Story & Video: Gravel Thrills Sellout World Finals Crowd With Last Lap Pass Of Schatz
Story By: ANTHONY CORINI / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – CONCORD, NC – David Gravel couldn’t clear Donny Schatz with seven to go, but would not be denied, scoring the victory in a thriller with a last-lap pass of Schatz.
It was Gravel and CJB Motorsports 18th World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series win of the season, doubling their total from last season. Schatz and Brian Brown completed the podium on the final night of the Textron Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Ryan Smith led the opening lap of the 30-lap Feature, before Brian Brown took control on lap two with a slide job. Brad Sweet brought out the first of a handful of cautions on lap two, as he faced backwards in turn two.
Schatz worked by Smith for second on the ensuing restart before another caution on lap four halted competition. Schatz was strong on the restart once again, this time sliding Brown for the top spot to lead lap five.
On the restart, Brown kept pace with Schatz as the duo reached traffic before the final caution of the event flew; this time for Kraig Kinser with 14 laps to go. Gravel pounced on the restart, with a big slider on Brown to claim second as he begun to chase down Schatz with 10 laps remaining.
With seven to go, Gravel and Schatz exchanged sliders with the latter maintaining the advantage at the line. With five to go, Gravel pounded the cushion to try and get one more shot at the Series Champion. He got his shot and he took advantage of it. The Watertown, Connecticut driver brought the sold-out Textron Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals crowd to their feet with a thrilling last-lap pass to score the victory.
“That was a blast. I hope this crowd enjoyed it,” an elated Gravel said in Victory Lane. “Barry Jackson, Derek and Zach give me an awesome car every night. It’s been a badass year,” Gravel, who will return to CJB Motorsports in 2018, added.
While Gravel may have won the battle, Schatz won the war – again. “It’s been a great year. This race team is phenomenal. We are top three seemingly every night and the car does not drop out of races,” Schatz said after the race. After being awarded the Championship hardware for the ninth time in his career and asked about how long he can enjoy this title he said, “You enjoy it. But as long as you’re an active race car driver, you continue to put it in the back of your mind.”
Brian Brown completed the podium and put it simply, “We got beat by two of the best drivers in the world.”
Kerry Madsen, a five-time World of Outlaws winner this season, finished fourth with 2017 IRA Champion, Bill Balog completing the top five.
Logan Schuchart started 22nd and made it to sixth to earn KSE Hard Charger honors. Daryn Pittman, Cole Duncan, Brent Marks and Smith completed the top ten.
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Banquet is Sunday, November 5 and puts the bowtie on the end of what was a fantastic 2017 season. The offseason is much needed but soon enough, it will be time to go racing once again in Florida. Stay tuned to all World of Outlaws social media channels for breaking news on 2018 drivers, the schedule and much more.
Results from The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway – November 4, 2017
