4/9/2026
Knoxville Raceway
RULES UPDATES FOR THE 2026 KNOXVILLE RACEWAY SEASON
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (April 9, 2026) – Officials from Knoxville Raceway have worked extensively this offseason with car owners and drivers to update the Knoxville Championship Series weekly racing format and procedures. Below are highlights of these changes.
Feature Lap Counts:
Lap counts have increased for the 360 A Main events from 18 to 20 laps.
The 410 A Main events will now be 25 laps each week, up from 20.
Weekly race night format:
The format adopted in the 2015 season, which used points from qualifying and heat races to determine feature lineups, will no longer be used.
Qualifying:
31 cars or less there will be one qualifying group.
32 cars or more we will split the field into two groups.
If two group qualifying, teams will be seeded accordingly by point standings, beginning week two of the season. Example, odd cars in point standings will be assigned to group 1, even cars will be assigned to group 2. If non-Knoxville point teams enter the event, track officials will seed them accordingly.
Heats Races:
Invert of four cars based on qualifying time.
31 cars or less: 3 heats, top 6 finishers advance to the A Main.
32-49 cars: 4 heats, top 5 finishers advance to the A Main.
50 or more cars: 6 heats, top 3 finishers will advance to the A Main.
B Main:
Row one of the B Main will consist of the two quickest qualifiers who finish outside a transfer position in their heat race. In split qualifying, the fastest non-transfer car from each group will make up the front row.
Features:
The A main will be determined by heat race finish.
The last heat winner for each class will draw an invert for the feature (4, 6, 8, 10 or 12).
Example Feature Lineup (Four Heats):
With split qualifying, the feature starting lineup will alternate between qualifying groups. For example, if the invert is 8, the winning driver in heat 1 (first qualifying group) will go outside row four of the feature, and the driver in heat three (second qualifying group) will start on the inside of row four. The remaining spots will follow with heat two, heat four and so on.
Feature Front Row Tie-breakers (Four Heats):
If the feature invert is six, the two quickest qualifiers who finished second in their heat races will start on the front row. The remaining cars will line up based on heat race finishes in order of heats run.
Read race night procedure and season points breakdown of rules can be found here:
https://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/championship-series/
The majority of stakeholders agree that these procedural changes will help level the playing field by placing greater emphasis on heat race performance to determine starting positions. The updated format also simplifies the process for fans to follow and for officials to establish race lineups.
Wheel Covers:
Another rule change involves wheel (mud) covers. Covers will only be permitted on the right rear wheel. Additional fastening requirements are being implemented to ensure the covers remain secure. This has become an increasing safety concern in recent years, as loose or improperly secured covers can detach during competition and pose a risk to both drivers, spectators, and the surrounding neighborhood. At Knoxville Raceway, the safety of our race fans is top priority, and these updated rules are designed to minimize the potential for debris entering the grandstands. By taking a proactive approach and strengthening these requirements, officials are reinforcing their commitment to providing a safe, family-friendly environment where fans can enjoy the excitement of racing with confidence.
“We are pleased with these changes for the 2026 season,” said Race Director John McCoy. “This has been a long and extensive project with many discussions throughout the offseason with car owners and drivers. I want to thank our officials—Mike Proffitt, Skip Jackson, Bill Wright, and our entire team—for their contributions to implementing these changes. We’ve seen strong support for the new race night format and believe it will be a win-win for everyone.”
Complete set of rules is posted on our website:
https://www.knoxvilleraceway.com/rules/
The 2026 Knoxville Raceway season begins April 18 with the Pella Motors / Kraig Ford Season Opener, featuring free grandstand admission and the opening night of the Knoxville Championship Series, including 410 Sprint Cars, 360 Sprint Cars, and Pro Sprints.
About Knoxville Raceway:
Knoxville Raceway, located in Knoxville, Iowa, is known worldwide as the Sprint Car Capital of the World. For more information, visit KnoxvilleRaceway.com and follow Knoxville Raceway on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and TikTok. For tickets or additional information, visit KnoxvilleRaceway.com or call 641-842-5431.
Article Credit: PR - Eric Arnold
Submitted By: Eric Arnold
