FARGO, N.D. (November 12, 2024) – The World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte brought the 2024 season for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series to a close over the weekend. Donny Schatz and the Tony Stewart Racing team ended strong passing the most cars during feature action each night and the most cars on the weekend overall.
The World Finals began with two rounds of qualifying on Wednesday, which set the heat race lines up for Thursday’s and Friday’s program. The 15 team struggled during both rounds of qualifying, setting Schatz back in the lineup for heat races.
During Thursday’s show, Schatz was running in a transfer spot in the last chance showdown when a mechanical failure ended his race and forced him to use a provisional.
Starting 25th on the grid, Schatz wheeled his way forward to salvage a 14th place finish, advancing 11 positions during the 25-lap feature. In a similar run on Friday, Schatz drove from 23rd to 15th, picking up a race-high eight positions.
Heat races on Saturday were lined up by event points accumulated throughout the first two nights of action. Schatz started seventh in his heat race, but worked by Gio Scelzi and Kyle Reinhardt to finish in the fifth and final transfer spot.
For the third night in a row, the Ford-powered J&J was headed towards the front during feature action. Schatz drove from 18th to ninth to pick up his third consecutive KSE Hard Charger award.
Schatz ended the season third in the point standings with five wins, 30 top fives and 53 top tens in 65 events.