Entry No. 33 — the Des Moines file — filed under: dirt-track racing
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum
This non-profit museum sits right beside the legendary Knoxville Raceway and puts 30-35 winged open-wheel sprint cars on the floor — machines that look like they were built to go fast and break apart simultaneously. The whole place hums with the mythology of dirt-track racing, from storied champions to the mechanics who kept the beasts alive.
The story
Most sports museums deposit you in a quiet marble hall far removed from the actual turf, but Knoxville built theirs directly into turn two of the dirt oval at the Marion County Fairgrounds. You are standing inside a four-story sanctuary dedicated to open-wheel sprint cars—lightweight machines mounted with giant top wings that look like they were engineered to hit terrifying speeds and disintegrate on contact.
The main floor rotates 30 to 35 of these open-wheel beasts at a time, documenting dirt-track racing subculture from its early grease-stained roots to modern wing design. It isn't just a cabinet of shiny trophies; the Hall of Fame pays as much tribute to the engine builders and mechanics who kept the cars running on backwoods clay tracks as it does to the storied champions who drove them.
What it's like
Wander in on a weekday afternoon and you'll likely have four floors of sprint car history to yourself, giving you space to scrutinize the welds and wing angles up close. The quiet vanishes on summer Saturdays and peaks during the Knoxville Nationals in August, when the fairgrounds swell with race fans; plan your visit to catch a Saturday night race at Knoxville Raceway so you can walk the museum floor first, then head to the grandstands to smell the burnt alcohol fuel and watch real sprint cars rip around turn two under the lights.
The move: Walk the museum floor together picking favorites from the 30-plus sprint cars on display, then check the Knoxville Raceway schedule — Saturday night races run throughout summer — so you can end the evening in the grandstands watching real sprint cars tear up the dirt under the lights.
📍 Before you go Knoxville sits roughly 40 minutes southeast of downtown Des Moines, so treat this as a day trip rather than a quick stop. The four-story building anchors the Marion County Fairgrounds, tucked into turn two of the dirt oval — follow signs for the fairgrounds and you'll find ample lot parking. Floors are quietest on weekday afternoons; if you visit during the Knoxville Nationals in August, expect crowds and tight lodging, so book ahead or come another week. Pair the trip with nearby Pella's Dutch bakeries and windmill, or a detour to Lake Red Rock.
- 📍 Knoxville
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1 Sprint Capital Pl, Knoxville, IA 50138
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- de Kelder Speakeasy — Follow up a dusty afternoon at the track by slipping into a Roaring Twenties-style speakeasy hidden beneath downtown Pella, just 11 miles away.
- Jasper County Historical Museum — Double down on Iowa's midcentury mechanical obsessions by heading north to Newton to inspect a collection of over 70 antique Maytag washing machines.
- Valle Drive-In — Trade open-wheel dirt racing for an open-air double feature at Iowa's oldest operational drive-in theater.
Good to know
How far is the museum from Des Moines?
It sits in Knoxville at 1 Sprint Capital Place on the Marion County Fairgrounds, roughly a 40-minute drive southeast of downtown Des Moines.
Where is the building located on the fairgrounds?
The four-story building is built right along turn two of the Knoxville Raceway dirt track oval—follow the signs for the fairgrounds to park in the main lot.
Can I see live races when I visit?
Knoxville Raceway runs Saturday night sprint car races throughout the summer season right outside the museum, though you'll want to check their schedule before making the drive.
What is the crowd situation during the Knoxville Nationals?
The Nationals in August draw heavy crowds to Knoxville, making lodging extremely tight; book months in advance if you want to attend during race week, or pick a non-event week for a quieter museum tour.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · traveliowa.com · Yelp
last checked: 2026-06-07