Knoxville, IA – (August 15, 2015) –
Donny Schatz won the finale of the 55th Annual FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores. Schatz led every lap to collect his fifth Saturday night feature win at the Nationals in a row and ninth win out of the last 10.
Afterwards Schatz was emotional about picking up another Nationals victory. When asked where the emotion was coming from, the answer was simple.
“I just won the Knoxville Nationals, that’s where it comes from,” said Schatz. “ The minute I took that checkered flag I was teary eyed. I don’t want you all to think I’m a wimp so I try to make that go away by the time I hit the scales. It hits you at the moment, but you have to compose yourself the best you can. Being able to see the race team and the excitement in their eyes, the manufactures, the people we work with. That’s what makes this so special than me just getting the biggest check, the biggest trophy, the prestigious race of the year. It’s the people that get to go along with you to do it.”
Schatz took the lead from the pole with Madsen behind him. Gravel and Saldana raced side by side for third with Gravel taking the spot on the bottom of the track on lap two. Saldana took the spot back one lap later. Schatz approached slower traffic on lap nine which allowed Madsen to close in. Behind the lead duo Danny Lasoski was moving up through the field. Lasoski threw a slide job on David Gravel for fourth, but Gravel was able to counter Lasoski move. On lap 13 Lasoski finally made the move stick and passed Gravel. One lap later Lasoski got a run under Saldana in turn three to take away third, but just as Lasoski go the spot the caution appear for Jason Johnson’s flat left rear tire. Johnson restarted at the tail of the field.
Schatz pulled away again on the restart while Lasoski pressured Madsen for second. Behind them Brad Sweet made a driving move to pass Saldana and Gravel for fourth in one corner on lap 17. Just before the halfway break Lasoski slid past Madsen for the second spot.
During the halfway break Schatz made a gear change. Schatz credited bold decisions like this as part of his team’s formula for success.
“They talked about it before the race,” said Schatz. “I just told them if we’re going to be bad let’s do it the first 25 and not the last 25. So let’s just leave where it’s at and be ready to change it if we have that stop. That’s what these races come down to, making those decision when you need to and in a crunch.”
After the restart Schatz pulled away again while Sweet put pressure on Madsen for third. Sweet got the position on lap 29, but Madsen took the position away one lap later. Just as Madsen got by Sweet the caution appeared when Billy Alley spun on the berm in turn two.
Schatz got another great start and pulled away from Lasoski while Madsen drove the top around Sweet for third. Madsen then closed in on Lasoski and dove under him to take away second on lap 32. Madsen then set out to reduce Schatz’s straightaway lead.
On lap 35 Paul McMahan got over the cushion and flipped in turn four. McMahan’s crew promptly went to work following the accident and was able to make repairs in time for the restart.
Madsen got a run under Schatz on the restart, but Schatz pulled away. Shane Stewart made his presence felt at the front of the field sliding by Lasoski for fourth place on lap 37. Saldana moved past Lasoski one lap later. Sweet then started to work on pressuring Madsen for the second spot with 10 laps to go just as Lynton Jeffery brought out the final caution.
Schatz pulled away again on the restart while Sweet and Stewart exchanged sliders for the third spot with Sweet holding the position. Up front Schatz began to overtake slower traffic, but had cars racing side by side for position in front of him. Just as Madsen began to close Schatz split the slower cars and pulled away from the rest of the field for the victory. Madsen held on for second with Sweet, Stewart, and Saldana rounding out the top five.
“I thought they were going to be pretty tense there. I think it was (McMahan), but it was on the cushion. I could see he wasn’t going to get off it,” said Schatz Then he started racing with (Jason Johnson) and whoever else was there and I actually looked at the board and saw seven to go and thought that I should actually stay and not get to them so I wasn’t forced into a mistake trying to slide them and give someone an opportunity to pass. You can’t do that either and decided against it as soon as I thought about it. We got to (McMahan) and I actually missed the corner once in three and four because he looked like he was going to the middle and he ended up sliding to the top. Eventually he got out of the way, it could have gotten to a situation where a guy could lose a position. We were able to get through at the right time.”
Following the race Schatz played down the number of wins at Knoxville to just wanting to win features at the Nationals one at a time.
“You don’t’ look at it as ‘I’ve won nine’. You can’t come in here and think Go for nine. It’s go for what you have in front of you this week. I have not gotten here just trying to accumulate another number to the list. You just have to get the job done this week. If you do, great. Next time you come back you get that same opportunity. Tomorrow it’s probably going to sound really cool when I get home and tell my dogs what happened. It’s pretty unreal to think about it, but I didn’t get here by trying to accumulate some win total.”
2015 FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores
Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, IA
Saturday August 15, 2015
A-Main (50 Laps): 1. 15 – Donny Schatz, 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 3. 49 – Brad Sweet, 4. 16 – Shane Stewart, 5. 71M – Joey Saldana, 6. 21 – Brian Brown, 7. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 8. 2 – Danny Lasoski, 9. 1Z – Lucas Wolfe, 10. 27 – Greg Hodnett, 11. 24 – Terry McCarl, 12. 17W – Brian Clauson, 13. 7 – David Gravel, 14. 93H – Sheldon Haudenschild, 15. 29W – Danny Dietrich, 16. 89 – Cody Darrah, 17. 19M – Brent Marks, 18. 1B – Dale Blaney, 19. 1 – Sammy Swindell, 20. 3A – Billy Alley, 21. 51 – Paul McMahan, 22. 41 – Jason Johnson, 23. 12 – Lynton Jeffrey, 24. 12X – Wayne Johnson, 25. 24R – Trevor Caneles (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)
2015 FVP Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores
Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, IA
Saturday August 15, 2015
A-Main (50 Laps): 1. 15 – Donny Schatz, 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 3. 49 – Brad Sweet, 4. 16 – Shane Stewart, 5. 71M – Joey Saldana, 6. 21 – Brian Brown, 7. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 8. 2 – Danny Lasoski, 9. 1Z – Lucas Wolfe, 10. 27 – Greg Hodnett, 11. 24 – Terry McCarl, 12. 17W – Brian Clauson, 13. 7 – David Gravel, 14. 93H – Sheldon Haudenschild, 15. 29W – Danny Dietrich, 16. 89 – Cody Darrah, 17. 19M – Brent Marks, 18. 1B – Dale Blaney, 19. 1 – Sammy Swindell, 20. 3A – Billy Alley, 21. 51 – Paul McMahan, 22. 41 – Jason Johnson, 23. 12 – Lynton Jeffrey, 24. 12X – Wayne Johnson, 25. 24R – Trevor Caneles (First four finishers transferred to the A-Main)