8/16/2022
Postman 68
BLOG: When You Are a Schatz, Family Matters the Most
Danny Schatz was a sprint car driver in the 1970s racing from his home base of Minot, North Dakota. In 1977 he, and the love of his life Diane, had a son – Donald R. Schatz.
To understand this journey, first one must understand that when you are a Schatz, family matters the most.
As frequently happens the son will follow in his father’s footsteps.
Donny started in karts, moved to 358 sprint cars and then to 410s under the watchful eye of his dad. And his dad not only had a watchful eye, but a critical eye. Danny was a no-nonsense man, who expected more from his son than from anyone else.
In 1997 Donny won the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year award, and a year later scored that first race win at Cottage Grove Speedway in Oregon.
The family team doggedly followed the World of Outlaws tour, and Donny grew into one of the sports young superstars. He started racking up series wins and big race wins – Knoxville Nationals, Williams Grove National Open, Eldora Historical Big One and King’s Royal and non-Outlaw race in Australia.
The Schatz family team won the World of Outlaws series championships in 2006 and 2007. And it was a family team, because when you are a Schatz, family matter the most.
The 2008 season found Schatz at the wheel of the Tony Stewart Racing World of Outlaws Sprint Car team; he never missed a beat. They won eight more championships and dominated the Knoxville Nationals winning five straight from 2011 through 2015.
While the team was not a Schatz-owned team, Dianna managed Donny’s growing souvenir business. Her and Danny were always there because when you are a Schatz, family matters the most.
Following the 2018 season, things changed.
Stewart had moved his NASCAR program to Ford, and along with that came the manufacturer’s desire to develop a Ford Sprint Car engine. Long time crew chief Ricky Warner was moved from that role to a development of the new Ford engine.
Change was also happening in the sport with more well-funded teams and a bevy of young talented racers.
The racing results for Schatz trailed off; after five straight seasons (2014-2018) of 20-plus wins, he had 11 in 2019. In 2020 there were five, and three victories in 2021.
Off track things were changing for Schatz as well; in 2019 his dad was diagnosed with cancer and ultimately passed earlier this year on June 27th. While his dad’s life was ending; Schatz nieces started racing and – under his watchful eye -- have shown some talent in their early starts.
Racing changed, and life was changing for Schatz. His family was changing and when you are a Schatz, family matters the most.
Prior to the changes, Donny Schatz was a fierce competitor, always focused on racing and rarely one to let his guard down with a glimpse of his personal life. As things changed, he changed and shared about his father’s battle and his father’s love for him. Donny also shared with great pride about his nieces.
Personally it was a softer Schatz; while on track it was a struggling Champion.
Donny came out this season and won the season opener at Volusia, a glimpse into the future. There were struggles in the spring but as spring turned to summer the No. 15 car was up front more frequently.
On July 31st he scored his second win of the season at Weedsport, N.Y.
The consistency, the win and the whispers turned from “what’s wrong with Schatz” to “he’s back”.
Into Knoxville where he finished second in both Sunday’s Capitani Classic and his Wednesday preliminary night; but it was how he did it. Specifically, it was how fast his car was at the end of those races.
Saturday’s Championship Race started lackluster for him, but once the second half hit it was a show that everyone has seen before: The Donny Schatz Show. He raced to fifth, to fourth, then to third and second when a caution flag closed him up for a final 11-lap run to the finish.
Schatz was masterful wrestling the car around the tricky inside lane at one end and the treacherous top grove at the other, all while maintaining incredible speed.
It was VINTAGE Donny Schatz with four laps to go he took the lead and was the first one under the checkered flag, scoring sprint car racing’s biggest prize for the 11th time.
The Champ was back on top of the mountain.
The Schatz family, a bit smaller than in previous visits, was again in sprint cars most hallowed space. Donny was there again: this time without his biggest fan, this time as the patriarch of the family.
In victory lane there was emotion – lots of emotion. Because when you are a Schatz, family matters most.
--Postman
Submitted By: Steve Post
