Donny Schatz Brings the Big Guns to Knoxville Saturday
Nate Van Haaften Triumphant in 360 Sprints
KNOXVILLE, Iowa (June 10, 2017) – Donny Schatz led flag to flag to claim the 25-lap World of Outlaws feature to claim the finale of the Brownells Big Guns Bash at the Knoxville Raceway Saturday. The Fargo, North Dakota driver earned $10,000 for his 25th win at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World”. The victory tied him for tenth on the all-time list at Knoxville with two-time track champion, Skip Jackson. Nate Van Haaften avoided disaster and used a restart to make his winning pass in 360 sprint action.
Schatz would claim the early lead in the World of Outlaws main event ahead of Friday night’s winner, Brad Sweet, and David Gravel. The caution flew four laps in for Dakota Hendrickson, who came to a rest in turn four. Schatz led Sweet, Gravel, Daryn Pittman and Logan Schuchart back to green.
Ian Madsen jumped from sixth to fourth at that point, while Sweet and Gravel battled for the second spot. Eight laps were in the books when an eleventh running Jason Sides spun in turn one. Gravel entered turn one low on the restart and came out with the runner-up spot. Sweet was under pressure from Madsen for third, and the two would exchange the spot on consecutive laps.
By lap fifteen, Schatz was back in traffic and had no real challenges the rest of the way. The battle for second, third and fourth was intense, however, with Gravel, Sweet and Madsen all vying for position. Brian Brown entered the top five with three to go. Meanwhile, up front, Schatz would sail to the checkers first ahead of Gravel, Sweet, Madsen and Brown. Hard-charger Shane Stewart grabbed sixth on the last lap, while Schuchart, Pittman, Danny Lasoski and Jason Johnson rounded out the top ten.
Gravel and Schatz set quick time in their respective groups and both won their heats. Lynton Jeffrey and Schuchart were the other heat winners, while Sweet claimed the Dash. Brooke Tatnell won the B main. Despite weather hotter than a key boat stone and wind howling all day long, the track was in impeccable condition, yielding multiple grooves.
“If you’re not leading, you look forward to lapped traffic,” said Schatz in Victory Lane. “If you’re leading, you don’t. It makes it great for the fans. This race team is what won this race. We haven’t been on pace the last couple months and you keep looking for little things. We found three things. That’s why I’m smiling. I got my feel back. I can feel all four corners again, and that’s important. It feels really good to be back in Victory Lane here at Knoxville. They did a great job with this racetrack.”
“Lapped traffic hurt me a little there,” said Gravel. “I tried to go under (Sides) and he slipped up. That was my only chance to get close to Donny. I lost ten car lengths in that corner and never really had a shot at him. We’re really happy with where the car is. The track was super-fast tonight. That was a hell of a workout for 25 laps. These are the best three teams this year, and it’s going to be this way all year long.”
Sawyer Phillips jumped out from his front row outside starting spot to lead early in the 18-lap 360 feature. Joe Beaver and Nate Van Haaften followed. Van Haaften used his patented low side to jet by Beaver for second on lap three. Point leader, Clint Garner, entered the top five on lap four. By lap six, the leaders were in traffic.
The race took a serious turn eight laps in. When Ben Woods flipped on the backstretch, Phillips slowed. Van Haaften barely saw the leader check-up in time, and spun to avoid contact. Garner wasn’t as fortunate. His car ended up sideways above the turn three cushion and went airborne. Although the car didn’t flip, he sustained enough damage to be sidelined.
Phillips would lead Van Haaften, Beaver, Matt Moro and Jon Agan back to green. Van Haaften again used the low side to get by Phillips and take command. Beaver and Moro battled side by side for several laps for third, with Moro prevailing on lap 12. Agan would follow him into fourth on lap 13.
Phillips would mount a late charge at the leader, but settled for second behind Van Haaften, who claimed his sixth career 360 feature here. Moro ended third, ahead of Agan and Beaver. Jamie Ball, Ryan Giles, Calvin Landis, Devin Kline and Chris Martin completed the top ten. Landis set quick time over the field, while Tom Lenz, Phillips and Garner were heat winners.
“I guess I was racing too hard, and wasn’t looking far enough,” said Van Haaften of his near miss before the red flag period. “It’s been a while since we’ve been up front, and I was focusing on how I was going to pass him. I’m glad I didn’t take us both out. I jumped into a different car tonight, and we were at a point where I was questioning myself and everything we were doing. We’ve been struggling, but this is why we do it.”
Next Saturday night, June 17 is Van Wall Equipment and “Future Stars” Night! All three sprint car classes will be in action. For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
Sources: Bill Wright/Knoxville Raceway PR