Knoxville Nationals Bracketology 2023

Our Eldora Million March Madness style seeding was a big hit so we are back for the Knoxville Nationals. I will continue to monitor the entries to see if anything needs to be adjusted. I will also post a follow up on what I got right and what I was totally wrong about. I hope I am wrong about a few things because that makes for a good underdog story that everyone loves.

I used a variety of things to determine the seeding. Obviously Knoxville experience and past performances was a big one. Recent performances tend to outweigh overall 2023 results, as some teams are really starting to click and others have plateaued. I found it most difficult to seed the drivers from 11 through 17. Seeds 11 and 16 have six drivers in each, as that is how it’s done with the March Madness bracket.

Please comment to let me know where I got it wrong and why!

1 Seeds

15 – Donny Schatz – I made the mistake of ranking Donny as a four seed for the Eldora Million. I won’t be making the same mistake for Knoxville. It doesn’t matter how the TSR no. 15 is performing, Donny is going to show up for the Nationals no matter what. Schatz has only won the historic event 11 times. No other active driver has more than one Nationals title.

57 – Kyle Larson – One of the other active drivers with a Knoxville Nationals title. Yung Money will always be a threat to win any race he shows up to. He won the event in 2021 and will look for his second title.

2 – David Gravel – The 2019 Knoxville Nationals champion already has one six-figure victory this season after winning the Huset’s Highbank Nationals. There is no reason he can’t be victorious again in 2023.

24 – Rico Abreu – Rico is the only driver ranked as a one seed that hasn’t won the Knoxville Nationals. He is having arguably his best 410 Sprint Car season of his career and just won at Knoxville with the All Stars. This could finally be the year that Rico gets it done.

2 Seeds

21 – Brian Brown – The best of the Knoxville regulars is still looking for his first Nationals title. Brown has been dominant at Knoxville this year, including a win against the Outlaws earlier in the year. I almost had him as a one seed and I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the year he proves me wrong. He won the 360 Nationals but Rico advancing 21 positions to get on the podium kept Brown as a two seed.

49 – Brad Sweet – The 2018 Knoxville Nationals champion is having somewhat of a down year by his standards. He had a good showing at the Eldora Million and Kings Royal and it looks like the no. 49 team is clicking at the right time. You can’t count him out any time he rolls into Knoxville.

41 – Carson Macedo – The JJR no. 41 has won the Knoxville Nationals two times. Macedo was not behind the wheel for either of those victories but we know he can get the job done. This car has a ton of speed at Knoxville and will undoubtedly be fast all week.

1s – Logan Schuchart – What could be better than winning a million dollars? Possibly winning the Knoxville Nationals. The Shark Racing no. 1S shows up when it matters the most.

3 Seeds

18 – Gio Scelzi – Gio has been Mr. Consistency during his rookie year with the Outlaws. Do I think he can win the Knoxville Nationals? Probably not this year, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him battling for a top five.

88 – Austin McCarl – McCarl knows his way around Knoxville. Ranking him as a three seed seems a bit high, but I give him a better shot than some guys who don’t run weekly. He got an exciting win at Knoxville back in July.

8 – Aaron Reutzel – Like McCarl, ranking Reutzel as a three seed seems high. However, you can’t argue with the success he has been having at Knoxville this year. The RSR no. 8 was fast at Eldora and beat a stout field of cars at Lake Ozark last month. Don’t be surprised if Reutzel is high on the point leader board after prelims.

83JR – Buddy Kofoid – I’ve moved Buddy around a lot during the ranking process. He has been so impressive since getting behind the wheel of a Roth Motorsports car. If it weren’t for an engine issue, he would have had a $250,000 victory at Huset’s.

4 Seeds

83 – James McFadden – JMAC has had an up and down year but he has the speed every time he comes to Knoxville. I feel like Roth Motorsports running two cars will only help both drivers be better during the week.

19 – Brent Marks – Marks doesn’t get to Knoxville as much as the other drivers ranked this high but we know he will show up on the big stage. He might not be having a season as good as 2022, but the no. 19 is still really fast.

13 – Justin Peck – Peck has been bad fast recently and is finally finding some luck to go with it. A huge win at Kokomo with High Limit has this team heading in the right direction.

5 – Spencer Bayston – Similar to Gio Scelzi, Bayston is consistently fast. He might not win, but he could easily be competing for a top ten.

5 Seeds

17 – Sheldon Haudenschild – Sheldon is fairly inconsistent when it comes to Knoxville. He was not very good when the Outlaws were in town earlier in the year. I just can’t count out the no. 17 machine no matter where they are racing.

11 – Cory Eliason – Knoxville is a track that suits Eliason well. He ran inside the top five and top ten with the Outlaws at Knoxville earlier this year. The CMS no. 11 is a good piece and the pairing has been working well since they joined forces.

