At a Glance: Outlaws Young Guns Target Nationals
The World of Outlaws-sanctioned 5-Hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals kicks off on Wednesday

CONCORD, N.C. – Aug. 9, 2016 – As the best sprint car drivers in the World converge in Knoxville, Iowa this week for the 5-Hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals, Wednesday, Aug. 10 to Saturday, Aug. 13, some of the young stars of the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series look ahead as they compete for one of motorsports’ most coveted titles.

David Gravel, Brad Sweet, Jacob Allen, Logan Schuchart and Clyde Knipp, the Outlaws young guns, are ready to take their shot at winning the most coveted title in sprint car racing and the $150,000 prize.

Gravel, who has been on the rise through the summer months and the ‘Month of Money’ and recently took over the second position in the championship points standings enters Knoxville Nationals in his first season with CJB Motorsports. The Watertown, Conn.-native has seven series wins on the season.

Chasing Gravel is Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb’s Brad Sweet who also has seven wins and has spent much of the season occupying the top-three spots in the points, including a 30+ race run at the top of the charts to start the year.

“The Knoxville Nationals is the Super Bowl of sprint car racing and a race every driver dreams of winning,” Sweet said. “I feel like, in a lot of ways, you guage your season by how well you do at Nationals. Having a good run at Nationals can validate a season.”

If Gravel and Sweet are on top, the Shark Racing team of Jacob Allen and Logan Schuchart are rising, quickly. Allen the son and Schuchart the grandson of sprint car hall of famer and 1990 Knoxville Nationals champion Bobby Allen, have found success as the summer has heated up. Schuchart scored his first ever World of Outlaws win at Cedar Lake Speedway and Allen has two podium finishes including a second place run at Ohsweken Speedway

“This is the first time we’re going to Knoxville with fresh motors,” Schuchart said. “I feel like our parts are pretty fresh and we were pretty decent the last time we were there for the regular Outlaws show.”

“You’ve just got to qualify well. Do well on your qualifying night and get a starting spot up front. The best I’ve done is a B-Main so we’re looking to improve that.”

Jacob Allen echoed his teammate.

“I have good confidence going into Nationals. It is the biggest race of the year, your qualifying night has 50 some cars, but they’re the best of the best,” Allen said. “You’ve just got to go in there and make sure everything is going to perform right with your car… be on top of my game and focus really hard on what’s going on.”

Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year contender Clyde Knipp is gaining experience as he works his way through the World of Outlaws season. The 18-year-old from California, Mo. will enter his first Knoxville Nationals this week.

“I’m going to go there and try to put down the best qualifying lap I can and run good in the heats, just like a normal race,” Knipp said. “I’m setting myself to a goal to get some laps around Knoxville and get faster.”