WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Knoxville Raceway doubleheader full of exciting storylines

KNOXVILLE, IA – June 8, 2020 – Knoxville Raceway will host the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for another historic doubleheader weekend June 12-13.

When the Series returned to racing at the iconic half-mile track in May with no fans, it was quiet and surreal. This weekend, fans will return to the grandstands in limited capacity to see “The Greatest Show on Dirt” at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World.”

David Gravel backed up his 2019 Knoxville Nationals win by winning at the raceway in May, but with drivers getting a string of six races under their belt since then, there will be a star-studded field of drivers looking to sweep the weekend

Tickets for both nights can be purchased by clicking here. If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all of the action live on DIRTVision.

Here are the top storylines to follow this weekend:

BACK TO BACK ATTEMPT FOR GRAVEL: When the World of Outlaws returned to racing for the first time after about a two-month hiatus, David Gravel, of Watertown, CT, picked up the historic win at Knoxville Raceway in May. He’ll shoot for two more this weekend at the half-mile track in his Jason Johnson Racing #41.

With his win at Knoxville this year, and at the 2019 Knoxville Nationals, Gravel became the first driver to win back to back races at the track since 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz did so in 2017. He earned his first podium since that win during the last weekend’s race at Beaver Dam Raceway, giving him and JJR the needed confidence and momentum to try and sweep the weekend at Knoxville.

SWEET ON A ROLL: Brad Sweet, the reigning champion from Grass Valley, CA, and his Kasey Kahne Racing team have found their groove with four wins in the first 10 races of 2020. He swept the weekend at Beaver Dam Raceway last weekend and reclaimed the points – now 28 point ahead of second-place Donny Schatz.

Sweet won the second night of the Brownells Big Guns Bash at Knoxville last year but has struggled at the track since. He finished sixth at the Knoxville Nationals last year and finished ninth at the raceway in May. However, after his dominating performance at Beaver Dam, he’ll be poised to park his NAPA Auto Parts #49 back in Victory Lane at the iconic track.

SCHUCHART EYES REDEMPTION: Logan Schuchart, of Hanover, PA, had the best start to his career in the first nine races. He won two races, claimed the points lead for the first time in his career and finished outside the top-five once and never outside the top-10. A split-second error during the last race at Beaver Dam Raceway ended his run.

After hitting the wall and finishing 21st, Schuchart fell from first to third in points – 36 points behind Sweet. While he’s never won a World of Outlaws Feature at Knoxville, it’s become one of his best tracks and could be the perfect place for he and his Shark Racing team to rebound. He drove his Drydene #1S car from 22nd to second at the Knoxville Nationals last year and finished third at the track in May.

STEWART FINDS HIS RHYTHM: After losing his ride at the end of 2019 and entering this year with no solid plan, Shane Stewart, of Bixby, OK, currently finds himself fourth in points after a string of four top-five finishes in a row. He’s put the Indy Race Parts #71 in contention to each the past few weeks and will go for his first win at Knoxville Raceway since 2008 this weekend.

Stewart ran the first three races of the year in a second Sides Motorsports car. When racing resumed in May at Knoxville, he found a new home in the #71. He finished 16th in that race, but Stewart said he and the team learned what adjustments they needed to make for him to feel comfortable. In the six races after, he collected five top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes – never finishing worse than sixth.

PITTMAN HUNTING FOR MOMENTUM: Since finishing fourth at Knoxville in May, Daryn Pittman, of Owasso, OK, has struggled to find his way back into the top-five. He and his Roth Motorsports team have found themselves in and out of the top-10 each race. But with four top-five finishes at Knoxville in a row, the raceway could also be the perfect place for him to rebound.

A win at Knoxville would be Pittman’s first and also his first of 2020. He led eight laps at the track in May and never finished outside the podium there last year. Before driving the #83 for Roth last year, Pittman said he never fared well at Knoxville. Now, he has a package with the team that could bring them both a big win at the historic track.

BROWN ON HOME DEFENSE: While Brian Brown is from Grain Valley, MO, Knoxville Raceway has become a home track for the three-time and reigning track champion. He picked up his 50th career win at the raceway over the weekend – tying him for fifth on the track’s all-time win list with three-time World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell.

