The 2026 NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey's heads into a weather-impacted Championship Saturday at Knoxville Raceway, with the rescheduled Hard Knox program leading into Saturday night's $200,000-to-win finale.

Throughout the day, we'll have the latest weather and schedule updates, along with lineups, results and other developments posted in this blog-style notebook. Watch the Knoxville Nationals live on DIRTVision.

• Knoxville Nationals Alters Format, Lineups For Saturday
• Kyle Larson's Knoxville Nationals: The Debate, The Wins & What-Ifs
• 2026 Knoxville Nationals Saturday A-Main, B-Main Lock-Ins
• Breaking Down Knoxville Nationals Thursday: Takeaways, Interviews & More
  
• Breaking Down Knoxville Nationals Wednesday: Takeaways, Interviews & More
• Inside Sheldon Haudenschild's Soaring Confidence At The Knoxville Nationals
• Brad Sweet Explains Why He's Stepping Away From the Driver's Seat

2026 Knoxville Nationals Results At Knoxville Raceway

Kyle Larson Arrives At Knoxville Raceway

No start-and-park for the Paul Silva No. 57 — polesitter Kyle Larson has officially arrived in Knoxville.https://t.co/APhUsO7GHg pic.twitter.com/QkA0SVRrav

— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) August 16, 2026

2026 Knoxville Nationals Saturday A-Main Lineup

2026 Knoxville Nationals Saturday B-Main Lineup

Donny Schatz's Historic Nationals Streak Ends

Following a ninth-place C-main finish, Donny Schatz will miss the Knoxville Nationals A-main for the first time since 1997, ending a remarkable run of 27 consecutive A-main starts.

Steve Kinser owns the all-time record with 34 straight Nationals A-main appearances from 1978-2011.

C-Main Results At 2026 Knoxville Nationals

🏁C MAIN RESULTS🏁#NOSvilleNationals pic.twitter.com/HYp6BTxVvA

— Knoxville Raceway (@knoxvilleraces) August 16, 2026

D-Main Results At 2026 Knoxville Nationals

🏁D MAIN RESULTS🏁#NOSvilleNationals pic.twitter.com/RLBreeoXqR

— Knoxville Raceway (@knoxvilleraces) August 16, 2026

(10:34 p.m.) Hot Laps Finally Underway!

Following a four-hour rain delay, hot laps for the 65th annual Knoxville Nationals are officially underway!

(9:25 p.m.) Kyle Larson Is Officially En Route

Larson is outa here! Knoxville, here he comes. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/i28AYWrmb1

— Noah Lewis (@Noah_Lewis1) August 16, 2026

(9:21 p.m.) Knoxville Track Crew Working The Track

After heavy rain, there’s a window for Knoxville crew to run things in.

Just announced they believe cars could hit the track in about an hour. Let’s hope for 10:30?

Considering all the puddles, another round of storms might do us in. Every intention to race tonight, they say. pic.twitter.com/EIT4Mp4y1o

— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) August 16, 2026

(8:40 p.m.) Can Kyle Larson Now Make The Start?

There's less than 100 laps left remaining in the NASCAR Cup race at Richmond Raceway, meaning there might be a window for polesitter Kyle Larson to make the two-hour flight from Southern Virginia to the Sprint Car Capital of the World. 

Let's say that it takes two hours to run the track in, that puts us around 10:30 p.m. start time. Last year's Nationals A-main started around 8:45 p.m., so hypothetically that'd put us around 12:45 a.m. this year. Larson would likely have to be in the air by 10:15 p.m. at that point. 

But that's nothing official — just merely thinking out loud.

(8:30 p.m.) Packer Trucks Running In Surface

8:30 p.m. update: Pack trucks are now running along the very inside of the track, where cars enter and exit pit road. The rain has let up, but there’s still plenty of standing water on the racing surface.

(8:05 p.m.) Opening Ceremonies Complete, But Rain Coming Down Hard

8:05 p.m. update: The good news is opening ceremonies are complete. The bad news: the rain keeps coming down at Knoxville Raceway. Even once the rain lets up, expect a lengthy wait as track crews will need time to run the track back in before racing can begin.

(7:45 p.m.) Rain Shower Delays Start Of Hot Laps

7:45 p.m. update: Still trying to get hot laps underway at Knoxville Raceway, with the program now running more than an hour behind schedule. A light but persistent rain shower has put on-track activity in a holding pattern, though opening ceremonies are underway.

(5 p.m.) Weather Update At Knoxville Raceway

5:05 p.m. CT: The three major forecasts offer a mixed picture for Saturday evening at Knoxville Raceway, with the National Weather Service currently the most pessimistic.

Google Weather shows rain chances around 35 percent through roughly 7 p.m., dropping to 20 percent around 8 p.m. and 10 percent later in the evening.

The Weather Channel is considerably more optimistic through the heart of the program, showing just a 15 percent chance of rain from 5-9 p.m. Chances increase later, however, to 39 percent at 10 p.m. and 44 percent at 11 p.m.

The National Weather Service calls for a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m., with showers and storms becoming likely tonight, mainly before 9 p.m. The NWS puts the overall chance of precipitation tonight at 70 percent and says some storms could produce heavy rainfall.

For reference, Ryan Timms pulled into Knoxville Nationals victory lane at approximately 9:22 p.m. last year. If tonight’s program runs on a similar timetable, that would put the checkered flag before the later increase in rain chances shown by Google and The Weather Channel — though the National Weather Service suggests storms could arrive earlier.

Recapping Schatz's Saturday After Prelim Victory

Donny Schatz won Saturday afternoon’s revised Hard Knox program, but the format change leaves his streak of 27 consecutive Knoxville Nationals A-main appearances in serious jeopardy. Read more on Schatz’s disappointment with the format change and the daunting road ahead from 11th in the C-main below.

