Scores his 16th World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series victory of the season
Story By: AARON FIEDLER / WoO SERIES MEDIA Photos By: DAN DeMARCO / RACERSGUIDE.COM
OHSWEKEN, ONT- July 27, 2016- A three-way battle for the lead dominated Tuesday night’s Six Nations Showdown at Ohsweken Speedway with Donny Schatz, Jacob Allen and Brad Sweet jockeying for the top spot. Ultimately, it was Schatz who broke away from the pack and claimed his 16th World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series victory of the season.
The win was the third in the last four seasons for Schatz at Ohsweken – the series’ only stop in Canada this season.
“Always good to get a win,” Schatz said. “Canada has been very good to me. I love coming up here… Glad to be at Ohsweken tonight. We’re going to go back to the (United) States and try to win some more.”
On the drop of the green flag, Jason Johnson very quickly shot out front but the move was short-lived as Schatz battled by off of turn four and led the first lap. As Schatz moved, Sweet followed with Allen in hot pursuit.
On lap three, Allen battled past Sweet for second off of turn two as Schatz tried to gain distance on the drivers – Sweet charged back.
As Schatz caught lapped traffic an already short-distance between first and second closed even tighter. On lap eight, Sweet took over the lead in his No. 49 Ollie’s Bargain Outlet car from Schatz. Schatz was not ready to give up as the two-way battle extended to a three-way battle with Allen still in the mix. Schatz retook the lead from Sweet off turn four.
Next it was Allen’s turn as he took over second in his No. 1A Mark Pell Tire Service/Marty Thompson Investments car and began challenging Schatz for the lead. He stayed close through the succeeding laps and on lap 18, Allen took advantage of lapped traffic and pulled side-by-side with the No. 15 Bad Boy Off Road/Chevrolet Performance car. As the two drag raced into turns one and two, Allen threw the slider, trying to close off of two. Schatz however had the advantage on the exit and held on to the top spot.
The first and only caution of the night flew on lap 26. As the field took the green flag one last time, single-file, Schatz led Allen, Sweet, Pittman and Johnson.
Allen again tried to get around Schatz with a slider in turns one and two but Schatz again held the top spot. Two laps later, it was Sweet with the slider around Allen to take over the second position. Sweet worked to run down Schatz in the closing laps as Allen had his hands full with his teammate Logan Schuchart, who was the night’s KSE Racing Hard Charger, advancing 10 positions to finish in fourth.
At the line it was Schatz, Sweet and Allen, who had to close the door on the car behind him through the final distance to finish on the podium.
“There was times that we had to move around the race track and I could get by guys on the race track,” Schatz said. “That’s what keeps it fun. Those other guys got to us and you kind of just had to keep moving around and stay patient. I didn’t want to see that yellow at the end. I knew I just to carry my speed.”
Schatz extended his lead after the night’s feature to 245 over second place Daryn Pittman.
For Sweet, the second-place finish was a good momentum builder after a tough month that has not gone as planned.
“Donny is always going to be tough. I got by him there for one second. In lapped traffic I was a little too committed to the top. I just couldn’t quite roll the middle as good as him. Jacob had the car for maneuvering around the race track.”
“It’s been a long month for us, so it’s nice to get some momentum on our side.”
Allen rolled onto the front stretch in third after what has been a good month for his Shark Racing team, including a win for his teammate Logan Schuchart at Cedar Lake Speedway two and a half weeks ago. The finish is the second podium run of the season for Allen.
“Down in one and two at the beginning it was a little tricky. You had to slow up a lot but coming off it was really nice and it seemed like they were getting loose hanging off. That went away down in one and two and they were getting around the top really good and that was the place to be.
It was a really fun race. And I’m just really blessed to be up here and race with those guys. My team does such a great job and I can’t thank my dad and those guys enough for what they do. I’m blessed to be out here and having a lot of fun.”
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series rolls to Michigan as the series takes on Hartford Motor Speedway for the first time since 2011 on Friday, July 29. For more information and to learn how to purchase tickets, visit WoOSprint.com/Hartford-Speedway.
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Ohsweken Speedway Notebook
RACE NOTES: Tonight’s win was Donny Schatz’s third win at Ohsweken Speedway in the last four seasons. He now has four total Outlaws wins at the track. Schatz stood in victory lane at the track in 2015, 2014 and 2010… NASCAR star and Outlaws team owner Kasey Kahne made his second series start this season. After winning the previous night’s 360 sprint car feature, Kahne finished 14th with the Outlaws… Logan Schuchart was the night’s KSE Racing Hard Charger, advancing 10 positions to finish in fourth… Jacob Allen picked up his second podium finish of the season with a third place run.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS – MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Dane Lorenc; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Penske Shocks ($50 cash): Greg Wilson; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Jason Sides; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Jason Sides; Morton Buildings ($50 cash): Craig Dollansky; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Greg Wilson; Super Flow ($50 cash): Paul McMahan; Craftsman/Sears ($100 cash): Craig Dollansky; KSE Racing Products ($100 product certificate): Logan Schuchart; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate): Donny Schatz; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Paul McMahan; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Dane Lorenc.
SEASON WINNERS: Donny Schatz – 16 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 4, Stockton Dirt Track on March 18, Stockton Dirt Track on March 19, Silver Dollar Speedway on April 2, Lincoln Speedway on May 19, Weedsport Speedway on May 22, Lincoln Park Speedway on June 8, Knoxville Raceway on June 11, River Cities Speedway on June 17, Rockford Speedway on June 29, Badlands Motor Speedway on July 3, Cedar Lake Speedway on July 9, Attica Raceway Park on July 12, Eldora Speedway on July 16, Ohsweken Speedway on July 26); Brad Sweet – 7 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 13, Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Cotton Bowl Speedway on Feb. 26, Ocean Speedway on April 1, Bakersfield Speedway on April 15, Plymouth Speedway on May 13, Badlands Motor Speedway on July 2); Daryn Pittman – 7 (Royal Purple Raceway on Feb. 27, Perris Auto Speedway on April 16, USA Raceway on April 18, New Egypt Speedway on May 24, Jackson Motorplex on June 24, Eldora Speedway on July 15, Williams Grove Speedway on July 22); David Gravel – 5 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 12, Tri-State Speedway on May 14, I-96 Speedway on June 6, Eldora Speedway on July 14, Lernerville Speedway on July 19); Shane Stewart – 5 (Arizona Speedway on March 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 23, Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 30, Granite City Speedway on June 15, Brown County Speedway on June 19); Joey Saldana – 4 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 3, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 22, Jacksonville Speedway on May 4, I-80 Speedway on June 22); Lance Dewease – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 20, Williams Grove Speedway on July 23); Kerry Madsen – 2 (Eldora Speedway on May 6 and 7); Bill Balog – 1 (Beaver Dam Raceway on June 25); Chad Kemenah – 1 (Fremont Speedway on June 3); Jason Johnson – 1 (Placerville Speedway on March 24);Terry McCarl – 1 (Knoxville Raceway on June 10); Logan Schuchart – 1 (Cedar Lake Speedway on July 9); Jason Sides – 1 (I-30 Speedway on April 26); Greg Wilson – 1 (The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 27).
The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Bad Boy Off Road (Official Side-by-Side Vehicle), Craftsman (Official Tool), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), Morton Buildings (Official Building), Sears (Official Home Store), The Kenny Wallace Dirt Racing Experience (Official Racing Experience) and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, including: Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, Edelbrock, JE Pistons, KSE Racing Products, MSD, Penske Shocks, and Superflow Dynos; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Impact Racing Products, Intercomp, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo and TNT Rescue.
