The three-time and defending Knoxville Nationals champion tops Toyota Qualifying Night for the second straight year
Kyle Larson actually looked human to begin Thursday night at Knoxville Raceway, but that didn’t last long.
He began Toyota Qualifying Night at the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s by timing in 15th fastest in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying, subpar by his high standards. He did manage to wheel his way from sixth to fourth in the fifth Heat Race to sneak into the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series main event with the final transfer.
The format lined him up fifth for the finale. When the green flag dropped for the 25-lap Feature, the Larson we’ve grown to know came roaring back.
“Yung Money” started off by going three-wide into Turn 1 in an attack for the third spot, making it clear he was on a mission. It took him only five laps to carve his way into the runner-up position, leaving only Spencer Bayston between himself and the lead. Larson got to work cutting into the advantage until it was gone. A Lap 13 slider stuck, and that was all she wrote. The Elk Grove, CA native drove away to his second straight Thursday triumph at the Knoxville Nationals.
“Honestly, I’m out of breath,” Larson said. “That was a really fast paced 25 laps. The track was really slick, but then against it was super gripped up. It just made it like really technical. Your car was dancing around a lot. I was using both feet quite a bit and steering pretty heavy there, but it was fun. I was trying to watch at least the scoreboard there to see who was in second, and I saw Spencer was still in second. I got stuck behind the 4 (Cameron Martin). He was running a good pace in front of me for a while, and I just figured they were probably closing on me. Thankfully I got by him with a few to go, and I felt like I could rest a little bit easier after that.”
Larson’s victory continued his incredible recent streak at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World” aboard Paul Silva’s No. 57. He’s now won 10 of his last 22 Sprint Car races at the iconic half mile. He’s finished second six times in that stretch, making it 16 top two finishes. The win wasn’t quite enough to overcome the early troubles in terms of points. Larson will start ninth on Saturday. His three starting positions for the years he won the race were third (2021), first (2023), and first (2024). He’ll have some work to do, but anyone who has seen the 33-year-old drive a Sprint Car knows he’s more than capable.
“I wish we would’ve done a little better earlier in the night,” Larson admitted. “It’ll be enough to lock in the Feature for sure, but I’m guessing we’ll be eighth to 10th in points, which isn’t great, but we can still win from there hopefully on Saturday.”
Second place went to Logan Schuchart, who made a late run to snag the runner-up spot aboard the Shark Racing No. 1S. The finish capped a strong night all around and will line him up third on Saturday, the Hanover, PA native’s best starting position in the Knoxville Nationals Championship Feature. He’s finished in the top five on three occasions and badly wants his first win in the sport’s biggest race.
“It’s nice when you’re finishing up front,” Schuchart said. “This will be our best starting position yet. I’m just trying to think of how I felt. I didn’t think I felt really good. I know we were catching Kyle at the end, but I’m one hundred percent sure he was on conservative mode leading the race and trying not to do anything he shouldn’t do. I don’t know if we’re as good as we need to be, but I’m going to take a moment after the race to go through things. We didn’t qualify that well. I was a little worried about going out late, but at the same time we did what we had to do in that Heat Race and this A-main. We’re on the podium. It puts us in a good spot for Saturday.”
After leading early, Spencer Bayston brought the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14 home third, his fourth career podium at Knoxville. The Lebanon, IN driver’s efforts on Thursday were enough to earn him the final lock-in spot from the Qualifying Nights for the Championship Feature. Bayston will start 16th in “The Granddaddy of ‘Em All” on Saturday.
“I felt like I was setting a really good pace,” Bayston said of the race’s beginning portion. “We started to waver a little bit. I knew I was probably going to get somebody visiting me at some point, and sure enough the 57 got by and got away quick. But we fell back in line and got back to what I was doing running the top. The 14 car felt really, really good.”
Giovanni Scelzi and Carson Macedo completed the top five. Macedo’s night was enough to slot him second in points, lining him up alongside Ryan Timms on the front row for Saturday’s $195,000-to-win Knoxville Nationals Championship Feature.
Brad Sweet marched from 21st to eighth to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger and slot himself outside row two for Saturday’s finale.
Sweet also earned Simpson Quick Time honors in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.
Heat Races belonged to Gage Pulkrabek (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Tasker Phillips (Real American Beer Heat Two), Josh Schneiderman (WIX Filters Heat Three), Christopher Thram (Toyota Heat Four), and Brady Bacon (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Five).
The SPA Technique Pole Award went to Derek Hagar.
Brad Sweet won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Conner Morrell.
UP NEXT: It’s a clean slate for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars on FVP Hard Knox Night at the 64th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s. Teams who struggled on their Qualifying Night get a chance at redemption as four more ticket’s to Saturday’s Championship Feature are up for grabs on Friday, Aug. 8. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.
FEATURE RESULTS:
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 57-Kyle Larson[5]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart[6]; 3. 14-Spencer Bayston[2]; 4. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi[3]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog[4]; 7. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[9]; 8. 49-Brad Sweet[21]; 9. 45C-Derek Hagar[1]; 10. 1TZ-Tasker Phillips[17]; 11. 21H-Brady Bacon[15]; 12. 71P-Parker Price Miller[23]; 13. 33W-Cap Henry[20]; 14. 19-Brent Marks[24]; 15. 39-Lynton Jeffrey[7]; 16. 4C-Cameron Martin[22]; 17. 1-Sammy Swindell[11]; 18. 53-Jack Dover[16]; 19. 49J-Josh Schneiderman[18]; 20. 24T-Christopher Thram[19]; 21. 28M-Conner Morrell[10]; 22. 23L-Jimmy Light[13]; 23. (DNF) 11-Roger Crockett[14]; 24. (DNF) G5-Gage Pulkrabek[12]
ANOTHER ONE: Kyle Larson Wins Thursday’s Knoxville Nationals Qualifying Night from Fifth
The three-time and defending Knoxville Nationals champion tops Toyota Qualifying Night for the second straight year
Kyle Larson actually looked human to begin Thursday night at Knoxville Raceway, but that didn’t last long.
He began Toyota Qualifying Night at the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s by timing in 15th fastest in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying, subpar by his high standards. He did manage to wheel his way from sixth to fourth in the fifth Heat Race to sneak into the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series main event with the final transfer.
The format lined him up fifth for the finale. When the green flag dropped for the 25-lap Feature, the Larson we’ve grown to know came roaring back.
“Yung Money” started off by going three-wide into Turn 1 in an attack for the third spot, making it clear he was on a mission. It took him only five laps to carve his way into the runner-up position, leaving only Spencer Bayston between himself and the lead. Larson got to work cutting into the advantage until it was gone. A Lap 13 slider stuck, and that was all she wrote. The Elk Grove, CA native drove away to his second straight Thursday triumph at the Knoxville Nationals.
“Honestly, I’m out of breath,” Larson said. “That was a really fast paced 25 laps. The track was really slick, but then against it was super gripped up. It just made it like really technical. Your car was dancing around a lot. I was using both feet quite a bit and steering pretty heavy there, but it was fun. I was trying to watch at least the scoreboard there to see who was in second, and I saw Spencer was still in second. I got stuck behind the 4 (Cameron Martin). He was running a good pace in front of me for a while, and I just figured they were probably closing on me. Thankfully I got by him with a few to go, and I felt like I could rest a little bit easier after that.”
Larson’s victory continued his incredible recent streak at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World” aboard Paul Silva’s No. 57. He’s now won 10 of his last 22 Sprint Car races at the iconic half mile. He’s finished second six times in that stretch, making it 16 top two finishes. The win wasn’t quite enough to overcome the early troubles in terms of points. Larson will start ninth on Saturday. His three starting positions for the years he won the race were third (2021), first (2023), and first (2024). He’ll have some work to do, but anyone who has seen the 33-year-old drive a Sprint Car knows he’s more than capable.
“I wish we would’ve done a little better earlier in the night,” Larson admitted. “It’ll be enough to lock in the Feature for sure, but I’m guessing we’ll be eighth to 10th in points, which isn’t great, but we can still win from there hopefully on Saturday.”
Second place went to Logan Schuchart, who made a late run to snag the runner-up spot aboard the Shark Racing No. 1S. The finish capped a strong night all around and will line him up third on Saturday, the Hanover, PA native’s best starting position in the Knoxville Nationals Championship Feature. He’s finished in the top five on three occasions and badly wants his first win in the sport’s biggest race.
“It’s nice when you’re finishing up front,” Schuchart said. “This will be our best starting position yet. I’m just trying to think of how I felt. I didn’t think I felt really good. I know we were catching Kyle at the end, but I’m one hundred percent sure he was on conservative mode leading the race and trying not to do anything he shouldn’t do. I don’t know if we’re as good as we need to be, but I’m going to take a moment after the race to go through things. We didn’t qualify that well. I was a little worried about going out late, but at the same time we did what we had to do in that Heat Race and this A-main. We’re on the podium. It puts us in a good spot for Saturday.”
After leading early, Spencer Bayston brought the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14 home third, his fourth career podium at Knoxville. The Lebanon, IN driver’s efforts on Thursday were enough to earn him the final lock-in spot from the Qualifying Nights for the Championship Feature. Bayston will start 16th in “The Granddaddy of ‘Em All” on Saturday.
“I felt like I was setting a really good pace,” Bayston said of the race’s beginning portion. “We started to waver a little bit. I knew I was probably going to get somebody visiting me at some point, and sure enough the 57 got by and got away quick. But we fell back in line and got back to what I was doing running the top. The 14 car felt really, really good.”
Giovanni Scelzi and Carson Macedo completed the top five. Macedo’s night was enough to slot him second in points, lining him up alongside Ryan Timms on the front row for Saturday’s $195,000-to-win Knoxville Nationals Championship Feature.
Brad Sweet marched from 21st to eighth to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger and slot himself outside row two for Saturday’s finale.
Sweet also earned Simpson Quick Time honors in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.
Heat Races belonged to Gage Pulkrabek (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Tasker Phillips (Real American Beer Heat Two), Josh Schneiderman (WIX Filters Heat Three), Christopher Thram (Toyota Heat Four), and Brady Bacon (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Five).
The SPA Technique Pole Award went to Derek Hagar.
Brad Sweet won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Conner Morrell.
UP NEXT: It’s a clean slate for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars on FVP Hard Knox Night at the 64th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s. Teams who struggled on their Qualifying Night get a chance at redemption as four more ticket’s to Saturday’s Championship Feature are up for grabs on Friday, Aug. 8. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.
FEATURE RESULTS:
A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 57-Kyle Larson[5]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart[6]; 3. 14-Spencer Bayston[2]; 4. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi[3]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog[4]; 7. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[9]; 8. 49-Brad Sweet[21]; 9. 45C-Derek Hagar[1]; 10. 1TZ-Tasker Phillips[17]; 11. 21H-Brady Bacon[15]; 12. 71P-Parker Price Miller[23]; 13. 33W-Cap Henry[20]; 14. 19-Brent Marks[24]; 15. 39-Lynton Jeffrey[7]; 16. 4C-Cameron Martin[22]; 17. 1-Sammy Swindell[11]; 18. 53-Jack Dover[16]; 19. 49J-Josh Schneiderman[18]; 20. 24T-Christopher Thram[19]; 21. 28M-Conner Morrell[10]; 22. 23L-Jimmy Light[13]; 23. (DNF) 11-Roger Crockett[14]; 24. (DNF) G5-Gage Pulkrabek[12]
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
In an entertaining back-and-forth tussle for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year, Team Chevy’s Robert Shwartzman, the driver of the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet, trails Louis Foster by four points headed to Portland. The pair has traded the freshman points lead four times and have been neck-and-neck down the stretch, with Shwartman outscoring Foster by a single point over the last five races and Foster scoring two more points since the Indianapolis 500. Northwest Nuggets O’Ward is the only driver to have completed all 1870 laps contested in the first 14 races. His Arrow McLaren teammate Christian Lundgaard, Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Conor Daly and A.J. Foyt Racing’s David Malukas are the other Chevrolet-powered drivers who have completed over 99% of the 1870 laps. Alexander Rossi, the driver of the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Java House Chevrolet, has gained an impressive total of 24 spots on the first lap in the 14 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this year. Even more amazing is that the 33-year-old has not lost a position on the first lap, gaining spots in 14 races and remaining in his starting spot another three times. O’Ward’s No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet has been the quickest on pit road three times this season and trails Scott Dixon’s crew by only two points in the season-long Firestone Pit Performance Award, which rewards the driver and crew that spends the least time on pit road across the entire season.
A.J. Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci, driver of the No. 14 A.J. Foyt Racing Sexton Properties Chevrolet, took his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES pole, the seventh time a Chevrolet-powered driver has won the right to start on the inside of the front row. Five of Team Chevy’s 20 podium appearances in Portland have come in the last three years. Emerson Fittipaldi, Scott McLaughlin, Rick Mears, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Danny Sullivan, and Paul Tracy have combined for 11 Team Penske podiums, the most of any Chevrolet-powered team in Portland. A dozen drivers representing six Chevrolet-powered teams have combined to lead 759 laps on the 1.964-mile, 12-Turn Portland International Raceway road course.
Chevrolet wins at Portland International Raceway: 8 2024 – Will Power – Team Penske2022 – Scott McLaughlin – Team Penske2019 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing 1990 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing 1989 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Patrick Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske Chevrolet poles at Portland International Raceway: 7 2024 – Santino Ferrucci – A.J. Foyt Racing2022 – Scott McLaughlin – Team Penske2018 – Will Power – Team Penske1992 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Team Penske1991 – Emerson Fittipaldi Team Penske1990 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske Chevrolet podiums at Portland International Raceway: 20 Chevrolet podiums at Portland International Raceway by driver: Emerson Fittipaldi (5), Will Power (3), Michael Andretti (2), Al Unser Jr. (2), Mario Andretti (1), Scott McLaughlin (1), Rick Mears (1), Josef Newgarden (1), Bob Rahal (1), Felix Rosenqvist (1), Danny Sullivan (1) and Paul Tracy (1) Chevrolet podiums at Portland International Raceway by team: Team Penske (11), Galles Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (3), Patrick Racing (2), Arrow McLaren (1) Chevrolet laps led at Portland International Raceway: 759 Chevrolet laps led at Portland International Raceway by driver: Michael Andretti (203), Emerson Fittipaldi (182), Will Power (155), Scott McLaughlin (109), Danny Sullivan (46), Pato O’Ward (28), Rick Mears (25), Mario Andretti (3), Felix Rosenqvist (3), Al Unser Jr. (3), Callum Ilott (1), and Josef Newgarden (1) Chevrolet laps led at Portland International Raceway by team: Team Penske (408), Newman Haas Racing (206), Patrick Racing (110), Arrow McLaren (31), Galles Racing (3), and Juncos Hollinger Racing (1) Manufacturer History at Portland International Raceway Wins (with competition): 8 – Chevrolet (2024, 2022, 2019, 1993, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988)7 – Honda (2023, 2021, 2018, 2000, 1999, 1998, 19964 – Cosworth (1987, 1986, 1985, 1984)2 – Ford (2001, 1992)2 – Mercedes (1997, 1995)1 – Toyota (20021 – Ilmor (1994 Poles (with competition): 7 – Chevrolet (2024, 2022, 2018, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1988)6 – Honda (2023, 2021, 2019, 2000, 1999, 1996)5 – Ford (2001, 1998, 1997, 1995, 19934 – Cosworth (1987, 1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Toyota (20021 – Ilmor (1995)1 – Porsche (1989) Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information
SVG SEEKS FOUR-STRAIGHT STREAK Chevrolet will head to upstate New York with an active streak of three-straight road racing triumphs in the NASCAR Cup Series – all courtesy of Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen. The road course ace went from outside the playoff bubble to a guaranteed spot in the title chase with a dominating victory in the series’ inaugural appearance in Mexico City. The 36-year-old Auckland, New Zealand, native went on to make back-to-back trips to victory lane at the Chicago Street Course and Sonoma Raceway just a few weeks later. Van Gisbergen left Sonoma making yet another mark in NASCAR history – becoming just the seventh different driver to win three consecutive road course races in the division. Extending his streak to four-straight is a very attainable task for the Trackhouse Racing driver, with his first and only appearance at Watkins Glen International ending with a runner-up result (Sept. 2024). Only two drivers in series’ history have racked up four-straight road course victories – 2020 Cup Series champion, Chase Elliott, and NASCAR Hall of Famer, Jeff Gordon.
