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KNOXVILLE, IA – Terry McCarl said it best when he stated; “Donny Schatz is the greatest Sprint Car driver in the world right now.”
Schatz, of Fargo, ND., won the 47th Annual Super Clean Knoxville Nationals present by Factory Value Parts at the Knoxville Raceway on Saturday night becoming the first driver since Danny Lasoski to win the event in back to back seasons.
“To win this race again is awesome,” stated Schatz after the win. “You never know when a win in this event will be your last making each one special. This is a credit to my entire race team, they deserve this one.”
The win, worth $150,000, added to his impressive season in which he has won every major Sprint Car event. This year alone Schatz has won the World of Outlaws Summer of Money Championship, the Don Martin Silver Cup at Lernerville Speedway, the King’s Royal at Eldora Speedway and now his second consecutive Nationals title.
The 30-year-old Schatz dominated much of the competition in winning his 7th career feature event at the famed Marion County Oval. Schatz timed inside the top five on Friday night, he qualified through his heat race event after starting tenth, he finished second in his preliminary feature from the eighth position and to cap it all off he led the entire 30-laps of the A-Main to claim the title.
Schatz started on the pole for the highest paying Sprint Car event in the world. He watched as Paul McMahon took the lead on the topside of the speedway as they entered into turn one. Once the duo reached turn three Schatz went low and slid up in front of McMahon regaining the lead. He then held off several challenges by McCarl as well as lapped traffic by keeping his car glued to the outside cushion allowing him to be the first driver to take Doug Clark’s checkered flags.
“The only way to win this race is to go out there and let it rip,” stated Schatz. “You’ve got to stand on it and hope the car holds together for 30-laps.”
For the second consecutive year, Joey Saldana brought his Kasey Kahne racing ride home in the second position. Saldada started eighth after a less than stellar run the A-Scramble. He took the runner-up position on lap 22 but was never able to get close enough to challenge Schatz.
Terry McCarl scored his first ever podium finish. McCarl, of Altoona, IA., was attempting to become the first native of Iowa to win the prestigious event. He came up just short finishing in third.
Craig Dollansky, a native of Elk River, Minn., finished in the fourth spot. He had taken third from McCarl but bobbled on the final lap allowing McCarl to slide back by on the outside.
Paul McMahon, of Nashville, Tenn., brought his Tony Stewart Racing ride home in the fifth position. McMahon set a new nationals record in time trials on Thursday night and started on the outside of the front row only to fade to a fifth place finish.
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TAKING THE LEAD: Schatz and McMahon sat on the front row of the prestigious event after the two amassed the highest point total in the prior days. At the green, McMahon went to the cushion in turns one and two with Schatz taking his family owned ride to the inside. McMahon won the battle off of turn two but Schatz stayed right with him on the back straightaway. McMahon remained on the high side in turn three with Schatz darting down low and then up in front of him to take the race lead.
HARD TUMBLE: With one lap complete, Schatz led when Travis Cram got sideways in turn two collecting Tim Kaeding of San Jose, Cal. Kaeding’s car was virtually destroyed as he rolled hard in the corner. Cram received only minor damage to his ride and was able to continue.
HUGE ADVANTAGE: The race got back underway with a single file restart allowing Schatz to again to get out in front. With just five laps complete, Schatz assumed a full half straightaway advantage over the rest of the competition until another caution slowed the field on lap 7.
NO LUCK: Shane Stewart made the A-Main even though motor troubles had sidelined him early in the week. Stewart slowed once again as something apparently went wrong with the ignition system. Stevie Smith also slowed and came to a stop late in the caution with a right rear flat. He was unable to make it back onto the racing surface to restart the event. He wasn’t given a lap due to the fact that the caution was for Stewart and not for him.
BACK TO WORK: With the green flag coming back out, Schatz resumed his work and opened up a full straightaway advantage over the field. While Schatz checked out on the field, the battle for second heated between McMahon and McCarl. McCarl gained the advantage with a slide job in turn four on lap 8.
