SCHATZ CONTINUES TOP-10 STREAK IN SOUTH DAKOTA
BRANDON, S.D. (July 4) – The World of Outlaws (WoO) annual return to Huset’s Speedway near Sioux Falls, S.D. always seems to be filled with fireworks. Tuesday night’s 35-lap A-Feature provided plenty and four-time WoO champion couldn’t avoid the carnage, but was able to bounce back and finish eighth to continue his recent top-10 streak with the Outlaws.
The night started with the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) team getting the second-to-last qualifying spot in the 24-car field. Schatz wheeled the TSR No. 15 STP/Armor All/Chevrolet J&J asround the 3/8-mile ninth-best and ended up starting on the outside of the front row in heat three.
The Fargo, N.D., racer couldn’t hold off Kraig Kinser for second in the heat and was forced to start the main event 12th in the 35-lap feature. Schatz worked his way inside the top-10 during the first few laps and was up to eighth when Steve Kinser stopped with a flat tire. On the restart, trouble struck as a pair of drivers in front of him got together causing a chain reaction which resulted in an eight-car pile up. The damage on the STP machine was in the right-rear as the bird-cage assembly was crushed. After the lengthy red flag stoppage to clean up the accident, Schatz returned to the field and started 13th. He would climb past several drivers the rest of the way and eventually get to eighth.
Mark Dobmeier won the main event and Sammy Swindell used a fourth-place finish to add to his lead in the championship standings. He now has a 20-point advantage of Steve Kinser and 22-point cushion on Schatz.
They’ll resume the run through the Upper Midwest with Friday’s stop at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. Saturday the tour continues in Wisconsin with a program at the Beaver Dam Raceway.