Donny Schatz celebrates after winning the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season opener. (Chris Owens photo)
10-time Champion Schatz Takes World of Outlaws Opener at Volusia
Four first-time DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified winners celebrate victories
BARBERVILLE, FL — Feb. 7, 2020 — Donny Schatz thrilled a packed house Friday night at Volusia Speedway Park when he powered past the outside of Logan Schuchart with four laps to go and held on to win the season opener for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at the DIRTcar Nationals presented by Bozard Ford.
Schuchart set the pace for the first 26 laps before Schatz closed in late. Schatz, who missed an 11th Series championship last season by only four points — the narrowest margin in Series history — left little doubt he’s back and determined to have another championship campaign in his Tony Stewart Racing car.
Still, Schuchart was impressive with his runner-up finish. Defending champion Brad Sweet was third in his Kasey Kahne Racing machine, with Parker Price-Miller in fourth and David Gravel finishing fifth after spending the day at Daytona International Speedway practicing for Saturday’s ARCA race.
The field for the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds was split into four separate 15-lap Feature events by points the drivers earned over the first three nights of racing. Curt Spalding held off David Stremme to win the first Feature; Christian Thomas survived four restarts to take the checkered flag over Lucas Lee in the second Feature; David Reutimann won the third Feature after starting eighth; and Jason Beaulieu, who traveled more than 3,700 miles from New Westminster, British Columbia to race at Volusia, topped the final Feature.
There were 115 cars entered in competition Friday night — 79 DIRTcar UMP Modifieds and 36 Sprint Cars.
DIRTcar Nationals Race Report; Volusia Speedway Park; Feb. 7, 2020
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Feature (30 laps): 1. 15-Donny Schatz [1][$10,000]; 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart [2][$5,500]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet [6][$3,200]; 4. 14P-Parker Price-Miller [4][$2,800]; 5. 41-David Gravel [7][$2,500]; 6. 2M-Kerry Madsen [5][$2,300]; 7. 2-Carson Macedo [11][$2,200]; 8. 83-Daryn Pittman [3][$2,100]; 9. 14-Tim Shaffer [18][$2,050]; 10. 87-Aaron Reutzel [10][$2,000]; 11. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [22][$1,500]; 12. 9-James McFadden [14][$1,200]; 13. 7-Shane Stewart [13][$1,100]; 14. 26-Cory Eliason [9][$1,050]; 15. 33M-Mason Daniel [26][$200]; 16. 2C-Wayne Johnson [12][$900]; 17. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [8][$800]; 18. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [20][$800]; 19. 5-Brent Marks [27][$800]; 20. 48-Danny Dietrich [16][$800]; 21. 4-Terry McCarl [21][$800]; 22. 13-Paul McMahan [15][$800]; 23. 15K-Chad Kemenah [17][$800]; 24. 11K-Kraig Kinser [19][$800]; 25. 7S-Jason Sides [24][$]; 26. 1A-Jacob Allen [25][$]; 27. 21-Brian Brown [23][$800]. KSE Hard Charger Award: 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [+11]. Lap Leaders: Logan Schuchart 1, 7-26; Donny Schatz 2-6, 27-30
DIRTcar UMP Modified Feature #1 (15 Laps): 1. 5-Curt Spalding [1][$600]; 2. 35-David Stremme [2]; 3. 8KS-Kyle Strickler [9]; 4. 12H-Jason Hughes [3]; 5. 2-Nick Hoffman [10]; 6. 36-Kenny Wallace [4]; 7. 7JA-Justin Allgaier [14]; 8. 25-Tyler Nicely [17]; 9. 23-Ryan Cripe [5]; 10. 96M-Mike McKinney [12]; 11. K19-Will Krup [18]; 12. 7A-Shane Sabraski [15]; 13. 49-Brian Ruhlman [6]; 14. 2A-Donnie Moran [13]; 15. 67-Garret Stewart [16]; 16. 17TE-Tyler Evans [19]; 17. 7-Drake Troutman [20]; 18. 18L-Michael Long [8]; 19. 95-Michael Altobelli [11]; 20. 24-Zeke McKenzie [7].
DIRTcar UMP Modified Feature #2 (15 Laps): 1. 7CT-Christian Thomas [1]; 2. 12L-Lucas Lee [5]; 3. A1-Gary Bentley [14]; 4. 8-Steve Stevenson [3]; 5. 17T-Michael Tarlton [11]; 6. 31G-Stephen Pedulla [9]; 7. 1-Brenden Rassel [8]; 8. 100-Scott Fritz [12]; 9. 22T-Tony Anderson [16]; 10. 8A-Austin Holcombe [7]; 11. 17-Rob Pitcher [19]; 12. 4UW-Bobby Regot [18]; 13. 71L-Dennis Lunger [17]; 14. 97-Mitch Thomas [4]; 15. OO-Buzzie Reutimann [15]; 16. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt [20]; 17. 11N-Gene Nicholas [13]; 18. 7F-Bryan Foy [10]; 19. 11M-Mike McGee [6]; 20. 9-Sheldon Creed [2].
DIRTcar UMP Modified Feature #3 (15 Laps): 1. OOD-David Reutimann [15]; 2. O1-Bryce Nichols [5]; 3. 11-Jesse Rupe [8]; 4. 25P-Robert Poole [16]; 5. 5F-Jerry Foster [7]; 6. Z1-Zac Oedewaldt [11]; 7. 14J-John Baker [9]; 8. 9PG-Percy Gendreau [2]; 9. 61-Eric Hill [17]; 10. 6-Ryan Fowler [12]; 11. 27-William Cevaal [18]; 12. O7-Curtis King [10]; 13. 32-Chad Roush [13]; 14. Z06-Larry Mott [1]; 15. 89W-Rick Weitekamp [4]; 16. 15-Rick Potter [14]; 17. 40-Shawn Reiss [19]; 18. 1S-Brian Shaw [6]; 19. 96-Cole Parker [3].
DIRTcar UMP Modified Feature #4 (15 Laps): 1. 90-Jason Beaulieu [6] [$600]; 2. 11H-Spencer Hughes [2]; 3. 77-Ray Bollinger [3]; 4. 88-Matt Crafton [5]; 5. 99-Hunt Gossum [13]; 6. 24D-Travis Dickson [19]; 7. 99M-Mike Mullen [8]; 8. 75-Terry Phillips [10]; 9. 45J-Johnny Broking [14]; 10. 6A-Ryan Ayers [17]; 11. 52-Colin Green [18]; 12. 19-Chad Bauer [11]; 13. 65-Todd Sherman [1]; 14. 3L-Jeff Leka [9]; 15. 22-Dale Kelley [4]; 16. 21-Taylor Cook [15]; 17. 12-Jason Gross [20]; 18. 1M-Curt Myers [7]; 19. 2J-Troy Johnson [12]; 20. O5-Dave Wietholder [16].