KNOXVILLE, Iowa — The 32nd annual 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank runs Thursday through Saturday this weekend at Knoxville Raceway.
While the event has become a premier attraction for sprint car racers and fans from coast to coast and the traditional lead-in to the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals at the historic half-mile dirt track located at the Marion County Fairgrounds.
When it was first run in 1991, the event was known as the Limited Sprint Nationals and it was run the weekend following the Knoxville Nationals.
The inaugural event drew 58 cars — the same number as the first Supermodified Nationals (now known as the Knoxville Nationals) in 1961. A crowd estimated at 4,000 saw Knoxville regular David Hesmer come on strong during the second half of the 25-lap event and earn the victory and a $2,500 payday.
The event moved to May in 1992 and was run in September in 1993 when it was known as the Knoxville 360 Nationals for the first time. Garry Lee Maier won in ’92 and ’93.
Still, the 360 Nationals didn’t find its permanent home on the schedule for more than a decade. It was run at the end of August and mid-July and enjoyed a five-year stint in mid-June before it took it’s now-permanent date on the weekend prior to the Knoxville Nationals in 2004.
This year’s Knoxville 360 Nationals could pay the winner as much as $30,000. The winner’s prize is $15,000, plus $500 for every lap led during the 30-lap main event on Saturday night.
More than 100 cars are entered for the three-night event, including defending race winner Giovanni Scelzi. The total purse for the event is $119,270.
Knoxville 360 Nationals Winners
1991 David Hesmer
1992 Garry Lee Maier
1993 Garry Lee Maier
1994 Lee Nelson
1995 Danny Lasoski
1996 Terry McCarl
1997 David Hesmer
1998 Gary Wright
1999 Dennis Moore Jr.
2000 Wayne Johnson
2001 Terry McCarl
2002 Jeff Swindell
2003 Dennis Moore Jr.
2004 Billy Alley
2005 Billy Alley
2006 Jesse Giannetto
2007 Shane Stewart
2008 Wayne Johnson
2009 Terry McCarl
2010 Shane Stewart
2011 Shane Stewart
2012 Shane Stewart
2013 Shane Stewart
2014 Brian Brown
2015 Terry McCarl
2016 Sammy Swindell
2017 Clint Garner
2018 Terry McCarl
2019 James McFadden
2020 Kerry Madsen
2021 Giovanni Scelzi
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