Mechanicsburg, PA — Oct. 1, 2005 — By Chris Dolack, WoO Sprint Series
Public Relations Director
Donny Schatz knows it’s not where you start but where you finish so on
Saturday night in the Cleveland Brothers National Open at Williams
Grove Speedway, he continued his roll as the hottest driver on the
World of Outlaws Sprint Series tour by racing from fifth to the
checkered flag, and he’s $30,000 richer for the experience, too.
Schatz slid past Daryn Pittman to grab the lead on Lap 17 in Turn 3 and
he made it stick as they raced down the front-stretch. From there, he
survived two restarts and drove away to the checkered flag in the
ParkerStore J&J to win his third National Open crown, and second in a
row. It also was his second consecutive A-feature victory and his
eighth win of the season as he gears up for the 2006 Outlaws season.
Pittman, another of the ’06 Outlaws, continued his own hot streak by
holding on to finish second in the Titan Garages & Carports Maxim for
the best Williams Grove A-feature finish in his career, one night after
his second-place run in the preliminary feature. Pittman has finished
first or second on five of the past six race nights.
Pennsylvania legend Fred Rahmer, the preliminary feature winner on
Friday, brought his Miller Brothers Cadillac J&J to the checkered flag
in third, followed by Steve Kinser in the Quaker State Maxim and Greg
Hodnett in the Manheim Auctions JEI.
Chad Layton powered the Apple Dealerships Maxim to sixth, with ’06
Outlaw and fast-qualifier Terry McCarl in the Big Game Treestands
Eagle, Jason Solwold in the City Wide Insulation Schnee, Paul McMahan
in the Selma Shell Maxim and Danny Lasoski in the Bass Pro Shops Eagle
rounding out the top 10. Solwold’s run was particularly impressive
after he used a provisional to start the A-main in 27th and picked his
way through traffic to finish eighth.
Following the preliminary feature, many pointed to Schatz as the driver
who would challenge Rahmer, who was looking to win the National Open
for the first time in his career in a season that saw the Pennsylvania
Posse leader earn his first victory in the Summer Nationals and at
Knoxville Raceway. A nine-time winner at Williams Grove, Schatz didn’t
disappoint. He started on the inside of the third row and after a red
flag with six laps down, he used a long green-flag run in the 40-lap
feature to work his way past Rahmer, Greg Hodnett and finally Pittman,
who like the preliminary feature led much of the first half of the
race.
Pittman didn’t go easily, either. He raced to the top but caught the
rear of the field on Lap 13 and allowed Schatz and Hodnett to close the
gap. Schatz tailed Pittman through traffic for four laps before finally
making his move Lap 17 in Turn 3. He slid under Pittman and into the
lead at the same time Hodnett had to slow up for a lapped car, allowing
Rahmer to slip into third.
“I slid in there and parked it, got the wheels caught up and got going
again,” said Schatz, a Mean 15 racer from Fargo, N.D. “My racecar was
better off the bottom and through the middle. We’ve been running that
way the past couple of months. It just seemed to work the best here
tonight. That’s not saying the next time we come back it’s going to be
the same. It wasn’t the same way last year, I had to ride the rim. The
racecar was good last year and this is a whole different racecar and
it’s good this year. There’s a lot of preparation from Ricky Warner and
the whole ParkerStore team. It’s a lot of fun to be in Victory Lane.
You can’t not smile when you’re in Victory Lane, and as much as we’ve
been getting there I can keep a smile on my face.
“I tried not to get back to the third row, but we tried something with
our car and that’s really what won the race. We tried something in the
Dash and it wasn’t very good so we knew what direction we needed to go
and we went the right direction. It was pretty good just to get locked
in [on Friday]. That was the whole goal. Sometimes when you start on
the front you don’t have the advantage.”
Schatz was easily weaving through traffic by Lap 25 when the third
caution came out, bunching the field with 26 laps complete. By that
point, Kinser had already worked his way to fifth and was looking for
more, but with three lapped cars between him and Pittman, Schatz had a
big jump on the restart and sailed away with clear track. The final
caution with 31 laps complete saw Kinser in fourth but Schatz still had
the benefit of lapped cars littered throughout the leaders on the
restart. He smoothly drove to the top and powered his way to the
checkered flag for the ninth time in his career at Williams Grove.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Schatz, who has finished in the top 10 for
16 consecutive race nights. “We had to race with guys. I think I was
running sixth when we started there and I just had to pick them off one
by one. It says a lot about the racecar and this race team. These guys
dig down deep and work hard. I can get frustrated sometimes but they
pick me up and point me in the right direction and I need that from
time to time.”
The victory moves Schatz to fourth in the World of Outlaws Sprint
Series championship standings with seven race nights remaining this
season, beginning Friday in Dodge City, Kan. The $30,000-payday also
pushes him over $300,000 for the year.
“It’s definitely a big bonus,” Schatz said. “All these race teams need
money to keep surviving. We’re a family-owned team and we do our best.
Sometimes we win the big ones and sometimes we don’t. Tonight we were
very fortunate.”
Pittman, who in the past three weeks has raced from 11th to seventh in
the standings, started on the front row both nights during the National
Open and paced the field during the early laps.
“We were good, we just got beat,” said Pittman, a Mean 15 racer and
native of Owasso, Okla. “Sometimes leading the race isn’t always the
place to be. In open track I think I was as good as he was, but he beat
me in traffic. I got real tight when I got behind a guy. You just don’t
give him long green flag runs in traffic. He’s awfully tough. Two
seconds at Williams Grove, that’s a great effort for this whole race
team. If we keep finishing second we’re bound to win a few more before
this year is up.”
Pittman was strong rolling along the top, but once he hit traffic his
car got tight as he tried to maintain his lead.
“That was all I had run so I didn’t have any confidence in what I
needed to do when I got to traffic,” Pittman said. “I knew I was going
to have to move around. Sometimes the middle is good, sometimes the
bottom is good. I tried the middle and I know I lost a lot of speed, it
wasn’t very good. I tried the bottom and I didn’t feel very good down
there, either. I mainly just got real tight when I got behind guys.
