For one week in August, Knoxville becomes the center of the sprint car world, and the racing is only part of the experience. If it's your first Nationals, here's what you actually need to know.
Don't roll into town on race night and expect to see the whole picture. Nationals starts building long before the first green flag, with a block party leading up to the first night, activities around town and race fans already settling in for the week.
Give yourself time to walk around downtown, check out the local businesses and see what you stumble across. Once Nationals gets going, the entire town feels like part of the event.
Golf carts are basically the official vehicle of Nationals week. Add in bikes and e-scooters, and getting around downtown can feel like its own event.
You'll get used to it quickly. Just watch where you're walking.
There is a reason people travel from all over the country to Knoxville for this week. Being at Knoxville Raceway during Nationals is an entirely different experience than watching from home. The noise, the smell and the dirt flying through the air are all part of it, and if you're close enough, you can feel the dirt in your teeth.
You came to Nationals, so don't be afraid to get right in the middle of it.
The racing may end, but Nationals doesn't. Turn 3 is a major part of the after-hours scene, and Dingus Bar is another classic stop once the crowds start moving through town. Add in the parties, music and people wandering around Knoxville late into the night, and you may find yourself staying out considerably later than planned.
And if you're around for Weiner Wednesday, make time for it. The Marion County Fair Association hosts its annual post-race celebration with free hot dogs and music. It might be the fanciest event of the week – ha!
The easiest way to experience Nationals like a first-timer is to leave some room in your schedule. Walk around town, grab something to eat, stop into a bar, check out the murals and talk to the people around you.
You'll run into families who have been coming for generations, drivers and crews, longtime fans and people experiencing Nationals for the first time. Someone will inevitably tell you about a place you have to visit or a tradition you can't miss. Take their advice.
That's what makes Nationals different. For one week, the parade, block parties, golf carts, packed bars, downtown crowds, late nights and thousands of race fans become part of the fabric of Knoxville.
So come ready for the racing, but leave yourself enough time to experience the town around it. Your first Knoxville Nationals probably won't go exactly as planned, and that's usually where the best stories come from.
Welcome to Nationals.
