KNOXVILLE, IA — We are quickly approaching the start of the 63rd Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway, and it’s time to get in some last-minute predictions ahead of the 50-lap feature where the winner will take home nearly $200,000. Christopher DeHarde and Chase Folsom call their shots on everything Knoxville Nationals Saturday.
Race Winner
DeHarde: Rico Abreu.
Reasoning: It’s easy to pick Kyle Larson, mainly because the California native started on the pole last year and led every lap to victory. Larson easily could do a repeat performance, but Abreu starts sixth and had a very solid car underneath him to win last Sunday’s Capitani Classic at Knoxville.
Abreu would have won Thursday night’s preliminary feature race had it not been for a lapped car sliding in front of Abreu within the final three laps of the race. The No. 24R machine was solid on Thursday night, and if the track is similar to how it was on Thursday and Friday night, then expect Abreu to find a way to the front.
Folsom: Tyler Courtney
Reasoning: As was stated above, picking Larson is the obvious low-hanging fruit. He starts on pole for the second year in a row, led all 50 laps in 2023 and hasn’t lost a sprint car race in two weeks. However, the man starting just behind him in third, Courtney, might be the man flying under the radar.
Courtney missed the Nationals in 2023 after suffering a back injury in the middle of the season. However, Courtney has come back to Knoxville with vengeance, winning 360 Nationals just this past Saturday (Aug. 3). Courtney finished a solid fourth in Thursday night’s prelim, and he and his team have put lots of focus into Knoxville in 2024. The winner of the 38th Kings Royal at Eldora, Courtney is no stranger to the big stage, and could park it in victory lane tonight at Knoxville.
A-Main Hard Charger
DeHarde: David Gravel
Reasoning: The 2019 Knoxville Nationals Champion starts sixth in Saturday night’s B-Main that takes four drivers to the A-Main and in the 2023 running he charged from 22nd to second.
A repeat is certainly possible, but Gravel would have to get around two drivers in front of him to get into The Granddaddy Of Them All.
Folsom: Donny Schatz
Reasoning: It’s pretty simple. Schatz is the greatest driver to ever wheel a Sprint Car around the Knoxville Raceway. Schatz already has 11 Knoxville Nationals titles to his name, and is looking for number 12 to tie Steve Kinser for the most of all-time.
Schatz will roll from the 21st position in the A-Main after winning Hard Knox Friday. While that seems like a tall order, we’ve seen it before. The only other time Schatz started 21st in the Nationals, he won in 2013. That night was Schatz’s 36th birthday, exactly 11 years prior to tonight, his 47th birthday.
Knoxville Soup Hard Charger
DeHarde: Ryan Timms
Reasoning: Timms starts on the pole of the D-Main after winning Friday night’s C-Main and moved up to ninth in the first of two B-Mains shortly thereafter. Timms raced in the B-Main in 2023 and is probably in a good position to at least make the B-Main.
The odds of anyone making the two jumps in the Knoxville Alphabet Soup are extremely limited, and Timms is a likely candidate to make such a jump.
Folsom: Austin McCarl
Reasoning: McCarl is set to start 10th in the 15-lap C-Main, not an ideal position for the defending Knoxville track champion. However, he is the defending track champion and knows his way around the historic half-mile.
McCarl was running third on Friday night, in position to transfer to the A-Main for Saturday, before mechanical troubles abruptly ended his night. There’s absolutely speed in the No. 88, and should he advance to the B-Main, he’ll have 22-laps to find his way to the front.
Best in Show
DeHarde: Donny Schatz.
Reasoning: The gold chrome works really well with the CarQuest decals.
Folsom: Sheldon Haudenschild
Reasoning: It’s chrome. That’s all I need to say.
For the second year in a row, Haudenschild sports a special chrome blue NOS Energy Drink wrap aboard the No. 17, and that car stands out above the rest under the lights. It shines during the day, it nearly glows at night. Is it similar to their typical scheme? Yes. But it’s a beautiful racecar to look at nonetheless.
Christopher DeHarde has covered IndyCar racing and the Road to Indy for various outlets since 2014. In addition to open wheel racing, DeHarde has also covered IMSA and various short track racing events around Indiana. Originally from New Orleans, DeHarde moved to the Indianapolis area in 2017 to further pursue a career as a motorsports writer.
Chase began working with Frontstretch in the spring of 2023 as a news writer, while also helping fill in for other columns as needed. Chase is now the main writer and reporter for Frontstretch.com's CARS Tour coverage, a role which began late in 2023. Aside from racing, some of Chase's other hobbies include time in the outdoors hunting and fishing, and keeping up with all things Philadelphia sports related.