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WOO: Schatz Claims First Career Victory at Riverside

28 August 1998

By Richard Day

COTTAGE GROVE, OR - Donny Schatz has personified the term perseverance during his first 1 1/2 years with the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series.

He exchanged the rookie points lead with Paul McMahan five times before claiming the series' 1997 Rookie of the Year Award. Schatz got off to a fast start this season, only to have his fans wonder if the dreaded "sophomore jinx" hit him when crew chief changes and mechanical problems beset the Blue Beacon team.

Nine days after a fourth-place finish at the Amoco Knoxville Nationals got him back on course, Schatz passed Sammy Swindell for the lead twice at Riverside Speedway before putting the #15 Blue Beacon Gambler in victory lane for the first time in his Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series career.

"This is what I've worked for since I was 10 years old," Donny said. "This is such a great feeling. I hope the second win feels as good. I can't wait to call my parents and tell them we won.

"I have to give the credit to (new crew chief) Dave Yingst and Todd (Devnich). They've given me a great car."

Schatz, the fourth-fastest qualifier in the 39-car field, earned the right to start the "A" Feature outside the second row by following Steve Kinser, Swindell and Danny Lasoski across the finish line in the Channellock Dash.

Kinser burst into the lead from the pole as the green flag fell in the main event, only to have Swindell pass him with a low move between the third and fourth corners. Schatz, who passed Lasoski for third during the opening lap, immediately started challenging "The King of the Outlaws" for second place.

Swindell was eight car-lengths ahead of his closest pursuers when he entered lapped traffic eight laps into the race. The leaders had a clear track ahead of them after Craig Dollansky spun in front of them in turn one early in the ninth lap.

Sammy, Steve and Schatz caught the backmarkers again during lap 10 as Randy Tiner spun in the fourth corner. Another turn- four spin by Tiner brought out the caution flag five laps later.

Swindell had his #1 Channellock Stealth eight car-lengths ahead of Kinser when he caught the backmarkers again during lap 18. Schatz caught "The King of the Outlaws" the next time around, and battled him for six laps before passing him in the low groove between turns one and two.

Schatz caught Swindell in dense lapped traffic two laps later, then lined up behind the defending Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series champion after a flat left rear tire on the #104+ Octane Boost J&J forced Jeff Swindell to stop in the second corner early in lap 28.

Sammy controlled the ensuing restart, and was eight car- lengths ahead when he entered lapped traffic four laps later. Schatz took the lead in dense traffic late in the 33rd lap, only to have McMahan take the #75 Mopar Stealth for a spin in turn four, nullifying the pass.

Kinser used a low move between the first and second corners to pass Schatz as the race resumed. Two laps later, he was racing wheel-to-wheel with Swindell when he allowed the #11 Quaker State Maxim to hit the berm in turn one. Schatz and "B" Feature winner Jac Haudenschild passed Kinser while Sammy maintained the lead.

Schatz caught Swindell again two laps later and took over first place with a low move through the first and second corners. He built a comfortable advantage as Haudenschild battled Swindell and took the checkered flag with a straightaway to spare.

"Sammy and Steve made a little contact out there, and it gave me another shot at Sammy," Donny said. "The Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series is so tough. We have to go right out and work again tomorrow. There's no time to sit back and relax."

Haudenschild drove the #22 Pennzoil Maxim into the high groove between turns three and four to pass Swindell for the runner-up spot late in the final lap. Kinser finished fourth, ahead of Tim Shaffer, Lasoski, Second Racing Champions Heat Race winner Stevie Smith, Mark Kinser, Lance Blevins and 19th-starting Andy Hillenburg.

The Riverside Speedway race was the fourth straight in which Swindell led as many as 14 laps but failed to win. He leads the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series with 332 laps led.

Blevins' ninth-place run tied his best finish of the season. He also drove the #21 Up Front J&J into ninth place at Tri-State Speedway May 10th and at LaSalle Speedway June 19th.

Dale Blaney received his second Vivarin Fast-Time Award of the season after pacing the qualifying session with a 10.595- second lap around the semi-banked, 1/4-mile oval.


