Kyle Larson won Night #2 of the Knoxville Nationals Thursday (Paul Arch Photo) (Video Highlights from DirtVision.com)
By Bill Wright
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (August 7, 2025) – Kyle Larson grabbed his thirteenth career win Thursday on Toyota Qualifying Night #2 of the 64th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals Presented by Casey’s. The Elk Grove, California driver earned $12,000 for the win, and locked himself into the fifth row of Saturday’s championship finale, where he will seek his third straight championship. Carson Macedo was the high point driver for the night and will join Wednesday’s winner, Ryan Timms, who becomes the youngest ever pole-sitter in the “Granddaddy of them all!” (full points are below)
Derek Hagar led the non-stop 25-lap main event early over Spencer Bayston, Giovanni Scelzi, Larson and Bill Balog. Logan Schuchart entered the top five on lap two. Bayston wrestled the lead form hagar on lap three, while Larson found his way by Scelzi for the third spot.
Larson continued his charge by passing Hagar for second on lap five, and Scelzi followed him into third a circuit later. Schuchart was up to fourth by lap seven. Bayston entered lapped traffic on lap eight.
Larson reeled in Bayston, and shot a slide job on him on lap 13 to take the lead for good. Schuchart came on late, grabbing third from Scelzi on lap 16 and second from Bayston with a slider in three with six to go. Finishing second earned him a second row starting spot for Saturday. Bayston finished third, ahead of Scelzi and Macedo. Balog, Brock Zearfoss, hard-charger Brad Sweet, Hagar and Tasker Phillips rounded out the top ten.
In preliminary action, Brad Sweet set quick time over the 49-car field, while Gage Pulkrabek, Phillips, Josh Schneiderman, Christopher Thram and Brady Bacon were heat winners. Brian Brown was third quick, but flipped hard in turn two in his heat after trying for several laps to pass JJ Hickle for the final transfer. He walked away. Matt Vandervere turned over in practice, but returned for his heat race. Jacob Hughes won the C main and Sweet claimed the B.
Friday’s “Hard Knox Night” will see all drivers not locking into Saturday’s A (16) and the B (10) start fresh. The top four finishers will qualify for Saturday’s main event, while the fifth place finisher on back will fill the eleventh starting spot in the B on back through the alphabet.
“Honestly, I’m out of breath,” said Larson in Victory Lane beside Paul Silva’s #57. “That was a fast pace for 25 laps there. The track was really slick, but against (the cushion) it was really gripped up. It just made it like really technical, and the car was dancing around a lot. I was using both feet and steering a lot. I got stuck behind (Cam Martin) for awhile, and I figured they were closing on me. I got by him with a few to go, and I felt I could rest a little easier after that. I wish we would have done better a little earlier in the night. It will be good enough to lock into the feature for sure.”
“This will be our best starting position yet,” said Schuchart of his prospects on Saturday. “I didn’t think I felt real good. I know we were catching Kyle at the end, but I don’t know if we’re as good as we need to be. We didn’t qualify that well, but we did what we needed to do in the heat race and this A main. We’re on the podium, and we’re very happy and proud of this Shark Racing Team.”
“We lacked speed early and ran into some issues,” said Bayston, who locked himself into the last available spot in Saturday’s championship (16th). “We didn’t give up. We had a bit of an issue with fueling in hot laps. We ended up with a time…I didn’t think I did a good job of qualifying. We rebounded a little bit in the heat race and started up front. We set a good pace, but started to waver a little bit. I knew I was probably going to get somebody visiting me at some point. It turned out the 57 got by me quick. I just got back to what I was doing and ran the top and the car felt really, really good.”