A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY: On lap 12 the caution came out as Cram backed his car into the wall in turn three. With Schatz lead now gone, McCarl hoped to take advantage of a golden opportunity to wrestle the lead away from Schatz. As action resumed, Schatz went to the top with McCarl shooting low and coming up right alongside him for the lead. The two nearly made contact with Schatz pulling away on the back straightaway.
“He (McCarl) obviously got a good run getting into to corner,” commented Schatz. “I was a little worried because the when you pull a slide job you can’t see the guy on the outside until the last moment. I wasn’t going to hit the brakes when he came up because if I did I would have wrecked both of us. If you want to win this race you have to take it to the limit and race on the edge.”
ANOTHER RED: Schatz lead was again negated a lap later when Jason Martin’s car rolled violently in turn one. Everyone was allowed to pull into the work area in order to make adjustments to their cars while Martin’s ride was cleared from the racing surface.
“Whenever we make adjustments I go the wrong way,” laughed Schatz. “We left the car alone and I was just hoping to get another good start. If you out in front here on a restart normally you are a sitting duck. That’s the way it’s been the last ten years here.”
ONE MORE RESTART: Everyone was re-fired and set to go for a final restart. At the green, Schatz pulled away with McCarl again looking to the inside. It was to no avail as Schatz restart allowed him to drive right around McCarl.
CATCHING THE TAIL: With 19 laps complete in the race, Schatz caught the slower traffic at the tail of the field. Schatz attempted to work the inside a few times but each time ended up going back to the cushion to complete the pass.
“I took every chance I could out there,” said Schatz. “I wanted to get as far out in front as I could because I was no good on the bottom. Typically that’s the line you need to run to win this race and I wasn’t any good down there.”
IT’S ALL OVER: With 4.5 seconds between himself and the second place running Saldana, Schatz took the checkers making Saldana groomsman rather than the groom for the second consecutive year.
“I just wish I had the chance to race him (Schatz) for the win,” said Saldana. “We messed up in the scramble and cost ourselves a chance to win this race. You come here to race for the win and unfortunately we never got a chance to do that.”
TOO MUCH TRAFFIC: Saldana made his way around McCarl for second on lap 22. A few times he was within striking distance of Schatz but lapped traffic impeded his progress allowing Schatz to increase his lead.
“I felt really good and I thought I was closing in on him (Schatz),” commented Saldana. “But when I got to Jason (Sides) and Randy (Hannagan) they decided they were going to race. That slowed be down a lot. It was hard to pass them but that’s sprint car racing.”
COMING UP SHORT: McCarl came up short at his attempt to be the first driver from the state of Iowa to win the event but he did succeed in his attempt to grab a podium finish. He was also the only driver in the event to have a legitimate opportunity to over take Schatz for the lead.
“I had a chance on that restart when I slid across the track in one in two to get in front of him (Schatz),” stated McCarl. “I was so worried about getting by Donny (Schatz) that I made a few mistakes allowing people to get by me. I wasn’t going to be denied though at the end there from getting a podium finish. I was going to win it or wear if I had to.”
THE B-MAIN: Hannagan of San Jose, CA. captured the 22-lap B-Main event. Hannagan took the lead at the drop of the green flag and led the entire event. With five laps remaining, Chad Kemenah and Brandon Wimmer were involved in a serious incident in turn two with both drivers getting hard into the outside wall after Wimmer attempted to pull off a slide job. Both cars were destroyed after they were both in transfer positions. Other qualifiers were Shane Stewart, Brian Brown and Tim Kaeding.
THE C-MAIN: Lance Dewease was victorious in the 15-lap C-Main. Dewease, of Fayetteville, Pa., led the final eight laps to take the victory. Early race leader, Mark Dobmeier destroyed his car on lap six after something broke in his ride sending him into the wall in turn two. Justin Henderson also qualified from the event.
THE D-MAIN: Ryan Farrell captured the 12-lap event with Travis Rilat of Forney, Tex. finishing in second. Farell led the entire event while Rilat came from third starting position to take the final transfer position. Clint Garner got upside down in his no. 40 car in turn four. He was uninjured in the crash.
