WoO: Schatz Starts 21st to Win the 2013 Knoxville Nationals

Schatz wins 2013 Knoxville Nationals - 
RCS Sprint Driver Wrap Up 

KNOXVILLE, Iowa 8/10/2013 — Donny Schatz reached his bag of tricks to win the Knoxville Nationals. Saturday night Fargo native, Donny Schatz made a last-lap pass to win the B main and then picked his way from 21st starting position to drive around Brian Brown on lap 41 and win sprint-car racing’s biggest race for the seventh time in the past eight years.

Victory in the 53rd annual FVP Knoxville Nationals paid Schatz and his Tony Stewart Racing team $150,000 and was his 14th World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series triumph of the season. It was also Schatz’s third victory at Knoxville’s half-mile dirt oval this season and the third time that Brown, who was runner-up to Schatz in this race last year, finished second to Schatz.

“This is the hardest earned one we have, especially we have felt all week long,” said Schatz. “We didn’t doubt ourselves, but when things don’t go the way you expect, you get a little nervous. But to start 21st and win the race is just incredible. Last night I was hoping to win the World Challenge and take that 25th starting spot, but tonight it really helped us to be able to run that B main.”

Brown captured the lead from outside the front row and jumped out to a huge lead, while all eyes in the near capacity crowd of more than 20,000 were on Schatz as he picked off the field one car at a time.

Schatz made it to fifth by the time the fuel stop was called for after 24 of the 50 laps. After five yellow flags during the first 24 laps, the final 26 laps went caution free and Schatz got his No. 15 hooked up and made quick work of Kevin Swindell, Justin Henderson and Joey Saldana on his way to the leader. Saturday Night was also Schatz's birthday, Quite a gift to get a 7th nationals win at Knoxville.

Knoxville Nationals Post Event Press Conference - YouTube - World of Outlaws

Local Drivers of Interest 

Mark Dobmeier: With Schatz in a transfer position the focus switched to Lunstra Motorsports #13 of Mark Dobmeier who started 10th and quickly snatched 2 spots until the 83 of Tim Kaeding spun, 7 Craig Dollansky hits Kaeding, and Dobmeier tried to avoid but made contact, costing him and falling back to 12th, Dobmeier would finish 13th.

---

Chris Shirek: Thompson, ND Native Chris Shirek (1k) may have won the last 410 Sprint race at The Legendary Bullring, but some how struggled through the Knoxville Nationals. Shirek has had only a handful of appearances at a track that takes hands on experience to win. Shirek finished 11th, after a start in the 5th row of the D. Main

---

Thomas Kennedy: Third generation sprint driver, Thomas Kennedy who resides in Winnipeg, Manatoba had a good run in the last 10 days in Knoxville, in the 360 made an impressive 9th place B-main showing on night 1 of the Knoxville 360 Nationals, and qualified out of the E-Main to finish 22nd in the D-Main at the 2013 Knoxville 410 Nationals turning heads showing up just 4 positions in qualifying time trials behind Mark Dobmeier.

---

The World of Outlaws Sprints are back with the NOSA sprints on Friday August 16th. NLRA Late Models will be the other class of cars contested.

Tickets are going fast! 
Get them today by ordering ONLINE or call 218-773-3002. 

Story: Brian Spieker
Photos: Rick Rea