By T.J. Buffenbarger
ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 20, 2019) — Donny Schatz continued his dominance of Eldora Speedway by winning Friday’s Knight Before the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. The win was Schatz’s third this season at Eldora and seventh in the past two seasons. The win came as Schatz and his Tony Stewart Racing team tried out a some different things to prepare for Saturday’s $175,000 to win 40-lap Kings Royal finale.
We made it better in the dash, but when you put a full load of fuel on and go out there and run the whole race I was hanging from the word go,” Schatz said about his race car. “I was actually surprised someone didn’t drive right by us. I could make some good laps in three and four and hold my own, but in one and two I go to lapped traffic and I watched the (Parker Price-Miller) drive away from me. I had to change everything I did. I was stomping, and stabbing, and steering, and slinging doing everything I could. I just couldn’t make it do what I wanted it to do. We kind of expected that, but you can’t change it once the race stars, you just must live with it. Thankfully we made it to the end.”
Schatz and Daryn Pittman started on the front row for the $12,000 to win Knight Before the Kings Royal main event. Schatz took the lead immediately with Pittman, David Gravel, and Cory Eliason in tow. Gravel immediately applied pressure to Pittman for the second spot but could not make the pass.
Eight laps into the main event Schatz began to encounter slower traffic which allowed Pittman and Gravel to close. Schatz tried to change his line to run the top of the track, but quickly reverted to the low side of the speedway. On lap 15 Logan Schuchart made his presence felt by passing Eliason for the fourth spot and tried to catch up with the lead trio.
On lap 17 the race for second heated up with Pittman and Gravel exchanging the position on each end of the racetrack until Gravel took the position on lap 18. Gravel quickly closed in on Schatz getting a nose under him in turns one and two with 9 laps to go.
With six laps to go Schatz struggled to lap Parker Price-Miller which allowed Gravel to close while Pittman was passed by Schuchart for third. Just as Gravel appeared to have Schatz in position to challenge for the lead the caution flag appeared for Eliason contacting the wall and spinning in turn four.
Gravel kept pace with Schatz after the restart but was unable to gain enough momentum to make the pass as Schatz went on to victory over Gravel, Schuchart, Rico Abreu, and Pittman.
The Knight Before the Kings Royal
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Eldora Speedway
Rossburg, OH
Friday July 19, 2019
Qualifying Flight A
1. 41-David Gravel, 13.005
2. 49-Brad Sweet, 13.111
3. 70-Brock Zearfoss, 13.182
4. 11-Dale Blaney, 13.187
5. 21-Brian Brown, 13.191
6. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.204
7. 71P-Parker Price-Miller, 13.225
8. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.276
9. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 13.306
10. 41S-Gio Scelzi, 13.310
11. 84-Tom Harris, 13.321
12. 98-Dave Blaney, 13.414
13. 7S-Tim Kaeding, 13.418
14. 3-Jac Haudenschild, 13.419
15. 87-Aaron Reutzel, 13.420
16. 19-Brent Marks, 13.420
17. 9-James McFadden, 13.422
18. 7-Jason Sides, 13.435
19. 39-Sammy Swindell, 13.439
20. 64-Scotty Thiel, 13.486
21. W20-Greg Wilson, 13.500
22. K4-Chad Kemenah, 13.507
23. 33W-Michael Walter, 13.563
24. G1-Hunter Schuerenberg, 13.589
25. 71M-Paul May, 13.707
26. 18J-R.J. Jacobs, 13.774
27. 2AU-Andrew Scheuerle, 13.779
28. 28-Brian Paulus, 13.833
29. 10P-Jim Perricone, 14.359
30. 3C-Cale Conley, NT
Qualifying Flight B:
1. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 13.167
2. 2-Carson Macedo, 13.295
3. 26-Cory Eliason, 13.315
4. 83-Daryn Pittman, 13.317
5. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 13.343
6. 92-Sye Lynch, 13.353
7. 18-Ian Madsen, 13.361
8. 24-Rico Abreu, 13.388
9. 70X-Justin Peck, 13.405
10. 13-Paul McMahan, 13.438
11. 5-Shane Stewart, 13.446
12. 17B-Bill Balog, 13.453
13. 11N-Buddy Kofoid, 13.453
14. 49X-Tim Shaffer, 13.461
15. 1A-Jacob Allen, 13.528
16. 91-Cale Thomas, 13.567
17. A79-Brandon Wimmer, 13.594
18. 81-Lee Jacobs, 13.639
19. 71-Ayrton Olsen, 13.683
20. 85-Dustin Daggett, 13.726