Join us for FVP Hard Knox Night at the 64th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals Presented by Casey’s on Friday, August 8! For tickets, or more information on the Knoxville Raceway, visit us online at www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
64th NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Naitonals Presented by Casey’s Toyota Qualifying Night #2 Results
Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 49-Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA, 00:15.002[3]; 2. 4C-Cameron Martin, Ankeny, IA, 00:15.285[10]; 3. 21-Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO, 00:15.300[21]; 4. 41-Carson Macedo, Lemoore, CA, 00:15.315[18]; 5. 3L-Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK, 00:15.341[28]; 6. 55V-Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust., 00:15.363[42]; 7. 19-Brent Marks, Myerstown, PA, 00:15.383[16]; 8. 6B-Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN, 00:15.421[1]; 9. 27B-Jake Bubak, Arvada, CO, 00:15.436[39]; 10. 3P-Sawyer Phillips, Pleasantville, IA, 00:15.454[5]; 11. 39-Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust., 00:15.479[23]; 12. 71P-Parker Price Miller, Kokomo, IN, 00:15.480[34]; 13. 1S-Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA, 00:15.491[33]; 14. 5-Brenham Crouch, Lubbock, TX, 00:15.508[14]; 15. 57-Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA, 00:15.524[45]; 16. 2C-Cole Macedo, Lemoore, CA, 00:15.545[7]; 17. 17B-Bill Balog, Hartland, WI, 00:15.565[27]; 18. 19H-Kevin Thomas Jr, Cullman, AL, 00:15.606[12]; 19. 23D-Chase Dietz, York, PA, 00:15.618[2]; 20. 99-Skylar Gee, Leduc, ALB, Can., 00:15.635[17]; 21. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi, Fresno, CA, 00:15.657[36]; 22. 85J-Logan Julien, Oconomowoc, WI, 00:15.664[4]; 23. 14-Spencer Bayston, Lebanon, IN, 00:15.671[13]; 24. 45C-Derek Hagar, Marion, AR, 00:15.693[19]; 25. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, Jonestown, PA, 00:15.699[44]; 26. 83-Michael Kofoid, Penngrove, CA, 00:15.704[43]; 27. 28M-Conner Morrell, Bradenton, FL, 00:15.749[29]; 28. 1-Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN, 00:15.759[31]; 29. 40-Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD, 00:15.767[11]; 30. 23W-Scott Winters, Butterfield, MN, 00:15.770[25]; 31. G5-Gage Pulkrabek, East Grand Forks, MN, 00:15.782[48]; 32. 23L-Jimmy Light, Pittsboro, IN, 00:15.795[15]; 33. 2M-JJ Hickle, Quilcene, WA, 00:15.811[20]; 34. 11-Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK, 00:15.865[24]; 35. 21H-Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK, 00:15.868[38]; 36. 53-Jack Dover, Springfield, NE, 00:15.874[40]; 37. 1TAZ-Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA, 00:15.887[49]; 38. 49J-Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA, 00:15.932[41]; 39. 24T-Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN, 00:15.954[30]; 40. 33W-Cap Henry, Republic, OH, 00:15.991[47]; 41. 16G-Austyn Gossel, Fort Collins, CO, 00:15.996[46]; 42. 8-Jacob Hughes, Hartford, SD, 00:16.008[22]; 43. 4-Matt Wasmund, Jackson, MN, 00:16.015[8]; 44. 95-Tyler Drueke, Eagle, NE, 00:16.019[6]; 45. 83H-Justin Henderson, Tea, SD, 00:16.211[35]; 46. 88T-Tanner Thorson, Minden, NV, 00:16.250[32]; 47. 24-Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA, 00:16.277[37]; 48. 15J-Jack Potter, Lee’s Summit, MO, 00:16.301[26]; 49. 10W-Matt Vandervere, Burlington, WI, NT[9]