One of those 50 career wins came last year when Brown beat the Outlaws during the first night of the Brownells Big Guns Bash. He’ll be on the hunt to do so again this weekend in his self-owned #21 car.

GIBSON 2000: Friday night’s event at Knoxville Raceway will mark the 2,000th consecutive World of Outlaws race that Johnny Gibson “The Voice of the World of Outlaws” has announced.

Gibson started working for the Series full-time in 1995, selling programs. After an interview with announcer Bobby Gerould in 1996 about life on the road with the Outlaws, Gerould thought Gibson had the voice and charisma to be an announcer. He gave Gibson the chance to call a Heat Race at Keller Auto Speedway, which impressed the World of Outlaws enough that they hired Gibson as their first official announcer.

THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE

WHEN & WHERE
Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13 at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, IA, on DIRTVision. Hot Laps at 6:45 p.m. (CT)/7:45 p.m. (ET) and racing at 8 p.m. (CT)/9 p.m. (ET).

ABOUT THE TRACK
Knoxville Raceway is a semi-banked half-mile track.
Track Record – 14.407 sec. set by Brooke Tatnell on May 6, 2006
Online – KnoxvilleRaceway.com

1/2-MILE WINNERS IN 2020
There have been four races on a 1/2-mile track this year.
Volusia Speedway Park: Donny Schatz won on Feb. 7, Brad Sweet won on Feb. 8 and Logan Schuchart won on Feb. 9
Knoxville Raceway: David Gravel won on May 8

KNOXVILLE RACEWAY PREVIOUS WINNERS
2020 – David Gravel on May 8
2019 – Brian Brown on June 14, Brad Sweet on June 15, David Gravel on Aug. 10
2018 – Donny Schatz on June 29, David Gravel on June 30, Brad Sweet on Aug. 11
2017 – Brad Sweet on June 9, Donny Schatz on June 10, Donny Schatz on Aug. 12
2016 – Terry McCarl on June 10, Donny Schatz on June 11, Jason Johnson on Aug. 13
2015 – Donny Schatz on June 13, Donny Schatz on Aug. 15
2014 – Brad Sweet on June 14
2013 – Donny Schatz on May 11, Donny Schatz on June 15
2012 – Sammy Swindell on April 28, Kerry Madsen on June 9
2011 – Sammy Swindell on June 11
2010 – Brooke Tatnell on June 3, Jac Haudenschild on June 4
2009 – Donny Schatz on May 2, Terry McCarl on June 27
2008 – Donny Schatz on May 3, Shane Stewart on June 6, Donny Schatz on June 7
2007 – Donny Schatz on April 28, Terry McCarl on June 16
2006 – Joey Saldana on June 23, Donny Schatz on Oct. 7
2005 – Kraig Kinser on June 24, Steve Kinser on April 30
2004 – Craig Dollansky on June 26, Mark Kinser on May 1
2003 – Danny Lasoski on April 26, Danny Lasoski on July 5
2002 – Steve Kinser on April 26, Danny Lasoski on June 29
2001 – Danny Lasoski on April 28, Stevie Smith on June 30, Jason Meyers on July 16
2000 – Danny Lasoski on April 29, Stevie Smith on July 1, Steve Kinser on July 19
1999 – Sammy Swindell on May 1, Danny Lasoski on July 3, Danny Lasoski on July 21
1998 – Jac Haudenschild on May 2, Jac Haudenschild on July 4, Jac Haudenschild on July 22
1997 – Mark Kinser on April 26, Jac Haudenschild on July 5, Mark Kinser on July 23
1996 – Mark Kinser on April 27, Mark Kinser on June 22, Mark Kinser on July 24
1995 – Mark Kinser on May 6, Mark Kinser on June 24, Steve Kinser on July 19, Mark Kinser on Sept. 27
1994 – Dave Blaney on April 29, Steve Kinser on June 25, Steve Kinser on July 20, Jac Haudenschild on Sept. 23
1993 – Danny Lasoski on April 30, Mark Kinser on June 27, Stevie Smith on Sept. 24
1992 – Sammy Swindell on April 26, Steve Kinser on June 20, Steve Kinser on July 22, Steve Kinser on Sept. 26
1991 – Steve Kinser on April 27, Doug Wolfgang on June 22, Steve Kinser on July 24
1990 – Doug Wolfgang on April 29, Steve Kinser on June 23, Sammy Swindell on July 25
1989 – Sammy Swindell on April 29, Doug Wolfgang on June 24
1988 – Steve Kinser on April 30, Steve Kinser on June 22
1987 – Steve Kinser on April 25, Steve Kinser on June 22
1986 – Sammy Swindell on April 26, Steve Kinser on June 25, Steve Kinser on July 23
1985 – Sammy Swindell on April 28, Doug Wolfgang on Oct. 6
1984 – Sammy Swindell on July 25
1983 – Sammy Swindell on April 16, Sammy Swindell on July 27, Sammy Swindell on Oct. 16
1982 – Doug Wolfgang on April 17, Danny Smith on July 21
1981 – Steve Kinser on April 18, Doug Wolfgang on May 22, Sammy Swindell on May 23, Sammy Swindell on July 22, Doug Wolfgang on Sept. 12
1980 – Steve Kinser on April 19, Steve Kinser on April 20, Doug Wolfgang on May 31, Tim Green on Sept. 20
1979 – Sammy Swindell on April 21

ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Twitter – Twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – Instagram.com/WoOSprint – @woosprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws
YouTube – YouTube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – Dirtvision.com – Get your Fast Pass to watch all races LIVE for only $39/month
Twitter – Twitter.com/DIRTVision – @DIRTVision
Facebook – Facebook.com/WatchDIRTVision

DRIVER INFO
Follow World of Outlaws full-time drivers on Twitter:
Bill Rose – @BillRose6_Rose
Brad Sweet – @BradSweet49
Carson Macedo – @carson_macedo
Daryn Pittman – @darynpittman
David Gravel – @DavidGravel
Donny Schatz – @donnyschatz
Jacob Allen – @JacobAllen1A
Jason Sides – @SidesMotorsport
Kraig Kinser – @KraigKinser11k
Logan Schuchart – @Lschuchart1s
Mason Daniel – @MasonDRacing
Sheldon Haudenschild – @Haudenschild_17
Wayne Johnson – @wjr77x

AROUND THE TURN: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series on Friday, June 19, and Saturday, June 20, will return to Tri-State Speedway for the first doubleheader event at the track, broadcasted live on DIRTVision.Tickets for the events can be purchased by clicking here.

2020 STATS
There have been 10 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Feature events this season.

FEATURE WINNERS (5 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 4
2 – Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 2
– Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 2
3 – David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1
– Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 1

DRYDENE HEAT RACE WINNERS (19 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 5
2 – David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 4
– Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 4
3 – Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 3
– Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 3
– Shane Stewart, Bixby, Okla. – 3
4 – Cory Eliason, Visalia, Calif. – 2
– Jacob Allen, Hanover, Pa. – 2
– Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 2
– Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 2
5 – Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, Ind. – 1
– James McFadden, Warrnambool, VIC, Australia – 1
– Brian Brown, Grain Valley, Mo. – 1
– Brent Marks, Myerstown, Pa. – 1
– Tyler Courtney, Indianapolis, Ind. – 1
– Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 1
– Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, Ind. – 1
– Sam Hafertepe, Jr., Sunnyvale Texas – 1
– Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 1

DIRTVISION FAST PASS DASH WINNERS (7 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 2
– Jacob Allen, Hanover, Pa. – 2
– Shane Stewart, Bixby, Okla. – 2
2 – Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 1
– Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 1
– Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 1
– Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (9 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 2
2 – Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg, Pa. – 1
– Jacob Allen, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 1
– Paul McMahan, Nashville, Tenn. – 1
– Brian Bell, Arlington Tenn. – 1
– Rico Abreu, St. Helena, Calif. – 1
– Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tenn. – 1
– Bill Balog, Hartland, Wis. – 1

C-MAIN WINNERS (3 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Trey Starks, Puyallup, Wash. – 1
– Cale Thomas, Fairland, Ind. – 1
– Anthony Macri, Dillsburg, Pa. – 1

D-MAIN WINNERS (1 driver)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Wins
1 – Kyle Moody, Lewisberry, Pa. – 1