THE E-MAIN: Chris Schmelzle, of Victoria, BC., Canada, led all 10-laps of the E-Main. Matt Wasmund took second moving him into the D-Main.
E Feature, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Chris Schmelzle, Victoria BC Can ; 2. Matt Wasmund, Jackson MN; 3. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 4. T.J. Winegardner, Pierson FL; 5. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA; 6. Garrett Ishii, Caruthers CA; 7. Ray Allen Kulhanek, Conroe TX; 8. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ; 9. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE; 10. Robert Bell, Colfax IA; 11. Neil Shepherd, Warsaw IN; 12. Ty Bartz, Sheboygan Falls WI; 13. Bob Bennett, Lewisberry PA;
D Feature, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Ryan Farrell, Perth, WA, Aust ; 2. Travis Rilat, Forney TX; 3. Scott Winters, Butterfield MN; 4. Sean Michael, Allentown PA; 5. Jesse Hockett, Warsaw MO; 6. Chad Hillier, Sedro Woolley WA; 7. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 8. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 9. Kim Mock, Pleasant Prairie WI; 10. Larry Pinegar II, Des Moines IA; 11. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA; 12. Mike Deavers, (R)Normal IL; 13. Davey Heskin, (R)St. Michael MN; 14. Jan Howard, Byhalia MS; 15. Chris Schmelzle, Victoria BC Can ; 16. Bob Weuve, Newton IA; 17. Todd King, Sheboygan Falls WI; 18. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA; 19. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 20. Chad Blonde, Litchfield MI; 21. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 22. Matt Wasmund, Jackson MN;
C Feature, 15 laps, No Time: 1. Lance Dewease, Fayetteville PA; 2. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 3. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 4. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA; 5. Dean Jacobs, Wooster OH; 6. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH; 7. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH; 8. Jason Johnson, Greenville TX; 9. Jonathan Allard, Chico CA; 10. Bob Felmlee, Franklin PA; 11. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 12. Brock Mayes, Bucyrus OH; 13. Travis Rilat, Forney TX; 14. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 15. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 16. Kenny Jacobs, Holmesville OH; 17. John Lambertz, Sioux Falls SD; 18. Ryan Farrell, Perth, WA, Aust ; 19. Tayler Malsam, Sammamish WA; 20. Jack Potter, Pleasant Hill MO; 21. Mark Dobmeier, (R)Grand Forks ND; 22. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ;
B Feature, 22 laps, No Time: 1. Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro IN; 2. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 3. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 4. Tim Kaeding, San Jose CA; 5. Daryn Pittman, Owasso OK; 6. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Lance Dewease, Fayetteville PA; 8. Greg Hodnett, Thomasville PA; 9. Danny Smith, Danville IN; 10. Garry Lee Maier, Cimarron KS; 11. Sam Hafertepe, Sunnyville TX; 12. Mark Smith, Selinsgrove PA; 13. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 14. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 15. Jeremy Campbell, Monroe MI; 16. Brian Paulus, Mechanicsburg PA; 17. Chad Kemenah, Findlay OH; 18. Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount IN; 19. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 20. Rob Chaney, Millersburg OH; 21. Rob Chaney, Millersburg OH; 22. Randy Martin, California MO; 23. Toni Lutar, (R)White Rock, BC, Can. ;
A Feature, 30 laps, No Time: 1. Donny Schatz, Fargo ND; 2. Joey Saldana, Brownsburg IN; 3. Terry McCarl, Altoona IA; 4. Craig Dollansky, Elk River MN; 5. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 6. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN; 7. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. ; 8. Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa PA; 9. Jason Solwold, Mt. Vernon WA; 10. Jeff Shepard, Upperco MD; 11. Wayne Johnson, Mustang OK; 12. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 13. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 14. Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg PA; 15. Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro IN; 16. Jason Sides, Bartlett TN; 17. Dion Hindi, Albuquerque NM; 18. Don Droud Jr, Lincoln NE; 19. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA; 20. Jason Martin, Liberal KS; 21. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 22. Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow OK; 23. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 24. Tim Kaeding, San Jose CA. Lap Leaders: Schatz |
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