Leading the nation at 18 wins this year, Chase Dietz is projected to start his first Knoxville Nationals A-main on Saturday.The signs suggested Sheldon Haudenschild would contend at the Knoxville Nationals like never before.
Over his previous 31 races, Haudenschild had six victories and only two finishes outside the top 10. He told me Tuesday that he’d never felt better at Knoxville than when he finished second there with the World of Outlaws on June 12. And he entered the week riding a streak of six straight top-10 finishes in the Nationals A-main.
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All told, Sheldon was the one driver I had a feeling would break out — hence why I featured him leading into the Nationals. On Wednesday, he established himself as, I’d say, the foremost favorite ahead of Saturday’s A-main. His KCP Racing No. 18 appeared hooked up just about anywhere he put it, culminating in a pandemonious charge around the bottom — of all places for a driver known for his bravado on the top — to steal the win by a razor-thin 0.006 seconds.
But this is a new-and-improved version of Haudenschild: multi-dimensional, supremely confident and equipped with a race car capable of working through just about any situation at the aero-dependent Knoxville half-mile.
His 481 points would’ve started him third in last year’s 50-lap finale. More importantly, Haudenschild checked every box that has been predominant among the past 10 Knoxville Nationals champions: qualify inside the top 11 (he went ninth), pass at least four cars in his heat race (seventh to second) and finish inside the top two of his prelim feature (he, of course, won).
There’s still a long way to go this week, but the signs are only growing stronger that this may finally be Haudenschild’s time to break through at Knoxville.
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WATCH: Sheldon Haudenschild opens up on how he’s improved and why his confidence is sky-high entering the Knoxville Nationals.
Kasey Kahne Delivers Wednesday At Knoxville Raceway
First pill draw or not, Kasey Kahne still delivered when it mattered most Wednesday at Knoxville. He was one of only two drivers — along with Sheldon Haudenschild — to transfer into the main event from Row 4 of his heat race.
Sure, Kahne caught a break when Sammy Swindell and Lynton Jeffrey tangled ahead of him on the opening lap of his heat. But he still had to capitalize, and he did. In the 25-lap main event, Kahne held steady from the eighth-starting spot to finish eighth.
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Even Kahne said afterward that his car felt capable of more despite not making any advancements in the box score. With 477 points, he should be looking at a top-six starting spot come Saturday night.
What makes that even sweeter for the former NASCAR Cup star is that he’s headed to Knoxville’s big dance with his own team for the first time.
In 2002, Kahne qualified for the Knoxville Nationals A-main aboard Phil Durst’s No. 51K. In 2021, serving as Roth Motorsports’ interim driver following Aaron Reutzel’s release, he started seventh and finished eighth.
Now, more than two decades after his first Nationals A-main appearance, the 46-year-old Kahne has put KKR in position to contend for Knoxville’s biggest prize with himself behind the wheel.
WATCH: FloRacing’s Kyle McFadden chats with Kasey Kahne after locking in to the 2026 Knoxville Nationals on his Wednesday Prelim night.
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History Says James McFadden Can Win Saturday At Knoxville
James McFadden was rightfully bummed about losing Wednesday’s prelim in a photo, which, quite honestly, would’ve been his victory if Knoxville’s scoring loop and flagstand were in the middle of the frontstretch rather than the end of the straightaway.
But history says McFadden and his Tarlton No. 21 team are right where they need to be come Saturday’s finale.
He timed 11th-fastest in qualifying — the same qualifying position Donny Schatz had on his prelim night before winning the Nationals in 2022 — and went sixth to first in his heat. Seven of the last 10 Knoxville Nationals champions have passed at least four cars in their prelim heat.
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Most telling, though, is McFadden’s runner-up finish Wednesday. Every Knoxville Nationals champion since 2015 has finished either first or second in their prelim-night feature. And he’s already a proven winner at Knoxville with Tarlton, having won last year’s Capitani Classic leading into the Nationals.
Don’t overlook the Australian veteran come Saturday.
Timms Among Drivers Facing B-Main Or Hard Knox Night
Two of the last four Knoxville Nationals champions — Ryan Timms (19th in points) and Donny Schatz (30th) — are bound for Friday’s Hard Knox Night after forgettable Wednesday nights.
Timms, the reigning champion, qualified 25th and won his heat race from fourth before encountering a heap of trouble thereafter.
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His Shane Liebig-owned team needed to change fuel cells right before the 25-lap feature, triggering a frantic thrash just to make it onto the track in time. They were the last car to enter the track during pace laps, and even then, Timms had to return to the work area because the team left a flashlight on the tail tank of the race car — thus vacating his ninth-starting spot.
The chaos didn’t end there. One of Timms’ crew members, riding on the tail tank of the Liebig No. 10 while it was being pushed by an ATV, was fueling the car as it headed toward the track. The crew member appeared to jump off the tail tank but couldn’t stick the landing while carrying the fuel jug, causing him to face-plant and lose his grip on the jug. The sequence created quite the scene — and plenty of debate on social media.
After starting at the rear of the field, Timms made it only four laps before retiring from the feature.
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Other drivers on the outside looking in: Giovanni Scelzi, Justin Peck, Tanner Holmes, Danny Dietrich and Brady Bacon.
Jace Park Emerges As Knoxville’s First Feel-Good Story
With only one 360 Sprint Car victory to his resume, a Jace Park victory Wednesday at Knoxville would’ve been a candidate for upset of the year. Still, a third-place run ought to put the Overland Park, Kansas, driver on the map.
Moreover, six-time Knoxville track champion Brian Brown helped Park launch his own Sprint Car team over the winter and now serves as the team’s general manager. Brown discussed how the partnership came together and how proud he is to watch Park shine on the sport’s biggest stage.
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WATCH: Brian Brown helped Jace Park launched his own Sprint Car team over the winter. Now Park is making a name for himself at the 2026 Knoxville Nationals.
Justin Henderson Makes Knoxville A-Main For Seventh Time In Career
A journeyman of the sport, Justin Henderson has locked himself into the Knoxville Nationals A-main for the seventh time of his career — all with six different car owners. This year the 47-year-old does it with the Sam McGhee Motorsports No. 11 team with veteran driver Ian Madsen as crew chief.
WATCH: Justin Henderson discusses locking into the Knoxville Nationals main event for the seventh time in his career.
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Chase Dietz Validates 2026 Success With First Knoxville Nationals A-Main Start
The nation’s winningest Sprint Car driver Chase Dietz of York, Pa., at 18 triumphs this season proved he’s more than just fast in Central Pennsylvania — putting forth a 460-point prelim night that’s projected to put him among the top-16 lock-ins on Saturday night.
He discusses his night, which started with going out last in qualifying, and how his performance validates this year’s immense success.
WATCH: Leading the nation at 18 wins this year, Chase Dietz is projected to start his first Knoxville Nationals A-main on Saturday.
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