May 29, 2025 | By Richie Murray, USAC Media

Knoxville set to host USAC Sprint Cars this weekend

KNOXVILLE, Ia.—Each and every time a driver passes through turn two at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway, the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame stands as a representation to what so many racers aspire to achieve.

Gary Bettenhausen, Dick Tobias, Sammy Sessions, Tom Bigelow, Sheldon Kinser and Sammy Swindell are among the few who have won a USAC National Sprint Car main event at Knoxville and were also enshrined in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

To win a USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship main event at Knoxville is truly an iconic feat. To win on Hall of Fame weekend at Knoxville, that’s what dreams are made of.

The Sprint Car Capital of the World welcomes the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship to Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway for back-to-back nights of full programs on May 30-31. The Avanti Windows & Doors Corn Belt Clash presents $9,000-to-win for the Friday night opener followed by Saturday night’s $15,000-to-win finale at the famed 1/2-mile.

Justin Grant and Brady Bacon, among others, have added USAC wins of their own in recent years at Knoxville, and someday, their names are sure to be called upon at the NSCHOF. Drivers make their name at this place. Always have and always will. After all, a place christened as The Sprint Car Capital of the World has that type of presence.

This weekend, we’ll find out who’s next to make their mark at one of the most legendary dirt tracks in the world.


Let’s check out six storylines to keep tabs on this weekend.

AVANTI POWER

First and foremost, Jerry Petty’s support of the Corn Belt Clash, and the sport as a whole, can’t be understated. His own Petty Performance Racing team will bring two cars, one for USAC National Sprint Car point leader and five-time 2025 series winner Kyle Cummins and another for USAC CRA Sprint Car champion R.J. Johnson.

Furthermore, Petty’s support is attached to at least three other entries in the event, including the car sponsored by his business, Avanti Windows & Doors, for Yeley Racing who will field Stevie Sussex in car No. 2 for the event, plus associate sponsorships on the cars driven by Hayden Reinbold for Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports and C.J. Leary in the Team AZ/Curb-Agajanian entry.

Not to mention, Petty has put his full support behind the Corn Belt Clash, making the event $9,000-to-win for Friday’s opener and $15,000-to-win for Saturday’s finale.


GRANTLAND

One of only three multi-time USAC National Sprint Car winners at Knoxville, Justin Grant joined the ranks in 2024 with his second score on the famed 1/2-mile.

Since winning his first USAC National Sprint Car event at Knoxville in 2017, Grant has reeled off finishes of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 6th at the Sprint Car Capital of the World, marking a rare distinction of finishing in each of the top-six spots at one point or another in his career.

Entering Knoxville, Grant ranks second in series points and is the leader in both the USAC Silver Crown and NOS Energy Drink National Midget points as he pursues the single season Triple Crown.

Furthermore, Grant and TOPP Motorsports currently possess 48 career USAC National Sprint Car wins together. Another two this weekend at Knoxville would tie them for the all-time record for winningest combos in series history alongside Brady Bacon and Dynamics, Inc.’s 50.


CORN BELT BACON

While he no longer drives the Dynamics, Inc. No. 69, Brady Bacon has continued his winning ways with the USAC National Sprint Cars in 2025, winning twice, once each at Ocala and Eldora.

Only one driver has won more than two USAC National Sprint Car features at Knoxville Raceway. In fact, that driver has won four throughout his illustrious career, and that’s Bacon.

The Broken Arrow, Okla. native scored at Knoxville in 2011, then swept both nights of the Corn Belt Clash in 2019 and capped the weekend with a triumph in 2020.

In 11 career Knoxville USAC Sprint Car starts, Bacon has only finished outside the top-three once. It’s a profile that features four wins, five seconds and a third, and no finish worse than 10th. On both nights of the 2024 Corn Belt Clash, Bacon took second.


SWANSON’S SPECIAL NIGHT

Jake Swanson scored a last lap victory during the June 2023 Corn Belt Clash. Earlier that same night, Swanson (Anaheim, Calif.) set quick time during qualifying as well.

Thus far in 2025, Swanson remains on the hunt for his first feature win at the wheel of the Daming Swanson No. 5T.

Swanson has been a solid citizen so far in 2025, sitting seventh in points in a standings logjam that has just 45 points separating fourth place from seventh heading into Knoxville.

While Swanson was a first-time USAC winner at Knoxville, many more would like to recreate the magic that it takes to breakthrough for a first win at Knoxville.