This place is really bad when you get right behind because it takes all
the air off you. I just got real tight and couldn’t steer the thing. On
that last restart, he never pulled away that far from us but I got
stuck behind Kraig Kinser a little bit.
“It was a good run for us. He’s tough and he’s been on fire. He’s been
a little bit better than we have for the past couple of weeks but as
long as we keep running first and second we’ll be happy with that.”
After starting on the pole, Rahmer was disappointed to finish third
even though he has had a remarkable season of 31 victories, including
two victories against the Outlaws.
“We should have been able to do better, we just messed the car up a
little bit,” said Rahmer, a native of Salfordville, Pa. “There’s no
room for error with this group of cars. We just left too much on the
table, but it’s hard just to run third. I knew Schatz would be tough.
He really runs good here and he did a better job than us. He deserved
to win.
“You want to win every one you tow to. Tonight, with the way it was
played out. It’s hard to put a plan together to win a race like this.
We were good all night long, we just screwed up in the feature with
what I think was the wrong tire choice. Forty laps is a lot longer than
what we run.”
Kinser, a winner earlier this season at Williams Grove, was one of the
few cars that was able to come forward through the field. Starting
15th, Kinser methodically worked his way to a fourth-place finish.
“I was just off a little bit all week,” said Kinser, who has virtually
wrapped up the 2005 World of Outlaws championship for the 20th time in
his career. “The last couple of weeks we’ve been a little bit slow. We
just haven’t had the motor to get out there and run the way we wanted.
If we had been up toward the front we probably could have given him a
little bit of a run.
“It’s tough to pass. These cars are pretty even. You have to get
yourself in a position to win a race. To win one of these races right
now you need to start in the first three rows. It’s pretty hard to win
from 15th, especially here. You might do it on a short track, but they
get strung out here, even with the yellows. By the time somebody picks
the gas up here you’re a full straightaway behind.”
The Outlaws head back across the Midwest for a two-night event Oct. 7-8
at Dodge City Raceway in Dodge City, Kan. From there the series drops
Oct. 11 into Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix to complete the Cactus
Classic that was rain-delayed after the preliminary feature in March.
The Outlaws close out the year with a two-day show Oct. 14-15 at
Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., and a two-day show Oct. 21-22 at
the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
WILLIAMS GROVE NOTEBOOK
• 2006 Outlaw Terry McCarl paced the 46 cars that went through time
trials with an AMB i.t.-timed lap around the half-mile oval in 16.356
seconds at 108.353 mph. Brian Paulus set the record of 16.140 seconds
on April 26, 2002, and was the second quickest qualifier Saturday night
with a lap in 16.688 seconds at 107.862 mph. Fred Rahmer, Daryn
Pittman, Donny Schatz and Craig Dollansky did not have to go through
time trials or heats after finishing in the top four positions in the
preliminary feature on Friday.
• The Kinsers joined what has to be a legendary list of names on
Saturday when Kraig Kinser won his first asphalt race in an ARCA Re/Max
Series event at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala. In only his
second ARCA event, Kraig Kinser joined his father as a winner at the
famed 2.66-mile high-speed track in Alabama before flying into
Mechanicsburg in time to qualify his Remy Maxim.
“It’s real big to me, and it says something about the team I’m with
down there,” said Kraig Kinser of his MB2 Motorsports team. “It’s a
great group of guys who make me feel right at home. They have good cars
and they run fast. The Hendrick motors in them are unbelievably quick.”
“I got penalized about halfway through the race for not obeying
blend-line rules or something like that [and had to go to the back]. It
was actually better for us, since we ended up winning, because we got
to experience drafting more that way rather than just being out front.”
Steve Kinser, who won an IROC event at Talladega in 1994, was excited
for Kraig’s quick success on asphalt.
“It was a good day for him and they had a good racecar, too,” Steve
Kinser said. “They went out and set quick time. MB2 gave him a good
car. It’s only his second pavement race after he ran good at Michigan.
Those are two tracks where a good car means a lot but still it’s good
for him to get out and feel it out and it helps his confidence.
Everybody was happy from what I understand down there. I sort of wish I
could have been there, but it was a good day for him.”
Kraig went out last in time trials and showed no signs of being
affected by his earlier race.
“You still have the speed,” said Kraig of being back in the sprint car
at night. “The acceleration here is unbelievable. You still have that
feel. I love being in a sprint car so much that it makes it that much
better to be back.
“It’s unbelievable family tradition and I’m just happy to be a part of
it.”
• Donny Schatz’s victory Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway was
his eighth of the season, second-most this year with the Outlaws. …
Steve Kinser has a series-leading 19 A-feature victories and six
preliminary feature wins this season. … There have been 17 different
A-feature winners this season. Including preliminary features, 22
different drivers have visited Victory Lane this season with the
Outlaws. … Kraig Kinser captured the Knoxville Nationals on Aug. 14 for
his sixth A-feature victory of the season. He also has a preliminary
feature win at Las Vegas. … Jason Meyers earned his fourth win of the
season July 2 at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D. … Tim
Shaffer’s victory July 19 in the Silver Cup was his third of the
season, going with wins Lake Ozark Speedway and Thunderbowl Raceway. …
Craig Dollansky has two A-feature victories and three preliminary
feature wins. … Brian Paulus won June 28 at Huset’s Speedway for his
second victory of the season, and picked up a preliminary feature win
in the following race at Red River Valley Speedway. … Brooke Tatnell
has two A-feature victories, winning at Cedar Lake and Fulton
speedways, as well as a preliminary feature win at Princeton Speedway.
