Donny Schatz Gets Sixth Outlaw Victory Of Season At Lake Ozark Speedway
Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / TONY STEWART RACING – BROWNSBURG, IN – A pair of World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series starts resulted in a pair of podium performances for Fargo, North Dakota’s Donny Schatz, now boosting the nine-time and defending World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series champion to an impressive 12 top-five finishes in 16 Series starts.
The driver of the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing/Textron Off Road/Ford Performance/Curb Records/Sage Fruit/No. 15 sprint car highlighted his weekend swing with a victory at Lake Ozark Speedway in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., on Friday, May 4. It was a first-ever victory at Lake Ozark Speedway for Schatz, now with six World of Outlaws victories on the season.
“It’s awesome to win with the World of Outlaws, let alone for the first time at a track,” said Donny Schatz in Lake Ozark Speedway victory lane. “I don’t remember being here in 2007, but I remember being here tonight. Hats off to this race team. It’s a lot of fun to race with guys that you have a special bond with. They work hard and it shows. I definitely wouldn’t be in the position that I am without them.”
Schatz started third on the feature grid at Lake Ozark Speedway, powering underneath Logan Schuchart to take second by the completion of lap five. Less than two circuits later, Schatz was in control, working his way around race-long leader, Jacob Allen, to officially lead lap seven. Despite persistent pressure by Allen, Schuchart, and eventually David Gravel, Schatz held strong, driving on to score the $10,000 payday.
Schatz solidified his main event starting position by finishing third during the evening’s dash, just after finishing second during heat race competition.
Schatz concluded his Missouri/Oklahoma road trip with a runner-up finish at the Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla., on Saturday, May 5. Starting second on the feature grid by way of dash result, Schatz led the first four circuits of the 30-lap Twister Showdown before giving up the top spot to eventual winner, Brad Sweet.
Schatz kicked-off his evening in Salina by recording the third fastest qualifying time, winning the third of three heat races soon thereafter.
Up next, Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart Racing will press on and continue their 2018 World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series title chase with #LetsRaceTwo weekend at the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, on Friday and Saturday, May 11-12. Schatz is the defending #LetsRaceTwo weekend finale winner, fending off challenges by Chad Kemenah and Rico Abreu for a $10,000 payday.
