Like a Rock: Donny Schatz Scores at Granite City Speedway
Wins third straight and gets World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win number 14 on the season
SAUK RAPIDS, Minn. – June 17, 2015 -Donny Schatz battled late and won a rain postponed inaugural Marthaler Chevrolet of Glenwood presents the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at Granite City Speedway in front of a near capacity crowd Wednesday night.
Schatz hung around fourth place most of the night and as the feature wound down, battled forward, passing the then leader Shane Stewart with three laps to go as they worked their way through lapped traffic. It was the third straight win and 14th World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory of the season for Schatz and his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team.
“I can’t say enough about this Bad Boy Buggies/Chevrolet team,” Schatz said. “They are the ones who should be standing here. The adjustments they make, the things that they see with this racecar, it’s just an unbelievable machine to drive. That was fun. That was an absolute riot.”
Schatz started the feature in fourth with Danny Lasoski, Logan Schuchart and Shane Stewart starting ahead of him. Lasoski led through much of the feature as he worked his way through lapped traffic and held off Schuchart and Stewart. On a lap 13 restart, Joey Saldana got around Schatz pushing the 15 back to the fifth position.
“I lost a spot late in the race on a restart and I didn’t really panic, but the race track started to move up and the bottom started to get a little slicker and I thought maybe we were going to have a hard time getting through there,” Schatz said. “Once we got to traffic, I went wherever I had to. The racecar kind of came to me a little bit.”
Lasoski, still leading, hit that traffic on lap 18. Saldana battled around the 1S of Schuchart for third and Schatz got by the Shark Racing driver on lap 19 to take over fourth. As the field continued to work its way through traffic, Schatz closed on Saldana. On lap 21, as the two worked their way through turns three and four, Schatz got side-by-side with the ‘Brownsburg Bullet.’ As they exited the turn, Schatz drag raced him back to the line and tried to make a move on second place Stewart. A lapped car held him up.
Stewart found breathing room from Schatz in the next couple of laps and as Lasoski’s car continued to loosen up, Stewart closed on the leader. They battled through lap 26 and as they went around to complete lap 27, Stewart got around the No. 2L GoMuddy.com car on the bottom of turns 3 and 4. Stewart led lap 27.
Schatz was on the move. He got around Lasoski on lap 28 and then as he exited turn four on to the front straight, Stewart got caught up by a lapped car on the high side and Schatz made his move.
“The racecar kind of came to me a little bit,” Schatz said. “To come under ‘The Dude’ and go into three and pass Shane coming out of four was really good. It’s a tribute to this whole team and how hard they work.”
Schatz parked his car in victory lane – the first ever Outlaws winner at the Sauk Rapids, Minnesota track.
“I don’t know how much you can ask for, you’ve got to have lap traffic to be able to get yourself in these positions,” Schatz said of the traffic that played into much of the 30-lap feature. “Everybody’s cars are so good. Everybody is so equal, you just have to be able to move around on the racetrack when positions put you there. Hats off to these guys for getting this race in tonight. A little bit of bad weather last night but we’re here tonight and celebrating a victory.”
A frustrated Stewart was complimentary of his team but lamented the familiar story for his Larson Marks Racing team this season of finishing second to Schatz.
“Man, I tell you what, my guys gave me a really good racecar and I felt like that was our race, we were going to win and gosh darnit, got held up a little bit behind some lap cars,” Stewart said. “And here goes the 15 right through the middle. It’s been the story all year. I can’t thank these guys who work hard on this racecar enough. We try things on the racecar from time to time to try to get a little better. Trust me, I throw some crazy ideas out to these guys and they don’t gripe about it, they just sometimes shake their head. But the cool thing about it is that we do try it and we are learning.”
Lasoski, who has one win on the season and six top-five runs, closed out the night at Granite City on the podium in the third position.
“I was getting looser and looser,” Lasoski said. “There was nothing I could do. I was committed to the top and just got beat by two good guys and that’s all we can say.”
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series continues its swing through the Upper Midwest this Friday and Saturday with stops at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D. on June 19 and Dakota State Fair Speedway in Huron, S.D. on June 20. For more information on the events and to learn how to purchase tickets, visit http://www.WoOSprint.com.
Follow the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws, like it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws, or check out the latest videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws.
Granite City Speedway Notebook
RACE NOTES: Tonight’s win was the 14th World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory of the season for Donny Schatz… Donny Schatz is the first ever World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series winner at Granite City Speedway… Sammy Swindell took home the night’s quick time and set a new track record with a lap of 10.720… Tim Kaeding was the night’s KSE Racing Hard Charger, advancing five positions to finish in ninth.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS – MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Ty Hanten; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; Penske Shocks ($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; Mobil 1 ($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; Lincoln Welders ($50 cash): Brad Sweet; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; Super Flow ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 product certificate): Shane Stewart;KSE Racing Products ($100 product certificate): Tim Kaeding; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate): Donny Schatz;Mobil 1 (20% off Mobil1RacingStore.com): Chase Viebrock; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Jared Goerges; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Chase Viebrock.