… Sammy Swindell won his second A-feature of the season June 4 at
Eldora Speedway. Swindell also has a preliminary feature win April 8 at
Eldora and Aug. 14 at Knoxville Raceway in the Nationals’
non-qualifiers event. … Danny Lasoski won Aug. 30 at Cottage Grove
Speedway and has three preliminary feature wins. … Fred Rahmer’s
victory Friday night was his second preliminary feature win of the
season with the Outlaws. He also won the Summer Nationals crown July 23
and picked up a preliminary feature win in the Knoxville Nationals on
Aug. 10. … Single-event winners include Jac Haudenschild on Aug. 5 at
Eldora Speedway, Stevie Smith July 13 at Attica Raceway Park, Tim
Kaeding June 11 at Sheboygan County Fair Park, Chad Kemenah July 9 at
I-55 Raceway, and Jeff Shepard Feb. 11 at Volusia Speedway Park. … In
preliminary features, Joey Saldana, Paul McMahan, Jason Johnson and
Shane Stewart have each won once.
• Including preliminary features, the series has raced 36 times this
year on half-mile circuits with Steve Kinser winning nine times
(Volusia, Eldora three times, Knoxville, Williams Grove, Hartford, Red
River Valley and Calistoga), Donny Schatz winning four times (Las
Vegas, Route 66 Raceway, Calistoga, Williams Grove), Sammy Swindell
winning four times (twice at Eldora, once at Hagerstown and Knoxville),
Kraig Kinser winning three times (Las Vegas and twice at Knoxville),
Craig Dollansky winning twice (Manzanita and Williams Grove), Jason
Meyers winning twice (Granite City and Red River Valley), Fred Rahmer
winning three times (Williams Grove twice and Knoxville), Danny Lasoski
winning twice (Knoxville and Calistoga), and Daryn Pittman (Jackson),
Brian Paulus (Red River Valley), Jeff Shepard (Volusia), Jason Johnson
(Williams Grove), Paul McMahan (Williams Grove), Jac Haudenschild
(Eldora) and Shane Stewart (Knoxville) each winning once.
• Drivers who have raced to victory in preliminary features this season
include (in alphabetical order) Craig Dollansky three times
(Manzanita/Williams Grove/Silver Dollar), Jason Johnson once (Williams
Grove), Kraig Kinser once (Las Vegas), Steve Kinser six times (Eagle
twice/Billings/Elma/Calistoga/Silver Dollar), Danny Lasoski three times
(Australia/Knoxville/Calistoga), Fred Rahmer twice (Knoxville/Williams
Grove), Kerry Madsen once (Australia), Paul McMahan once (Williams
Grove), Brian Paulus once (Red River Valley), Joey Saldana once
(Lernerville), Shane Stewart once (Knoxville), Brooke Tatnell once
(Princeton), Sammy Swindell twice (Eldora/Knoxville).
• Fred Rahmer, Daryn Pittman, Donny Schatz and Craig Dollansky were
locked into the Stacker 2® Dash, and joined Saturday night by Greg
Hodnett and Keith Kauffman. Rahmer charged to a quick lead and drove to
victory and the pole for the main event. Pittman held on to finish
second with Dollansky, Kauffman, Schatz and Hodnett rounding out the
field. The field also established a six-lap record by completing the
Dash in 1 minute, 37.29 seconds.
• The B-main featured the four fastest qualifiers on Saturday night.
Terry McCarl, the quick qualifier, was strong on the top and rolled to
the win with Lucas Wolfe, Brian Paulus, Brian Montieth earning the
transfer spots. Lernerville Speedway track champion Ed Lynch Jr. and
Jason Solwold transferred to the end of the B-main by finishing in the
top two spots in the C-main.
• In heat race action, the four fastest cars were inverted with the top
four cars transferring to the A-main, but none of the top four fastest
cars were able to transfer, sending all four to the B-main. Brandon
Wimmer captured the first heat, Brooke Tatnell charged to victory in
the second heat, Doug Esh cruised to victory in the third heat and
Steve Kinser coasted to victory in the fourth heat.
• The Outlaws head back across the Midwest for a two-night event Oct.
7-8 at Dodge City Raceway in Dodge City, Kan. From there the series
drops Oct. 11 into Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix to complete the Cactus
Classic that was rain-delayed after the preliminary feature in March.
The Outlaws close out the year with a two-day show Oct. 14-15 at
Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., and a two-day show Oct. 21-22 at
the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• The Outdoor Channel will air at 8 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 5 the event
from The Raceway at Powercom Park, followed by the National Open from
Williams Grove Speedway on Oct. 12.
• The Official World of Outlaws Sprint Series Web site is at
http://www.dirtmotorsports.com/sprint. Among the features are updated
driver biographies with individual statistics and pictures,
race-by-race statistics, detailed track information and race coverage,
series news and team press releases. Also, links to the press kit and
official rulebook can also be found at the bottom of the home page.
• If fans can’t get to a track to see the series, they can experience
the excitement of the World of Outlaws Sprint Series live on
Dirtvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network. To listen to the audio
broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio
Network logo. Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to
listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions,
e-mail webmaster@dirtvision.com.
• The World of Outlaws Sprint Series is brought to the fans across the
country by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors
Hoosier Racing Tire, Stacker 2®, and The Outdoor Channel. Promotional
Partners include AMB i.t., RACEceiver, HUMMERSGONEWILD.COM, Zippo
Lighters, The University of Northwestern Ohio and Timberwolf. Slick 50
is an Associate Program Sponsor and Contingency sponsors include DART
Machinery, MSD Ignitions, and Wrisco Industries.
