Knoxville Raceway is a half-mile dirt oval located in Knoxville, Iowa, and is widely considered the pinnacle of sprint car racing. Its long straights, sweeping corners, and smooth clay surface create a unique balance of speed and precision.
Track Basics
- Length: 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
- Surface: Clay dirt
- Banking: 8° in corners, slight on straights
- Opened: 1954 (as a permanent dirt track)
- Major Events: Knoxville Nationals, weekly 410 Sprint Car races, Lucas Oil Late Models
Driving Keys
- Momentum racing: Knoxville is about carrying speed consistently—corner entry and exit are crucial.
- Groove evolution: The inside berm, middle line, and outside cushion can all be viable depending on track state.
- Patience with throttle: Wheelspin kills momentum down the long straights.
- Slide jobs: Knoxville’s wide corners make it one of the best tracks for bold overtaking moves.
- Traffic awareness: In longer features, managing lapped traffic separates contenders from the field.
Real-World Prestige
No other dirt track carries the weight of Knoxville Raceway. The Knoxville Nationals is sprint car racing’s crown jewel, with winners etching their names into history alongside legends of the sport. iRacing captures the intensity of that atmosphere and brings it directly to sim racers worldwide.
