Schatz on top in Knoxville Nationals prelim, third in 50-lap finale; Jackson Nationals begins Thursday
2023 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Standings: 6th | 5852 points
Dates: Wednesday through Saturday, August 9-12
Event: Knoxville Nationals
Series: World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series
Track: Knoxville Raceway | Knoxville, Iowa
Donny Schatz A-Main Finishes (Start):
PRELIMINARY: 1st (7th)
FINALE: 3rd (3rd)
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (August 14, 2023) – Donny Schatz nearly made it 12 Knoxville Nationals championships on Saturday night at the Sprint Car Capital of the World, but the Fargo, North Dakota, native was forced to ultimately settle for two spots less, ending the 50-lap, $185,000-to-win Knoxville Nationals finale on August 12 with a third-place finish. The ten-time World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion and 11-time winner of the “Granddaddy of them All” started the 50-lapper from the exact same position, fading some before perfecting a rebound late in the main event.
Schatz, ace of the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, Advance Auto Parts, Carquest, Ford Motor Company, Ford Performance, MadJax XSeries, Curb Records, Sage Fruit, Absolute Automation and Security, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts, No. 15 sprint car, locked himself into Saturday’s Knoxville Nationals finale A-Main with an all but perfect performance in his respective preliminary program, starting seventh before eventually running down soon-to-be Knoxville Nationals top rookie, Chase Randall, and winning the 25-lap program. Incidentally, Schatz rallied from seventh to finish second in his preliminary heat race.
“We were kind of hanging there before (the break),” said Schatz. “We could get to the bottom pretty good, and I thought we’d have a chance on one of the restarts on the top and kept pace with him. I was running it for all it was worth, but it wasn’t enough. The racetrack was definitely different than the other night. We just didn’t have enough changes with it. All we did was change tires on the red, and try to make a few adjustments to get better. We just got worse. I couldn’t hold the left rear up for the rest of the race. I was kind of hanging on. We raced as hard as we could.”
As an added note, Kyle Larson, the $185,000 winner, joined Schatz as the only drivers to lead every lap since the feature’s total was upped to 50 circuits.
ON DECK:
Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing will continue their 2023 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series campaign with the 45th Annual Jackson Nationals at Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minnesota, on Thursday through Saturday, August 17-19. The week’s finale will award a $25,000 payday.
ADDITIONAL MEDIA:
Donny Schatz and Tony Stewat/Curb-Agajanian Racing would like to thank all of their marketing partners: Advance Auto Parts, Carquest, Ford Motor Company, Ford Performance, MadJax XSeries, Curb Records, Sage Fruit, Absolute Automation and Security, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts.
Broadcast Coverage:
Watch the World of Outlaws online at www.dirtvision.com
Donny Schatz:
Web: www.donnyschatzmotorsports.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DonnySchatz
Twitter: www.twitter.com/donnySchatz
Instagram www.instagram.com/donnyschatz
Tony Stewart Racing:
Web: www.tonystewartracing.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TonyStewartRacing
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Tonystewart_rcg
Instagram: www.instagram.com/@TonyStewart_Rcg
2023 Donny Schatz / Tony Stewart Racing WoO Statistics:
Races: 45
Wins: 3
Top-5s: 14
Top-10s: 25
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CONTACT:
Photo Credit: Frank Smith
Tyler Altmeyer
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Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises
Tony Stewart Racing
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Brownsburg, IN 46112