WoO Sprint Series Statistical Report; National Open Finale;
Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Oct. 1, 2005
Qualifying
1) Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 16.536
2) Brian Paulus, Pender 28, 16.688
3) Lucas Wolfe, Allebach 5W, 16.772
4) Lance Dewease, Postupack 25, 16.798
5) Greg Hodnett, Hamilton 77, 16.807
6) Kenny Jacobs, Hamilton 77H, 16.807
7) Keith Kauffman, Middlesworth 7K, 16.843
8) Chad Layton, Apple 12, 16.862
9) Brandon Wimmer, Two Winners Racing 7TW, 16.878
10) Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 16.878
11) Todd Hestor, Hestor 4, 16.885
12) Paul McMahan, Helm 11H, 16.900
13) Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 16.905
14) Doug Esh, Leach Bros. 30, 16.919
15) Brooke Tatnell, Rush Racing 8, 16.926
16) Jason Meyers, Elite Racing Team 14, 16.930
17) Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 16.887 (Scored 17th after missing his
position in the qualifying order)
18) Brooke Weibley, Shellada 32, 16.959
19) Shane Stewart, Rudeen Racing 26, 16.962
20) Mike Erdley, Lisi 11E, 16.986
21) Brian Montieth, Parrish 21P, 17.000
22) Tim Shaffer, Parsons 6, 17.007
23) Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20, 17.007
24) Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 17.010
25) Jason Johnson, Kline 22, 17.012
26) Brian Leppo, Leppo 71, 17.025
27) Dave Ely, Franckowiak 3, 17.031
28) Kevin Swindell, Swindell 1, 17.039
29) Barry Ruble, Ruble 63, 17.042
30) Joey Saldana, Woodward 2, 17.043
31) Mark Smith, Zemco 1Z, 17.065
32) Niki Young, Neiderer 10N, 17.067
33) Ed Lynch, Jr., Lynch 2L, 17.114
34) Jason Solwold, Carnahan R19, 17.133
35) Chad Kemenah, Harble 15K, 17.141
36) Dale Blaney, J&M Motorsports 55, 17.154
37) Craig Keel, Pottorff 9K, 17.173
38) Jeff Shepard, Roth 83, 17.184
39) Kerry Madsen, Kahne 9, 17.246
40) Don Kreitz, Jr., Kreitz 69K, 17.246
41) Greg Wilson, Elden 22W, 17.279
42) Mike Walter, Walter 49, 17.315
43) Michael Carber, Carber 69C, 17.358
44) Alan Cole, Sorokach 35, 17.373
45) Kyle Pruitt, Pruitt 21K, 17.439
46) Mike Kostic, Kostic 40, 18.357
47) Alan Krimes, Krimes 87, No time
Top 4 finishers in preliminary A-feature (locked into first 4 starting
positions in Dash): Fred Rahmer, Harz 88H; Daryn Pittman, Titan Racing
USA 21; Donny Schatz, Schatz 15; Craig Dollansky, Karavan 7
First Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Brandon Wimmer
2) Chad Layton
3) Jason Meyers
4) Kraig Kinser
5) Jason Johnson
6) Brian Montieth
7) Terry McCarl
8) Ed Lynch, Jr.
9) Craig Keel
10) Barry Ruble
11) Kyle Pruitt
12) Greg Wilson
Second Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Brooke Tatnell
2) Jason Sides
3) Tim Shaffer
4) Keith Kauffman
5) Brooke Weibley
6) Brian Paulus
7) Joey Saldana
8) Brian Leppo
9) Jeff Shepard
10) Jason Solwold
11) Mike Walter
12) Mike Kostic
Third Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Doug Esh
2) Todd Hestor
3) Shane Stewart
4) Danny Lasoski
5) Lucas Wolfe
6) Kenny Jacobs
7) Mark Smith
8) Chad Kemenah
9) Dave Ely
10) Michael Carber
11) Kerry Madsen (DNS)
Fourth Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Steve Kinser
2) Paul McMahan
3) Greg Hodnett
4) Stevie Smith
5) Lance Dewease
6) Mike Erdley
7) Niki Young
8) Dale Blaney
9) Don Kreitz, Jr.
10) Alan Cole
11) Kevin Swindell
C-Main (10 laps, top 2 finishers transferred to B-main)
1) Ed Lynch, Jr. [$20]
2) Jason Solwold [$20]
3) Jeff Shepard [$20]
4) Don Kreitz, Jr. [$125]
5) Chad Kemenah [$100]
6) Alan Cole [$100]
7) Greg Wilson [$100]
8) Michael Carber [$100]
9) Kyle Pruitt [$100]
10) Mike Kostic [$100]
11) Dale Blaney [$100]
12) Craig Keel (DNS) [$100]
13) Mike Walter (DNS) [$100]
Stacker 2 Dash (6 laps, finishing order determined first 6 starting
positions of A-feature)
1) Fred Rahmer
2) Daryn Pittman
3) Craig Dollansky
4) Keith Kauffman
5) Donny Schatz
6) Greg Hodnett
B-main (12 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Terry McCarl [$20]
2) Lucas Wolfe [$20]
3) Brian Paulus [$20]
4) Brian Montieth [$20]
5) Mike Erdley [$200]
6) Brooke Weibley [$180]
7) Jason Solwold [$175]
8) Jason Johnson [$160]
9) Mark Smith [$150]
10) Niki Young [$150]
11) Dave Ely [$150]
12) Jeff Shepard [$150]
13) Brian Leppo [$150]
14) Ed Lynch, Jr. [$150]
15) Kenny Jacobs [$150]
16) Joey Saldana [$150]
17) Lance Dewease [$150]
18) Barry Ruble [$150]
19) Kevin Swindell (DNS) [$100]
A-main (40 laps)
1) Donny Schatz [$30,000]
2) Daryn Pittman [$12,000]
3) Fred Rahmer [$7, 500]
4) Steve Kinser [$5,000]
5) Greg Hodnett [$4,000]
6) Chad Layton [$3,500]
7) Terry McCarl [$3,200]
8) Jason Solwold [$2,750]
9) Paul McMahan [$2,300]
10) Danny Lasoski [$2,200]
11) Doug Esh [$2,100]
12) Jason Meyers [$1,700]
13) Brooke Tatnell [$1,600]
14) Lucas Wolfe [$1,300]
15) Joey Saldana [$1,200]
16) Keith Kauffman [$1,100]
17) Brian Paulus [$1000]
18) Jason Sides [$1000]
19) Kraig Kinser [$1000]
20) Stevie Smith [$1000]
21) Tim Shaffer [$900]
22) Shane Stewart [$900]
23) Mark Smith [$900]
24) Brandon Wimmer [$900]
25) Brian Montieth [$900]
26) Todd Hestor [$900]
27) Craig Dollansky [$900]
28) Lance Dewease [$900]
Lap leaders: Daryn Pittman 1-17, Donny Schatz 18-40
Public Relations Director
Donny Schatz knows it’s not where you start but where you finish so on
Saturday night in the Cleveland Brothers National Open at Williams
Grove Speedway, he continued his roll as the hottest driver on the
World of Outlaws Sprint Series tour by racing from fifth to the
checkered flag, and he’s $30,000 richer for the experience, too.
