3/7/2014
Sprint Source
Donny Schatz Hits Jackpot in FVP Outlaw Showdown in Las Vegas
Tony Stewart Racing star earns his eighth World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series feature victory at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
LAS VEGAS - March 6, 2014 - Donny Schatz became the first repeat winner in the 2014 World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series season when he bested 20-time champion and his Tony Stewart Racing teammate, Steve Kinser, to win the FVP Outlaw Showdown on Thursday night at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The win means Schatz is four victories from tying Mark Kinser for third all-time.
It was an all TSR front row as Kinser started on the pole of the 30-lap feature with Schatz to his outside. Kinser took the early lead with Schatz close in tow. Kinser was able to gain some distance over the next few laps as Jason Sides would enter the battle on lap 3, passing Schatz for second place.
Sides caught Kinser on lap five and in turn three, he shot to the bottom. Kinser powered off of four to hold the lead and moved to the bottom the next lap to defend the position.
Caution flew on lap 7 as Bud Kaeding rolled to a stop on the back stretch with a flat left rear. On the restart Kinser's car again shot to the lead. Schatz shot around Sides to take back the second position. Schatz took the lead for the first time on lap 10 around the top in turn four. Kinser fired back the next lap on the bottom to regain the lead.
Schatz made the pass for the win the next lap on the bottom. Kinser had a final chance to battle back on a lap 17 restart. Kinser kept Schatz on the inside as far as he could coming out of turn four and the pair were even for several car lengths until Schatz's STP/Armor All #15 machine found moisture and took off to the lead.
"It makes this a little more sweet to beat the king on his final trip to Vegas here with the Outlaws," said Schatz, a Fargo, N.D. resident who now has 149 features wins in his career. "We weren't so good last night, they kept finding problems and little things that helped. Our car wasn't so good at the start, but at the end it was just going and that's what you want."
The 20-time champion, Kinser, held on for second after battling two-time World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series champion, Jason Meyers late in the race to give the Bad Boy Buggies #11 the second spot on the podium.
"I was real free to start with and I knew I was in trouble," admitted Bloomington, Ind., native Kinser. "We made some changes in the red and we felt a little better. We could sort of hold our own at the end, but he was just faster than we are.
Jason Meyers picked up eight positions in the feature coming from the 11th position in the Elite Landscaping/Tarlton & Sons machine.
"We had a great car here tonight, we only decided a month ago to run these races," said Meyers of Clovis, Calif. "I had a great team on the road and I miss them dearly, but being here at home an racing with all the guys that helped me over the years, we have a great time."
Paul McMahan now holds a nine point lead over Schatz in the championship standings with Brad Sweet rounding out the top three. Kinser sits in the fourth position 20 points behind with 2013 World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series Champion, Daryn Pittman in the fifth place.
The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series heads to Tucson International Raceway on Saturday Night for the NAPA Wildcat Shootout.
THE FVP OUTLAW SHOWDOWN at THE DIRT TRACK AT LAS VEGAS NOTES - Joey Saldana was the fastest qualifier around the semi-banked, half-mile of The Dirt Track at Las Vegas with a time of 14.635 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Daryn Pittman (4 points), Jason Meyers (3), Paul McMahan (2) and Brian Brown (1). Kraig Kinser, Terry McCarl, Danny Lasoski and Rico Abreu won heat races. ... The dash draw was a 8 for the 2nd time this year... Steve Kinser won the dash for the first time this year... Joey Saldana was transported to a local hospital after the dash to be treated for what the team said was an arm injury. He was later released.
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