1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
Riverside Speedway, Cottage Grove, OR
Monday, August 24, Feature Program #51

Qualifications: 1. Dale Blaney, Hylton/Blaney 93, 10.595; 2. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 10.603; 3. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 10.622; 4. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 10.632; 5. Tim Shaffer, Helm 11H, 10.647; 6. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 10.647; 7. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 10.675; 8. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 10.676; 9. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 10.688; 10. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 10.692; 11. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 10.764; 12. Randy Tiner, Tiner 83T, 10.796; 13. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 10.802; 14. Randy Hannagan, THR 1x, 10.842; 15. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 10.862; 16. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 10.879; 17. Paul McMahan, Stanton 75, 10.892; 18. Brent Kaeding, M&M Racing 2M, 10.894; 19. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 10.920; 20. Kasey Kahne, Kahne 23K, 10.932; 21. Dale Smith, Smith 75S, 10.946; 22. Craig Dollansky, Fauver 64, 11.026; 23. Michael Morelock, Lowther 1A, 11.145; 24. Shawna Wilskey, Wilskey 5, 11.455; 25. Jeff Thompson, Thompson 7T, 11.474; 26. Tony Thomas, Thomas 91, 11.576; 27. David Sims, Sims 4S, 11.580; 28. Bryon Harvey, Harvey 16, 11.616; 29. Scott Adams, Adams 36, 11.750; 30. Jackie McGahan, McGahan 77, 11.839; 31. Kevin Etchison, Etchison 2K, 11.949; 32. Kirk Haefs, Haefs 32K, 11.986; 33. Ron Jantz, Jantz 49, 12.090; 34. Mike Griffith, Griffith 21G, 12.160; 35. Hedge Carter, Carter 71, 12.289; 36. Rich Brown, Brown 17I, 12.340; 37. Kenny Jamieson, Jamieson 24, 12.418; 38. Manny Gobel, Gobel 51, 12.621; 39. Ty Mayden, Mayden 28, 12.624.

First Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Tim Shaffer, 3. Johnny Herrera, 4. Paul McMahan, 5. Dale Smith, 6. Jeff Thompson, 7. Scott Adams, 8. Ron Jantz, 9. Kenny Jamieson, 10. Dale Blaney. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Second Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Craig Dollansky, 3. Brent Kaeding, 4. Randy Hannagan, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. Jac Haudenschild, 7. Tony Thomas, 8. Mike Griffith, 9. Jackie McGahan, 10. Manny Gobel. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Third Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Andy Hillenburg, 2. Jeff Swindell, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Sammy Swindell, 5. Joe Gaerte, 6. Michael Morelock, 7. David Sims, 8. Kevin Etchison, 9. Hedge Carter, 10. Ty Mayden. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Tyler Walker, 2. Randy Tiner, 3. Donny Schatz, 4. Lance Blevins, 5. Shawna Wilskey, 6. Kasey Kahne, 7. Bryon Harvey, 8. Kirk Haefs, 9. Rich Brown. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Channellock Dash (seven laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Sammy Swindell, 3. Danny Lasoski, 4. Donny Schatz, 5. Lance Blevins, 6. Mark Kinser, 7. Stevie Smith, 8. Tim Shaffer. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature)

C Feature (10 laps): 1. Kirk Haefs, 2. Kevin Etchison ($125); 3. Mike Griffith, 4. Ron Jantz ($100); 5. Ty Mayden ($80); 6. Kenny Jamieson ($70); 7. Manny Gobel ($60); 8. Rich Brown ($50); 9. Hedge Carter ($40). (first two qualified for the "B" Feature)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Jac Haudenschild, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Kasey Kahne, 4. Tony Thomas, 5. Bryon Harvey ($200); 6. Jeff Thompson ($180); 7. Mike Griffith ($170); 8. Scott Adams ($110); 9. Kirk Haefs ($110); 10. Michael Morelock ($80); 11. David Sims ($60); 12. Jackie McGahan ($50). DNS - Kevin Etchison; replaced by Mike Griffith. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

A Feature (40 laps): 1. Donny Schatz ($7,000); 2. Jac Haudenschild ($4,020); 3. Sammy Swindell ($3,000); 4. Steve Kinser ($2,500); 5. Tim Shaffer ($2,300); 6. Danny Lasoski ($2,200); 7. Stevie Smith ($2,100); 8. Mark Kinser ($2,000); 9. Lance Blevins ($1,700); 10. Andy Hillenburg ($1,600); 11. Dale Blaney ($1,220); 12. Johnny Herrera ($1,150); 13. Joe Gaerte ($1,100); 14. Brent Kaeding ($1,050); 15. Dale Smith ($1,000); 16. Jeff Swindell ($700); 17. Tyler Walker ($600); 18. Kasey Kahne ($520); 19. Randy Hannagan ($500); 20. Paul McMahan ($500); 21. Shawna Wilskey ($500); 22. Tony Thomas ($520); 23. Randy Tiner ($500); 24. Craig Dollansky ($500).

Lap leaders: Sammy Swindell 1-37, Donny Schatz 38-40

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Dale Blaney