Knoxville Raceway

Location: Knoxville, Iowa – located thirty miles (about 45 minutes) southeast of Iowa’s capital city of Des Moines.

Directions: from a south Des Moines location- take the southerly Highway 5 bypass to the Knoxville exit (72) which will take you through the city of Carlisle. Follow Highway 5 to the first Knoxville (64) exit at the 65 mile marker. From the first Knoxville exit proceed on what is Pleasant Street turning left at the first set of stop lights onto Highway 14/Lincoln Street. The track is about 3-4 blocks to your left.

From an easterly or northerly Des Moines location the Highway 5 bypass still figures into the directions. Exit off the bypass at Highway 163 (University Avenue) and take that east out of the city. It will be the Prairie City – Monroe – Pella exit. As you round the southerly portion of Monroe, take a right at the exit for Knoxville on Highway 14. This will take you over the mile-long bridge at Lake Red Rock and bring you into Knoxville from the north. You cannot miss Knoxville Raceway because you will quickly see the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum to your right and then Knoxville’s giant metal grandstands.

Both the Carlisle and Monroe exits are 4-lane highways. At Monroe Highway 14 is a 2-lane.

From Interstate 80 take the Newton (Iowa) exit to Highway 14 south.

From Interstate 35 (north from Kansas City) take the Highway 92 (Indianola) exit east.

From Interstate 35 (south from Minneapolis) take the Interstate 80 east exit, exit onto the Highway 5 bypass then exit east at the Highway 163 east. An alternative is to continue on Interstate 80 and take the Newton exit.

Venue: Knoxville Raceway is the third largest outdoor stadium in Iowa. The facility is famous with race fans around the planet for being the “Sprint Car Capital of the World.” The track has hosted races nearly every Saturday night from April through September since 1954 on what is the Marion County fairgrounds.

Types of Race Cars: Weekly – 410 and 360 winged sprints; Specials – late model, midget, modified, 305 winged sprints

Track Specs: Length – ½ mile at the pole; 5/8 mile at the fences. Width – turns 70 feet; front stretch 80 feet; backstretch 60 feet; Turn banking - 8 degrees; Surface - black Iowa soil.

Track Facilities: 24,172 seats – 16,289 main grandstand; 7,383 back grandstand; 500 NSCHoF&M - permanent restrooms and showers, concession stands, souvenir arcade, wheelchair seating and handicap parking, motorcycle lockup and parking, closed circuit television.

Pit Facilities: paved parking pads; Musco Lighting; electricity; welding; tires; racing products; concession stand; sound; permanent restrooms; dressing room; hot and cold pits; closed circuit television.

Camping Facilities: available at Nationals and seasonal, ¾ mile from track – Permanent restrooms and showers; electricity and water at most sites; dump station (with daily pickup for a fee).

Parking Facilities: off site at Nationals.

Source: Knoxville Raceway