(Tony Veneziano) MINOT, N.D. — August 28, 2016 — It took Donny Schatz until his seventh start to win at his home track of Nodak Speedway in Minot, North Dakota with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. Since that victory in 2012, he been undefeated in the Gerdau Magic City Showdown. Schatz extended his win streak at Nodak Speedway to five, after leading flag-to-flag on Sunday night at the three-eighths-mile.

Schatz started second and on the initial start ran second to pole sitter Logan Schuchart, but the first caution flag of the night flew before the lap was complete. That led to a complete restart and on the second start, Schatz was able to dive under Schuchart on the front straightaway to officially lead the first lap. Schatz was in traffic just five laps into the race and like his win on Friday night at River Cities Speedway, he masterfully weaved his way through the lapped machines.

“They are all special and they are all good,” said Schatz of his five wins at Nodak Speedway. “The trophies here are awesome and so are the people. Everything about this place is great. I’ll tell you what’s really great, and that is this race team. These guys (on my crew) deserve to be standing here. The race car they prepare each day is incredible. I’m the lucky guy that gets to drive it and looks good. Their hard work is what pays off and gets us to victory lane.” (more…)

Donny Schatz Wins for Eighth Time at River Cities Speedway

By Tony Veneziano (GRAND FORKS, N.D.) August 26, 2016 — Donny Schatz scored a pair of sweeps on Friday night with the World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series at River Cities Speedway in his home state of North Dakota. First, he completed a clean sweep of the night, setting fast time, winning a heat race, winning the dash and winning the 40-lap A-Feature. Second, he completed a sweep of both legs of the Gerdau Northern Tour at River Cities Speedway for 2016.

The win for Schatz was his fourth straight with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series at the high-banked, action-packed bullring. In his career, the seven-time and defending Outlaws champion has now won eight times with the series at the track.

“This race team is incredible, it’s not me,” said Schatz of his success at River Cities Speedway. “The things they think of to make this race car better is amazing. I just have a habit of having a dumb way of driving it. I like it laying on the right rear like the late model. It really works, especially here. Sunday at Angell Park, I thought I had the best race car I had ever driven. That thing was awesome, but tonight, it was unbelievable. I think one of my eight-year-old nieces could have won that race in that race car. This race team is on their game. It’s what they do, day in and day out. I’m just the lucky guy that gets to drive it.” (more…)

Outlaw Jason Johnson Takes the Night in Points Standings

KNOXVILLE, Iowa – Aug. 11, 2016 – Night two of the 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores was more than a race to the finish on the A-Main; it was a race in time to beat the impending storms. And Tim Kaeding nailed it. “King of California” Kaeding took to Victory Lane just before severe thunderstorms storms descended on Knoxville.

“I’ve got to give this one to B.C.,” said Kaeding, dedicating his win to Bryan Clauson. “Here’s another one towards your 200. I grew up racing with his Dad. Just a great family and a hell of a racecar driver.” It was an emotional night with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leading the field under parade laps driving Bryan Clauson’s 17W.

Thursday’s 25-lap A-Main is Kaeding’s third career Knoxville Nationals preliminary feature. “It’s so unbelievable,” said Kaeding. “We’ve struggled so bad here at Knoxville the last few years, especially in this 3[K] car. We had a win taken away last year, because we had a muffler that was tampered with more than anything. You know, we’ve been fast. We just haven’t been as fast as we need to be, so for us to be able to come out tonight and win prelim night at Knoxville is a feat within itself.” (more…)

Becomes the Sixth Different Event Winner and 16th Series Winner of the Season

PEVELY, Mo. – Aug. 6, 2016 – Rico Abreu proved to be the strongest man Saturday night at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 as he powered forward and battled to the lead scoring his first World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series victory of the season and the Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55 presented by Walker.

Abreu, a NASCAR Truck Series regular, slipped back to fifth early but battled back into the top three after a lap 26 restart. He worked his way around the No. 9 of Daryn Pittman then set his sights on the No. 49 of Brad Sweet. Sweet bobbled coming off of turn four and Abreu raced past him onto the front straight.

Through traffic, the then leader Kerry Madsen lost ground to Abreu and Sweet. On lap 38 Abreu threw a slider on Madsen through turns three and four, but Madsen held. What commenced though was a two-lap, three-way battle for the lead. Abreu eventually got around and through restarts, traffic and a brush with the wall on the final lap, Abreu cruised to the Ironman 55 win.

“It’s really important. These big ones is what it comes down to. All that hard work all year that these guys have done,” Abreu said. “I raced my ass off. It’s fun, it all pays off.” (more…)

Scores His Second Straight Win and Seventh of the Season

PEVELY, Mo. – Aug. 5, 2016 – Neither rain nor restarts could dampen David Gravel’s Friday night as he dominated the Monroe Shocks and Struts Prelude to the Ironman at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 and scored his second straight and seventh overall World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series victory of the season.

Off-and-on light rain fell on the 1/3 mile, bullring in Pevely, Mo. throughout the feature, but Gravel was the class of the field in his No. 5 Big Game Treestands machine. Multiple restarts hit in the middle of the 35-lap main event, but Gravel held off the competition behind and cruised to the finish. He has led the last 75 laps of World of Outlaws competition.

“We’re really rolling right now,” Gravel said in victory lane. “It was a really fast race track around the top and the rain made the top even better and tighter as the race went on… We’ve won a rain-shortened race so you don’t want to get too many of those. You want to earn them. You needed that 35-lap workout because 55 laps tomorrow is going to be tough, for sure.” (more…)