9P – Parker Price-Miller – PPM suffered a back injury during last years Knoxville Nationals A Main. He’s fast enough to make the show again this year.

55 – Kerry Madsen – Madsen started the year as a Knoxville regular before moving to the Vermeer no. 55. He has shown some speed and has had success at Knoxville for many years.

6 Seeds

39m – Justin Sanders – Justin jumped in the Macri 39M and was immediately fast. He made the Nationals last year and has a shot to do so again. I had him a little bit lower but he has showed me everything I need to see in the no. 39M.

14 – Corey Day – The only thing burying Corey Day down here is Knoxville experience. He’s been one of the best 410 drivers in the country all year and has been turning heads recently during his tour outside of California. This kid is so good that experience might not matter.

5 – Daryn Pittman – Pittman is behind the wheel of the no. 5 machine that Kerry Madsen started the season out in at Knoxville. The car has a win at Knoxville this year and Pittman is another veteran that can make the A Main.

2KS – Chase Randall – I struggled a bit moving Randall up this high but he has been so good at Knoxville in the 360. That success is starting to translate over to the 410.

7 Seeds

7BC – Anthony Macri – Anthony has struggled in the 7BC while filling into for the injured Tyler Courtney. One of his better runs came with the All Stars at Knoxville. We saw Corey Day have an impressive run in the no. 7BC, so we know the speed is there. If Macri and the CMR team get it figured out, they will surely be better than a seven seed.

26 – Zeb Wise – Zeb is having an incredible season in the Rudeen no. 26. Knoxville might be his kryptonite, as he has struggled here in the past. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him run well but they definitely need to figure something out with their Knoxville setup.

2X – Lynton Jeffrey – The number four man in Knoxville points is enjoying a nice season. He doesn’t have a Knoxville 410 win yet but has shown consistent speed.

? – Garet Williamson – I feel like Williamson is getting better every time we see him. He’s been very impressive as a Knoxville regular. He and the no. 24 team parted ways over the weekend but Garet hopes to find a ride in time for Nationals.

8 Seeds

71 – Shane Stewart – Shane is back in the Indy Race Parts no. 71. The pair ran decent at Eldora and Stewart has always been quick at Knoxville.

1a – Jacob Allen – The second Shark Racing driver has not enjoyed the same success as his teammate but that doesn’t mean he can’t get it done. Allen got a prelim win at the Knoxville Nationals last season.

10L – Scott Bogucki – This might be a stretch but I like how he has looked in the recent 410 races at Knoxville. He was fifth on July 22nd and ran well against the 51 car field with the All Stars.

17w – Shane Golobic – I’m a big fan of Shane Golobic. I think he’s one of the more underrated 410 drivers in the country. His success in California might not translate over to Knoxville but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the show.

9 Seeds

21H – Brady Bacon – Bacon had some tough luck during the Eldora Million. His car was fast and he usually runs well for the Crown Jewels.

1 – Justin Henderson – This placement might surprise some people. I have a lot of confidence in Henderson’s ability at Knoxville and I think he can make the show and even compete for a top 15.

4 – Ian Madsen – Ian debuted his no. 4 machine at Knoxville with the All Stars and was immediately fast. We didn’t know where Ian would end up after splitting with the 2KS team but I expect him to be fast.

21T – Cole Macedo – Cole has the no. 21T rolling as of late. He was impressive at the Kokomo High Limit show and the team definitely has some momentum.

10 Seeds

15H – Sam Hafertepe Jr – He ran decent during the 360 Nationals. Hafertepe seems to run better at the bigger tracks and already has a win at Eldora to show for it.

17B – Bill Balog – Back to back All Star wins for Balog has moved him up in the rankings. The 17B team is showing speed just in time for Nationals.

2M – Davey Heskin – Heskin won the Border Battle for 10k earlier this year at Knoxville. He doesn’t travel much, so all of his 410 starts this season have come at Knoxville. He sits third in track points in 2023.

39 – Hunter Schuerenberg – The Swindell Speedlab no. 39 made the Nationals A Main last year with Justin Sanders. Schuerenberg was mediocre at Eldora but I think this combination will figure some things out for Knoxville.

11 Seeds

42 – Sye Lynch – Back in his family owned no. 42, Lynch seems to have more speed in this car. We have seen him qualify for the Crown Jewels in the past.

13jt – Mark Dobmeier – There might not be a hotter 410 driver in the country right now. He does come back down to earth when the big guns show up but I think the Buffalo Wild Wings team has things figured out this year.

91 – Kyle Reinhardt – Kyle was strong during the Eldora Million. The no. 91 has been running fewer races this year but has had some speed when he shows up.

3 – Tim Kaeding – Tim was good at Huset’s for the HighBank Nationals. He has all the Knoxville experience in the world.

