McMahan Ready for the Knoxville Nationals
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KNOXVILLE, Iowa — World of Outlaws drivers and team head to the famed Knoxville Raceway this week for the 47th Annual SuperClean Knoxville Nationals from August 8-11. A record $150,000 will go to the winner on Saturday night, with a four-day total purse of well over $900,000. Three current World of Outlaws drivers have won the Knoxville Nationals, and all three are former series champion.
Leading the way will be reigning series champion Donny Schatz. The native of Fargo, North Dakota won sprint car racing’s biggest event last season after four runner-up finishes. Schatz battled Joey Saldana for the win, leading 19 laps to earn the biggest win of his career. He has led 49 total laps in the Knoxville Nationals during his career. Schatz, the current World of Outlaws championship point leader leads the series in most statistical categories, including wins with 13. He also won a number of races in the off-season in Australia. Schatz was victorious in the World of Outlaws first visit to Knoxville in April.
Steve Kinser is the winningest driver in the illustrious history of the Knoxville Nationals, having taken the checkered flag first a record 12 times. His first win in the event came in 1980 and his most recent win was in 2002. The 20-time World of Outlaws champion has led 302 laps in his career at the storied event, the most of any driver and also has 23 career Top-10 finishes in the race, which is the best of any driver. Kinser has led the event six times from start-to-finish. He and his son Kriag are also the only father and son duo to have won sprint car racing’s biggest event. In World of Outlaws competition this season, the native of Bloomington, Indiana has won eight A-Feature events and has finished in the Top-Five 24 times.
Danny Lasoski, the 2001 World of Outlaws champion and winningest driver in Knoxville Raceway history has claimed four Knoxville Nationals wins in his career and has led 103 laps in the sprint car racing’s most famed event. The native of Dover, Missouri has finished in the Top-10, 15 times in his career at the storied half-mile. His first win in the event came in 1998. He charged to a fourth place-finish last season after lining 24th, after racing his way into the finale through the B-Main, where he also started 24th. The seven-time Knoxville Raceway champion is the last driver to win back-to-back Knoxville Nationals, in 2003 and 2004. In World of Outlaws action this season, he has three A-Feature wins along with 39 Top-10 finishes and is third in points.
Paul McMahan has run strong at the Knoxville Nationals throughout his career. The California native who now calls Nashville home finished 11th last season with 128 cars entered in the event. In his second season driving for Tony Stewart Racing, McMahan has two World of Outlaws A-Feature wins, including a triumph at Eldora Speedway, which is owned by car owner. He also was triumphant at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin last month.
The 47th Annual SuperClean Knoxville Nationals run from August 8-11 and the finale can be seen live on SPEED beginning at 9 p.m. Central on Saturday, August 11.
For ticket information visit the Knoxville Raceway website.
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