Around 100 drivers will vie for the right to be called 360 sprint car champion starting tonight at the Knoxville Raceway. The first two nights will be preliminary qualifying nights that will set the field for Saturday championship races. Defending Champion Shane Stewart says the toughest aspect of the Nationals are the two time trial laps and weaving your way through the heat races. Stewart adds while the entire weekend is tough, a driver can make or break their Nationals on the first two laps in time trials and the heat races. Stewart will try to become only the second driver to win the 360 Nationals three times and the first back-to-back since Billy Alley turned the trick in 2004 and 2005. Tonight also begins Southern Iowa Sprint Week with ten straight nights of racing between the Knoxville Raceway and the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. The driver with the most points will be named the Jesse Hockett “Mr. Sprint Car” at the end of the 51st Annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals next weekend.