21. 17XL-Caleb Helms, 13.747
22. 2L-Landon Lalonde, 13.752
23. 99-Skylar Gee, 13.759
24. 5T-Travis Philo, 13.792
25. 49D-Shawn Dancer, 13.835
26. 19P-Paige Polyak, 13.982
27. 14-Marcus Dumesny, 14.128
28. J4-John Garvin, 14.194
29. 4X-Bradley Ashford, 14.434
30. 83-Adam Cruea, 14.454
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps):
1. 41 – David Gravel
2. 11 – Dale Blaney
3. 41S – Gio Scelzi
4. 71P – Parker Price-Miller
5. 39 – Sammy Swindell
6. 7S – Tim Kaeding
7. 19 – Brent Marks
8. 28 – Brian Paulus
9. 71M – Paul May
10. K4 – Chad Kemenah
(First three drivers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps):
1. 21 – Brian Brown
2. 49 – Brad Sweet
3. 11K – Kraig Kinser
4. 3 – Jac Haudenschild
5. 84 – Tom Harris
6. 9 – James McFadden
7. 64 – Scotty Thiel
8. 33W – Michael Walter
9. 18J – R.J. Jacobs
10. 10P – Jim Perricone
(First three drivers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps):
1. 15 – Donny Schatz
2. 70 – Brock Zearfoss
3. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
4. 98H – Dave Blaney
5. G1 – Hunter Schuerenberg
6. 7 – Jason Sides
7. W20 – Greg Wilson
8. 3C – Cale Conley
9. 2AU – Andrew Scheuerle
10. 87 – Aaron Reutzel
(First three drivers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps):
1. 1S – Logan Schuchart
2. 83 – Daryn Pittman
3. 11N – Buddy Kofoid
4. 18 – Ian Madsen
5. 13 – Paul McMahan
6. 91 – Cale Thomas
7. 2L – Landon Lalonde
8. 71 – Ayrton Olsen
9. 49D – Shawn Dancer
10. J4 – John Garvin
(First three drivers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #5 (8 Laps):
1. 2 – Carson Macedo
2. 24 – Rico Abreu
3. 5 – Shane Stewart
4. 2M – Kerry Madsen
5. 49X – Tim Shaffer
6. A79 – Brandon Wimmer
7. 85 – Dustin Daggett
8. 99 – Skylar Gee
9. 19P – Paige Polyak
10. 4X – Bradley Ashford
(First three drivers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #6
1. 26 – Cory Eliason
2. 17B – Bill Balog
3. 1A – Jacob Allen
4. 70X – Justin Peck
5. 92 – Sye Lynch
6. 81 – Lee Jacobs
7. 17XL – Caleb Helms
8. 5T – Travis Philo
9. 14M – Marcus Dumesny
10. 83C – Adam Cruea
(First three drivers transferred to the A-Main)
D-Main (8 Laps):
1. G1 – Hunter Schuerenberg
2. 5T – Travis Philo
3. 49D – Shawn Dancer
4. 71M – Paul May
5. 14M – Marcus Dumensy
6. 18J – R.J. Jacobs
7. 19P – Paige Polyak
8. 28 – Brian Paulus
9. 2AU – Andrew Scheuerle
10. 10P – Jim Perricone
11. 83C – Adam Cruea
DNS: 4X – Bradley Ashford
DNS: J4 – John Garvin
DNS: 3C – Cale Conley
(First two finishers transferred to the C-Main)
C-Main (10 Laps):
1. 9 – James McFadden
2. A79 – Brandon Wimmer
3. 39 – Sammy Swindell
4. 7 – Jason Sides
5. 81 – Lee Jacobs
6. 17XL – Caleb Helms
7. 64 – Scott Thiel
8. 71 – Ayrton Olsen
9. W20 – Greg Wilson
10. 99 – Skylar Gee
11. 85 – Dustin Daggett
12. 2L – Landon Lalonde
13. 33W – Michael Wlater
14. G1 – Hunter Schuerenberg
15. 5R – Travis Philo
DNS: Chad Kemenah
Dash #1 (6 Laps):
1. 15 – Donny Schatz
2. 41 – David Gravel
3. 11 – Dale Blaney
4. 49 – Brad Sweet
5. 70 – Brock Zearfoss
6. 21 – Brian Brown
(Finish determined the inside six rows of the A-Main)
Dash #2 (6 Laps):
1. 83 – Daryn Pittman
2. 26 – Cory Eliason
3. 2 – Carson Macedo
4. 24 – Rico Abreu
5. 1S – Logan Schuchart
6. 17B – Bill Balog
(Finish determined the outside six rows of the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps):
1. 29 – Kerry Madsen
2. 71P – Parker Price-Miller
3. 18 – Ian Madsen
4. 92 – Sye Lynch
5. 98H – Dave Blaney
6. 7S – Tim Kaeding
7. 19 – Brent Marks
8. 70X – Justin Peck
9. 13 – Paul McMahan
10. 9 – James McFadden
11. 91 – Cale Thomas
12. 84 – Tom Harris
13. 3 – Jac Haudenschild
14. A79 – Brandon Wimmer
15. 49X – Tim Shaffer
DNS: 87 – Aaron Reutzel
(First six finishers transferred to the A-Main)
A-Main (30 Laps):
1. 15 – Donny Schatz
2. 41 – David Gravel
3. 1S – Logan Schuchart
4. 24 – Rico Abreu
5. 83 – Daryn Pittman
6. 2 – Carson Macedo
7. 49 – Brad Sweet
8. 1A – Jacob Allen
9. 41S – Gio Sclezi
10. 11K – Kraig Kinser
11. 17B – Bill Balog
12. 70 – Brock Zearfoss
13. 21 – Brian Brown
14. 2M – Kerry Madsen
15. 19 – Brent Marks
16. 5 – Shane Stewart
17. 11N – Buddy Kofoid
18. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild
19. 18 – Ian Madsen
20. 7S – Tim Kaeding
21. 71P – Parker Price-Miller
22. 26 – Cory Eliason
23. 11 – Dale Blaney
24. 98H – Dave Blaney
25. 92 – Sye Lynch