Schatz hard charges to top five at Cotton Bowl
FARGO, N.D. (March 8, 2022) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series schedule resumed over the weekend with a doubleheader at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas for the Texas Two-Step. Donny Schatz raced his Advanced Auto Parts / Ford Performance No. 15 to a pair of top 10 finishes, highlighted by a fifth-place effort on Friday night.
Schatz had to dig himself out of a hole on Friday night after timing in 19th out of the 29 cars in attendance. Schatz worked his way from seventh to fifth in the heat to secure a spot in the main event, before charging from 13th to fifth in the 30 lap feature.
Schatz moved his way up to the sixth position by lap 21, but spent the remainder of the race fighting with Gio Scelzi for the final spot inside the top five. The two swapped the spot back-and-forth amid heavy lapped traffic before Schatz claimed the position in the waning laps.
“The car was really good all night. I wish we would have qualified better to put ourselves in a better position throughout the night. I think if we could have had a better starting spot for the feature, we might have been able to mix it up with the leaders, but that’s the nature of the beast,” said Schatz. “Even with the setback early in the night, this Advanced Auto Parts crew kept digging and that was shown in the feature with the way we were able to pass cars.”
Schatz was the night’s KSE hard charger, passing eight cars.
On Saturday, Schatz timed in 19th quick again, but advanced three spots in his heat to line up 10th on the grid for the feature. Schatz crossed the checkers in the eighth position to remain a perfect five-for-five in top 10s to start the 2022 season.
The 10-time series champion currently sits tied for second in the point standings with Sheldon Haudenschild, 16 points behind leader David Gravel.
Next up, the series heads west to California with a pair of events on tap at the exciting Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare this Friday and Saturday.
In 26 previous starts at the one-third mile oval, Schatz has three career victories, most recently in 2017. Overall, the Fargo driver has 11 top five finishes and 16 top 10s at Thunderbowl since the World of Outlaws’ first trip to the speedway in 2003. Schatz’s average finish at the track is a solid 8.7.
His best stretch of finishes came through 2005 through 2007 where he rattled off five consecutive podium finishes, including a pair of wins.
Schatz’s Statbook
2022 World of Outlaws Results:
Races: 3
Wins: 1
Top Fives: 1
Top Tens: 3
Previous Results at Thunder Bowl Raceway:
2019 – 9th on March 9 (started 10th)
2018 – 3rd on March 9 (started 5th)
2017 – 7th on March 17 (started 2nd); 1st on March 18 (started 3rd; led 3 laps)
2016 – 6th in the B on March 12
2015 – 8th on March 13 (started 10th); 4th on March 14 (started 6th)
2014 – 2nd on March 14 (started 2nd); 15th on March 15 (started 11th)
2013 – 23rd on March 15 (started 2nd; led 14 laps); 13th on March 16 (started 20th)
2012 – 6th on March 16 (started 5th)
2011 – 3rd on March 19 (started 4th)
2010 – 4th on March 5 (started 13th); 20th on March 6 (started 3rd)
2009 – 12th on March 20 (started 6th); 4th on March 21 (started 4th)
2008 – 15th on Oct. 18 (started 19th)
2007 – 12th on Feb. 23 (started 25th); 3rd on Feb. 24 (started 2nd); 1st on Oct. 13 (started on the pole; led all 35 laps)
2005 – 2nd on Feb. 25 (started 3rd); 1st on Oct. 14 (led 8 laps); 3rd on Oct. 15
2004 – 6th on Oct 29; 6th on Oct 30
2003 – 24th on Sept. 2 (started 10th)
STAY CONNECTED:
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Contact:
Mike Spieker
SpiekerPromotions.com
Photo by Trent Gower.
