Photo by Frank Smith.
Fargo, N.D. (April 22, 2024) – Following one of the most challenging weekends on the 2024 schedule in the books, Donny Schatz and the CarQuest/Ford Performance crew persevered through adversity and closed the gap in his quest for an 11th NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws championship following charges through the field at Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky and Tri-State Speedway in Indiana.
On Friday night, the Outlaws returned to Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky for the first time since 2012. As he did the weekend before, Schatz battled back from a poor qualifying draw to finish fourth in his heat race and start 12th in the 30-lap main event.
Schatz spent more than half of the race outside the top 10 but rallied late, taking a top 10 position for the first time on lap 18 and gaining an extra three spots from that point to finish the night in the seventh spot. The race for the championship was shaken up during the feature as point leader David Gravel got upside down and DNF’d, resulting in a 23rd place finish for the Watertown, Conn. driver.
On Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway, Schatz passed three cars in the opening lap of his heat race and remained within dash contention for the duration of the race but fell just short, ending up with a ninth row starting spot in the 40-lap feature.
For the second consecutive night, Schatz came on late and climbed into the top 10 on lap 22 on the tight quarter-mile. Schatz fell just short of a top 10 in the closing laps after spirited battles with Emerson Axom and Giovanni Scelzi, finishing 11th and winning the KSE hard charger award.
Schatz’s 2024 campaign will continue next weekend when the Outlaws make their first trip of the season to Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. Schatz enters the weekend just 18 markers behind David Gravel.
The famous Marion County half-mile is among Schatz’s favorite on the entire schedule, and for good reason. Schatz has amassed 29 career victories, including 11 Knoxville Nationals victories, at Knoxville. When he last visited the Sprint Car Capital of the World in August, he won his qualifying night at the Knoxville Nationals before recording his 20th career podium finish in the Granddaddy of them all.
Schatz and the entire Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team would like to thank all of their great partners for their continued support – Carquest Auto Parts, Advance Auto Parts, Curb Records, Ford Performance, Sage Fruit, Mobil 1, Absolute Automation & Security, J&J Auto Racing, Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts
2024 Stats:
Races: 15
Wins: 2
Top Fives: 6
Top Tens: 13