SEASON WINNERS: Donny Schatz – 14 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Stockton Dirt Track on March 21, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 28, Placerville Speedway on April 8, Calistoga Speedway on April 12, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 26, Eldora Speedway on May 8, Eldora Speedway on May 9, Williams Grove Speedway on May 15, Weedsport Speedway on May 17, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 22, Knoxville Raceway on June 13, Huset’s Speedway on June 14, Granite City Speedway on June 17); Shane Stewart – 4 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5, Keller Auto Speedway on April 17, Salina Highbanks Speedway on May 1, Crawford County Speedway on June 12); Daryn Pittman – 3 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 13, Antioch Speedway on March 29, New Egypt Speedway on May 19); Rico Abreu – 2 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 14, Stockton Dirt Track on March 22); Paul McMahan – 2 (Perris Auto Speedway on April 18, Tri-State Speedway on May 3); Brad Sweet – 2 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 15, Calistoga Speedway on April 11); Christopher Bell – 1 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on May 2);Dale Blaney – 1 (Attica Raceway Park on May 29); Brian Brown – 1 (USA Raceway on March 7);Greg Hodnett – 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 13); Tim Kaeding – 1 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 13); Danny Lasoski – 1 (I-80 Speedway on June 5); Terry McCarl – 1 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5);Joey Saldana – 1 (Kokomo Speedway on June 3).
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Granite City Speedway; Sauk Rapids, Minn.; June 17, 2015
A-Main – (30 Laps) – 1. 15-Donny Schatz [4] [$6,000]; 2. 2-Shane Stewart [3] [$3,500]; 3. 2L-Danny Lasoski [1] [$2,000]; 4. 71M-Joey Saldana [5] [$1,800]; 5 1S-Logan Schuchart [2] [$1,500]; 6. 49-Brad Sweet [7] [$1,400]; 7. 51-Paul McMahan [10] [$1,350]; 8. 29-Kerry Madsen [8] [$1,300]; 9. 3-Tim Kaeding [14] [$1,250]; 10. 55-Brooke Tatnell [11] [$1,200]; 11. 17B-Bill Balog [12] [$900]; 12. 41-Sammy Swindell [6] [$800]; 13. 7-David Gravel [9] [$700]; 14. 9-Daryn Pittman [13] [$650]; 15. 7S-Jason Sides [18] [$600]; 16. 11K-Kraig Kinser [16] [$550]; 17. 20A-Jordan Adams [20] [$]; 18. 92-Mitch Mack [21] [$500]; 19. 9Z-Jared Goerges [19] [$500]; 20. 51A-Doug Martens [22] [$500]; 21. 19L-Chase Viebrock [24] [$500]; 22. 1A-Jacob Allen [14] [$500]; 23. 19-Paige Polyak [15] [$500]; 24. 13X-Ty Hanten [23] [$500]. Lap Leaders: Danny Lasoski 1-26, Shane Stewart 27, Donny Schatz 28-30. KSE Hard Charger Award: Tim Kaeding [+5]
Qualifying – 1. 41-Sammy Swindell 10.720; 2. 15-Donny Schatz 10.902; 3. 71M-Joey Saldana 10.913; 4. 2-Shane Stewart 10.918; 51S-Logan Schuchart 10.923; 6. 7-David Gravel 10.941; 7. 51-Paul McMahan, Steve Kinser038; 8. 2L-Danny Lasoski 11.050; 9. 29-Kerry Madsen 11.064; 10. 49-Brad Sweet 11.066; 11. 55-Brooke Tatnell 11.093; 12. 17B-Bill Balog 11.145; 13. 9-Daryn Pittman 11.155; 14. 3-Tim Kaeding 11.198; 15. 19-Paige Polyak 11.210; 16. 56-Davey Heskin 11.253; 17. 11K-Kraig Kinser 11.268; 18. 1A-Jacob Allen 11.291; 19. 7S-Jason Sides 11.294; 20. 9Z-Jared Goerges 11.368; 21. 20A-Jordan Adams 11.579; 22. 92-Mitch Mack 11.619; 23. 51A-Doug Martens 11.756; 24. 199-Ryan Bowers 11.920; 25 19L-Chase Viebrock 11.950; 26. 13X-Ty Hanten 12.147; 27. 91A-Reed Allex 13.106
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 49-Brad Sweet [1]; 2. 51-Paul McMahan [2]; 3. 2-Shane Stewartz [3]; 4. 9-Daryn Pittman [35]; 5. 41-Sammy Swindell [ 4]; 6. 7S-Jason Sides [7]; 7. 92-Mitch Mack [8]; 8. 19L-Chase Viebrock [9]; 9. 56-Davey Heskin [6]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 2L-Danny Lasoski [2]; 2. 55-Brooke Tatnell [1]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz [4]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [3]; 5. 11K-Kraig Kinser [6]; 6. 3-Tim Kaeding [5]; 7. 9Z-Jared Goerges [7]; 8. 51A-Doug Martens [8]; 9. 13X-Ty Hanten [9]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 29-Kerry Madsen [2]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog [1]; 3. 71M-Joey Saldana [4]; 4. 7-David Gravel [3]; 5. 1A-Jacob Allen [6]; 6. 19-Paige Polyak [5]; 7. 20A-Jordan Adams [7]; 8. 199-Ryan Bowers [8]; 9. 91A-Reed Allex [9]
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 8 starting positions of A-feature) – 1. 2L-Danny Lasoski [1]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart [2]; 3. 2-Shane Stewart [3]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz [5]; 5. 71M-Joey Saldana [4]; 6. 41-Sammy Swindell [6]; 7. 49-Brad Sweet [8]; 8. 29-Kerry Madsen [7]
Last Chance Showdown – (12 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 20A-Jordan Adams [3] [-]; 2. 51A-Doug Martens [5] [-]; 3. 9Z-Jared Goerges [2] [-]; 4. 92-Mitch Mack [4] [-]; 5. 13X-Ty Hanten [8] [-]; 6. 19L-Chase Viebrock [7] [-]; 7. 91A-Reed Allex [9] [$300]; 8. 199-Ryan Bowers [6] [$250]; 9. 56-Davey Heskin [1] [$225]