Feature (30 Laps) 1. 5-David Gravel [5][$12,000]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [3][$5,500]; 3. 21-Brian Brown [1][$3,200]; 4. 2M-Kerry Madsen [7][$2,800]; 5. 17B-Bill Balog [6][$2,500]; 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart [22][$2,300]; 7. 9-Daryn Pittman [4][$2,200]; 8. 12N-Cole Duncan [9][$2,100]; 9. 19-Brent Marks [14][$2,050]; 10. 59-Ryan Smith [2][$2,000]; 11. 49-Brad Sweet [17][$1,500]; 12. 44-Trey Starks [12][$1,200]; 13. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [21][$1,100]; 14. 2-Shane Stewart [19][$1,050]; 15. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [23][$1,000]; 16. W20-Greg Wilson [28][$]; 17. 7S-Jason Sides [26][$]; 18. 19P-Paige Polyak [15][$1,000]; 19. 13M-Paul McMahan [8][$1,000]; 20. 18-Ian Madsen [11][$1,000]; 21. 4-Parker Price-Miller [27][$]; 22. 11K-Kraig Kinser [25][$]; 23. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild [16][$1,000]; 24. 71-Joey Saldana [10][$1,000]; 25. 41-Jason Johnson [18][$1,000]; 26. 27-Greg Hodnett [13][$1,000]; 27. 71M-Dave Blaney [24][$1,000]; 28. 17-Jac Haudenschild [20][$1,000]; Lap Leaders: Ryan Smith 1, Brian Brown 2-4, Donny Schatz 5-29, David Gravel 30; KSE Hard Charger Award: 1S-Logan Schuchart[+16]
Qualifying Flight-A: 1. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 12.647; 2. 15-Donny Schatz, 12.687; 3. 5-David Gravel, 12.695; 4. 12N-Cole Duncan, 12.703; 5. 18-Ian Madsen, 12.742; 6. 21-Brian Brown, 12.744; 7. 2-Shane Stewart, 12.746; 8. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 12.759; 9. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.762; 10. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 12.768; 11. 19P-Paige Polyak, 12.772; 12. 49-Brad Sweet, 12.782; 13. 1A-Jacob Allen, 12.793; 14. 7K-Cale Conley, 12.808; 15. 4-Parker Price-Miller, 12.812; 16. 49X-Tim Shaffer, 12.814; 17. 27-Greg Hodnett, 12.826; 18. 17X-Josh Baughman, 12.872; 19. 13D-Danny Dietrich, 12.875; 20. 14-Tony Stewart, 12.919; 21. 39-Spencer Bayston, 12.94; 22. 3G-Carson Macedo, 12.968; 23. 9X-Paul Nienhiser, 13.054; 24. 49D-Shawn Dancer, 13.101; 25. 5B-Justin Barger, 13.445; 26. 12W-Troy Fraker, 14.063
Qualifying Flight-B: 1. 44-Trey Starks, 12.606; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman, 12.649; 3. 17B-Bill Balog, 12.687; 4. 13M-Paul McMahan, 12.694; 5. 71-Joey Saldana, 12.729; 6. 59-Ryan Smith, 12.774; 7. 17-Jac Haudenschild, 12.79; 8. 3-Sammy Swindell, 12.823; 9. 41-Jason Johnson, 12.828; 10. 15H-Sam Hafertepe, 12.846; 11. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.861; 12. 71M-Dave Blaney, 12.871; 13. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 12.909; 14. 7S-Jason Sides, 12.912; 15. 7J-Chad Kemenah, 12.918; 16. 19-Brent Marks, 12.926; 17. 24-Terry McCarl, 13.016; 18. 13-Clyde Knipp, 13.024; 19. OO-Dane Lorenc, 13.028; 20. 49K-Scott Kreutter, 13.045; 21. 17C-Caleb Helms, 13.066; 22. 7KX-Dan Shetler, 13.326; 23. 27G-Jay Galloway, 13.418; 24. 91-Sadie Siegel, 14.165; 25. 47-Eric Riggins, 15.482; 26. 14X-Coleman Gulick, 13.279; 27. 822-John Price, NT
Heat #1 – Flight (A) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer: 1. 12N-Cole Duncan [2]; 2. 2M-Kerry Madsen [1]; 3. 27-Greg Hodnett [6]; 4. 2-Shane Stewart [3]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart [4]; 6. 1A-Jacob Allen [5]; 7. 49D-Shawn Dancer [8]; 8. 14-Tony Stewart [7]
Heat #2 – Flight (A) – (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer: 1. 18-Ian Madsen [2]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [1]; 3. 19P-Paige Polyak [4]; 4. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [3]; 5. 4-Parker Price-Miller [5]; 6. 17X-Josh Baughman [6]; 7. 39-Spencer Bayston [7]; 8. 5B-Justin Barger [8]