Schatz slid past Daryn Pittman to grab the lead on Lap 17 in Turn 3 and
he made it stick as they raced down the front-stretch. From there, he
survived two restarts and drove away to the checkered flag in the
ParkerStore J&J to win his third National Open crown, and second in a
row. It also was his second consecutive A-feature victory and his
eighth win of the season as he gears up for the 2006 Outlaws season.
Pittman, another of the ’06 Outlaws, continued his own hot streak by
holding on to finish second in the Titan Garages & Carports Maxim for
the best Williams Grove A-feature finish in his career, one night after
his second-place run in the preliminary feature. Pittman has finished
first or second on five of the past six race nights.
Pennsylvania legend Fred Rahmer, the preliminary feature winner on
Friday, brought his Miller Brothers Cadillac J&J to the checkered flag
in third, followed by Steve Kinser in the Quaker State Maxim and Greg
Hodnett in the Manheim Auctions JEI.
Chad Layton powered the Apple Dealerships Maxim to sixth, with ’06
Outlaw and fast-qualifier Terry McCarl in the Big Game Treestands
Eagle, Jason Solwold in the City Wide Insulation Schnee, Paul McMahan
in the Selma Shell Maxim and Danny Lasoski in the Bass Pro Shops Eagle
rounding out the top 10. Solwold’s run was particularly impressive
after he used a provisional to start the A-main in 27th and picked his
way through traffic to finish eighth.
Following the preliminary feature, many pointed to Schatz as the driver
who would challenge Rahmer, who was looking to win the National Open
for the first time in his career in a season that saw the Pennsylvania
Posse leader earn his first victory in the Summer Nationals and at
Knoxville Raceway. A nine-time winner at Williams Grove, Schatz didn’t
disappoint. He started on the inside of the third row and after a red
flag with six laps down, he used a long green-flag run in the 40-lap
feature to work his way past Rahmer, Greg Hodnett and finally Pittman,
who like the preliminary feature led much of the first half of the
race.
Pittman didn’t go easily, either. He raced to the top but caught the
rear of the field on Lap 13 and allowed Schatz and Hodnett to close the
gap. Schatz tailed Pittman through traffic for four laps before finally
making his move Lap 17 in Turn 3. He slid under Pittman and into the
lead at the same time Hodnett had to slow up for a lapped car, allowing
Rahmer to slip into third.
“I slid in there and parked it, got the wheels caught up and got going
again,” said Schatz, a Mean 15 racer from Fargo, N.D. “My racecar was
better off the bottom and through the middle. We’ve been running that
way the past couple of months. It just seemed to work the best here
tonight. That’s not saying the next time we come back it’s going to be
the same. It wasn’t the same way last year, I had to ride the rim. The
racecar was good last year and this is a whole different racecar and
it’s good this year. There’s a lot of preparation from Ricky Warner and
the whole ParkerStore team. It’s a lot of fun to be in Victory Lane.
You can’t not smile when you’re in Victory Lane, and as much as we’ve
been getting there I can keep a smile on my face.
“I tried not to get back to the third row, but we tried something with
our car and that’s really what won the race. We tried something in the
Dash and it wasn’t very good so we knew what direction we needed to go
and we went the right direction. It was pretty good just to get locked
in [on Friday]. That was the whole goal. Sometimes when you start on
the front you don’t have the advantage.”
Schatz was easily weaving through traffic by Lap 25 when the third
caution came out, bunching the field with 26 laps complete. By that
point, Kinser had already worked his way to fifth and was looking for
more, but with three lapped cars between him and Pittman, Schatz had a
big jump on the restart and sailed away with clear track. The final
caution with 31 laps complete saw Kinser in fourth but Schatz still had
the benefit of lapped cars littered throughout the leaders on the
restart. He smoothly drove to the top and powered his way to the
checkered flag for the ninth time in his career at Williams Grove.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Schatz, who has finished in the top 10 for
16 consecutive race nights. “We had to race with guys. I think I was
running sixth when we started there and I just had to pick them off one
by one. It says a lot about the racecar and this race team. These guys
dig down deep and work hard. I can get frustrated sometimes but they
pick me up and point me in the right direction and I need that from
time to time.”
The victory moves Schatz to fourth in the World of Outlaws Sprint
Series championship standings with seven race nights remaining this
season, beginning Friday in Dodge City, Kan. The $30,000-payday also
pushes him over $300,000 for the year.
“It’s definitely a big bonus,” Schatz said. “All these race teams need
money to keep surviving. We’re a family-owned team and we do our best.
Sometimes we win the big ones and sometimes we don’t. Tonight we were
very fortunate.”
Pittman, who in the past three weeks has raced from 11th to seventh in
the standings, started on the front row both nights during the National
Open and paced the field during the early laps.
“We were good, we just got beat,” said Pittman, a Mean 15 racer and
native of Owasso, Okla. “Sometimes leading the race isn’t always the
place to be. In open track I think I was as good as he was, but he beat
me in traffic. I got real tight when I got behind a guy. You just don’t
give him long green flag runs in traffic. He’s awfully tough. Two
seconds at Williams Grove, that’s a great effort for this whole race
team. If we keep finishing second we’re bound to win a few more before
this year is up.”
Pittman was strong rolling along the top, but once he hit traffic his
car got tight as he tried to maintain his lead.
“That was all I had run so I didn’t have any confidence in what I
needed to do when I got to traffic,” Pittman said. “I knew I was going
to have to move around. Sometimes the middle is good, sometimes the
bottom is good. I tried the middle and I know I lost a lot of speed, it
wasn’t very good. I tried the bottom and I didn’t feel very good down
there, either. I mainly just got real tight when I got behind guys.
This place is really bad when you get right behind because it takes all
the air off you. I just got real tight and couldn’t steer the thing. On
that last restart, he never pulled away that far from us but I got
stuck behind Kraig Kinser a little bit.
