For the second consecutive weekend, Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing (TSR) driver Donny Schatz scored a World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Car Series A-Feature victory as the series continues its early season run through California. The driver of the TSR No. 15 Bad Boy Buggies/Chevrolet Performance J&J earned his third WoO A-Feature triumph of the season with a thrilling victory in the Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico Saturday before finishing 15th in Sunday’s race at Antioch Speedway.
The six-time and reigning WoO champion became the season’s first repeat winner with his March 21 victory at Stockton Dirt Track and looked to become the only three-time winner Saturday at Silver Dollar Speedway. He qualified fifth in the field of 36 cars and finished third in the opening heat. The Fargo, North Dakota native took advantage of a dash start by dominating the six-lap race and earning his first pole position of the season. Schatz took the lead at the start of the 40-lap A-Feature and held the top spot until a lap-18 restart. Kerry Madsen took the lead on the restart, but Schatz stayed in hot pursuit over the next seven laps and regained the lead with a move around the outside in turn four on lap 26. Schatz led the rest of the way for his third A-Feature win of 2015, fifth career win at the quarter-mile, dirt oval and 175th career WoO A-Feature victory.
“This was a fun race and we’re really happy to win,” Schatz said. “It was a tough track with rubber coming in at places. Kerry got me on that restart, but I knew I just had to keep pushing. The Bad Boy Buggies/Chevrolet Performance team gave me a really good car and I knew if I kept searching that I’d find a way back around him. We had a couple of chances and then finally got back in front. We’re out here to win and, like last week, we just want to keep this going.”
The victory pushed Schatz back into the points lead for the second time this season.
Schatz and the TSR team traveled to Antioch Speedway Sunday for the Outlaws’ sixth appearance at the 3/8-mile, high-banked dirt oval. Track conditions made the evening a challenge from the beginning. Schatz qualified 14th in the field of 35 cars and started the second heat from the pole. Unfortunately, the inside line wasn’t the best place to start and outside-front-row starter Daryn Pittman got the jump on Schatz. Schatz would finish third and transfer to the 30-lap A-Feature. He started 15thand finished in the same position. The racing surface remaining one lane throughout the race and Pittman, who started from the pole, led from start to finish.
Schatz has earned 1,651 championship points and leads Shane Stewart by four markers through 12 races. His three A-Feature wins leads all drivers, and he has six top-five finishes with 76 races still scheduled for 2015.
The TSR team will have a rare weekend off before resuming the California tour April 8 at Placerville Speedway. Following the Outlaws’ return to Placerville for the first time in more than 20 years, they’ll head to picturesque Calistoga Speedway for two nights of action April 11 and 12.