Spring car racing’s biggest event begins Wednesday night with a first night of qualifying at the Knoxville Nationals. Among those making a qualifying run Wednesday is 11-time champ Donny Schatz. If he takes the checkered flag Saturday night Schatz will become a 12-time winner, equaling the record set by Steve Kinzer. It is a race nearly every driver hopes to win once.

That’s Race Director John McCoy. Drivers earn points via time trials, a heat race and a feature. The top 16 in points after the first two nights advance to Saturday night’s championship race.

More than 100 cars are registered. The purse for the four-day event tops 1.1 million dollars.