Donny Schatz Scores Runner-Up WoO Finishes At Terre Haute & Eldora
Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / TONY STEWART RACING – BROWNSBURG, IN – Despite ending the weekend without a victory, nine-time and defending World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series champion, Donny Schatz, accomplished the next best feat and scored back-to-back runner-up finishes with the Greatest Show On Dirt, rallying from as far back as 12th to do so.
Schatz, driver of the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing/Textron Off Road/Ford Performance/Curb Records/Sage Fruit/No. 15 sprint car, is now just six starts away from accomplishing a tenth Series championship, now with a 262-point advantage over Kasey Kahne Racing’s Brad Sweet.
The pair of runner-up performances propelled Schatz’s 2018 top-five total to 48 during World of Outlaws competition.
“As much as I would have liked to push it harder this weekend, you have to look at the bigger picture,” said Schatz after his Eldora Speedway finish. “We are racing for a championship and every result is important. Sometimes you aren’t good enough to win, but earning yourself a spot on the podium is just as important. Hats off to my team for their efforts. I work with the best in the business. We were just a little short this weekend.”
After a washout at Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway on Friday, October 12,, Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart Racing officially kicked off their weekend at Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track on Saturday, October 13. Ending in a green-white-checkered shootout, Schatz drove on to finish second at the southwest Indiana half-mile, eventually working around Tim Shaffer for second with less than two to go, but failing to get by Brad Sweet on the final circuit. Impressive enough, Schatz earned the evening’s KSE Hard Charger Award for advancing the most feature positions; 12th to second.
On Sunday, October 14, the Greatest Show On Dirt made their final Ohio appearance of the 2018 season and invaded the highbanks of Eldora Speedway. Like Saturday, Schatz ended his campaign one position short of the top spot, ultimately charging ahead from eighth to finish right behind Tony Stewart Racing fill-in, Christopher Bell.
Up next on the schedule, Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart Racing will continue their 2018 World of Outlaws title chase with a two-race sweep through the Sunflower State, first visiting Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, October 19, followed by a stop at Dodge City Raceway Park on Saturday, October 20. The World of Outlaws have yet to visit Kansas in 2018.