In fact, seven drivers currently residing inside the top 10 of the USAC National Sprint Car points are vying for a first Knoxville triumph, including the likes of point leader Kyle Cummins (1st), Mitchel Moles (3rd), Logan Seavey (4th), Robert Ballou (5th), Kale Drake (6th), C.J. Leary (8th), Briggs Danner (9th), plus past USAC National Sprint Car feature winners Kevin Thomas Jr., Jadon Rogers and Chase Stockon, all of whom are making the trip out to Knoxville.


TEAM AZ / CURB-AGAJANIAN GOIN’ FOR THREE

Only one team on the tour has captured back-to-back USAC National Sprint Car wins at Knoxville in each of the past two seasons. That’s Team AZ/Curb-Agajanian Racing.

In 2023, they scored a last lap victory with Jake Swanson at the wheel of the No. 21AZ, then repeated the feat in 2024 with Daison Pursley as their wheelman.

This weekend, the team will try to make it three-years-in-a-row with a third different driver as C.J. Leary looks to tally his first USAC feature win as the driver of the No. 21AZ.


WEST COAST INVADERS

Quite a bit of west coast talent will be rolling in for the Corn Belt Clash, including USAC CRA regulars R.J. Johnson, Charles Davis Jr. and Logan Calderwood.

One-time USAC National Sprint Car main event winner Ryan Bernal will wheel one of the top rides on the USAC CRA circuit, the Tom & Christy Dunkel No. 17x.

Reigning USAC CRA champion Johnson will pilot a car for event sponsor Petty Performance Racing while Davis will be in the seat of his own No. 47 and Calderwood in the family-owned No. 6.

All four own previous Corn Belt Clash experience with Bernal corralling three sixth place results between 2019-2020; Johnson was 19th in 2017; Davis was 16th in 2023 & 2024; Calderwood was 18th in 2024.


RACE DETAILS:

The Avanti Windows & Doors Corn Belt Clash will take place on Friday-Saturday, May 30-31. Friday’s feature will be 25 laps in length and pay $9,000-to-win. Saturday’s feature will be 30 laps in length and pay $15,000-to-win.

The fifth edition of the Corn Belt Clash features the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship, plus Knoxville Championship 360 Sprint Cars will be on the card on Friday while the Knoxville Championship 410 Sprint Cars will be on hand Saturday.

Each night, the pits open at 4pm Central with the front gates opening at 5:30pm and hot laps at 6:30pm followed immediately by qualifying and racing.

On Friday, general admission row 1-21 tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for ages 13-19, $10 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 & under. Reserved row 22-40 tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for ages 13-19, $15 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 & under.

On Saturday, general admission row 1-21 tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for ages 13-19, $15 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 & under. Reserved row 22-40 tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for ages 13-19, $20 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 & under.

Advance tickets are on sale at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com.

The entire weekend of events can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/usac.

USAC AMSOIL SPRINT CAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Kyle Cummins-818, 2-Justin Grant-752, 3-Mitchel Moles-633, 4-Logan Seavey-617, 5-Robert Ballou-603, 6-Kale Drake-574, 7-Jake Swanson-572, 8-C.J. Leary-568, 9-Briggs Danner-552, 10-Daison Pursley-543.


CORN BELT CLASH WINNERS:

2019: Brady Bacon (7/5) & Brady Bacon (7/6)
2020: Tyler Courtney (7/10) & Brady Bacon (7/11)
2023: Jake Swanson (6/3)
2024: Justin Grant (5/31) & Daison Pursley (6/1)


USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINS AT KNOXVILLE RACEWAY:

4-Brady Bacon
2-Tyler Courtney & Justin Grant
1-Gary Bettenhausen, Tom Bigelow, Bud Kaeding, Sheldon Kinser, Daison Pursley, Sammy Sessions, Jake Swanson, Sammy Swindell & Dick Tobias


USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR WINNERS AT KNOXVILLE RACEWAY:

1968: Gary Bettenhausen (9/6)
1971: Dick Tobias (6/5)
1972: Sammy Sessions (6/3)
1973: Tom Bigelow (6/3)
1982: Sheldon Kinser (6/5)
1988: Sammy Swindell (6/11)
2010: Bud Kaeding (8/8)
2011: Brady Bacon (8/7)
2017: Justin Grant (6/3)
2018: Tyler Courtney (6/9)
2019: Brady Bacon (7/5) & Brady Bacon (7/6)
2020: Tyler Courtney (7/10) & Brady Bacon (7/11)
2023: Jake Swanson (6/3)
2024: Justin Grant (5/31) & Daison Pursley (6/1)


TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CARS AT KNOXVILLE RACEWAY:

1 Lap - 6/3/2017 - Kevin Thomas Jr. - 18.548 - 97.046 mph
8 Laps - 8/8/2010 - Bryan Clauson - 2:38.80 - 90.680 mph
10 Laps - 7/11/2020 - Robert Ballou - 3:09.379 - 95.048 mph
12 Laps - 6/3/2023 - J.J. Yeley - 4:14.99 - 84.709 mph
16 Laps - 7/11/2020 - Robert Ballou - 5:25.068 - 88.597 mph
25 Laps - 7/6/2019 - Brady Bacon - 9:11.86 - 82.195 mph
30 laps - 7/11/2020 - Brady Bacon - 10:19.56 - 87.668 mph
40 Laps - 6/3/1972 - Sammy Sessions - 16:21.23 - 73.377 mph


PAST KNOXVILLE RACEWAY USAC SPRINT CAR FEATURE RESULTS:

1968 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Gary Bettenhausen, 2. Jerry "Scratch" Daniels, 3. Larry Dickson, 4. Greg Weld, 5. Wib Spalding, 6. Carl Williams, 7. Mike Mosley, 8. Don Brown, 9. Don Thomas, 10. Ralph Liguori, 11. Bill Puterbaugh, 12. Rollie Beale, 13. Dee Jones, 14. Johnny Parsons

1971 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Dick Tobias, 2. Sammy Sessions, 3. Ray Lee Goodwin, 4. Lee Kunzman, 5. Tom Bigelow, 6. Rollie Beale, 7. Gary Bettenhausen, 8. Johnny Parsons, 9. Karl Busson, 10. Jimmy Oskie, 11. Don Nordhorn, 12. Darl Harrison, 13. Larry Rice, 14. Merle Bettenhausen, 15. Joe Saldana, 16. Jim Malloy, 17. Larry Cannon, 18. Doc Dawson, 19. Greg Weld, 20. Bill Puterbaugh

1972 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Sammy Sessions, 2. Don Nordhorn, 3. Greg Weld, 4. Tom Bigelow, 5. Billy Thrasher, 6. Rollie Beale, 7. Bob Pratt, 8. Bill Puterbaugh, 9. Johnny Parsons, 10. Larry Cannon, 11. Joe Saldana, 12. Steve Cannon, 13. Gary Ponzini, 14. Bruce Walkup, 15. Billy Cassella, 16. Karl Busson, 17. Bill Koepfer, 18. Larry Dickson, 19. Rick Goudy, 20. Charlie Masters

1973 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Tom Bigelow, 2. Rollie Beale, 3. Pancho Carter, 4. Gary Bettenhausen, 5. Don Nordhorn, 6. Larry Cannon, 7. Lee Kunzman, 8. Johnny Parsons, 9. Sammy Sessions, 10. Jackie Howerton, 11. John Toth, 12. Ronnie Rough, 13. Mel Cornett, 14. Art Bisch, Jr., 15. Bruce Walkup, 16. Billy Engelhart, 17. Tony Simon, 18. Greg Leffler, 19. Rich Leavell, 20. Steve Shultz.

1982 FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Sheldon Kinser, 2. Rich Vogler, 3. Johnny Coogan, 4. Jack Hewitt, 5. Duke Cook, 6. Manny Rockhold, 7. Bill Robinson, 8. Steve Long, 9. Danny Milburn, 10. Jeff Swindell, 11. David Smith, 12. T.J. Giddings, 13. Buddy Wallen, 14. Jerry Potter, 15. Mackie Heimbaugh, 16. Mike Brooks, 17. Joe Saldana, 18. Jim Moughan, 19. Tim Deaver, 20. Mike Thomas

1988 FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Sammy Swindell, 2. Randy Smith, 3. Jeff Tuttle, 4. Lee Brewer, Jr., 5. Steve Butler, 6. Jerry Richert, Jr., 7. Jamie Moyle, 8. Mike Peters, 9. Rich Bubak, 10. Danny Thoman, 11. Rick Ungar, 12. Kenny Jacobs, 13. Bob White, 14. Tod Bishop, 15. Mark Shaffer, 16. Tray House, 17. Tim Monson, 18. Danny Lasoski, 19. Ray Lipsey, 20. Terry McCarl.

