Donny Schatz overtook Chase Randall with four laps to go of Wednesday's Knoxville Nationals opening night qualifier to win his 29th feature event at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway. 

It was the first time since 2003 the reigning Knoxville Nationals champion won a qualifying night, as the 11-time winner of The Granddaddy Of Them All comes away as the night's highest points earner.

Schatz, who collected 479 points for his winning effort, topped Randall by 1.467 seconds and 12th-starting Sheldon Haudenschild on the podium. Seventh-finishing Hunter Schuerenberg, at 464 points, was the second highest points earner of the night.

Point Standings. #NOSvilleNationals pic.twitter.com/qdqP5l9r1S

— Knoxville Raceway (@knoxvilleraces) August 10, 2023

Fourth-finishing Kerry Madsen racked up 459 points to follow Schatz and Schuerenberg. Giovanni Scelzi and Corey Day, at 458 points are tied for fourth, while Randall's 459 points slots him fifth.

Justin Peck entered the 25-lap main event as the highest points earner through the heat races, where he vaulted himself up the leaderboard by virtue of a seventh-to-second run, until a nasty crash running sixth in the feature with 10 laps to go ruined his lock-in hopes. Peck finished 24th and is seventh at 449 points after night one.

Here's a recap of the night through our blog-style notebook:

Knoxville Nationals Coverage

• 2023 Knoxville Nationals: Ranking The 10 Favorites To Win
• How To Watch The 2023 Knoxville Nationals At Knoxville Raceway
• 2023 Knoxville Nationals Paint Scheme Preview
• Breaking Down The Knoxville Nationals Format
• Corey Day's Chase For Sprint Car Superstardom While 'Still Being A Kid'
• Buddy Kofoid Rising In Speed, Comfort Ahead Of Knoxville Nationals

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Feature Finish

1. Donny Schatz
2. Chase Randall
3. Sheldon Haudenschild
4. Kerry Madsen
5. Blake Hahn
6. Sye Lynch
7. Hunter Schuerenberg
8. Dustin Selvage
9. Brandon Wimmer
10. Giovanni Scelzi
11. Tasker Phillips
12. Brady Bacon
13. Kasey Kahne
14. Corey Day
15. James McFadden
16. Cole Macedo
17. Justin Henderson
18. Riley Goodno
19. Jake Bubak
20. Don Droud Jr.
21. Robbie Price
22. Carson McCarl
23. Tanner Carrick
24. Justin Peck

Trouble For Fast-Time Recipient David Gravel 

And Gravel can’t beat the allotted time in the work area to resume.

Knoxville Nationals title pursuits take a total 180. From fast time to disaster in the opening heat. pic.twitter.com/0VllH0zZx8

— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) August 10, 2023

Fast-time recipient David Gravel lost the handle of his Big Game Motorsports No. 2 race car and clobbered the turn-four wall on the opening lap of the night's first heat race.

The team, which had multiple helping hands from neighboring teams, couldn't resume. Now they have to rally through one of the consolation races to make Wednesday's A-main. 

He later won the C-main and drove from 21st to finish 11th in the B-main, seven spots short of a transfer. He exits the night with 403 points. Jamie Ball (fifth in qualifying), Scott Bogucki (seventh in qualifying), and Brent Marks (eighth in qualifying) are among those also failing to qualify for the feature.

Some notables who DID NOT make Wednesday’s Prelim A-Main at #NOSvilleNationals:@JamieBall4W@BMRacing19@SBogucki84@Zeb_Wise01@Justin17Sanders
Brooke Tatnell@DavidGravel@KyleReinhardt21@HickleRacing@Parker_PM9
Aaron Reutzel

They’ll be forced to Friday’s #HardKnox Night.

— 𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗞𝗔𝗣𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗔 (@Walkapedia_) August 10, 2023

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Feature Lineup

(25 laps)

Row 1: Blake Hahn, Dustin Selvage
Row 2: Chase Randall, Kerry Madsen
Row 3: Kasey Kahne, Hunter Schuerenberg
Row 4: Donny Schatz, Justin Peck
Row 5: Sye Lynch, Riley Goodno
Row 6: Jake Bubak, Sheldon Haudenschild
Row 7: Cole Macedo, Brandon Wimmer
Row 8: Tanner Carrick, Brady Bacon
Row 9: Robbie Price, Justin Henderson
Row 10: Don Droud Jr., Carson McCarl
Row 11: Gio, Scelzi, Corey Day
Row 12: James McFadden, Tasker Phillips

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday B-Main Results

B Main🏁
Top four of Scelzi, Day, McFadden and Tasker Phillips will transfer to the A Main.#NOSvilleNationals pic.twitter.com/YU8xuXEoGb

— Knoxville Raceway (@knoxvilleraces) August 10, 2023

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday B-Main Lineup

(12 laps, top four transfer)

