It’s the most unique, demanding and—for one driver—rewarding format in all of Sprint Car racing. The 2026 NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s is unlike any other in dirt racing, and because of that, the four-day format will need explaining.
Below is a breakdown of how Saturday’s Knoxville Nationals main event lineup is determined, which all begins with qualifying nights Wednesday, Aug. 12 and Thursday, Aug. 13 at Knoxville Raceway.
Knoxville Nationals Qualifying Night Format
Behind every Nationals title run is a productive qualifying night. Wednesday and Thursday follow the same order: hot laps, time trials, five heat races, C-main, B-main and the 25-lap A-main.
Here’s where attention to detail is required: beginning with time trials, drivers earn points every time they’re on the track.
Time Trials
Fast time earns 200 points, with a two-point reduction for every position down the qualifying order (200-198-196-194, etc.).
Only the top 50 qualifiers each night advance to the five 10-car heat races. Any remaining drivers are relegated to Last Chance Heats, if needed, where the top eight finishers tag the rear of the C-main. If fewer than 50 cars compete that night, there are no Last Chance Heats.
Last Chance Heats
The Last Chance Heat winner earns 50 points, with a three-point reduction per position thereafter.
Heat Races
The five heat races are inverted by eight, with only the top four finishers transferring directly to the night’s 25-lap A-main.
Heat points are awarded 100-97-94-91-88-85-82-79-76-73.
Drivers finishing fifth through eighth advance to the B-main, while ninth- and 10th-place finishers go to the C-main.
C-Main
The top four C-main finishers transfer to the rear of the B-main.
Drivers who don't transfer still earn points, with fifth place receiving 92 points and sixth receiving 60.
B-Main
The top four B-main finishers transfer to the rear of the A-main.
Drivers who fall short earn points beginning with 142 for fifth place, followed by a two-point reduction per position thereafter.
Semifeature A-Main
The 25-lap A-main is inverted by eight and awards points on the same scale as time trials: 200-198-196-194-192, etc.
After both qualifying nights are complete, the top 16 in combined points are locked into Saturday’s 50-lap championship A-main. Drivers ranked 17th through 26th are locked into the first 10 starting spots of Saturday’s B-main.
Everyone else gets another opportunity through Friday’s FVP Hard Knox Qualifying Night.
What Is Hard Knox Night At The Knoxville Nationals?
Hard Knox Night gives everyone not already locked into Saturday’s A- or B-main a clean slate. Qualifying-night points no longer matter, and the top four finishers in Friday’s A-main earn starting spots 21st through 24th in Saturday’s Knoxville Nationals finale.
Friday begins with split-field qualifying, followed by six heat races inverted by four. The top three finishers from each heat transfer to the Hard Knox A-main.
From there, the program includes a 10-lap C-main, where the top 12 transfer into two B-mains, followed by a pair of 12-lap B-mains that each send their top three finishers to the Hard Knox A-main.
Unlike the inverted qualifying-night features, the Hard Knox A-main is lined up by qualifying time. That makes time trials especially important: drivers must qualify well, survive the four-car heat invert and then finish among the top four in the A-main to bypass Saturday’s alphabet soup.
Knoxville Nationals Championship Saturday
Championship Saturday features the pressure-packed alphabet soup leading into the 50-lap Knoxville Nationals finale: a 10-lap E-main, 12-lap D-main, 15-lap C-main and 22-lap B-main.
The top four finishers from the E-, D-, C- and B-mains transfer to the tail of the next event. That number can increase in the E- and D-mains if drivers or teams scratch.
The most important transfer comes from the B-main, where the top four finishers earn starting spots 17th through 20th in the Knoxville Nationals A-main.
They join the 16 drivers locked in through Wednesday and Thursday qualifying points and the four Hard Knox transfers from Friday to complete the 24-car field for Saturday’s 50-lap championship.