Heat #3 – Flight (A) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer: 1. 5-David Gravel [1]; 2. 21-Brian Brown [2]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet [4]; 4. 13D-Danny Dietrich [6]; 5. 49X-Tim Shaffer [5]; 6. 3G-Carson Macedo [7]; 7. W20-Greg Wilson [3]; 8. 12W-Troy Fraker [8]
Heat #4 – Flight (B) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer: 1. 44-Trey Starks [1]; 2. 13M-Paul McMahan [2]; 3. 19-Brent Marks [6]; 4. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [4]; 5. 17-Jac Haudenschild [3]; 6. 11K-Kraig Kinser [5]; 7. 7KX-Dan Shetler [8]; 8. 14X-Coleman Gulick [9]; 9. OO-Dane Lorenc [7]
Heat #5 – Flight (B) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer: 1. 71-Joey Saldana [2]; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [1]; 3. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild [4]; 4. 7S-Jason Sides [5]; 5. 24-Terry McCarl [6]; 6. 49K-Scott Kreutter [7]; 7. 822-John Price [9]; 8. 27G-Jay Galloway [8]; 9. 3-Sammy Swindell [3]
Heat #6 – Flight (B) (8 Laps) – Top 3 Transfer: 1. 17B-Bill Balog [1]; 2. 59-Ryan Smith [2]; 3. 41-Jason Johnson [3]; 4. 7J-Chad Kemenah [5]; 5. 71M-Dave Blaney [4]; 6. 13-Clyde Knipp [6]; 7. 17C-Caleb Helms [7]; 8. 47-Eric Riggins [8]
Craftsman Club Dash (6 Laps): 1. 21-Brian Brown [1]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [2]; 3. 5-David Gravel [4]; 4. 2M-Kerry Madsen [3]; 5. 12N-Cole Duncan [6]; 6. 18-Ian Madsen [5]
Craftsman Club Dash #2 (6 Laps): 1. 59-Ryan Smith [1]; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [2]; 3. 17B-Bill Balog [4]; 4. 13M-Paul McMahan [3]; 5. 71-Joey Saldana [5]; 6. 44-Trey Starks [6]
C-Main (10 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer: 1. 14-Tony Stewart [3][-]; 2. 3G-Carson Macedo [7][-]; 3. 39-Spencer Bayston [5][$150]; 4. OO-Dane Lorenc [4][$150]; 5. 14X-Coleman Gulick [15][$150]; 6. 49D-Shawn Dancer [9][$125]; 7. 17C-Caleb Helms [8][$125]; 8. 49K-Scott Kreutter [6][$125]; 9. 47-Eric Riggins [14][$125]; 10. 5B-Justin Barger [11][$125]; 11. 7KX-Dan Shetler [10][$125]; 12. 27G-Jay Galloway [12][$125]; 13. 822-John Price [16][$125]; 14. 12W-Troy Fraker [13][$125]; 15. 13-Clyde Knipp [2][$125]; 16. 13D-Danny Dietrich [1][$125]
Last Chance Showdown (12 Laps) – Top 6 Transfer: 1. 2-Shane Stewart [1][-]; 2. 17-Jac Haudenschild [2][-]; 3. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [3][-]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [7][-]; 5. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [6][-]; 6. 71M-Dave Blaney [8][-]; 7. W20-Greg Wilson [5][$300]; 8. 4-Parker Price-Miller [11][$250]; 9. 49X-Tim Shaffer [13][$225]; 10. 11K-Kraig Kinser [10][$200]; 11. 7J-Chad Kemenah [14][$200]; 12. 3G-Carson Macedo [18][$200]; 13. 14-Tony Stewart [17][$200]; 14. 7S-Jason Sides [12][$200]; 15. 17X-Josh Baughman [15][$200]; 16. 1A-Jacob Allen [9][$200]; 17. 24-Terry McCarl [16][$200]; 18. 3-Sammy Swindell [4][$200]
CONTINGENCY WINNERS: MSD Ignition ($25 cash): Jason Johnson; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): David Gravel; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Brent Marks; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Brent Marks; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Ryan Smith; Extended Stay America ($50 cash): Brad Sweet; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Super Flow ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Craftsman Club ($100 cash): David Gravel, Daryn Pittman; Sears ($100): Brian Brown; KSE Hard Charger: Logan Schuchart; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate: David Gravel; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Greg Wilson and Parker Price-Miller