“It was a good run for us. He’s tough and he’s been on fire. He’s been
a little bit better than we have for the past couple of weeks but as
long as we keep running first and second we’ll be happy with that.”
After starting on the pole, Rahmer was disappointed to finish third
even though he has had a remarkable season of 31 victories, including
two victories against the Outlaws.
“We should have been able to do better, we just messed the car up a
little bit,” said Rahmer, a native of Salfordville, Pa. “There’s no
room for error with this group of cars. We just left too much on the
table, but it’s hard just to run third. I knew Schatz would be tough.
He really runs good here and he did a better job than us. He deserved
to win.
“You want to win every one you tow to. Tonight, with the way it was
played out. It’s hard to put a plan together to win a race like this.
We were good all night long, we just screwed up in the feature with
what I think was the wrong tire choice. Forty laps is a lot longer than
what we run.”
Kinser, a winner earlier this season at Williams Grove, was one of the
few cars that was able to come forward through the field. Starting
15th, Kinser methodically worked his way to a fourth-place finish.
“I was just off a little bit all week,” said Kinser, who has virtually
wrapped up the 2005 World of Outlaws championship for the 20th time in
his career. “The last couple of weeks we’ve been a little bit slow. We
just haven’t had the motor to get out there and run the way we wanted.
If we had been up toward the front we probably could have given him a
little bit of a run.
“It’s tough to pass. These cars are pretty even. You have to get
yourself in a position to win a race. To win one of these races right
now you need to start in the first three rows. It’s pretty hard to win
from 15th, especially here. You might do it on a short track, but they
get strung out here, even with the yellows. By the time somebody picks
the gas up here you’re a full straightaway behind.”
The Outlaws head back across the Midwest for a two-night event Oct. 7-8
at Dodge City Raceway in Dodge City, Kan. From there the series drops
Oct. 11 into Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix to complete the Cactus
Classic that was rain-delayed after the preliminary feature in March.
The Outlaws close out the year with a two-day show Oct. 14-15 at
Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., and a two-day show Oct. 21-22 at
the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
WILLIAMS GROVE NOTEBOOK
• 2006 Outlaw Terry McCarl paced the 46 cars that went through time
trials with an AMB i.t.-timed lap around the half-mile oval in 16.356
seconds at 108.353 mph. Brian Paulus set the record of 16.140 seconds
on April 26, 2002, and was the second quickest qualifier Saturday night
with a lap in 16.688 seconds at 107.862 mph. Fred Rahmer, Daryn
Pittman, Donny Schatz and Craig Dollansky did not have to go through
time trials or heats after finishing in the top four positions in the
preliminary feature on Friday.
• The Kinsers joined what has to be a legendary list of names on
Saturday when Kraig Kinser won his first asphalt race in an ARCA Re/Max
Series event at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala. In only his
second ARCA event, Kraig Kinser joined his father as a winner at the
famed 2.66-mile high-speed track in Alabama before flying into
Mechanicsburg in time to qualify his Remy Maxim.
“It’s real big to me, and it says something about the team I’m with
down there,” said Kraig Kinser of his MB2 Motorsports team. “It’s a
great group of guys who make me feel right at home. They have good cars
and they run fast. The Hendrick motors in them are unbelievably quick.”
“I got penalized about halfway through the race for not obeying
blend-line rules or something like that [and had to go to the back]. It
was actually better for us, since we ended up winning, because we got
to experience drafting more that way rather than just being out front.”
Steve Kinser, who won an IROC event at Talladega in 1994, was excited
for Kraig’s quick success on asphalt.
“It was a good day for him and they had a good racecar, too,” Steve
Kinser said. “They went out and set quick time. MB2 gave him a good
car. It’s only his second pavement race after he ran good at Michigan.
Those are two tracks where a good car means a lot but still it’s good
for him to get out and feel it out and it helps his confidence.
Everybody was happy from what I understand down there. I sort of wish I
could have been there, but it was a good day for him.”
Kraig went out last in time trials and showed no signs of being
affected by his earlier race.
“You still have the speed,” said Kraig of being back in the sprint car
at night. “The acceleration here is unbelievable. You still have that
feel. I love being in a sprint car so much that it makes it that much
better to be back.
“It’s unbelievable family tradition and I’m just happy to be a part of
it.”
• Donny Schatz’s victory Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway was
his eighth of the season, second-most this year with the Outlaws. …
Steve Kinser has a series-leading 19 A-feature victories and six
preliminary feature wins this season. … There have been 17 different
A-feature winners this season. Including preliminary features, 22
different drivers have visited Victory Lane this season with the
Outlaws. … Kraig Kinser captured the Knoxville Nationals on Aug. 14 for
his sixth A-feature victory of the season. He also has a preliminary
feature win at Las Vegas. … Jason Meyers earned his fourth win of the
season July 2 at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D. … Tim
Shaffer’s victory July 19 in the Silver Cup was his third of the
season, going with wins Lake Ozark Speedway and Thunderbowl Raceway. …
Craig Dollansky has two A-feature victories and three preliminary
feature wins. … Brian Paulus won June 28 at Huset’s Speedway for his
second victory of the season, and picked up a preliminary feature win
in the following race at Red River Valley Speedway. … Brooke Tatnell
has two A-feature victories, winning at Cedar Lake and Fulton
speedways, as well as a preliminary feature win at Princeton Speedway.
… Sammy Swindell won his second A-feature of the season June 4 at
Eldora Speedway. Swindell also has a preliminary feature win April 8 at
Eldora and Aug. 14 at Knoxville Raceway in the Nationals’
non-qualifiers event. … Danny Lasoski won Aug. 30 at Cottage Grove
Speedway and has three preliminary feature wins. … Fred Rahmer’s
victory Friday night was his second preliminary feature win of the
season with the Outlaws. He also won the Summer Nationals crown July 23
and picked up a preliminary feature win in the Knoxville Nationals on
Aug. 10. … Single-event winners include Jac Haudenschild on Aug. 5 at
Eldora Speedway, Stevie Smith July 13 at Attica Raceway Park, Tim
Kaeding June 11 at Sheboygan County Fair Park, Chad Kemenah July 9 at
I-55 Raceway, and Jeff Shepard Feb. 11 at Volusia Speedway Park. … In
preliminary features, Joey Saldana, Paul McMahan, Jason Johnson and
Shane Stewart have each won once.
