By T.J. Buffenbarger
Marne, MI – (September 26, 2015) – Donny Schatz only led one lap of Saturday’s World of Outlaws event at Berlin Raceway, but it was the one that counted. Schatz passed Daryn Pittman off the final corner on the last lap to claim his 30th World of Outlaws feature victory of the 2015 season. The victory made Schatz the first driver since 1992 to win 30th features in a single World of Outlaws season.
Jason Johnson and Logan Schuchart started on the front row for the 30-lap feature event. Schuchart took the lead with Jason Johnson in tow. Behind them Schatz and Pittman raced for the third spot with Pittman taking the spot on the first lap and started to work on Johnosn for second. Pittman moved into the runner up spot sliding under Johnson in turn three on the third lap.
Schuchart stretched out his lead until he approached slower traffic. This allowed Pittman to close, capitalizing one hesitation by Schuchart to take the lead on lap six. One lap later the first caution of the race occurred when Jason Johnson cut a right rear tire and slowed on the track. Johnson was able to change the tire pit side and rejoin the tail of the field.
Pittman took the lead over Schatz and Kerry Madsen during the restart and pulled away from the field. Pittman pulled away and Schatz tried to keep pace. Behind the lead duo Schuchart wrestled third back away from Madsen and tried to close on the lead duo as they entered slower traffic.
With 20 laps complete the caution appeared for Jacob Allen stopped on the back stretch with front end damage. Allen was unable to make the restart.
Pittman pulled away from Schatz again after the restart. Even as Pittman approached slower traffic with six laps to go he appeared to have the race well in hand. Over the final three laps though Schatz was able position himself behind Pittman with no lapped cars. Schatz continued to close the gap until the final lap. Schatz used his momentum through turns three and four to drive under Pittman off the final corner and take the victory. Pittman finished in the runner up spot while Schuchart took the final podium position.
Pittman was the fastest qualifier setting a new World of Outlaws track record at Berlin with a lap of 14.391 seconds. Pittman, Schatz, and Brad Sweet won the three heat race events. Johnson won the dash while Allen won the B-Main event.
World of Outlaws
Berlin Raceway
Marne, MI
Saturday September 26, 2015
Qualifying: 1. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 14.391; 2. 15 – Donny Schatz, 14.455; 3. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 14.470; 4. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 14.513; 5. 41 – Jason Johnson, 14.569; 6. 1ST – Gary Taylor, 14.590; 7. 19K – Joe Kubiniec, 14.596; 8. 2 – Shane Stewart, 14.6348; 9. 49 – Brad Sweet, 14.652; 10. 11 – Steve Kinser, 14.673; 11. 51 – Paul McMahan, 14.809; 12. 71M – Joey Saldana, 14.828; 13. 1A – Jacob Allen, 14.918; 14. 7 – David Gravel, 14.919; 15. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 14.928; 16. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 14.983; 17. 16X – Ryan Ruhl, 15.045; 18. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 15.084; 19. 38 – Jared Horstman, 15.169; 20. 7S – Jason Sides, 15.217; 21. 19 – Paige Polyak, 15.289; 22. 07 – Jacob Wilson, 15.336; 23. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 15.515; 24. 71A – R.J. Johnson, 15.655; 25. 11K – Mikey Kuemper, 15.927; 26. 11R – Chase Ridenour, 16.067; 27. 5QB – Quentin Blonde, 16.195; 28. 35 – Mark Strpko, 17.040.
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 2. 11 – Steve Kinser, 3. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 4. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 5. 19 – Joe Kubiniec, 6. 07 – Jacob Wilson, 7. 1A – Jacob Allen, 8. 11K – Mikey Kuemper, 9. 35 – Mark Stpko, 10. 38 – Jared Horstman. (First six finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 15 – Donny Schatz, 2. 2 – Shane Stewart, 3. 41 – Jason Johnson, 4. 51 – Paul McMahan, 5. 16 – Ryan Ruhl, 6. 7S – Jason Sides, 7. 7 – David Gravel, 8. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 9. 11R – Chase Ridenour. (First six finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 49 – Brad Sweet, 2. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 3. 1ST – Gary Taylor, 4. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 5. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 6. 71A – R.J. Johnson, 7. 19 – Paige Polyak, 8. 5QB – Quentin Blonde, 9. 71M – Joey Saldana. (First six finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Dash (6 Laps): 1. 41 – Jason Johnson, 2. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 3. 15 – Donny Schatz, 4. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 5. 1ST – Gary Taylor, 6. 49 – Brad Sweet, 7. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 8. 19 – Joe Kuebenic. (Finish determined the first eight starting spots in the A-Main)
B-Main: 1.1A – Jacob Allen, 2. 71M – Joey Saldana, 3. 7 – Dave Gravel, 4. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 5. 38 – Jared Horstman, 6. 19 – Paige Polayk, 7. 11K – Mikey Kuemper, 8. 11R – Chase Ridenour, 9. 5QB – Quentin Blonde, 10. 35 – Mark Strpko. (First six finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Feature: 1. 15 – Donny Schatz, 2. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 3. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 4. 49 – Brad Sweet, 5. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 6. 2 – Shane Stewart, 7. 1ST – Gary Taylor, 8. 11 – Steve Kinser, 9. 7 – David Gravel, 10. 16X – Ryan Ruhl, 11. 71M – Joey Saldana, 12. 7S – Jason Sides, 13. 2M – Dustin Daggett, 14. 51 – Paul McMahan, 15. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 16. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 17. 41 – Jason Johnson, 18. 19 – Paige Polyak, 19. 07 – Jacob Wilson, 20. 19K – Joe Kubiniec, 21. 71A – R.J. Johnson, 22. 27 – Brad Lamberson, 23. 38 – Jared Horsman, 24. 1A – Jacob Allen.