Heat one (started), 10 Laps, 3:14.0: 1. G5-Gage Pulkrabek[2]; 2. 53-Jack Dover[1]; 3. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi[4]; 4. 39-Lynton Jeffrey[6] / 5. 83-Michael Kofoid[3]; 6. 49-Brad Sweet[8]; 7. 55V-Kerry Madsen[7]; 8. 2C-Cole Macedo[5] / 9. 16G-Austyn Gossel[9]; 10. DNS - 88T-Tanner Thorson
Heat two (started), 10 Laps, 2:58.3: 1. 1TAZ-Tasker Phillips[1]; 2. 23L-Jimmy Light[2]; 3. 28M-Conner Morrell[3]; 4. 17B-Bill Balog[5] / 5. 85J-Logan Julien[4]; 6. 71P-Parker Price Miller[6]; 7. 19-Brent Marks[7]; 8. 4C-Cameron Martin[8] / 9. 24-Terry McCarl[10]; 10. 8-Jacob Hughes[9]
Heat three (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. 49J-Josh Schneiderman[1]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart[6]; 3. 14-Spencer Bayston[4]; 4. 1-Sammy Swindell[3] / 5. 2M-JJ Hickle[2]; 6. 19H-Kevin Thomas Jr[5]; 7. 6B-Brandon Wimmer[7]; 8. 15J-Jack Potter[10] / 9. 4-Matt Wasmund[9]; 10. 21-Brian Brown[8]
Heat four (started), 10 Laps, 3:03.2: 1. 24T-Christopher Thram[1]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 3. 11-Roger Crockett[2]; 4. 45C-Derek Hagar[4] / 5. 27B-Jake Bubak[7]; 6. 23D-Chase Dietz[5]; 7. 5-Brenham Crouch[6]; 8. 40-Clint Garner[3] / 9. 10W-Matt VanderVere[9]; 10. DNS - 95-Tyler Drueke
Heat five (started), 10 Laps, 2:55.4: 1. 21H-Brady Bacon[2]; 2. 33W-Cap Henry[1]; 3. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[4]; 4. 57-Kyle Larson[6] / 5. 23W-Scott Winters[3]; 6. 3L-Daryn Pittman[8]; 7. 99-Skylar Gee[5]; 8. 83H-Justin Henderson[9] / 9. 3P-Sawyer Phillips[7]
C main (started), 10 Laps, NT: 1. 8-Jacob Hughes[3]; 2. 16G-Austyn Gossel[2]; 3. 3P-Sawyer Phillips[1]; 4. 10W-Matt VanderVere[6]; 5. 4-Matt Wasmund[4]; 6. 24-Terry McCarl[5]; 7. DNS - 21-Brian Brown; 8. 95-Tyler Drueke; 9. 88T-Tanner Thorson
B Main (started), 12 Laps, 3:38.1: 1. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 2. 4C-Cameron Martin[2]; 3. 71P-Parker Price Miller[8]; 4. 19-Brent Marks[5] / 5. 55V-Kerry Madsen[4]; 6. 2C-Cole Macedo[10]; 7. 83-Michael Kofoid[15]; 8. 3L-Daryn Pittman[3]; 9. 27B-Jake Bubak[7]; 10. 6B-Brandon Wimmer[6]; 11. 5-Brenham Crouch[9]; 12. 2M-JJ Hickle[18]; 13. 99-Skylar Gee[13]; 14. 83H-Justin Henderson[19]; 15. 23D-Chase Dietz[12]; 16. 40-Clint Garner[16]; 17. 8-Jacob Hughes[21]; 18. 23W-Scott Winters[17]; 19. 85J-Logan Julien[14]; 20. 16G-Austyn Gossel[22]; 21. 10W-Matt VanderVere[23]; 22. 15J-Jack Potter[20]; 23. 19H-Kevin Thomas Jr[11]; DNS - 24. 3P-Sawyer Phillips
A main (started), 25 Laps, 7:40.5: 1. 57-Kyle Larson[5]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart[6]; 3. 14-Spencer Bayston[2]; 4. 7BC-Giovanni Scelzi[3]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog[4]; 7. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[9]; 8. 49-Brad Sweet[21]; 9. 45C-Derek Hagar[1]; 10. 1TZ-Tasker Phillips[17]; 11. 21H-Brady Bacon[15]; 12. 71P-Parker Price Miller[23]; 13. 33W-Cap Henry[20]; 14. 19-Brent Marks[24]; 15. 39-Lynton Jeffrey[7]; 16. 4C-Cameron Martin[22]; 17. 1-Sammy Swindell[11]; 18. 53-Jack Dover[16]; 19. 49J-Josh Schneiderman[18]; 20. 24T-Christopher Thram[19]; 21. 28M-Conner Morrell[10]; 22. 23L-Jimmy Light[13]; 23. 11-Roger Crockett[14]; 24. G5-Gage Pulkrabek[12]. Lap Leaders: Hagar 1-2, Bayston 3-12, Larson 13-25. Hard-charger: Sweet.