Row 1: Corey Day, Gio Scelzi
Row 2: Jamie Ball, James McFadden
Row 3: Scott Bogucki, Lynton Jeffrey
Row 4: Brent Marks, Tasker Phillips
Row 5: Justin Sanders, J.J. Hickle
Row 6: Zeb Wise, Parker Price-Miller
Row 7: Tim Shaffer, Brooke Tatnell
Row 8: Brenham Crouch, Chase Dietz
Row 9: Kyle Reinhardt, Kraig Kinser
Row 10: Matt Covington, Terry McCarl
Row 11: David Gravel, Christopher Tram
Row 12: Kade Higday, McKenna Haase

Only Six Of Top 20 Qualifiers Advance Through The Heats

Only three of the top 11 in points through the heats are locked in tonight's A-main 😳

Justin Peck 295 🔒
Corey Day 284 (pole of B-main)
Donny Schatz 279 🔒
Gio Scelzi 276 (P2 of B)
Scott Bogucki 276 (P5 of B)
James McFadden 275 (P4 of B)
Schuerenberg 274 🔒
Jamie Ball 274 (P3 of…

— Kyle McFadden (@ByKyleMcFadden) August 10, 2023

Hunter Schuerenberg (sixth to third in heat one), Chase Randall (fourth in heat one), Justin Peck (eighth to second in heat two), Kasey Kahne (sixth to third in heat two), Kerry Madsen (sixth to fourth in heat four), and Donny Schatz (seventh to second in heat five) are the only drivers who qualified in the top 20 to have to transferred in outright fashion to Wednesday's A-main.

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Heat 1 Results

1. Brady Bacon (232 total points)
2. Jake Bubak (239)
3. Hunter Schuerenberg (274)
4. Chase Randall (253)
5. Justin Sanders (258)
6. James McFadden (275)
7. Terry McCarl (192)
8. Kyle Reinhardt (199)
9. McKenna Haase (228)
10. David Gravel (273)

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Heat 2 Results

1. Sheldon Haudenschild (240 total points)
2. Justin Peck (295)
3. Robbie Price (224)
4. Dustin Selvage (251)
5. Scott Bogucki (276)
6. J.J. Hickle (239)
7. Chase Dietz (235)
8. Kraig Kinser (200)
9. Chris Martin (187)
10. Aaron Reutzel (254)

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Heat 3 Results

1. Justin Henderson (228 total points)
2. Cole Macedo (235)
3. Kasey Kahne (270)
4. Blake Hahn (239)
5. Corey Day (286)
6. Lynton Jeffrey (272)
7. Brooke Tatnell (240)
8. Zeb Wise (248)
9. Kade Higday (184)
10. Davey Heskin (192)

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Heat 4 Results

1. Sye Lynch (246)
2. Brandon Wimmer (233)
3. Don Droud Jr. (220)
4. Kerry Madsen (265)
5. Brent Marks (272)
6. Parker Price-Miller (251)
7. Giovanni Scelzi (276)
8. Matt Covington (193)
9. Christopher Thram (198)
10. Cole Mincer (177)

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Heat 5 Results

1. Carson McCarl (224)
2. Donny Schatz (279)
3. Tanner Carrick (228)
4. Riley Goodno (235)
5. Brenham Crouch (244)
6. Tasker Phillips (257)
7. Jamie Ball (274)
8. Tim Shaffer (246)
9. Mark Dobmeier (191)
10. Kevin Ingle (178)

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Heat Race Lineups

(10 laps, top four transfer)

Heat one
Row 1: Brady Bacon, Jake Bubak
Row 2: McKenna Haase, Chase Randall
Row 3: Justin Sanders, Hunter Schuerenberg
Row 4: James McFadden, David Gravel
Row 5: Kyle Reinhardt, Terry McCarl
Row 6: Ayden Gatewood
Heat two
Row 1: Robbie Price, Sheldon Haudenschild
Row 2: Chase Dietz, Dustin Selvage
Row 3: J.J. Hickle, Aaron Reutzel
Row 4: Scott Bogucki, Justin Peck
Row 5: Kraig Kinser, Chris Martin
Row 6: Landon Hansen
Heat three
Row 1: Justin Henderson, Cole Macedo
Row 2: Blake Hahn, Brooke Tatnell
Row 3: Zeb Wise, Kasey Kahne
Row 4: Lynton Jeffrey, Corey Day
Row 5: Davey Heskin, Kade Higday
Heat four
Row 1: Don Droud Jr., Brandon Wimmer
Row 2: Sye Lynch, Christopher Thram
Row 3: Parker Price-Miller, Kerry Madsen
Row 4: Brent Marks, Gio Scelzi
Row 5: Matt Covington, Cole Mincer
Heat five
Row 1: Carson McCarl, Tanner Carrick
Row 2: Riley Goodno, Brenham Crouch
Row 3: Tim Shaffer, Tasker Phillips
Row 4: Donny Schatz, Jamie Ball
Row 5: Mark Dobmeier, Kevin Ingle

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Qualifying Rundown

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Qualifying Order

Chase Dietz Subbing Aboard Jacob Allen's No. 1A

Shark Racing has tabbed Chase Dietz of York, Pennsylvania to pilot the Low-E Reflective Insulation / Pell’s Tire Service No. 1a for the 62nd annual NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway. Dietz will fill in for Jacob Allen and be in action tonight pic.twitter.com/4tNUslwA9M

— Shark Racing (@sharkracingWoO) August 9, 2023

WATCH: Chase Dietz talks about the last-minute call to race for Shark Racing at the Knoxville Nationals.

