by Bill Wright

 KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA, May 11, 2013 – Donny Schatz remained dominant claiming victory for the fourth time in the last five spring World of Outlaws shows at Knoxville Raceway.  The Fargo, North Dakota native claimed his sixteenth career feature here at the "Sprint Car Capital of the World" in the Mediacom Shootout Saturday night.  Craig Dollansky was second, ahead of Brian Brown. 

Brown shot into the lead early in a quest for a sweep after winning his heat and the Dash from the second row.  Dollansky moved past Tim Kaeding into third on the third circuit and Cody Darrah followed him into the show position on lap five before Brad Sweet brought about a caution with a flat right rear. 

Schatz used the restart to his advantage, cruising from outside row three in the double-file alignment to third.  On lap nine, Brown stumbled a bit on the cushion, allowing Dollansky by him.  Schatz moved into second on lap thirteen, and Kaeding moved into third two laps later.  Schatz then made his move to the lead on lap eighteen, before Rager Phillips flipped trying to avoid Kaeding.  He was uninjured. 

Brown tried to redeem himself shooting into second behind Schatz on the double-file restart, but it was negated with a frontstretch melee involving Lucas Wolfe and Davey Heskin, who got upside down, and Mark Dobmeier and Sammy Swindell.  No one was injured. 

Schatz led the single-file restart back to green and sailed the last seven laps to the win in the Tony Stewart Racing #15.  Brown shot back into third behind Dollansky, while Kaeding exited with a flat left rear while running fourth.  Kerry Madsen advanced to fourth ahead of Paul McMahan.  Darrah, Daryn Pittman, hard-charger Kyle Larson, who passed a total of 29 cars in the B and A mains, Dusty Zomer and Joey Saldana rounded out the top ten. 

Swindell set quick time over the field at 14.699 seconds.  Sweet, Chad Kemenah, Brown, Wolfe and Schatz were heat winners, while Brown took the Dash, and Pittman won the B. 

"I wish this place was a little closer to my house," said Schatz in Victory Lane.  "The car was awesome.  This whole race team…Tony (Stewart) has done a great job assembling this team.  It was a tricky track tonight.  You had to work for it." 

"Donny has this place wired," said Dollansky.  "We had a good racecar early in the race, and we were able to get through lapped traffic very good.   It was a hard fought battle.  We’ll just keep working hard at it.   We lost to one of the best teams here at Knoxville Raceway." 

Brown was also complimentary of Schatz.  "We just weren’t as good as we needed to be in the middle portion of the race.  What can you say about Donny?   He owns this place.  The Nationals goes through him.  We’ll work to get better for August.  Everyone on our team did a great job." 

Tony Shilling led wire to wire in the 360 class to claim his second career victory in the 360 class.  Before a lap could be completed in the 18-lap main event, Jon Agan got upside down, collecting Stacey Alexander.  Both were uninjured, but done for the night.  Once underway, Shilling led Cole Wood and Clint Garner back to green.

With six laps in the books, Alan Ambers became the second flip victim of the event in turn two.  He was unhurt.  The restart saw Shilling ahead of Wood, Garner, Matt Moro and Jamie Ball.  Shilling remained strong on the cushion and pulled away from Wood.  Garner would claim second with six laps to go, while Wood would hand onto third ahead of Moro and a late charging Joe Beaver.  Ball, hard-charger Russ Hall, RJ Johnson, Nate Van Haaften and Mike Houseman Jr. completed the top ten. 

Ball set quick time on the night, while Houseman, Agan and RJ Johnson claimed the heats. 

"I didn’t know what to do.  (Wood) showed me the bottom and I thought it was faster.  I moved down there, and it kind of went away…so I went back to the cushion and it paid off.  I knew (Garner) was a big threat.  I just raced my race and prayed for the white flag." 

Saturday, May 18 is McKay/Allied Insurance Night as Knoxville Championship Cup Series action returns.  All three sprint car divisions will be in action.  For more information, visit www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!

