[Dannypollock24]

Knoxville Raceway set to host 360 Nationals
By Eric Arnold NDN Racing Writer


Bixby, Okla. native Shane Stewart will bring his No. 57 car into Knoxville Raceway for the 360 Knoxville Nationals on Thursday through Saturday looking to defend the championship he won last year!


Knoxville Raceway will kick off the Southern Iowa Sprintweek with the 21st Arnold Motor Supply 360 Nationals on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.

This is the event that leads up to the 51st Goodyear Knoxville Nationals on Aug. 10-13. The 360 Nationals has become a major event for Knoxville Raceway and the sprint car racing community. Last year more teams entered the 360 Nationals than the 410 Nationals and the crowds followed with approximately 12,000 filling the stands a year ago for the 360 Nationals.

The 360 Nationals (360 cubic inch engines) works the same way as the 410 Nationals, with the teams divided up into two nights of racing and earning points through a traditional race program with time trials, heat races, and features.

The points are tallied and that’s how they line up the championship features on Saturday. The 360 Nationals pays $10,000 to win and it draws some very good competition, including former winners Shane Stewart, Wayne Johnson, Danny Lasoski, Terry McCarl, Jeff Swindell, and past 410 Nationals winner Sammy Swindell.

Accompanying the 360 championship features on Saturday will be a regular 410 racing program, which is also sanctioned by the All Stars Circuit of Champions. The Saturday before the 410 Nationals traditionally has attracted teams across the country for a night of racing under their belt to gain an advantage for the races to come the following week. With this also being an All Stars points race, even more teams are expected to be there with nearly 140 cars total in the pit area on Saturday night.

The All Stars will draw in drivers Dale Blaney, Tyler Walker, Daryn Pittman, Cap Henry, and last year’s upset winner of the 410 Nationals Tim Shaffer from Pennsylvania. To have the defending 410 Nationals champion at Knoxville a week early is something that hasn’t happened in many years. Shaffer will also be performing double duty, competing in the 360 Nationals as well on Friday and Saturday.

This is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Sprintweeks in history, with all major sprint car sanctioning bodies involved; Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour (360 Nationals), All Stars on Saturday in Knoxville and Monday in Oskaloosa, USAC non-wing races on Sunday at Knoxville and Tuesday in Oskaloosa, and will finish up with the World of Outlaws for the Goodyear Knoxville Nationals.

The favorites coming in to this year’s 360 Nationals will be defending champion Shane Stewart from Bixby, Okla., Sammy Swindell, Jason Johnson from Louisiana, Wayne Johnson from Okla., and Knoxville regulars Brian Brown, Danny Lasoski, and Terry McCarl.

Contenders to keep an eye on will be Johnny Herrera, Daryn Pittman, Jeff Swindell, Gary Wright, Brooke Tatnell, and of course Tim Shaffer. Some of the 360 Knoxville regulars contending will be Clint Garner and Chad Humston. The 360 Nationals is most times better and more competitive racing than the 410 Nationals, so if you’re a sprint car fan this is a must see event.

If you’re a NASCAR fan, make sure you visit the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville this fall as two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has six cars on display of his personal collection. Stewart won championships in each car including his USAC Midget, Sprint Car, and Silver Crown cars, his 1997 IndyCar Series championship car, an IROC car, and one of his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20 Cup Series cars.

There is also other Tony Stewart memorabilia on display, such as one of his Brickyard 400 and Cup Series trophies. Stewart grew up racing go-karts and sprint cars and was courted to the NASCAR ranks, but he remains loyal to his roots and supports sprint car racing, including racing with the World of Outlaws when he has time. Just last week on July 27 he won his first World of Outlaws race in Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario, Canada. Stewart owns the cars of current Outlaw champions Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz.

This is the most glorious time of year for sprint car fans. 25,000 are expected to flock to Knoxville by the end of it all on Saturday. Knoxville has a population of roughly 7,000, so the population of Knoxville nearly quadruples for a week.


Danny 24

[PittDude]

Do they know who is running on what night?
Posted via Mobile Device

[openwheelKT]

Originally Posted by PittDude Do they know who is running on what night? Posted via Mobile Device

http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/Article/1391

http://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/Article/1393