I stay in Des Moines which is about 40-50 minutes away depending on what part of the city you're staying. The airport area has a bunch of options that are relatively cheap. If you want to camp, others can help with recommendations. Knoxville is like a carnival but where everyone is focused on the race. Townfolk open their doors to race fans, teams are parked all over town, there's more food and merch options than you can imagine.
Dingus is literally across the street from the track and is the go to bar for race fans. The hall of fame offers several fan forums throughout the week. The town of Knoxville itself is fairly close to the track and has a few food and drink options but it's super small. Pella Iowa is about 15-20 minutes away and some cool food options like Jaarsma Bakery which has some of the best sweets I've ever had.
The Iowa state fair is also the same time as the Nationals which offers other entertainment options for the afternoon. Lots to do, Knoxville is a great time.
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