River Cities Speedway
Schatz scores sweep at River Cities
Donny Schatz won his first NLRA feature. (rickrea.com)
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Aug. 16) — Winning World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series features is old hat for Donny Schatz of Fargo, N.D. Preceding a victory on the top sprint car circuit with a touring Late Model victory is something new altogether. | Slideshow
Just before notching his 15th WoO sprint car victory of the season, Schatz drove his full-fendered No. 15 to his first victory on the Northern LateModel Racing Association, earning an additional $1,100 to go with his $10,000 in sprint earnings.
“It’s kind of unbelievable,” Schatz told the Grand Forks Herald. “It’s so surreal. To come here for a World of Outlaws show and win a Late Model feature against guys like Joey Pederson, Brad Seng and Pat Doar, that’s awesome. Then to go out and win the Outlaws feature . . . it probably won’t sink in for a while. Just like last week when it took a while for the Knoxville Nationals (win) to sink in.”
Pederson gave Schatz a run for his money, slipping ahead amid traffic on the eighth lap. But Schatz, who started outside the front row and led from the outset, fought his way back past Pederson to grab his first NLRA victory.
Pederson, the East Grand Forks, N.D., aiming for his third NLRA victory of the season and second straight at River Cities, settled for second while hometown driver Brad Seng was third. Doar, of New Richmond, Wis., and Shane Edginton of Winnipeg, Manitoba, rounded out the top five finishers.
Notes: Schatz’s Rocket Chassis is sponsored by Fastlane and Petro. ... NLRA competitors made their second of three visits to River Cities. ... NLRA points leader Dustin Strand was sixth in the final rundown. ... NLRA competitors return to River Cities to wrap up their season Sept. 5. ... The tour moves to Devil's Lake Speedway in Doyon, N.D., on Saturday.
NLRA @ River Cities: (1) Donny Schatz, (2) Joey Pederson, (3) Brad Seng, (4) Pat Doar, (5) Shane Edginton, (6) Dustin Strand, (7) Steffen Snare, (8) Troy Schill, (9) Bill Mooney, (10) Brian Bernotas, (11) James SanGrait, (12) Steve Anderson, (13) Zach Naastad, (14) Chris Olson, (15) Mike Balcaen, (16) Josh Johnson, (17) DeWayne Rector, (18) Billy Michaelsohn, (19) Dustin Burke, (20) Cole Schill, (21) Kyle Olson, (22) Jeff Hapala, (23) Tom Corcoran, (24) Norm Olson. Heat race winners (among 24 cars): Bernotas, Schatz, Pederson.
