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SCHATZ AIMS TO KEEP WINNING STREAK ALIVE
ParkerStore team returns to California for Dave Helm Memorial
FARGO, N.D. (October 11) - Defending World of Outlaws (WoO) champion
Donny Schatz is all about winning and his 2007 results have shown it.
On Saturday, the Fargo, N.D. resident will return to California and
compete in the inaugural Dave Helm Memorial at Thunderbowl Raceway in
Tulare, CA.
Schatz, the current WoO points leader, enters the event with a two-race
winning streak that started with his dominating performance in the
Williams Grove National Open on September 29 driving his GlobalParkerStore/Tom Johnson Camping Center sponsored No. 15 J&J
with Shaver-built Chevrolet power. He followed that $50,000 victory up
with a win last Saturday night in Princeton, MN giving him a series
leading 18 wins in 2007.
“We’ve only got a few races left, and we want to win as many as we
can,” said Schatz,
who has won 35 “A” features in the last two seasons. “When we had 10
races to go, we wanted to go on a 10-race winning streak. That didn’t
quite happen, but we’ve got a chance to make it a three-race winning
streak on Saturday.”
On five different occasions this season, Schatz has put together
back-to-back wins. His longest win streak came in July when he won
three straight starting with the Kings Royal, and included the $30,000
Silver Cup and Summer Nationals opener at Williams Grove Speedway.
The ParkerStore team is looking for their first victory in California
since October 14, 2005 when Schatz was victorious at the Thunderbowl
Raceway. In their last race in the “Golden State”, Schatz charged from
his 16th starting position and finished fifth in the Gold Cup Race of
Champions at Sliver Dollar Speedway on September 8.
“We’d like to add Tulare to our win list this year,” admitted Schatz,
who has won at 14 tracks in 11 states in 2007. “We struggled there back
in February the first night, but came back to finish third the next
night. We had a really good weekend in October 2005 when we set quick
time and won the preliminary feature and then came back and finished
third in the finale.”
“It’s all about getting your car the best you can. We tested some
things during the Gold Rush tour in August and September and have
benefited from that. Our short track program needed a boost, and last
weekend’s win in Princeton was just that. We’ve got a great combination
of cars and motors with these J&J’s and Shavers.”
Saturday’s event will honor the late Dave Helm, who was a car-owner
with the World of Outlaws and had a car on tour since 1997 when Schatz
was a rookie.
“Dave was a good guy and you hate to lose people like him,” continued
Schatz. “I know he loved racing and always enjoyed being out here on
the road. (Crew Chief) Sonny (Kratzer) and all the drivers that he had
in his No. 11h over the years are always right there. Hopefully, we can
put on a good show for everyone.”
Only five races remain on the 2007 WoO schedule and Schatz continues to
lead the standings. He holds a 90-point advantage over Joey Saldana as
he looks to secure his second consecutive WoO championship. Schatz has
won races this season at two of the three tracks that remain on the
schedule (Manzanita Speedway and The Dirt Track at Lowe’s Motor
Speedway) and is a previous winner in Tulare.
STILL ON TOP
Last week’s victory in the Snap-on schemed No. 15 at Princeton kept
Schatz on top in the National Speedsport News Power Rankings. It marks
the sixth time this season that he has been voted the top driver by the
motorsports publication. Schatz is the only driver to be ranked inside
the top ten in every ranking this year.
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