PODIUM FINISHES (10 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – # of podiums
1 – Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 8
2 – Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 6
3 – Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 4
4 – Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 3
5 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 2
– Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 2
– David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 2
6 – James McFadden, Warrnambool, VIC, Australia – 1
– Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 1
– Brent Marks, Myerstown, Pa. – 1

HARD CHARGER AWARD (6 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – H.C. Awards
1 – Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 4
2 – Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 2
3 – Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 1
– Carson Macedo, Lemoore, Calif. – 1
– David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1

TOTAL LAPS LED (10 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – Laps
1 – Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 80
2 – Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 78
3 – Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 48
– Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 48
4 – Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 32
5 – Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 14
6 – Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, Wash. – 10
7 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 9
– Jacob Allen, Hanover, Pa. – 9
8 – David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 2

QUALIFYING QUICK TIME (8 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – QTs
1 – David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 2
– Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 2
2 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 1
– Aaron Reutzel, Clute, Texas – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw Wash. – 1
– Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, Ind. – 1
– Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 1

NEW TRACK RECORDS (1 driver)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – TR
1 – Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. (9.995 sec. at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55)

FASTEST IN PRACTICE (8 drivers)
Rank – Driver, Hometown – # of times fastest
1 – Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio – 3
2 – Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Okla. – 1
– Donny Schatz, Fargo, N.D. – 1
– Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, Calif. – 1
– Logan Schuchart, Hanover, Pa. – 1
– Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, Calif. – 1
– David Gravel, Watertown, Conn. – 1
– Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia – 1

2020 World of Outlaws Schedule & Winners
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Friday, Feb. 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Donny Schatz (1)
2. Saturday, Feb. 8 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brad Sweet (1)
3. Sunday, Feb. 9 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Logan Schuchart (1)
4. Friday, March 13 / Cotton Bowl Speedway / Paige, TX / (Postponed)
5. Saturday, March 14 / LoneStar Speedway / Kilgore, TX / (Canceled)
6. Saturday, March 21 / USA Raceway / Tucson, AZ / (Canceled)
7. Sunday, March 22 / Arizona Speedway / San Tan Valley, AZ / (Canceled)
8. Saturday, March 28 / Perris Auto Speedway / Perris, CA / (Canceled)
9. Sunday, March 29 / Santa Maria Raceway / Nipomo, CA / (Postponed)
10. Friday April 3 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, CA / (Postponed)
11. Saturday, April 4 / Thunderbowl Raceway / Tulare, CA / (Postponed)
12. Friday, April 10 / Merced Speedway / Merced, CA / (Canceled)
13. Saturday, April 11 / Ocean Speedway / Watsonville, CA / (Canceled)
14. Friday, April 17 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA / (Canceled)
15. Saturday, April 18 / Stockotn Dirt Track / Stockton, CA / (Canceled)
16. Friday, April 24 / Vado Speedway Park / Vado, NM / (Canceled)
17. Saturday, April 25 / Vado Speedway Park / Vado, NM / (Canceled)
18. Friday, May 1 / Lawton Speedway / Lawton, OK / (Postponed)
19. Saturday, May 2 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / (Postponed)
20. Wednesday, May 6 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL / (Postponed)
21. Friday, May 8 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (1)
22. Friday, May 8 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / (Postponed)
23. Saturday, May 9 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / (Postponed)
24. Wednesday, May 13 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / (Postponed)
25. Friday, May 15 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / (Postponed)
26. Saturday, May 16 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / (Postponed)
27. Tuesday, May 19 / Bridgeport Speedway / Swedesboro, NJ / (Postponed)
28. Fri., May 22 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (2)
29. Sat., May 23 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (1)
30. Saturday, May 23 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC / (Postponed)
31. Monday, May 25 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / (Postponed)
32. Friday, May 29 / Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon, MO / Logan Schuchart (2)
33. Saturday, May 30 / Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon, MO / Donny Schatz (2)
34. Saturday, May 30 / I-70 Speedway / Odessa, MO / (Postponed)
35. Wednesday, June 3 / I-80 Speedway / Greenwood, NE / (Postponed)
36. Friday, June 5 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / (Postponed)
37. Friday, June 5 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Brad Sweet (3)
38. Saturday, June 6 / Granite City Speedway / Sauk Rapids, MN / (Postponed)
39. Saturday, June 6 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Brad Sweet (4)