Aided by Mother Nature, Kyle Larson returns to Iowa to win Knoxville Nationals

Kyle Larson's improbable victory in the 65th Knoxville Nationals has put an end to the harsh criticism he faced from diehard Sprint Car racing fans. Larson admitted that he hoped everyone who was unhappy with him entering the preliminary night would understand the reason behind his decision. He had already drawn ire from a subset of the fanbase for winning the Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway with an aggressive slider on reigning Nationals winner Ryan Timms.

Larson entered the Knoxville Nationals with no intention of seeing the week to completion due to his NASCAR Cup Series responsibilities with Hendrick Motorsports at Richmond Raceway. However, two separate storms delayed the start of the event by four hours, giving Larson the opportunity to finish sixth in the Sprint Car race and ultimately win the Knoxville Nationals.

Larson's team owner Paul Silva hedged their bets by racing all week, and Larson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to compete. Despite his hope to return to Richmond, Larson remained focused on winning races and championships for his crew chief Cliff Daniels and Hendrick president Jeff Andrews. Daniels informed Larson about a plan to get him back to Iowa in time, which Larson was quick to acknowledge.

The plan worked, and Larson dominated the race, winning his fourth victory in the Knoxville Nationals.