Knoxville Nationals feature hasn't had a lead change in three years
Lap 46 of 50August 13, 2022 Donny Schatz passed David Gravel to win the Knoxville Nationals for the 11th time in his career and there has not been a pass in the feature of the Granddaddy of Them All ever since. Kyle Larson led every lap in 2023Kyle Larson led every lap in 2024Ryan Timms led every lap in 2025 There are a lot of reasons for this but at the end of the day, the event format ... Keep…
Over the course of 50 laps on August 13, 2022, Donny Schatz claimed victory in the Knoxville Nationals for the 11th time in his career, marking the first time in the event's history that there has been no change in leadership. Across the 2023, 2024, and 2025 seasons, Kyle Larson, Ryan Timms, and Donny Schatz respectively led every lap of the feature race.
This dominance can be attributed to several factors, primarily the equal strength of the competitors and the high-speed nature of the half-mile track. As Rico Abreu, a commentator on Motorsport.com, explained, "Everyone is out there with great equipment and they're running a fast pace, and you don't get lots of cautions because these are the best drivers who make the features and they don't make mistakes."
Schatz's previous successes from the back of the pack, like his win in 2018, demonstrate that a competitive field can yield unexpected outcomes. Timms, a participant in the 2025 race, expressed satisfaction with the current format, stating, "I think you should be rewarded. I mean, they put you at a disadvantage already by inverting eight cars in a heat race.
So the heat race, it's hard to pass and it's hard to get to the top four." He emphasized that while passing is not impossible, it is incredibly difficult, especially when starting eighth in the top four. The Knoxville Nationals are often compared to the Super Bowl of Sprint Car racing, with teams and racers treating every session as a potential championship race.
Kasey Kahne, however, advocated for the removal of the mandatory halfway break, preferring a continuous 40-lap stretch without interruption. He argued that drivers should face the consequences of running out of fuel, rather than being granted a halfway break. Abreu suggested a radical change to the race format, proposing a 30-lap race without fuel stops or halfway breaks.
While Abreu acknowledged the current format's strengths, he remained open to adjustments that could enhance the racing experience.
Written by urgent.news from Motorsport.com's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