2010 FEATURE: (26 laps) 1. Bud Kaeding, 2. Brady Bacon, 3. Daron Clayton, 4. Scotty Weir, 5. Damion Gardner, 6. Bryan Clauson, 7. Robert Ballou, 8. Chris Windom, 9. Casey Shuman, 10. Dave Darland, 11. Levi Jones, 12. Mike Hess, 13. Casey Riggs, 14. Jerry Coons Jr., 15. Jon Stanbrough, 16. Tracy Hines, 17. Kyle Larson, 18. Kyle Cummins, 19. Chris Urish, 20. Shane Hmiel, 21. Keith Bloom, 22. Ricky Williams. NT

2011 FEATURE: (26 laps) 1. Brady Bacon, 2. Chris Windom, 3. Jerry Coons Jr. 4. Jon Stanbrough, 5. Bryan Clauson, 6. Travis Rilat, 7. Hunter Schuerenberg, 8. Keith Bloom Jr., 9. Levi Jones, 10. Tracy Hines, 11. Robert Ballou, 12. Hud Cone, 13. Joey Moughan, 14. Mike Spencer, 15. Bill Rose, 16. Coleman Gulick, 17. Dustin Morgan, 18. Mike Moore, 19. Wes McIntyre, 20. Damion Gardner, 21. Casey Riggs, 22. Bud Kaeding, 23. Stu Snyder, 24. Blake Fitzpatrick, 25. Justin Grant, 26. Dave Darland. NT

2017 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Justin Grant, 2. Robert Ballou, 3. Chad Boespflug, 4. Chase Stockon, 5. C.J. Leary, 6. Chris Windom, 7. Kevin Thomas Jr., 8. Josh Hodges, 9. Shane Cottle, 10. Brady Bacon, 11. Isaac Chapple, 12. Dave Darland, 13. Stevie Sussex, 14. Carson Short, 15. Aaron Farney, 16. Hunter Schuerenberg, 17. Dustin Smith, 18. Tyler Courtney, 19. R.J. Johnson, 20. Brody Roa, 21. Nick Bilbee, 22. Jon Stanbrough. NT

2018 FEATURE: (30 laps – starting positions in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (6), 2. C.J. Leary (3), 3. Brady Bacon (1), 4. Justin Grant (5), 5. Brody Roa (9), 6. Chase Stockon (4), 7. Robert Ballou (10), 8. Dave Darland (17), 9. Chris Windom (12), 10. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (7), 11. Jarett Andretti (11), 12. Chad Boespflug (2), 13. Josh Hodges (15), 14. Tom Harris (14), 15. Nick Bilbee (8), 16. Glen Saville (21), 17. Wyatt Burks (20), 18. Brandon Stevenson (13), 19. Robert Bell (22), 20. Rob Caho, Jr. (19), 21. Frank Rodgers (23), 22. Kelly Graham (24), 23. Isaac Chapple (16), 24. Katlynn Leer (18). 10:45.63

2019 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (25 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Brady Bacon (6), 2. Chris Windom (1), 3. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (3), 4. Tyler Courtney (10), 5. Justin Grant (7), 6. Ryan Bernal (9), 7. Chase Stockon (5), 8. Jason McDougal (20), 9. C.J. Leary (8), 10. Matt Westfall (2), 11. Wyatt Burks (12), 12. Wesley Smith (11), 13. Don Droud, Jr. (13), 14. Korey Weyant (21), 15. Nick Bilbee (16), 16. Timmy Buckwalter (4), 17. Josh Hodges (22), 18. Mario Clouser (23), 19. Carson Short (19), 20. Dave Darland (15), 21. Anthony Nicholson (18), 22. Riley Kreisel (24), 23. Chad Boespflug (14), 24. Landon Simon (17). 9:11.86 (New Track Record)

2019 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Brady Bacon (2), 2. C.J. Leary (4), 3. Tyler Courtney (6), 4. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (5), 5. Chris Windom (8), 6. Justin Grant (1), 7. Jason McDougal (7), 8. Chase Stockon (3), 9. Ryan Bernal (12), 10. Carson Short (11), 11. Matt Westfall (9), 12. Korey Weyant (23), 13. Wyatt Burks (10), 14. Josh Hodges (20), 15. Nick Bilbee (14), 16. Dave Darland (19), 17. Mario Clouser (16), 18. Steve Irwin (24), 19. Kory Schudy (22), 20. Anthony Nicholson (21), 21. Riley Kreisel (13), 22. Chad Boespflug (15), 23. Timmy Buckwalter (18), 24. Wesley Smith (17). 11:08.75