Chase Dietz, a two-time Sprint Car winner in Central Pennsylvania this year and runner-up with USAC Silver Crown in June at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway, takes the wheel of Jacob Allen's No. 1A Shark Racing machine on night one of the Knoxville Nationals.

Allen has cited feelings of burnout in a recent Facebook post and remains the primary driver of the Shark Racing No. 1A.

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Roster

1 - Justin Henderson, Tea, SD
1a - Chase Dietz, York, PA
1k - Kelby Watt, Adel, IA
1C - Brenham Crouch, Lubbock, TX (R)
1M - Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE
1X – Jake Bubak, Arvada, CO
2 - David Gravel, Watertown, CT
2K - Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust
2KK - Kevin Ingle, Huron, SD
2KS – Chase Randall, Waco, TX (R)
2M - Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN
4J - Kevin Thomas Jr., Culman, AL
4W – Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA
6G - Garet Williamson, Columbia, MO
7s - Robbie Price. Cobble Hill, BC, Can
7TAZ - Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA
7TW - Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount, IN
7w – Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA
8 – Aaron Reutzel, Clute, TX
9 – Kasey Kahne, Enumclaw, WA
9H - Landon Hensen, Newton, IA (R)
9P - Parker Price-Miller, Kokomo, IN
10L - Scott Bogucki,McLaren Vale, SA, Au
11 - Roger Crockett, Broken Arrow, OK
13 - Justin Peck, Monrovia, IN
13JT - Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND
14 - Corey Day, Clovis, CA
15 - Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND *
15JR - Cole Mincer, Burlington, IA (R)
16 - Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci,NSW,Au
17 - Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH
17X - Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA
18 - Gio Scelzi, Fresno, CA
19 - Brent Marks, Myerstown, PA
21T - Cole Macedo, Lemoore, CA
21H - Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK
22 - Riley Goodno, Knoxville, IA
24H - Kade Higday, Pleasant Hill, Iowa
24T - Christopher Thram, Sanborn, MN (R)
26 - Zeb Wise, Angola, IN
27 - Carson McCarl, Altoona, IA
37 - Ayden Gatewood, Caruthersville,MO(R)
39 - Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO
39M - Justin Sanders, Aromas, CA
42 - Sye Lynch, Apollo, PA
44 - Chris Martin, Ankeny, IA
49X - Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA
50YR - J.J. Hickle, Quilcene, WA
52 - Blake Hahn, Sapulpa, OK
55 - Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust.
55T - McKenna Haase, Des Moines, IA
55W - Mike Wagner, Harrisonville, PA
70 - Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, IN *
71 - Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK
83 - James McFadden, Warrnambool,VIC,Au
83T - Tanner Carrick, Lincoln, CA
91 - Kyle Reinhardt, Neptune City, NJ
95 - Matt Covington, Glenpool, OK

Knoxville Nationals Wednesday Schedule

(All times local)

8 a.m. - Knoxville Raceway ticket office opens
8 a.m. - National Sprint Car Hall of Fame opens
9 a.m. - Rooftop Yoga - Bryan Clauson Suite Tower
10 a.m. - Trade show in Skate Pit Building opens
10 a.m. - Vendors open in Fan Zone
10-3 p.m. - Bryan Clauson Suite Tower tours
10 a.m. - Fan Forums at NSCHoF
12 p.m. - Food vendors open
12 p.m. - Fan Forums at NSCHoF
1 p.m. - Racing Education in the Premier Chevy Dealers Fan Pavilion
1:30 p.m. - Fan Forums at NSCHoF
2 p.m. - Pit gates open
2 p.m. - KRCO Trivia in Dyer Hudson Hall
3 p.m. - Great Southern Bank KidZone Opens
4:30 p.m. - Donny Schatz 2022 champion's pole unveiling
5 p.m. - Grandstands open
5 p.m. - The Sage Fruit Knoxville Nationals Live prerace show hosted by Tony Bokhoven on the Sage Fruit Stage
Opening ceremonies - Donny Schatz raises Champion’s Flag
7:15 p.m. - On-track activity begins
- Hot laps
- Time trials
- Five heats
- C-main
- B-main
- 25-lap semifeature
Postrace press conference in the Premier Chevy Dealers Fan Pavilion (open to public)
Live Music with THE BOYS on the Sage Fruit Entertainment Stage