Saturday A main Qualifiers
10 Ryan Timms 487
41 Carson Macedo 483
1S Logan Schuchart 471
49 Brad Sweet 471
17 Sheldon Haudenschild 469
14BC Corey Day 468
24R Rico Abreu 468
18 Emerson Axsom 467
57 Kyle Larson 463
26 Justin Peck 460
23 Garet Williamson 460
88 Austin McCarl 455
17B Bill Balog 449
7BC Giovanni Scelzi 448
4C Cameron Martin 447
14 Spencer Bayston 446
B main Qualifiers
7S Chris Windom 445
19 Brent Marks 444
17A Jack Anderson 444
21T James McFadden 443
39 Lynton Jeffrey 443
71P Parker Price Miller 441
15h Sam Hafertepe 439
3Z Brock Zearfoss 434
48 Danny Dietrich 431
45C Derek Hagar 429
Friday Hard Knox Field
18T Tanner Holmes 418
5W Lucas Wolfe 418
42 Sye Lynch 417
13 Daison Pursley 415
55V Kerry Madsen 414
27 Carson McCarl 414
3L Daryn Pittman 413
21H Brady Bacon 412
1TZ Tasker Phillips 410
52 Blake Hahn 410
27B Jake Bubak 406
1 Sammy Swindell 405
2 David Gravel 403
28M Conner Morrell 402
1K Kelby Watt 401
6B Brandon Wimmer 400
1a Ashton Torgerson 400
45X Landon Crawley 398
33W Cap Henry 395
24D Danny Sams 395
G5 Gage Pulkrabek 394
53 Jack Dover 393
23L Jimmy Light 393
3 Ayrton Gennetten 393
6K Kaleb Johnson 392
87 Justin Sanders 391
44 Chris Martin 390
49J Josh Schneiderman 390
2C Cole Macedo 389
39m Anthony Macri 388
24T Christopher Thram 386
5 Brenham Crouch 386
11 Roger Crockett 384
32B Brandon Spithaler 384
22 Riley Goodno 378
83 Michael Kofoid 376
36 Jason Martin 374
55 Hunter Schuerenberg 372
23D Chase Dietz 371
99 Skylar Gee 370
15 Donny Schatz 362
3P Sawyer Phillips 362
85J Logan Julien 360
17GP Tim Shaffer 359
19H Kevin Thomas 357
21 Brian Brown 357
2M J.J. Hickle 352
09 Matt Juhl 347
23W Scott Winters 346
40 Clint Garner 343
6 Zach Hampton 340
74 Xavier Doney 330
15JR Cole Mincer 321
2KS Brooke Tatnell 316
83H Justin Henderson 315
25 Tim Kaeding 311
8 Jacob Hughes 309
9R Chase Randall 308
16g Austyn Gossel 308
12X Hank Davis 305
67 Justin Whittall 301
15J Jack Potter 293
10W Matt VanderVere 290
4 Matt Wasmund 284
44X Scotty Johnson 278
121 R.J. Johnson 275
24 Terry McCarl 274
95 Tyler Drueke 273
10V Ben Brown 268
71 Brandon Worthington 267
88T Tanner Thorson 267
4W Jamie Ball 267
11N Kasey Jedrzejek 259
100. 65 Jordan Goldesberry 234