|| *Comments on Knoxville Raceway:* View the most recent comment <#19> | Post a comment <#post> 1. RaceFanX posted: 08.17.2015 - 6:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Home of the world famous Knoxville Nationals, the biggest race in all of sprint car racing. This track is one of the most iconic dirt tracks in the United States. Knoxville is one of the oldest ovals in the United States having been first built for horse racing in the 1800s. It hosted its first car race in 1901. Weekly racing began in 1954 and the Knoxville Nationals were born in 1961. The oval is lined by its signature high white walls. The track hosts weekly sprint car races each year from April through September. 2. RaceFanX posted: 08.17.2015 - 6:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nicknamed the "Sprint Car Capital of the World" Knoxville Raceway, located on the property of the Marion County Fairgrounds, is home to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. The museum is located just off Turn 2. 3. Canadianfan posted: 06.30.2020 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Knoxville Raceway: We are saddened to announce that the 60th running of the @NosEnergyDrink Knoxville Nationals presented by @caseysgenstore has been postponed until August 11-14, 2021. 4. Canadianfan posted: 11.18.2020 - 7:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) From Steve Carnes: Breaking News: Knoxville looks to be replacing Eldora on the Truck Schedule. (It's interesting to note the track is actually promoted by Spire.) 5. Jimmie4life posted: 11.18.2020 - 10:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, that's interesting, and nice to hear. I don't mind going to a track off away from cities. And, it's another dirt track. Replace one with the other. I like it. They should go to different half-mile dirt tracks annually, or biannually or something along those lines. It'd branch NASCAR's presence out more, and bring a show for fans to watch. 6. Anon posted: 11.18.2020 - 10:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This is huge if true, this place is outstanding. I'm sure people will still complain because it isn't Eldora, but to me this is better. Running trucks here as well as the Bristol dirt race is exciting, so I hope the typically complaining fan can't grasp how awesome this really is. I'm sure people will still find a reason to say anyone happy about this is an idiot, but a happy idiot I will be I guess. 7. Statscrash posted: 11.18.2020 - 10:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That be interesting, it essential kill 2 birds with 1 stone a dirt race and if they aren't going to Iowa Speedway its a race in the state. 8. German500 posted: 11.19.2020 - 7:09 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) More like the coffin nail for Iowa Speedway. @7 9. Jimmie4life posted: 11.19.2020 - 9:41 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @8 Wouldn't be too afraid of it. Iowa Speedway I think will stay safe because it's a short track and has been a staple in the lower series for over 10 years. 10. GoRC10 posted: 11.19.2020 - 10:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @9 You're obviously not paying attention. Iowa Speedway has announced they don't anticipate hosting any top-level events in 2021. 11. Vaxen posted: 11.19.2020 - 10:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) If this is true, get the Xfinity series there too in future years. 12. Jimmie4life posted: 11.19.2020 - 2:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @10 What I mean is that the track will not race in 2021, but I think in 2022 we'll see a return and it'll stay on the schedule. 13. DI9_ForLife posted: 11.19.2020 - 2:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm glad that the trucks aren't giving up racing on dirt, which has been the draw to the series over the last few years. Also @12, I don't see Iowa returning unless A. They can get people to show up to the races or B. They are bought out by someone like Penske in order to solve their fiscal problems 14. JSPorts posted: 11.19.2020 - 2:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sounds like Iowa's being given up on. I guess they had a hard time drawing a crowd for a lot of their races. Knoxville will probably stay on the schedule for a few years, at least, but I doubt we see the Truck Series going back to Iowa Speedway anytime soon. 15. German500 posted: 11.19.2020 - 2:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) However, Knoxville Speedway and Iowa Speedway are direct competitors in the relatively small Iowa market. To be honest, you don't need both racetracks. It would be different if Iowa Speedway were in a region that is also a small market, but where it is the only racetrack for miles. Eldora has the same problem. It is located in Ohio, where the Mid-Ohio road course (Xfinity) and Toledo Speedway (ARCA) still exist. Of course, Ohio is a bigger market. I could well imagine NASCAR relying on Knoxville and Mid-Ohio for its top series in the long term and ignoring the other racetracks in the respective states. The same problem applies to Road America and Milwaukee. Motorsports (NASCAR, IndyCar, Formula One, IMSA, DTM) will become a niche product for the enthusiasts in the 21st century, but it will no longer be a main stream event. 16. Anon posted: 11.19.2020 - 3:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) There simply needs to be SOMETHING in this upper midwest market. Chicago was removed, Iowa was removed, and rumors of Kansas losing a race down the road are also concerning. Kentucky was close enough for some of the upper midwest, and that's out too. They really need to keep 2 dates at Kansas for this reason, and adding Knoxville if they won't be returning to Iowa is also good, as the Road America addition is great on paper but also presents some issues. Keep in mind that these upper midwest races, while not necessarily attracting huge crowds (but what tracks do nowaday honestly, crowd size is a poor argument IMO), they attract a diverse range of crowd if that makes sense. The upper midwest is vast, and people will drive from 8-12 hours away simply because nothing else is closer. If you eliminate all of the opportunities for these fans to attend, guess what, they'll stop attending at all. The problem with Road America is that it is a road course where you can't see the whole track, which takes away some appeal, and it is also on the 4th of July, where many in that region won't want to travel due to other traditions on said week. One thing that could prove beneficial is a "rotating upper midwest" race to keep interest high. One year to go Knoxville, then Iowa, then Road America, then Chicago (if the track doesn't get dug up), etc. Rotating upper midwest tracks gives the schedule something new each year that general fans can be excited about, while not ignoring a portion of the fanbase by running every race in the south or the coasts. 17. German500 posted: 11.19.2020 - 4:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Possibly other short tracks in the region should be prepaired for Truck and Xfinitiy races. For example: Berlin, Madison, West Salem (La Crosse), Marshfield, Winchester and Kaukauna. Kansas doesn't need two Cup dates, they should give one to Gateway. Xfinity should readd IRP and Gateway. 18. Rexrobe posted: 11.19.2020 - 5:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) IRP is my dream, too, but the track is simply not in good enough shape to host an event nowadays. It has definitely been neglected over the past few years. I think a lot of people would love to race all the NASCAR series there instead of IMS, but it would need a ton of work to get it ready again. It's sad because I have a ton of great memories there... 19. A posted: 01.18.2021 - 4:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Tony Stewart's SRX series is giving the Midwest some attention. They are running an ARCA race at Iowa in 2021 and returning to the Milwaukee Mile, so that's something. As one who has lived in four states in the upper Midwest, I definitely agree that NASCAR has neglected this region. And most of the places I've lived have been very far from Kansas so I don't even think about that track. Gateway has seemed to grow in stature in recent years a bit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: