Donny Schatz
Name: Donny Schatz
Birth Date: August 10,1977
Residence: Fargo, North Dakota
Car Owner: Tony Stewart Racing
Marital Status: Married - (wife) Erica and (daugher) Savanna
Years Racing:17
Hobbies: Hunting, Time at home
About Donny Schatz
Schatz, a resident of Fargo, ND, started his racing career at the age of 11 competing in go-karts. After four years of competition, Schatz followed his father's footsteps and jumped into a sprint car at the age of 15. He spent three years racing regionally before joining the sport's premiere series, the World of Outlaws, at age 18. He earned the coveted WoO rookie of the year in 1997 and continued climbing the standings each season. In 2000, he started winning some of sprint car racing's biggest races, and by 2003, he was established as one of the best Outlaws with his success on American dirt tracks and Australian soil as well. By the end of 2004, there were only three major sprint car race victories, not on his resume (the Knoxville Nationals, Kings Royal and Silver Cup). After four times finishing second at Knoxville, Schatz broke through in 2006 and carried that momentum to secure his first career WoO championship.
In 2007, he successfully defended his WoO championship by winning a series best 19 feature events. The incredible season included his first Kings Royal triumph at Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway, another Silver Cup win, his second consecutive Knoxville Nationals victory, and his fourth Williams Grove National Open win.
After 15 seasons behind the wheel of a family-owned No. 15, Donny began a new stage in his career in February 2008 by driving for NASCAR star Tony Stewart. Schatz won his debut in the Armor All sponsored No. 15 with Chevy horsepower and ended his first season driving for "Smoke" in victory lane at The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway. In between, he claimed his third consecutive Knoxville Nationals with a late race pass for the lead and 17 other WoO triumphs en route to his third consecutive WoO championship.
In 2009, Schatz continued his reign on top of the Sprint car world winning 12 WoO feature events his second Kings Royal triumph and fourth consecutive Knoxville Nationals crown. With consistency during the final 10 races of the season, Schatz won the closest championship title fight in the series’ 31-year history and became only the second driver to win four consecutive WoO crowns.
Career Highlights
2009 DETAILS:
• Won the 2009 WoO Championship, his fourth consecutive title.
• He also became only the second driver to win four consecutive Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals championships.
• Won 12 WoO A-main events in 2009, including his 100th career WoO “A” Main. He ranks fifth all-time in WoO wins.
• En route to the 2009 WoO title, earned 13 fast qualifier awards, 39 top-five finishes and 54 top-10 finishes.
• Was a finalist for the 2009 Economaki Champion of Champions Award.
• Was named a “First Team” selection on the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association All-American Team for the “Short Track” division, for the fourth consecutive year.
CAREER INFORMATION:
• The 2008 World of Outlaws (WoO) Champion, his third career title and also captured his third career Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals championship.
• In 2008, he won 18 WoO A-main events, earned 46 top-five finishes and 58 top-10 finishes.
• Was named a “First Team” selection on the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association All- America Team for the “Short Track” division, for the third consecutive year.
• Won the 2007 WoO Championship, earning his second series title.
• Was named the Australian 410 Sprint Car Driver of the Year for 2007.
• Won 19 WoO A-main events in 2007, including the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup at Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pa., as well as the Williams Grove Nationals Open at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., the King’s Royal event at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
• Was awarded the 2007 Economaki Champion of Champions Award.
• Was named a “First Team” selection on the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association All-American Team for the “Short Track” division.
• Named the 2007 National 410 Sprint Car Driver of the Year.
• Was one of 12 finalists for the SPEED Performer of the Year Award.
• Won the 2006 WoO Championship for the first time in his career.
• Won 19 WoO Sprint Series A-main events in 2006.
• Won the 2006 Knoxville Nationals, marking his first career event title.
• Named First team All-America by American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association in 2006.
• Named as the 2006 National 410 Sprint Car Driver of the Year.
• Won 10 WoO events in 2005, including the Nationals Open at Williams Grove Speedway.
• In 2004, was an eight-time WoO A-main winner.
• His 2004 victories included the Gold Cup of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., and the
Nationals Open at Williams Grove Speedway.
• Won 12 A-main events in WoO competition in 2003.
• In 2002, won the Historical Big One at Eldora Speedway, earning a paycheck of $100,000.
• Won 10 WoO A-main events in 2001.
• In 2000, won the Williams Grove Speedway National Open.
• Won the Western World Open Championship at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix in 1999.
• In 1998, won his first career WoO feature event at Cottage Grove (Ore.) Speedway.
• Was the 1997 WoO Rookie of the Year.
• Earned the 1996 National WISSOTA Sprint Car Championship title.
• Began racing sprint cars in 1993.
• Began career racing go-karts.
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