2020 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (25 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (3), 2. Brady Bacon (4), 3. Justin Grant (6), 4. Chris Windom (9), 5. C.J. Leary (8), 6. Ryan Bernal (14), 7. Carson Short (7), 8. Jake Swanson (10), 9. Logan Seavey (20), 10. Wesley Smith (19), 11. Chase Stockon (17), 12. Wyatt Burks (1), 13. Kevin Thomas Jr. (16), 14. Nick Bilbee (5), 15. Tanner Thorson (18), 16. Riley Kreisel (2), 17. Matt Westfall (15), 18. Shane Cottle (22), 19. Don Droud Jr. (23), 20. Jack Wagner (21), 21. Brian VanMeveren (12), 22. Dustin Clark (13), 23. Robert Ballou (11), 24. Dennis Gile (24). NT

2020 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Brady Bacon (1), 2. Justin Grant (2), 3. C.J. Leary (3), 4. Chris Windom (5), 5. Tyler Courtney (4), 6. Ryan Bernal (8), 7. Carson Short (6), 8. Robert Ballou (19), 9. Chase Stockon (7), 10. Jake Swanson (10), 11. Tanner Thorson (14), 12. Riley Kreisel (15), 13. Logan Seavey (13), 14. Nick Bilbee (9), 15. Wyatt Burks (11), 16. Kevin Thomas Jr. (12), 17. Don Droud Jr. (23), 18. Shane Cottle (21), 19. Matt Westfall (17), 20. Dennis Gile (20), 21. Dustin Clark (16), 22. Wesley Smith (18), 23. Glen Saville (24), 24. Dave Darland (22). 10:19.560

2023 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Jake Swanson (6), 2. Brady Bacon (5), 3. Mitchel Moles (7), 4. C.J. Leary (1), 5. Emerson Axsom (3), 6. Matt Westfall (12), 7. Chase Johnson (19), 8. Justin Zimmerman (17), 9. Daison Pursley (10), 10. Riley Kreisel (13), 11. Robert Ballou (16), 12. Wesley Smith (9), 13. Carson Garrett (8), 14. Kyle Cummins (4), 15. Justin Grant (2), 16. Charles Davis Jr. (21), 17. J.J. Yeley (15), 18. Matt Mitchell (18), 19. Chase Stockon (14), 20. Logan Seavey (23-P), 21. Dalton Stevens (22), 22. Max Adams (11), 23. Logan Calderwood (20). NT

MAY 31, 2024 FEATURE: (25 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Justin Grant (2), 2. Brady Bacon (4), 3. Daison Pursley (5), 4. Jake Swanson (13), 5. Chase Johnson (7), 6. Xavier Doney (10), 7. Mitchel Moles (1), 8. Logan Seavey (8), 9. Kyle Cummins (17), 10. J.J. Yeley (23), 11. Robert Ballou (15), 12. Matt Westfall (9), 13. C.J. Leary (6), 14. Carson Garrett (26), 15. Kevin Thomas Jr. (12), 16. Hunter Maddox (20), 17. Jadon Rogers (16), 18. Joey Amantea (14), 19. Chase Stockon (3), 20. Charles Davis Jr. (22), 21. Korbyn Hayslett (19), 22. Kobe Simpson (21), 23. Logan Calderwood (18), 24. Eric Schulz (25), 25. Dakota Earls (24), 26. Wesley Smith (11). NT

JUNE 1, 2024 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Daison Pursley (1), 2. Brady Bacon (6), 3. Kevin Thomas Jr. (9), 4. C.J. Leary (4), 5. Kyle Cummins (11), 6. Justin Grant (5), 7. Robert Ballou (8), 8. Mitchel Moles (13), 9. Jake Swanson (2), 10. J.J. Yeley (17), 11. Chase Johnson (15), 12. Matt Westfall (16), 13. Carson Garrett (3), 14. Chase Stockon (14), 15. Jadon Rogers (20), 16. Charles Davis Jr. (22), 17. Korbyn Hayslett (19), 18. Logan Calderwood (21), 19. Kobe Simpson (23), 20. Joey Amantea (12), 21. Logan Seavey (10), 22. Xavier Doney (7), 23. Wesley Smith (18), 24. Eric Schulz (24). NT