5T – Ryan Timms – Flyin’ Ryan has come back down to earth a little this season. He is still very impressive and could have a good showing if he finds some consistency. He was good during the 360 Nationals, coming home with a fifth place finish.

49x – Tim Shaffer – Shaffer is back in the no. 49x after the team parted ways with Cale Thomas. He’s a past winner of the Nationals but it will be interesting to see how the new (old) pairing does out of the gate.

12 Seeds

25 – Lachlan McHugh – McHugh gets around Knoxville pretty well and so does the no. 25 machine he is wheeling. JJ Hickle made the Nationals A Main last season driving the same car.

7TAZ – Tasker Phillips – The local surprise from a year ago at Nationals. Tasker is currently seventh in track points and could very well surprise us all again in 2023.

9 – Kasey Kahne – Kasey has shown moments of speed this season. He has been decent in his Knoxville appearances this season.

12X – Ayrton Gennetten – Gennetten has three 410 wins this season. He hasn’t been able to crack the top ten at Knoxville this year.

13 Seeds

3z – Brock Zearfoss – It’s been a down year for the Outlaws regular. Zearfoss has yet to win a race this season and has just one top five. Can he turn it around during the Nationals?

5C – Dylan Cisney – My slight PA Posse bias might be showing here but Dylan likes the big tracks. He has a win at Port Royal and showed speed during the Eldora Million.

17X – Terry McCarl – TMAC has just four 410 starts this season. He did collect a top five at Knoxville in one of those starts.

52 – Blake Hahn – Hahn’s 410 season has not gone the way he has wanted so far. He has just one top five in 29 races in 2023.

14 Seeds

17AU – Jamie Veal – Veal’s American season did not get off to a great start. He wasn’t good at Eldora but he has found something lately, racking up two top tens with the All Stars.

18T – Tanner Holmes – The young gasser has improved a lot in 2023. He’s still learning how to get around Knoxville but he has shown some speed during his time away from the West Coast.

35 – Zach Hampton – Zach has had some of the worst luck I’ve seen out of a 410 driver this year. Sometimes you need the luck at the Knoxville Nationals. If he finds some, he could be a surprise.

50YR – JJ Hickle – Hickle made the A main last year for the 2022 Nationals. He recently parted ways with the no. 97 he was driving in All Star competition. The 50YR is a good piece but it remains to be seen how it will do at Knoxville.

15 Seeds

16 – Brooke Tatnell – The pesky veteran that just won’t go away. You have to respect his experience at Knoxville. He has had some solid finishes at Huset’s this year.

3P – Sawyer Phillips – Can the Knoxville regular surprise us this year? He currently sits eighth in track points with three top tens.

10 – Cap Henry – Henry has been very good this year in Ohio. We have not seen much of him outside of the local Ohio tracks. He has seven wins and 18 top fives in 2023.

22K – Kaleb Johnson – Johnson is one of my sleepers all the way down here. He’s collected three top fives and seven top tens in 410 action this season. After a great showing at the 360 Nationals, Johnson has slid into the field of 68.

16 Seeds

65 – Jordan Goldesberry – With four 410 wins this season, Goldesberry is enjoying a nice year. He does not have a Knoxville appearance this season.

7S – Robbie Price – Price had speed at Huset’s but he can’t seem to find it consistently. The Outlaws regular has just two top tens this season.

55W – Mike Wagner – A rare appearance off the porch for the Central PA veteran. He’s only made 14 starts this season but has a top five in half of them.

11 – Roger Crockett – Crockett was in a scary wreck during All Star competition at Lake Ozark. Hopefully he makes a full recovery in time for the Nationals. His six top fives in just nine races has been impressive.

55T – McKenna Haase – McKenna had a good showing at the 2022 Nationals. She also turned some heads during the Eldora Million prelims.

4W – Jamie Ball – Ball has all of the Knoxville experience in the world behind the wheel of a 360. Can he use some of that experience to surprise us all in a 410?

(The NIT Tournament)

17 Seeds

4CW – Chris Windom – Windom has improved immensely this season in winged 410 action. I wouldn’t be surprised if he out performs this ranking but I think the no. 4 team needs to find some more speed at the Crown Jewels.

20G – Noah Gass – Gass has improved during his second full season with the Outlaws. A disappointing run at Eldora for the Million doesn’t mean he can’t turn things around at Knoxville.

3J – Dusty Zomer – “Zoom Zoom” is having a pretty good season. He has a win at Huset’s but can’t quite seem to figure things out at Knoxville.

1 – Brenham Crouch – Crouch got his first career 410 victory with the IRA Sprints recently. He has been very good this season but the lack of experience at Knoxville concerns me.

