Knoxville Nationals - Drivers

Drivers

Steve Kinser has won the event twelve times, and owner Karl Kinser has graced victory lane fourteen times with three different drivers (Dick Gaines, Steve Kinser and Mark Kinser). In 2005 Steve's son Kraig Kinser won this event, making Steve and Kraig the first father and son to win the Knoxville Nationals.

The 49th Annual Knoxville Nationals was held 2009. Donny Schatz from Fargo, ND was the defending champion and captured his fourth Knoxville National win. The race has historically been 30 laps long. The length was extended to 40 laps with a pit stop of fuel in 2009 in preparation for a 50-lap event in 2010 to commemorate the event's 50th anniversary. The 2010 knoxville nationals marked the 50th aniversiry of the "Grandaddy of em all". The 50 lap A-Main was one of the most historic and amazing finishes in nationals history. At the outset of the race germantown Tennessee's Sammy swindell,Grain Valley Missouri's Brian Brown and Five time champion Donny Schatz of Fargo North Dakota battled hard fro the lead on lap one with swindell leading at the stripe. As the race wore on it was clear that Swindell and Schatz were the two to beat battling hard lap for lap swapping the lead several times before a fuel stop on lap 25. At the resume of the race it was SAmmy swindell your leader Schatz in second and legendary 12 time winner Steve Kinser running third. Schatz and Swindell continued there epic battle for the lead with swindell taking a strong lead but Swindell stayed strong as schatz made a diving attempt at the lead in three and four but failed and watched sammy swindell pulled away with 5 to go caution came onto the speedway For polesitter Brian Brown had blown a tire in turn three setting up a epic battle for the knoxville nationals with just 5 laps a away from history. On the restart Swindell again pulled away from the pack leaving schatz in second but just when seeming that Swindell was gonna win his second career nationals in 27 years going into turn three Swindell's left rear tire blew up and sent the car upside down lightly. With a frustrated Swindell received a standing ovation from the crowd. but with 3 to go it looked as if donny schatz's knoxville magic would win again, but as the race restarted it appeared that schaz tz's tire was going down and his engine was going south allowing Aliqippa pennsivania's tim schaffer a chance and on the white flag lap he seized the opportunity and passed schatz to win the 50th annual edition of the Goodyear Knoxville Nationals.