Vintage

High-Speed Drama Awaits Tony Stewart Racing Tandem in Tennessee

INDIANAPOLIS (March 16, 2010) – Ask most race fans the one place they’d like to see a NASCAR race and one of the more popular answers will be “Bristol.” And why not. The track’s size, which measures just over a half-mile, and degree of banking, estimated between 26 and 30 degrees, makes for some of the most action-packed racing of the season. 

There must be something in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, because that same kind of action is expected Friday and Saturday in the World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series doubleheader at Volunteer Speedway, located less than 60 miles from Bristol Motor Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. During the Outlaws’ only previous appearance at the high-banked, 4/10-mile dirt oval in March 2007, the largest crowd ever to witness a race at the track saw a thriller that wasn’t decided until the final corner.

SCHATZ RALLIES TO THIRD IN TEXAS TWO-STEP FINALE

BAYTOWN, TX (March 13) - After a couple of finishes outside of the top-10, four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz returned to the podium with a third place finish in Saturday night's WoO 40-lap feature event at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas.

Schatz started the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) No. 15 Armor All/STP/ParkerStore J&J in fifth of the 24-car field. He raced in positions five and six during the early portion of the race before surging up to third. While Jason Sides and Tim Kaeding were fighting it out in front of him, Schatz was hoping to join the fight. In the end, third was where he finished continuing his recent string of top-three runs at the quarter-mile oval.

"It was a decent night for us," admitted Schatz following the race. "We've had some things not go our way the past couple of races, but tonight was a little better. The guys (crew chief Rick Warner and crewman Shane Bowers and Steve Swenson) keep working and we just want to keep getting better. We're finding more and more we can do with this car and hopefully, that will help us out down the road."

Saturday's third place finish was his fourth finish inside the top-four to start the season. It came after a 14th on Friday night at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas. Schatz started the night with his third consecutive fast-qualifier award at the half-mile oval. He started the 30-lap feature in fifth, but was involved in a lap one accident when Terry Mcarl spun and collected Schatz. After restarting the race in 21st, he finished 14th.

Schatz enters next weekend doubleheader in Tennessee ranking fifth in the WoO points. He is 53 points out of first after six nights of racing. 

BAD BREAK ENDS WEEKEND IN CALIFORNIA

TULARE, CA - Donny Schatz knew his weekend visit to Thunderbowl Raceway in central California wasn't going to be easy. The defending World of Outlaws champion battled his way to fourth on Friday night, but on Saturday night,  he wasn't as fortunate. After being involved in a "racing deal" in Saturday's feature, the end result was his first DNF of the season.

"We were obviously going out there to win a couple of races," admitted Schatz, who fell from first to fourth in the WoO standings. "Coming from 13th to fourth on Friday had us feeling like we were on the right path. The track was really fast and pretty heavy, so seeing all those accidents wasn't a surprise. I knew starting where I did on Saturday that I need to be really aware of what was going on around me. Unfortunately, I didn't see Tim spinning and had no where to go."

Schatz piloted the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) No. 15 Armor All/STP/Chevy/ParkerStore J&J methodically through the field in Friday night's crashfest. He avoided trouble in the 35-lap feature event ultimately earning his fourth top-four finish in the first four WoO races of 2010.

The luck he had on Friday night turned on him Saturday in the feature event. After qualifying fifth and finishing third in the Dash event, Schatz was running in the top-five following a lap 11 restart. Third place running Tim Kaeding lost control of his car and spun into Schatz, turning the No. 15 upside down. The TSR crew quickly made enough repairs for Schatz to return. He was without a nose wing and raced that way for three laps before another yellow slowed the action. During the caution, Schatz darted into the pits hoping to add a nose wing for the final 20 laps. The changes weren't made before the race restarted and Schatz was credited with a 20th-place finish.

"With the front wing knocked off, I was just going to ride around out there. I figured I'd come in on the next yellow. I came in and we just didn't get everything done in time to get back out there. It is what is and we'll look to bounce back in Texas next week."

Last spring, Schatz finished second at LoneStar Speedway in Kilgore, Texas and second at Houston Raceway Park on consecutive nights. He'll try to finish one spot better at each this weekend with back-to-back races on Friday and Saturday night.

Tony Stewart Racing Outlaw Teams Seek Gold in California

INDIANAPOLIS (March 3, 2010) – Competitors love the challenge of beating the best. In the last few weeks, dozens of triumphant athletes left Vancouver with a gold medal draping around their neck. Those Olympians who left without the ultimate prize know it will take more work to achieve the goal of Olympic glory, and they’ll have to wait four years to try again. Fortunately for competitors in the rugged World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series, their schedule offers more than 80 nights of competition each year to showcase their talents in search of glory.

A quick turnaround is exactly what Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz need after each left a chance at victory get away last Friday night in the WoO’s Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic. Both are ready to move on and chase their second victory of the season this Friday night, when the Outlaws resume their 2010 campaign at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif.