Kyle Larson Captures Another Victory on Dirt, Holds Off Donny Schatz for First Knoxville Nationals Title

Honestly, I think we’re running out of lead-ins with these Kyle Larson wins on dirt stories, but he’s done it again, claiming the victory in Saturday Night’s 60th Annual Knoxville Nationals Presented by Casey’s General Store. The victory in the prestigious event if the first for the NASCAR Cup Series driver, who will have to hustle back to Indianapolis, Indiana for qualifying tomorrow morning at 9:00am | ET.

VIDEO: Kyle Larson celebrates after winning $176,000 at the Knoxville Nationals, the richest prize in winged sprint car history.

“I’ve always dreamed of winning the race!” he tells the crowd. pic.twitter.com/7qOkXDcGla

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 15, 2021

However, the victory wasn’t at all easy for the driver dubbed “Young Money”, as the 29-year-old had to triumph in an amazing battle between himself, Donny Schatz and Gio Scelzi in the first-half of the 50-lap event, in order to even see the top spot.

The second-half of the event, unlike the first, was slowed dramatically by a number of cautions and subsequent restarts, but Larson was able to hold his own throughout them all, holding back a hard-charging Donny Schatz for the victory in the 2021 Knoxville Nationals.

Upon reaching victory lane, Larson was brought to tears by his triumph in the prestigious dirt event, and he even admitted that winning the race was all that was on his mind while he was running practice laps at Indianapolis in his NASCAR Cup Series car earlier in the day.

. @dirtvision REPLAY: "I've always dreamed of winning this race." And now, he's done it. @KyleLarsonRacin is a Knoxville Nationals champion! #NOSvilleNationals pic.twitter.com/Ro9V2L8PVV

— World of Outlaws (@WorldofOutlaws) August 15, 2021

Now, after a night of celebration, Larson will attempt to score his sixth points-paying win of the NASCAR Cup Series season on Sunday at Indianapolis.

Brad Sweet finished in third-place, with Gio Scelzi and Logan Schuchart rounding out the top-five. Brent Marks, James McFaddin, Kasey Kahne, Carson Macedo and Sheldon Hauenschild rounded out the top-10.