• Including preliminary features, the series has raced 36 times this
year on half-mile circuits with Steve Kinser winning nine times
(Volusia, Eldora three times, Knoxville, Williams Grove, Hartford, Red
River Valley and Calistoga), Donny Schatz winning four times (Las
Vegas, Route 66 Raceway, Calistoga, Williams Grove), Sammy Swindell
winning four times (twice at Eldora, once at Hagerstown and Knoxville),
Kraig Kinser winning three times (Las Vegas and twice at Knoxville),
Craig Dollansky winning twice (Manzanita and Williams Grove), Jason
Meyers winning twice (Granite City and Red River Valley), Fred Rahmer
winning three times (Williams Grove twice and Knoxville), Danny Lasoski
winning twice (Knoxville and Calistoga), and Daryn Pittman (Jackson),
Brian Paulus (Red River Valley), Jeff Shepard (Volusia), Jason Johnson
(Williams Grove), Paul McMahan (Williams Grove), Jac Haudenschild
(Eldora) and Shane Stewart (Knoxville) each winning once.
• Drivers who have raced to victory in preliminary features this season
include (in alphabetical order) Craig Dollansky three times
(Manzanita/Williams Grove/Silver Dollar), Jason Johnson once (Williams
Grove), Kraig Kinser once (Las Vegas), Steve Kinser six times (Eagle
twice/Billings/Elma/Calistoga/Silver Dollar), Danny Lasoski three times
(Australia/Knoxville/Calistoga), Fred Rahmer twice (Knoxville/Williams
Grove), Kerry Madsen once (Australia), Paul McMahan once (Williams
Grove), Brian Paulus once (Red River Valley), Joey Saldana once
(Lernerville), Shane Stewart once (Knoxville), Brooke Tatnell once
(Princeton), Sammy Swindell twice (Eldora/Knoxville).
• Fred Rahmer, Daryn Pittman, Donny Schatz and Craig Dollansky were
locked into the Stacker 2® Dash, and joined Saturday night by Greg
Hodnett and Keith Kauffman. Rahmer charged to a quick lead and drove to
victory and the pole for the main event. Pittman held on to finish
second with Dollansky, Kauffman, Schatz and Hodnett rounding out the
field. The field also established a six-lap record by completing the
Dash in 1 minute, 37.29 seconds.
• The B-main featured the four fastest qualifiers on Saturday night.
Terry McCarl, the quick qualifier, was strong on the top and rolled to
the win with Lucas Wolfe, Brian Paulus, Brian Montieth earning the
transfer spots. Lernerville Speedway track champion Ed Lynch Jr. and
Jason Solwold transferred to the end of the B-main by finishing in the
top two spots in the C-main.
• In heat race action, the four fastest cars were inverted with the top
four cars transferring to the A-main, but none of the top four fastest
cars were able to transfer, sending all four to the B-main. Brandon
Wimmer captured the first heat, Brooke Tatnell charged to victory in
the second heat, Doug Esh cruised to victory in the third heat and
Steve Kinser coasted to victory in the fourth heat.
• The Outlaws head back across the Midwest for a two-night event Oct.
7-8 at Dodge City Raceway in Dodge City, Kan. From there the series
drops Oct. 11 into Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix to complete the Cactus
Classic that was rain-delayed after the preliminary feature in March.
The Outlaws close out the year with a two-day show Oct. 14-15 at
Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., and a two-day show Oct. 21-22 at
the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• The Outdoor Channel will air at 8 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 5 the event
from The Raceway at Powercom Park, followed by the National Open from
Williams Grove Speedway on Oct. 12.
• The Official World of Outlaws Sprint Series Web site is at
http://www.dirtmotorsports.com/sprint. Among the features are updated
driver biographies with individual statistics and pictures,
race-by-race statistics, detailed track information and race coverage,
series news and team press releases. Also, links to the press kit and
official rulebook can also be found at the bottom of the home page.
• If fans can’t get to a track to see the series, they can experience
the excitement of the World of Outlaws Sprint Series live on
Dirtvision.com through the DIRT Radio Network. To listen to the audio
broadcasts, log on to www.dirtvision.com and click on the DIRT Radio
Network logo. Listeners will need Windows Media Player 9 or higher to
listen to the DIRT Radio Network. For technical support or questions,
e-mail webmaster@dirtvision.com.
• The World of Outlaws Sprint Series is brought to the fans across the
country by several sponsors and partners, including series sponsors
Hoosier Racing Tire, Stacker 2®, and The Outdoor Channel. Promotional
Partners include AMB i.t., RACEceiver, HUMMERSGONEWILD.COM, Zippo
Lighters, The University of Northwestern Ohio and Timberwolf. Slick 50
is an Associate Program Sponsor and Contingency sponsors include DART
Machinery, MSD Ignitions, and Wrisco Industries.