FIRST-TIME WINNEROn Aug. 5, 2018, at Watkins Glen International, Chase Elliott etched his name into history as a NASCAR Cup Series winner. Now competing in his 10th full-time season, the 29-year-old Dawsonville, Georgia, native is a champion and 20-time winner in NASCAR’s top division. Despite still seeking his first road course win in the Next Gen era, Elliott has proven to know his way around left- and right-hand turns. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has tallied seven road course victories in his Cup Series career – the most of all active drivers. The record is enough to place Elliott third on the series’ all-time road course wins list behind a pair of NASCAR Hall of Famers – Jeff Gordon (nine) and Tony Stewart (eight). Elliott’s road course resume sees victories at five different road course circuits, which also happens to be a series’ record.
Plagued with fuel milage misfortune this season, William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team finally came out on top at Iowa Speedway to earn their second trip to victory lane. The 27-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native turned in a race-high 141 laps led en route to a 48-point day to earn his spot back in the points lead heading into the final three-race stretch of the regular season. Still on his heels are his Hendrick Motorsports teammates, Chase Elliott (second) and Kyle Larson (third), who are each looking to add a second regular season title to their championship-earning resumes.
In the Xfinity Series, it was Connor Zilisch that drove to a 43-point day and his 11th top-five finish of the season to surpass his JR Motorsports teammate, Justin Allgaier, for the top points position – marking the first time in his rookie campaign that he’s attained the points lead. The rising star also leads the series with five wins this season – most recently at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to tie together three-straight triumphs. What better place to further add to his points lead than Watkins Glen International – a circuit that saw his first career Xfinity Series start end in a trip to victory lane.
BACK WHERE IT ALL STARTED…Just one year ago, Connor Zilisch stepped into the NASCAR scene for the very first time by making his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen International. Coming out of the gates full throttle, Zilisch drove the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet to the pole win, going on to record a race-high 45 laps en route to the victory to make him just the seventh driver in series’ history to win in his first career start. Fast forward just a few months, Zilisch landed a full-time spot in the driver’s seat of the No. 88 Chevrolet to compete in his first full-time campaign in the NASCAR national ranks. Taking his rookie season by storm, Zilisch heads back to where it all started as the series’ new points leader and a series-leading five wins under his belt. The 19-year-old Mooresville, North Carolina, native has yet to finish outside of the top-five in each of his road course starts in the series, including victories in the first (Circuit of The Americas) and most recent (Sonoma Raceway) road course races of the 2025 season.
Chevrolet’s season statistics with 23 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
Chevrolet’s season statistics with 22 NASCAR Xfinity Series races complete:
Chevrolet’s season statistics with 16 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races complete:
Stenhouse Stellar Iowa Stats: With just four races remaining in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet team sit in a ‘must-win’ position in order to keep their championship hopes alive. Hungry for a trip back to victory lane, Stenhouse Jr. returns to a track where he has shared a fair amount of success over his NASCAR career. The 37-year-old Olive Branch, Mississippi, native leads the series’ active drivers in wins in the NASCAR national ranks at Iowa Speedway with three-straight Xfinity Series triumphs (2011 sweep; May 2012). In his last five starts at the Iowa short-track, Stenhouse Jr. has finished no worse than fifth, including a top-five finish in the Cup Series’ inaugural event last season.
EXTENDING A RECORD-SETTING STREAK For the third-straight weekend and series-leading fifth time this season, Connor Zilisch and the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet team earned a trip to victory – taking the checkered flag in Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The triumph added onto an already dominate season for the Chevrolet camp in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the 19-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, native delivering the manufacturer its 19th win in 21 races. Dating back to Kyle Larson’s victory at Bristol Motor Speedway in April, Chevrolet has been the only manufacturer to pay a visit to victory lane in the division – heading to America’s heartland with a streak of 13-straight wins. Chevrolet is the only manufacturer in Xfinity Series’ history to hit a double-digit win streak in a single season – also accomplishing the feat in 1999 (10-straight), 2000 (11-straight) and 2022 (10-straight).
Martinsville Speedway – March 29, 2025Austin Hill, No. 21 ChevroletRichard Childress Racing’s 100th NXS Win
Indianapolis Motor Speedway – July 26, 2025Connor Zilisch, No. 88 ChevroletJR Motorsports’ 100th NXS Win