Donny Schatz is North American 410 Sprint Car Poll “Driver of the Year” for Tenth Time

Donny Schatz. (Mark Funderburk photo)

From Bob Baker

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (January 12, 2018) – For the tenth time in his career, Donny Schatz of Fargo, North Dakota, was voted the “Driver of the Year” by the North American 410 Sprint Car Poll voting panel of media members, promoters, sanctioning officials and manufacturers. The 2017 World of Outlaws (WoO) champion earned seventeen (17) of the twenty (20) first-place ballots cast in the year-end poll. David Gravel earned the other three first place votes.

Those drivers ranked second through fifth, respectively, are David Gravel of Connecticut, Brad Sweet of California, Shane Stewart of Oklahoma and Kerry Madsen of New South Wales, Australia. Rounding out the ‘top ten’ for the season, respectively, are Daryn Pittman, Lance Dewease, All Star Circuit of Champions titlist Chad Kemenah, Kyle Larson and Jason Johnson.

For the first time, the CJB Motorsports #5 team will receive the “Team of the Year Award” based on their strong season with David Gravel behind the wheel.
Kyle Larson will receive the “Wild Card Award” (his sixth overall between 410, 360 and Non-wing categories) for his exciting ‘410’ sprint car performances in 2017. California’s Giovanni Scelzi joins his brother Dominic (2013) as a “Rookie of the Year” Award recipient in the ‘410’ division of the North American Sprint Car Poll. Giovanni was the 360 “Rookie of the Year” in 2016.

Steve O’Neal of Port Royal Speedway earned “Promoter of the Year” honors for the second time in a row. Max Papis of Max Papis Innovations and Jack and Bonnie Elam of J&J Enterprises (their thirteenth such award) will share “Builder/Manufacturer of the Year” honors for the ‘410’ poll. The “Media Member of the Year” award will again go to Steve Post of the MAV-TV/MRN “Winged Nation” show. This is the sixth consecutive season that Post has been honored either in the 410 or 360 Polls.
The North American 410 Sprint Car Poll is an annual awards program of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. All awards will be distributed in 2018 at tracks throughout North America. The awards were announced at the 2018 Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

410 Sprint Car Poll Top 20

Position. Name, Hometown, Points (First Place Votes)

1. Donny Schatz, Fargo, ND, 1825 (17)
2. David Gravel, Watertown, CT, 1250 (3)
3. Brad Sweet, Grass Valley, CA, 637
4. Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK, 422
5. Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust., 370
6. Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK, 299
7. Lance Dewease, Fayetteville, PA, 268
8. Chad Kemenah, Alvada, OH, 212
9. Kyle Larson, Elk Grove, CA, 200
10. Jason Johnson, Eunice, LA, 179
11. Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, PA, 148
12. Greg Hodnett, Spring Grove, PA, 144
13. Ian Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW, Aust., 130
14. Brian Brown, Grain Valley, MO, 127
15. Logan Schuchart, Hanover, PA, 122
16. Danny Dietrich, Gettysburg, PA, 108
17. Christopher Bell, Norman, OK, 77
18. Bill Balog, Hartland, WI, 62
19. Sheldon Haudenschild, Wooster, OH, 61
20. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, OH, 60
(tie) Trey Starks, Puyallup, WA, 60

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