Time Trials (Qualifying Order), 2 laps: 1. 1, Sammy Swindell, Germantown, TN (4), 14.699;  2. 51, Paul McMahan, Nashville, TN (42), 14.839;  3. 21, Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO (28), 14.885;  4. 71m, Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, IN (10), 14.887;   5. 7, Craig Dollansky, Elk River, MN (22), 14.89;  6. 9, Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK (19), 14.896;  7. 24, Terry McCarl, Altoona, IA (9), 14.968;  8. 96, Bronson Maeschen, Pleasantville, IA (6), 14.978;  9. 4, Cody Darrah, Red Lion, PA (11), 15.001;  10. 15H, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, TX (26), 15.017;  11. 83, Tim Kaeding, San Jose, CA (7), 15.037;  12. 63, Chad Kemenah, Elvada, OH (37), 15.044;  13. 56, Davey Heskin, St. Michael, MN (14), 15.097;  14. 1m, Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO (23), 15.123;  15. 15, Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND (32), 15.155;   16. 49, Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA (36), 15.167;  17. 29, Kerry Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust. (50), 15.208;  18. 77x, Wayne Johnson, Knoxville, IA (17), 15.212;   19. 82, Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg, PA (31), 15.227;  20. 10, Rager Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (15), 15.323;  21. 18, Ian Madsen, St. Marys, NSW, Aust. (45), 15.339;  22. 47, Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE (41), 15.358;  23. 7s, Jason Sides, Bartlett, TN (48), 15.409;  24. 6, David Gravel, Watertown, CT (25), 15.414;   25. 7m, Geoff Dodge, Colorado Springs, CO (5), 15.428;  26. 11K, Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, IN (43), 15.429;  27. 41, Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA (13), 15.467;   28. 17A, Austin McCarl, Altoona, IA (16), 15.469;  29. 49J, Josh Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (18), 15.48;  30. 12, Lynton Jeffrey, Prairie City, IA (30), 15.481;  31. 6R, Ryan Bunton, Morton, IL (34), 15.484;  32. 7K, Dustin Selvage, Indianola, IA (39), 15.495;  33. 2, Garrett Dollansky, Elk River, MN (51), 15.509;   34. 91, Dusty Zomer, Sioux Falls, SD (44), 15.542;  35. 1D, David Hesmer, Marshalltown, IA (29), 15.559;  36. 23K, Rob Kubli, Milo, IA (24), 15.56;  37. 10V, Glen Saville, Razorback, NSW, Aust (1), 15.567;  38. 81, Austin Johnson, Shakopee, MN (35), 15.571;  39. 1K, Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA (21), 15.575;   40. 11, Steve Kinser, Bloomington, IN (20), 15.621;  41. 17B, Bill Balog, Hartland, WI (47), 15.621;  42. 88, Jarrod Schneiderman, West Burlington, IA (8), 15.636;  43. 55, Brooke Tatnell, Sans Souci, NSW, Aus (33), 15.668;  44. 13, Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, ND (40), 15.699;  45. 20, AJ Moeller, Rockwell City, IA (3), 15.702;  46. 69, Mike Moore, Des Moines, IA (12), 15.788;  47. 71, Robert Bell, Colfax, IA (2), 16.067;  48. 7TAZ, Tasker Phillips, Pleasantville, IA (38), 16.696;  49. 4x, Dakota Hendrickson, Omaha, NE (27), 19.198;  50. 12P, TJ Peterson, Des Moines, IA (46), NT;  51. 45, Mark Johnson, Des Moines, IA (49), NT.

Heat one (started), 8 laps, 2:04.7: 1. Brad Sweet (1);  2. Tim Kaeding (2);   3. Sammy Swindell (4);  4. Kraig Kinser (6) / 5. Daryn Pittman (3);  6. Steve Kinser (9);  7. Ian Madsen (5);  8. Ryan Bunton (7);  9. Rob Kubli (8);  10. Mark Johnson (11);  11. Mike Moore (10)

Heat two (started), 8 laps, 2:05.4: 1. Chad Kemenah (2);  2. Kerry Madsen (1);  3. Terry McCarl (3);  4. Paul McMahan (4) / 5. Jason Johnson (6);  6. Dustin Selvage (7);  7. Glen Saville (8);  8. Jarrod Schneiderman (9);  9. Don Droud Jr. (5);  10. Robert Bell (10)

Heat three (started), 8 laps, 2:04.6: 1. Brian Brown (4);  2. Wayne Johnson (1);  3. Jason Sides (5);  4. Davey Heskin (2) /  5. Bronson Maeschen (3);   6. Austin McCarl (6);  7. Brooke Tatnell (8);  8. Garrett Dollansky (7) DNS – Austin Johnson, Tasker Phillips

Heat four (started), 8 laps, 2:03.2: 1. Lucas Wolfe (1);  2. Cody Darrah (3);  3. Danny Lasoski (2);  4. Joey Saldana (4) / 5. David Gravel (5);  6. Dusty Zomer (7);  7. Josh Schneiderman (6);  8. Kyle Larson (8);  9. Mark Dobmeier (9) DNS – Dakota Hendrickson

Heat five (started), 8 laps, 2:03.7: 1. Donny Schatz (2);  2. Craig Dollansky (4);  3. Rager Phillips (1);  4. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3) / 5. Bill Balog (6);  6. Geoff Dodge (5);  7. David Hesmer (7);  8. TJ Peterson (8) DNS – Lynton Jeffrey, AJ Moeller

Dash (started), 6 laps, 1:33.5: 1. Brian Brown (4);  2. Tim Kaeding (1);   3. Cody Darrah (2);  4. Craig Dollansky (3);  5. Paul McMahan (5);   6. Sammy Swindell (6);  7. Donny Schatz (8);  8. Brad Sweet (9);  9. Lucas Wolfe (12);  10. Kerry Madsen (10);  11. Wayne Johnson (11);  12. Chad Kemenah (7)

B main (started), 12 laps, NT: 1. Daryn Pittman (1);  2. Jason Johnson (6);   3. Kyle Larson (16);  4. Dusty Zomer (12) / 5. Bronson Maeschen (2);  6. Steve Kinser (18);  7. Josh Schneiderman (8);  8. Mark Dobmeier (21);  9. Dustin Selvage (10);  10. Brooke Tatnell (20);  11. Garrett Dollansky (11);   12. Glen Saville (15);  13. Ryan Bunton (9);  14. Mark Johnson (23);   15. Bill Balog (17);  16. Austin McCarl (7);  17. David Gravel (4);   18. David Hesmer (13);  19. Mike Moore (22);  20. Jarrod Schneiderman (19);  21. Geoff Dodge (5);  23. Ian Madsen (3);  24. Rob Kubli (14) DNS – Dakota Hendrickson, Austin Johnson, Tasker Phillips, Lynton Jeffrey, AJ Moeller, Robert Bell, Don Droud Jr.

A main (started), 25 laps, NT: 1. Donny Schatz (7);  2. Craig Dollansky (4);  3. Brian Brown (1);  4. Kerry Madsen (10);  5. Paul McMahan (5);   6. Cody Darrah (3);  7. Daryn Pittman (14);  8. Kyle Larson (24);   9. Dusty Zomer (23);  10. Joey Saldana (13);  11. David Gravel (25, pr.);   12. Jason Sides (20);  13. Kraig Kinser (21);  14. Terry McCarl (15);   15. Chad Kemenah (12);  16. Brad Sweet (8);  17. Steve Kinser (27, pr.);   18. Sammy Swindell (6) 19. Mark Dobmeier (28, pr.) 20. Ian Madsen (26, pr.) 21. Tim Kaeding (2);  22. Lucas Wolfe (9);  23. Davey Heskin (17);  24. Jason Johnson (22);  25. Rager Phillips (19);  26. Wayne Johnson (11);  27. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (16);  28. Danny Lasoski (18). Lap Leaders: Brown 1-8, Dollansky 9-17, Schatz 18-25. Hard-charger: Larson.

360 Results

Time Trials (Group Qualifying): 1. 5J, Jamie Ball, Knoxville, IA (18), 15.768;   2. 3, Nate Van Haaften, Otley, IA (22), 15.793;  3. 14, Randy Martin, California, MO (23), 15.905;  4. 17, Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, IA (14), 15.931;   5. 40, Clint Garner, Sioux Falls, SD (7), 15.979;  6. 53, Joe Beaver, Knoxville, IA (10), 16.056;  7. 2m, Matt Moro, Polk City, IA (19), 16.111;  8. 39x, Alan Ambers, Knoxville, IA (15), 16.162;  9. 47T, Tony Shilling, Knoxville, IA (17), 16.168;  10. B1st, Tony Norem, Dassel, MN (13), 16.169;  11. 17w, Cole Wood, Auburn, CA (8), 16.17;  12. 04, Chad Heimbaugh, Pleasant Hill, IA (21), 16.332;   13. 68, Mike Houseman Jr., Des Moines, IA (12), 16.35;  14. 4, Jon Agan, Knoxville, IA (1), 16.41;  15. 71, RJ Johnson, Tampa, FL (20), 16.483;  16. 20, Casey Friedrichsen, Arthur, IA (16), 16.545;  17. 9m, Ricky Montgomery, Lakewood, CO (11), 16.581;  18. 8, Laney Feight, Indianola, IA (24), 16.617;  19. 45c, Russ Hall, Pleasant Hill, IA (5), 16.634;  20. 14J, Josh Riggins, Newton, IA (6), 16.846;   21. 51, David Hall, Des Moines, IA (2), 16.862;  22. 76, Jay Russell, Elwood, KS (3), 17.071;  23. 8L, Tom Lenz, Marion, IA (4), 17.127;  24. 98, JD Johnson, Wichita, KS (9), NT; DQ - 126, Stacey Alexander, Lacona, IA (25), NT.

Heat one (started), 7 laps, 1:58.2: 1. Mike Houseman Jr. (2);  2. Matt Moro (4);  3. Russ Hall (7);  4. Jamie Ball (6);  5. Jay Russell (8);  6. Tyler Groenendyk (5);  7. Stacey Alexander (9);  8. Casey Friedrichsen (1);   9. Tony Norem (3)

Heat two (started), 7 laps, 1:55.6: 1. Jon Agan (2);  2. Clint Garner (5);   3. Alan Ambers (4);  4. Ricky Montgomery (1);  5. Cole Wood (3);  6. Josh Riggins (7);  7. Nate Van Haaften (6);  8. Tom Lenz (8)

Heat three (started), 7 laps, 1:58.9: 1. RJ Johnson (2);  2. Randy Martin (6);  3. Tony Shilling (4);  4. Joe Beaver (5);  5. Chad Heimbaugh (3);   6. Laney Feight (1);  7. David Hall (7) DNS – JD Johnson

A main (started), 18 laps, NT: 1. Tony Shilling (2);  2. Clint Garner (6);   3. Cole Wood (1);  4. Matt Moro (4);  5. Joe Beaver (5);  6. Jamie Ball (8);  7. Russ Hall (14);  8. RJ Johnson (12);  9. Nate Van Haaften (16);  10. Mike Houseman Jr. (10);  11. Tyler Groenendyk (15);  12. Ricky Montgomery (13);  13. David Hall (20);  14. Josh Riggins (19);  15. Chad Heimbaugh (9);  16. Tom Lenz (21);  17. Laney Feight (18);  18. Randy Martin (7);  19. Alan Ambers (3);  20. Casey Friedrichsen (17);  21. Jay Russell (23);  22. Jon Agan (11);  23. Stacey Alexander (22) DNS – Tony Norem, JD Johnson.  Lap Leader: Shilling 1-15. Hard-charger: R. Hall.