Kyle Larson has pre-registered to compete in the Knoxville Nationals that takes place between August 12-15 despite the scheduling conflict with the NASCAR Cup Series race at Richmond on Saturday, August 15th.
The Knoxville Raceway website lists Larson as registered for the event. Additionally, the track’s announcer Blake Walker added that “Kyle Larson will run Wednesday night of the Knoxville Nationals and hope that NASCAR rains out Saturday at Richmond to make the finale…”
“He’s also running the 360 Nats along with Brad Sweet,” he added.
Kyle Larson will run Wednesday night of the Knoxville Nationals and hope that NASCAR rains out Saturday at Richmond to make the finale…
He’s also running the 360 Nats along with Brad Sweet. https://t.co/WQmyCFtMMG
— Blake Walker (@Blake_Walker8) June 30, 2026
The news is quite surprising given Larson discussed the scheduling conflict between the Knoxville Nationals and the Richmond Cup race on Saturday, August 15. He told Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass last year, “I forgot that Knoxville is moving their date back so when I had originally seen the schedule a few weeks ago I was like, ‘This is good. I’ll be able to spend lots of time there.’ But it just kind of is what it is.”
When asked if it sucks they didn’t coordinate the dates, Larson answered, “It’s two different series and they both have to worry about themselves. It’s fine. It shouldn’t revolve around me anyways.”
Kyle Larson said he has missed the Knoxville Nationals previously and so he didn’t seem too distraught that in 2026, Cup will race on the same night at Richmond as the Knoxville Nationals finals. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/AXPN7jS5VN
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 23, 2025
Additionally, it’s possible that someone else might race in Larson’s car if he is able to lock in to finale on Saturday night, but is unable to make it due to the scheduling conflict. A Knoxville Nationals spokesman told Matt Weaver, “They could always enter and run their qualifying nights. If they do well and qualify for the A Main on Saturday and then can’t make it back on Saturday night, their cars are locked in, but if there is a driver change the car would have to start at the tail.”
The spokesman added, “We had this happen with Rico back in 2015 when he was racing in the Truck series. Paul Silva was Rico’s crew chief at the time. They had a crew guy (Trevor Canales) sit in the car, start the race at the rear of the field and park it so they could collect start money.”
Just checked in with Knoxville Raceway about the new Cup schedule with a Saturday night race at Richmond on Nationals weekend.
Knoxville Nationals date is set in stone. ‘It is what it is,’ I was told.
“They could always enter and run their qualifying nights. If they do well…
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) August 21, 2025
Larson is not the only driver already pre-registered to compete in the Knoxville Nationals. Other drivers include:
1M – Sean McClelland, Owasso, OK
1s – Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA
4W – Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA
10 – Ryan Timms, Wheatland, OK
11 – Justin Henderson, Tea, SD
11N – Darin Naida, Adrian, MI (R)
11R – Rodney Huband, Wimberly, TX
13 – Tanner Holmes, Jacksonville, OR
14 – Corey Day, Clovis, CA
21 – Brian Brown, Higginsville, MO
28 – Jace Park, Overland Park, KS
44 – Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA
77 – Giovanni Scelzi, Fresno, CA
94 – Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA
Wednesday And Thursday Qualifying Nights
The Knoxville Nationals is one the “Granddaddy Of Them All.” The event begins with two qualifying nights on Wednesday August 12th and Thursday August 13th. Both nights include Hot Laps, Qualifications, last chance heats, 5 Heats, C Main, B Main, and a 25 lap A Main. Additionally, for the 5 heats, the first 8 cars are inverted. There will also be an invert of eight cars for the A Main.
Points are awarded to drivers based on their results in qualifying, the heat races, and where they finish in the features. 200 points are awarded for the fastest qualifying, 198 for second, 196 for third, and so on.
Last Chance Heats award 50 points for the winner, 47 for 2nd, and so on.
The 5 heats award 100 points for the winner and go down by three for each position.
The top 4 four in the C Main advance to the rear of the B. The fifth place finisher earns 92 points, 6th gets 90, etc…
For the B Main, the top four advance to the tail of A. The fifth place finisher earns 142 points, 140 for sixth, and so on.
In the A Main, the winner gets 200 points, second gets 198, third gets 196, and so on.
The top 16 in combined points from Wednesday and Thursday are locked in to the Saturday Championship A Main. Those who are in 17-26 will start in the first 10 positions in the B Main on Saturday. All others will compete on Friday night.
Friday Hard Knox Preliminary Night
On Friday, the field is split into two with qualifying and then three heats per group. All six of the heat races will invert the top 4 and will be 8 laps in distance. The top 3 will transfer to the A Main while 4th through 9th will go to the two B Mains. Those finishing 10th or worse will go to the C Main.
The C Main will be 10 laps with the Top 12 transfer to the two B Mains. For the two B Mains, the top three will transfer to the A Main. There is no invert.
For the A Main the top four finishers will advance to Saturday’s A Main and will start in positions 21-24.
Championship Saturday
On Saturday there will be five races. An E, D, C, B, and A Main. The first four finishers in the B, C, D, and E, will transfer to the rear of the next race. The top four from the B Main will lock themselves into starting spots 17-20 in the A Main.
The A Main feature is 50 laps in length.
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