OCALA, FLA (Feb. 4) – If you think five-time World of Outlaws (WoO) STP Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz slowed down the torrid pace he was on when the 2013 WoO season came to an end you would be mistaken.
For the last 11 weeks, the Fargo, N.D. resident has been going non-stop with races in New Zealand, Australia, Arizona, back to Australia for The Classic as well as snowmobile getaway for two days in Yellowstone over the weekend prior to Monday’s stop in St. Louis as a guest of Armored Auto Group for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Manager’s conference.
This morning, he flew to Florida to begin his 2014 assault on dirt tracks across North American and pursuit of a sixth WoO title. Schatz and his Tony Stewart Racing team hope to get a couple nights of practice in with the TSR No. 15 STP/Armor All/Crimsafe/Chevrolet Performance J&J prior to their first scheduled race of the season Thursday at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.
“It’s been a blur, but that’s just how I like it,” said Schatz, who won races in New Zealand and Brisbane. “We were rolling really good the last few months of the 2013 season, and I just wanted to keep it going. I’ve been trying to stay sharp. I know the guys have worked really hard to build us an arsenal for the season ahead. Our goal has always been to win races first and that’s just how we’re going to approach this year as well.”
Schatz will compete in the first five UNOH All-Star Circuit of Champions events of the season — three at Ocala and two at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville. The events at Volusia kick off the 43rd annual DIRTcar Nationals before three nights of WoO STP Sprint Car Series races take center stage Feb. 14-16.
Last season, Schatz dominated the weekend at Ocala sweeping both 30-lap feature events. Those victories were the first two of a total of 25 wins he scored in the STP machine last season.