Season finales deliver expected dominance and milestone wins at Knoxville Raceway
Knoxville Raceway’s Championship Night wrapped up the sprint car portion of the season with a blend of routine results and breakthrough moments for drivers who have chased success at the track for years. On the evening, Ryan Timms took the checkered flag in the 410 division, Josh Schneiderman recorded his long-awaited first win at the Knoxville oval in the 360 class, and Tasker Phillips secured his second straight 360 season crown.
Timms entered the night having already clinched the 410 track championship by virtue of showing up, and he translated that dominance into a race victory. He moved into the lead about halfway through the feature and held off a late charge from Austin McCarl to bring his car to victory lane.
In the 360 division, the headline belonged to a driver long familiar with Knoxville’s dirt surface. After two decades of competing at the Raceway, Josh Schneiderman finally broke through with his first win at the venue. Schneiderman and his family have campaigned in Knoxville for 20 years, and the victory marked a much-anticipated milestone for the crew.
"Been trying for a long time here, we won a race years ago and had it taken away for a technical. My brother and my pops had that thing going, it was a rocket ship."
The night also featured notable movement in the Pro Sprints. Matthew Stelzer, who competed part time in the series this season, found victory lane and in doing so prevented an otherwise perfect season for already-crowned champion J. Kinder, who finished 7th in the feature despite having secured the Pro Sprints title earlier.
Point battles in the 360 standings produced dramatic swings as well. Tasker Phillips erased a substantial deficit to capture his second straight 360 championship. Phillips made up 79 points on the final night, finishing 3rd in the race while Kade Higday—who had been positioned to challenge—was forced to start deep in the field at 20th and advanced only to 11th. Phillips’ unofficial margin of victory in the standings was seven points.
Local impact and what’s next
The sprint car season at Knoxville Raceway now pauses as track officials prepare for one of the region’s marquee events: the Lucas Oil Late Model Nationals, scheduled for Sept. 17–19. Promoters and local businesses that benefit from race-weekend tourism will be watching closely; the Late Model Nationals typically draw large fields and spectators from across the Midwest and South.
- 410 feature winner: Ryan Timms
- 360 feature winner: Josh Schneiderman (first career Knoxville victory)
- 360 season champion: Tasker Phillips (second consecutive crown)
| Division | Feature Winner | Notable Result |
|---|---|---|
| 410 | Ryan Timms | Held off Austin McCarl for the win |
| 360 | Josh Schneiderman | First ever Knoxville Raceway win |
| Pro Sprints | Matthew Stelzer | Denied J. Kinder a perfect season; Kinder finished 7th |
For local competitors and fans, Championship Night underscored the mix of continuity and unpredictability that defines dirt-track racing. Veterans like Timms continued to translate season-long consistency into trophies, while persistent contenders such as Schneiderman finally captured long-sought wins. Phillips’ late charge in the standings illustrated how quickly positions can change on the final night of the season.
Track officials will use the coming weeks to ready the facility and staff for the Late Model Nationals, after which the broader Knoxville racing calendar moves deeper into the fall schedule. Until then, the local sprint car community has a clear set of new champions and several storylines — redemption, perseverance and late-season surges — to carry into next year.