• Donny Schatz's Longtime Knoxville Nationals Streak In Jeopardy

2026 Knoxville Nationals C-Main Lineup

(Top four transfer to spots 21-24 in the B-main)

Hard Knox Program Complete

2:40 p.m. CT: The checkered flag fell on the rescheduled Hard Knox program around 2:40 p.m., completing the first half of Saturday’s Knoxville Nationals doubleheader.

Knoxville Raceway will provide further updates on when C-main hot laps and the Championship Saturday program will begin. As of now, hot laps are scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT.

Scelzi’s Nationals A-Main Streak Likely Ends

A lap-four crash while running second in Saturday’s revised Hard Knox feature likely ended Giovanni Scelzi’s bid for an eighth consecutive Knoxville Nationals A-main appearance in as many starts.

Scelzi’s Spire Motorsports entry flipped hard off turn two while he was trying to challenge for the lead. He finished 22nd and would unofficially start 12th in Saturday evening’s D-main, should he continue and the D-main run as scheduled.

Hard Knox A-Main Results At Knoxville

Eleven-time Knoxville Nationals champ Donny Schatz powered from the seventh-starting spot to win the 25-lap altered Hard Knox feature on Saturday afternoon at Knoxville Raceway. He led the final 21 circuits and topped Steven Snyder Jr. by 2.265 seconds to earn the 11th-starting spot in the 15-lap C-main later this evening.

Hard Knox A-Main Lineup At Knoxville

Complete Sellout At Knoxville Nationals

1:54 p.m. CT: Knoxville Raceway announced that the infield is sold out for Saturday night’s Knoxville Nationals Championship program, joining the grandstands in reaching capacity.

The infield sellout comes with previously purchased Friday-Saturday two-day and four-day pit passes being honored for Saturday’s program.

Hard Knox B-Main Results At Knoxville

Hard Knox Heat Results At Knoxville

Heat 4

Heat 3

Heat 2

Heat 1

Hard Knox Racing Underway At Knoxville

1:07 p.m. CT: The first Hard Knox heat race is underway at Knoxville Raceway, officially beginning Saturday’s on-track competition after a series of weather delays.

Hot Laps Underway At Knoxville

12:45 p.m. CT: Hot laps are officially underway at Knoxville Raceway as the rescheduled Hard Knox program gets rolling following Saturday morning’s weather delays.

Engines Fire At Knoxville For Hard Knox Program

12:07 p.m. CT: Engine heat is underway at Knoxville Raceway as officials continue preparations for Saturday’s rescheduled Hard Knox program.

The latest schedule calls for the Hard Knox portion of the Championship Saturday doubleheader to begin at 1 p.m. Central.

Knoxville Issues Severe Weather Advisory

11:59 a.m. CT: Knoxville Raceway issued a weather advisory at 11:59 a.m. Central, warning of the possibility of pop-up storms Saturday evening, some of which could produce severe weather, strong winds and lightning.

At the recommendation of the National Weather Service and Marion County Emergency Management, race teams will be allowed to keep their haulers in the infield for protection and safety.

Fans are being advised that if severe weather approaches and the grandstands need to be cleared, they should exit calmly and take shelter underneath the grandstands. Any approaching severe weather will be communicated over the track’s PA system.

The advisory comes as Knoxville works through continued weather challenges ahead of Saturday night’s Knoxville Nationals finale.

Hard Knox Start Pushed Back Again

11:44 a.m. CT: The start of Saturday’s rescheduled Hard Knox program has been pushed back another hour because of weather.

Officials announced the program is now scheduled to begin at noon Central (1 p.m. Eastern). Hard Knox was originally scheduled for an 11 a.m. CT start before Saturday morning rainfall delayed the program.

Rain Forces Knoxville Nationals Format Change

8:39 a.m. CT: Saturday morning rain has forced Knoxville Raceway officials to revise the Knoxville Nationals format, expanding the number of drivers locked into Saturday night’s program and shortening the rescheduled Hard Knox portion.

The top 20 in preliminary points are now locked into the A-main, adding Austin McCarl, Brent Marks, Tanner Thorson and Jace Park. Drivers ranked 21st through 40th are locked into the B-main, while those ranked 41st through 50th will start in the first five rows of the C-main.

That puts Sye Lynch on the B-main pole, while defending Knoxville Nationals champion Ryan Timms will start from the C-main pole.

Drivers ranked 51st and lower — including Donny Schatz and Giovanni Scelzi — will compete in a shortened Hard Knox program to determine starting spots 11th through 24th in the C-main. Schatz’s streak of 27 consecutive Nationals A-main appearances is now in serious jeopardy.

Hard Knox will not include time trials, with preliminary points setting the heat lineups. Hot laps are now scheduled for noon Central.

Hard Knox Postponed, Sets Up Saturday Doubleheader

Friday’s FVP Hard Knox program has been postponed to Saturday morning because of weather, setting up a Knoxville Nationals Championship Saturday doubleheader.

Heavy rain Friday morning and continued showers prevented Knoxville Raceway from drying the track and infield. Saturday’s Hard Knox program is scheduled to begin with hot laps at 11 a.m. Central, with the top four finishers in the feature advancing to Saturday night’s 50-lap Knoxville Nationals finale.

According to High Limit Racing publicist Brian Walker, it’s the first rainout during Knoxville Nationals week since Aug. 6, 2014, ending a streak of 45 consecutive completed programs.

A break will follow the Hard Knox program before Championship Saturday festivities resume. Saturday night hot laps remain scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Central.