WoO Sprint Series Statistical Report; National Open Finale;
Mechanicsburg, Pa.; Oct. 1, 2005
Qualifying
1) Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 16.536
2) Brian Paulus, Pender 28, 16.688
3) Lucas Wolfe, Allebach 5W, 16.772
4) Lance Dewease, Postupack 25, 16.798
5) Greg Hodnett, Hamilton 77, 16.807
6) Kenny Jacobs, Hamilton 77H, 16.807
7) Keith Kauffman, Middlesworth 7K, 16.843
8) Chad Layton, Apple 12, 16.862
9) Brandon Wimmer, Two Winners Racing 7TW, 16.878
10) Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 16.878
11) Todd Hestor, Hestor 4, 16.885
12) Paul McMahan, Helm 11H, 16.900
13) Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 16.905
14) Doug Esh, Leach Bros. 30, 16.919
15) Brooke Tatnell, Rush Racing 8, 16.926
16) Jason Meyers, Elite Racing Team 14, 16.930
17) Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 16.887 (Scored 17th after missing his
position in the qualifying order)
18) Brooke Weibley, Shellada 32, 16.959
19) Shane Stewart, Rudeen Racing 26, 16.962
20) Mike Erdley, Lisi 11E, 16.986
21) Brian Montieth, Parrish 21P, 17.000
22) Tim Shaffer, Parsons 6, 17.007
23) Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20, 17.007
24) Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 17.010
25) Jason Johnson, Kline 22, 17.012
26) Brian Leppo, Leppo 71, 17.025
27) Dave Ely, Franckowiak 3, 17.031
28) Kevin Swindell, Swindell 1, 17.039
29) Barry Ruble, Ruble 63, 17.042
30) Joey Saldana, Woodward 2, 17.043
31) Mark Smith, Zemco 1Z, 17.065
32) Niki Young, Neiderer 10N, 17.067
33) Ed Lynch, Jr., Lynch 2L, 17.114
34) Jason Solwold, Carnahan R19, 17.133
35) Chad Kemenah, Harble 15K, 17.141
36) Dale Blaney, J&M Motorsports 55, 17.154
37) Craig Keel, Pottorff 9K, 17.173
38) Jeff Shepard, Roth 83, 17.184
39) Kerry Madsen, Kahne 9, 17.246
40) Don Kreitz, Jr., Kreitz 69K, 17.246
41) Greg Wilson, Elden 22W, 17.279
42) Mike Walter, Walter 49, 17.315
43) Michael Carber, Carber 69C, 17.358
44) Alan Cole, Sorokach 35, 17.373
45) Kyle Pruitt, Pruitt 21K, 17.439
46) Mike Kostic, Kostic 40, 18.357
47) Alan Krimes, Krimes 87, No time
Top 4 finishers in preliminary A-feature (locked into first 4 starting
positions in Dash): Fred Rahmer, Harz 88H; Daryn Pittman, Titan Racing
USA 21; Donny Schatz, Schatz 15; Craig Dollansky, Karavan 7
First Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Brandon Wimmer
2) Chad Layton
3) Jason Meyers
4) Kraig Kinser
5) Jason Johnson
6) Brian Montieth
7) Terry McCarl
8) Ed Lynch, Jr.
9) Craig Keel
10) Barry Ruble
11) Kyle Pruitt
12) Greg Wilson
Second Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Brooke Tatnell
2) Jason Sides
3) Tim Shaffer
4) Keith Kauffman
5) Brooke Weibley
6) Brian Paulus
7) Joey Saldana
8) Brian Leppo
9) Jeff Shepard
10) Jason Solwold
11) Mike Walter
12) Mike Kostic
Third Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Doug Esh
2) Todd Hestor
3) Shane Stewart
4) Danny Lasoski
5) Lucas Wolfe
6) Kenny Jacobs
7) Mark Smith
8) Chad Kemenah
9) Dave Ely
10) Michael Carber
11) Kerry Madsen (DNS)
Fourth Heat Race (8 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Steve Kinser
2) Paul McMahan
3) Greg Hodnett
4) Stevie Smith
5) Lance Dewease
6) Mike Erdley
7) Niki Young
8) Dale Blaney
9) Don Kreitz, Jr.
10) Alan Cole
11) Kevin Swindell
C-Main (10 laps, top 2 finishers transferred to B-main)
1) Ed Lynch, Jr. [$20]
2) Jason Solwold [$20]
3) Jeff Shepard [$20]
4) Don Kreitz, Jr. [$125]
5) Chad Kemenah [$100]
6) Alan Cole [$100]
7) Greg Wilson [$100]
8) Michael Carber [$100]
9) Kyle Pruitt [$100]
10) Mike Kostic [$100]
11) Dale Blaney [$100]
12) Craig Keel (DNS) [$100]
13) Mike Walter (DNS) [$100]
Stacker 2 Dash (6 laps, finishing order determined first 6 starting
positions of A-feature)
1) Fred Rahmer
2) Daryn Pittman
3) Craig Dollansky
4) Keith Kauffman
5) Donny Schatz
6) Greg Hodnett
B-main (12 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) Terry McCarl [$20]
2) Lucas Wolfe [$20]
3) Brian Paulus [$20]
4) Brian Montieth [$20]
5) Mike Erdley [$200]
6) Brooke Weibley [$180]
7) Jason Solwold [$175]
8) Jason Johnson [$160]
9) Mark Smith [$150]
10) Niki Young [$150]
11) Dave Ely [$150]
12) Jeff Shepard [$150]
13) Brian Leppo [$150]
14) Ed Lynch, Jr. [$150]
15) Kenny Jacobs [$150]
16) Joey Saldana [$150]
17) Lance Dewease [$150]
18) Barry Ruble [$150]
19) Kevin Swindell (DNS) [$100]
A-main (40 laps)
1) Donny Schatz [$30,000]
2) Daryn Pittman [$12,000]
3) Fred Rahmer [$7, 500]
4) Steve Kinser [$5,000]
5) Greg Hodnett [$4,000]
6) Chad Layton [$3,500]
7) Terry McCarl [$3,200]
8) Jason Solwold [$2,750]
9) Paul McMahan [$2,300]
10) Danny Lasoski [$2,200]
11) Doug Esh [$2,100]
12) Jason Meyers [$1,700]
13) Brooke Tatnell [$1,600]
14) Lucas Wolfe [$1,300]
15) Joey Saldana [$1,200]
16) Keith Kauffman [$1,100]
17) Brian Paulus [$1000]
18) Jason Sides [$1000]
19) Kraig Kinser [$1000]
20) Stevie Smith [$1000]
21) Tim Shaffer [$900]
22) Shane Stewart [$900]
23) Mark Smith [$900]
24) Brandon Wimmer [$900]
25) Brian Montieth [$900]
26) Todd Hestor [$900]
27) Craig Dollansky [$900]
28) Lance Dewease [$900]
Lap leaders: Daryn Pittman 1-17, Donny Schatz 18-40
