BRISBANE, Queensland (January 10, 2020) – Donny Schatz has been traveling to Australia to race during the World of Outlaws’ offseason for over 20 years. However, his 2019-20 swing down under has been one of the most impressive of his career.
Schatz claimed his 29th career World Series Sprint Car feature win on Friday night at Archerfield Speedway on the preliminary night of the Australian Open. Starting fourth on the grid for the main event, Schatz sliced his way into second on the opening lap. Schatz patiently waited for the right time to pounce, taking the lead from Lachlan McHugh with 16 of 25 circuits remaining.
Despite making a bid to retake the lead amid lapped traffic with eight to go, Schatz went relatively unchallenged en route to the win.
“It’s crazy man, that’s awesome,” said Schatz in an interview with the World Series Sprint Cars of his fifth consecutive victory. “I feel like us coming over here pushes (the Australian drivers), and they start pushing us and that’s what the world revolves around in dirt track racing. (McHugh) did a good job. The track was tricky. There was a top and bottom groove and you had to use the whole thing and he stayed right there. These young guys are catching up and they know what to do. Hopefully, they don’t learn too many tricks and experience prevails, but that will probably change one day,”
Schatz’s Australian swing concludes Saturday with the running of the 24th annual, 50-lap Australian Open at Archerfield Speedway. Schatz is a nine-time champion of the event.
Quick Results:
Qualifying: 15th
Heat: 1st
Feature: 1st (started 4th)
Schatz’s Statbook:
2019/2020 Australia Tour:
Races: 5
Wins: 5
Top Fives: 5
Top Tens: 5
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Photo Credit: Lannie Nichols