has already welcomed the NASCAR Cup Series to Iowa Speedway, one of its 10 raceways. However, it was the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals that clinched the second spot in the USA TODAY 10Best's rankings as of May 2024, only trailing behind Sick Week in Orlando, Florida.

The Knoxville event surpassed several prestigious races nationwide, including the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, and the rugged King of the Hammers. While the Sprint Cars and the World of Outlaws series certainly pull in crowds, the real testament to the event’s success is the fervent race fans in Iowa, whose enthusiasm is evident from the quick sell-out of not only NASCAR Cup tickets but also for the sprint car races.

The track was first established for horse racing but shifted gears to host its inaugural automobile race in 1901. As NASCAR pauses for the Olympic break, Iowa is gearing up for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars event next weekend.

Joey Dennewitz, who was appointed as the Managing Director of Weekly and Touring Series in April 2023, recently shared his excitement by posting a video of the last ticket for the Knoxville racetrack event being sold. He wrote:

"Stoked, but not surprised, to see @knoxvilleraces sell out earlier and earlier each year. Absolute bucket list event with electric atmosphere and week-long community like very few motorsport events in the world. No, it’s not heaven. It’s Iowa."

Knoxville Nationals week will start on August 1, taking center stage in the racing scene for 10 days. The 63rd NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals is set to rev up from August 7 to 10, as Kyle Larson will defend his title.

Tracing its roots back to 1961, the race boasts a four-day showdown with a whopping $1 million total purse. Racers accumulate points every lap they conquer, and the one with the highest tally at the end claims the grand prize.

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2024 Iowa's Knoxville Nationals Qualifying Night Lineup

The countdown is on for the 2024 NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's, with the qualifying night just around the corner at Iowa's Knoxville Raceway — home to the pinnacle of dirt-track racing. As of July 30, the roster for this year's event lists 108 drivers.

The Brandt Professional Agriculture qualifying night on Wednesday, August 7, will showcase talents such as Jacob Allen, Corey Day, David Gravel, Sheldon Haudenschild, Kasey Kahne, Kraig Kinser, Buddy Kofoid, Anthony Macri, Brent Marks, Justin Peck, Parker Price-Miller, Donny Schatz, Tim Shaffer, and Sammy Swindell, among others.

Then comes Toyota qualifying night on Thursday, August 8, featuring stars like Rico Abreu, Spencer Bayston, Brian Brown, Tyler Courtney, Cory Eliason, Carson Macedo, James McFadden, Kyle Larson, Daryn Pittman, Giovanni Scelzi, Logan Schuchart, Brad Sweet, and Tanner Thorson.

Another update from the qualifying roster is that Devon Borden, initially listed to compete, withdrew on Wednesday morning (July 31) due to recovering from second-degree burns incurred at his home in Central Pennsylvania last Saturday.