FARGO, N.D. (October 25, 2023) – Devil’s Bowl Speedway, the birthplace of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, has closed the book on 50 years of racing. Fittingly, with a standing room only crowd on hand, the World of Outlaws wrote the final chapter over the weekend.
Donny Schatz, a three-time winner at the speedway, raced to a podium finish in Saturday night’s A-main. After qualifying ninth quick, Schatz finished third in his heat and rolled out ninth for the feature. In a marathon of a feature that was marred by red flags, open reds and several cautions, Schatz kept his nose clean and worked his way up the running order.
In the closing stages, Schatz moved up to third, and on a restart, challenged David Gravel for second. Schatz moved by the Huset’s Speedway No. 2 on lap 22 of 30, but Gravel was able to find a way back by.
Schatz remained within striking distance of the top two drivers for the rest of the race and came home in the third position as Gravel stole the win from James McFadden off the final corner coming to the checkers.
“I thought when we got to racing with David there that we would have a chance to get going (towards the lead),” said Schatz post-race. “I moved up the race track a little bit and got in his dirty air and for some reason I was just stuck. I kept trying it and got by him, but once I got in clean air I was in trouble. We just kept trying. The guys are digging. We had a pretty solid night, coming from ninth to get up through (the field).”
On Friday night, Schatz battled through a mechanical issue to bring the Tony Stewart / Curb-Agajanian Racing No. 15 home in 9th. The TSR team seems to be finding their stride once again as the season draws to an end, picking up two podium finishes and a win in the last three races.
Schatz’s record at Devil’s Bowl Speedway ends with 46 races, three wins, 11 top fives and 20 top tens. Schatz is one of 28 drivers to win a World of Outlaws event at Devil’s Bowl and is tied for sixth on the wins list with those three victories.
Up next is the World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte. Schatz sits sixth in the standings entering the final weekend of the year for the World of Outlaws.
Schatz’s record at each World of Outlaws event at Devil’s Bowl Speedway:
2023 – 3rd on Oct. 21 (started 9th); 9th on Oct. 20 (started 12th); 11th on April 1 (started 12th); 12th on March 31 (started 15th)
2022 – 2nd on April 2 (started 3rd)
2021 – 5th on Oct. 30 (started 6th)
2020 – 6th on Sept. 19 (started 7th)
2019 – 5th on April 12 (started 6th)
2018 – 4th on April 27 (started 3rd); 1st on April 28th (started 5th; led 5 laps)
2017 – 16th on April 14 (started 10th); 10th on April 15 (started 14th)
2016 – 8th on April 22 (started 19th); 5th on April 23 (started 13th)
2015 – 1st on April 25 (started on the pole; led 21 laps)
2014 – 1st on April 18 (started 3rd; led 15 laps); 5th on April 19 (started 7th)
2003 – 20th on March 15 (started on the pole; led 10 laps)
2002 – 15th on March 15 (started 25th); 26th on March 16 (started 26th)
2001 – 21st on March 9 (started 23rd); 15th on March 10 (started 18th); 16th on Oct. 26 (started 21st); 21st on October 27 (started 23rd)
2000 – 20th on March 11, 23rd on Oct. 27 (started 22nd); 22nd on October 28 (started 25th)
1999 – 19th on March 26; 9th on April 24, 13th on April 24 (1998 Winter Nat’ls finale), 8th on October 15
1998 – 2nd on March 20; 16th on March 21; 17th in the B on Oct. 16
1997 – 16th on March 21; 6th on March 22, 6th on Oct. 17; 18th in the B on October 18
1996 – 23rd on March 22; 1st in the C and 9th in the B on March 23; 14th on October 18; 23rd on October 19
1995 – 10th in the B on March 17; 15th in the B on March 18; 2nd in the C and 11th in the B on Oct. 20; 10th on October 21