18 Seeds

22 – Riley Goodno – The youngster got a win at Huset’s back in June. He’s been running a ton of races this year and gaining experience every night out.

16A – Colby Copeland – In ten 410 starts, Copeland has one win and five top tens. He typically stays put on the West Coast.

83T – Tanner Carrick – Tanner has three 360 wins this season. He has run five 410 races and has one top five to show for it.

24T – Christopher Thram – Another youngster who is improving every single time out. He’s collected one win and five top fives in 25 410 starts in 2023.

19 Seeds

27 – Carson McCarl – An injury has sidelined Carson for basically all of July. He had some nice finishes early in the season but could be a bit rusty when he returns for Nationals.

W20 – Greg Wilson – Wilson was a recent winner in IRA competition. The veteran can still get it done but doesn’t always have the speed at Knoxville.

*WITHDRAWN* 99 – Skylar Gee – Skylar has three wins this season. He has struggled to find consistency during the big shows.

35B – Austin Bishop – A heat race win during the Eldora Million and a strong second place finish at Williams Grove recently has Bishop trending upward.

1X – Jake Bubak – 2023 has been an impressive year for Bubak. He has a 410 win and four 360 wins.

20 Seeds

70 – Kraig Kinser – Kinser is a late entry this year and seems to be behind the wheel of the Premier Motorsports no. 70. It’s a great looking car but we haven’t seen it have much success lately.

95 – Matt Covington – Covington has four wins in 360 competition in 2023. He only has two 410 starts under his belt.

6G – Brandon Wimmer – Wimmer got a win with the FAST series back in April. It’s been a downhill battle ever since. Hopefully he can turn things around during Nationals.

101 – Cody Maroske – It has been a rocky American season so far for Maroske. The no. 101 has shown some highlights of speed but it just hasn’t been consistent.

21 Seeds

45 – Rusty Hickman – It’s Rusty Hickman season in America. He already has a top five at Huset’s in just his fourth American start of 2023.

11N – Harli White – White has one top five in 12 410 appearances this season. She picked up a win in 360 competition at Waynesfield earlier in the year.

W19 – Trent Pigdon – Pigdon has been showing up at all the big 410 races recently. He hasn’t faired well but he is definitely improving with every race.

6B – Clint Garner – The Knoxville 360 regular will try his luck with the 410. He has just two 410 starts so far in 2023.

22 Seeds

20 – AJ Moeller – Another guy who only competes at Knoxville. He has one top ten in 11 starts in 2023.

1M – Don Droud Jr – Don has just three 410 starts this year but he has two top fives.

7W – Dustin Selvage – All of his 410 starts have come at Knoxville this season. His best finish was 11th back on July 15th.

24H – Kade Higday – Higday has been dominant in the Pro Sprints class at Knoxville. I’m not sure we have seen him in a 410 yet this year but he can definitely let it rip.

23 Seeds

6 – Bill Rose – Rose has struggled all year long with the Outlaws. You have to respect the commitment and dedication to the grind.

4K2W – Matt Wasmund – In just five 410 starts this season, Wasmund has one top five and two top tens.

44 – Chris Martin – Martin has two 360 victories in 2023. In 20 410 starts, he has just one top ten.

121 – RJ Johnson – it’s hard to rank these “retired” guys. He’s a former Knoxville rookie of the year and spent some time with the World of Outlaws.

24 Seeds

37 – Ayden Gatewood – With just six 410 starts this season, Gatewood’s best finish has been 11th at Benton.

78 – Bill Wagner – Wagner usually competes with NOSA. He has one top ten so far in 2023.

105 – Cody Ihlen – Ihlen’s best finish in 2023 was a 13th at Huset’s back on July 9th.

18R – Ryan Roberts – Roberts usually only comes out to play during the Nationals. I don’t think we have seen him at all so far during 2023.

25 Seeds

56 – Joe Simbro – The Knoxville regular has made three A Mains this season, collecting an 18th place finish on July 15th.

G5 – Gage Pulkrabek – In 31 starts this season, Gage’s best finish is 12th in NOSA competition.

15JR – Cole Mincer – The youngster is still learning the 410 ropes. He’s been able to make one feature in 13 attempts in 2023.

9H – Landon Hansen – Landon has made ten starts at Knoxville this year. He has only been able to make the feature one time where he finished 18th.

26 Seeds

*WITHDRAWN* 67 – Jonathan Hughes – We have only seen Hughes one time in 2023. He was 49th quick in time trials at Knoxville with the All Stars.

2KK – Kevin Ingle – Ingle’s best finish came on July 23rd with NOSA at Casino where he finished 14th.

6x – Frank Rodgers – Frank told his wife he was going to win the Eldora Million. That didn’t happen so he’s back for Knoxville Nationals.

33 – Henry Edward – How do you rank a ghost? Will he actually show up this time?