From Tyler Altmeyer
TAMAPA, FL (February 2, 2021) — For the second time in three starts, Fargo, North Dakota’s Donny Schatz is an All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 main event winner, this time doing so during Sugarlands Shine Southern Tour presented by Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts competition at East Bay Raceway Park near Tampa, Florida. The ten-time World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion earned his return to All Star victory lane from the second row, taking command for the first time on lap 15 before fending off a late surge by Ian Madsen and a hard-charging Kerry Madsen. The East Bay win, awarding $6,000, bumped Schatz’ career All Star win total to 20.
“I haven’t been to East Bay since 1993 or 1994. This track is really neat, but it’s also very tricky. You have to respect the place,” Donny Schatz said, driver of the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing/Carquest/Ford Performance/Curb Records/No. 15 sprint car. “The surface can have some slick spots, as well as some wet sports. The dynamic of the track changes so much. I went wherever I had to go. We’re going to enjoy this one.”
Rudeen Racing’s Cory Eliason led the first eight circuits at East Bay before getting involved in a tangle with a lapped car. Eliason’s misfortune allowed Monrovia, Illinois’ Justin Peck to inherit the top spot. Peck, driver of the Tom Buch-owned No. 13, started fourth on the Tuesday night grid and had actually worked by Schatz for second one lap prior to the aforementioned caution.
Despite Peck’s attempt to outrun Schatz during the ensuing restart, and once more during another single file restart on lap 12, Schatz would eventually prevail, ultimately slipping by Peck with a move on the bottom of turns three and four on lap 15.
Ian Madsen followed Schatz by Peck to take control of the runner-up spot the following circuit. Madsen did his best to catch the 299-time World of Outlaws winner, but Schatz’ ability to split a pair of lappers on lap 28 sealed the deal. Madsen held on to finish second, followed by his brother Kerry Madsen, who climbed 14 positions to earn the final spot on the podium.
“We have some friends here tonight from Absolute Automation and Security. They are from right up the road,” Donny Schatz continued. “It’s pretty cool to come here and win in front of their hometown crowd.”
The All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will continue the Sugarlands Shine Southern Tour presented by Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Carts on Wednesday and Thursday, February 4-5, with back-to-back nights of DIRTcar Nationals action at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida.
All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1
Jean Lynch Classic
East Bay Raceway Park
Tampa, Florida
Tuesday February 2, 2021
Lincoln Electirc Qualifying
1. 11-Ian Madsen, 12.680[24]
2. 14-Tony Stewart, 12.836[17]
3. 24-Terry McCarl, 12.882[19]
4. 72-Tim Shaffer, 12.929[23]
5. 26-Cory Eliason, 12.959[28]
6. 13-Justin Peck, 13.003[18]
7. 39M-Anthony Macri, 13.007[27]
8. 91-Kyle Reinhardt, 13.017[8]
9. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.034[29]
10. 5-Brent Marks, 13.066[26]
11. 3C-Cale Conley, 13.069[20]
12. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 13.131[15]
13. 1-Jamie Myers, 13.159[34]
14. 101-Kerry Madsen, 13.222[25]
15. 25-Chris Myers, 13.293[4]
16. 18J-RJ Jacobs, 13.299[2]
17. 27-Carson McCarl, 13.315[32]
18. 73-Scotty Thiel, 13.330[35]
19. 17B-Steve Buckwalter, 13.365[1]
20. 75-Tyler Ross, 13.379[7]
21. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 13.397[6]
22. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 13.456[13]
23. 19-Chris Windom, 13.463[14]
24. 22C-Cole Duncan, 13.544[30]
25. 49H-Bradley Howard, 13.556[36]
26. 21-Carson Short, 13.572[10]
27. 14R-Sean Rayhall, 13.626[22]
28. 3A-AJ Maddox, 13.647[31]
29. 88N-Frank Neill, 13.891[11]
30. 10-Paulie Colagiovanni, 13.904[12]
31. 08-Brandon Conkel, 13.955[9]
32. 15B-Zach Hampton, 13.961[3]
33. 40I-Mark Imler, 14.124[21]
34. 4X-Danny Smith, 14.184[33]
35. 27C-Craig Pellegrini Jr, 14.467[16]
36. 4B-Billy Boyd Jr, 14.711[5]
Elliotts Custom Trailers and Carts Dash #2 (4 Laps)
1. 26-Cory Eliason[2]
2. 13-Justin Peck[1]
3. 39M-Anthony Macri[3]
4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[5]
5. 72-Tim Shaffer[4]
Ford Performance Heat Race #1 (8 Laps)
1. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[1]
2. 18J-RJ Jacobs[2]
3. 75-Tyler Ross[5]
4. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[4]
5. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[6]
6. 25-Chris Myers[3]
7. 08-Brandon Conkel[7]
8. 4B-Billy Boyd Jr[9]
9. 15B-Zach Hampton[8]
All Pro Aluminum Cylinder Heads Heat Race #2 (8 Laps)
1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[2]
2. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[1]
3. 13-Justin Peck[3]
4. 14-Tony Stewart[4]
5. 19-Chris Windom[5]
6. 21-Carson Short[6]
7. 10-Paulie Colagiovanni[8]
8. 27C-Craig Pellegrini Jr[9]
9. 88N-Frank Neill[7]
Hunt Brothers Pizza Heat Race #3 (8 Laps)
1. 72-Tim Shaffer[2]
2. 39M-Anthony Macri[1]
3. 11-Ian Madsen[4]
4. 5-Brent Marks[5]
5. 101-Kerry Madsen[7]
6. 3C-Cale Conley[6]
7. 24-Terry McCarl[3]
8. 40I-Mark Imler[9]
9. DNS: 14R-Sean Rayhall
Mobil 1 Heat Race #4 (8 Laps)
1. 15-Donny Schatz[3]
2. 1-Jamie Myers[2]
3. 22C-Cole Duncan[6]
4. 26-Cory Eliason[4]
5. 73-Scotty Thiel[5]
6. 49H-Bradley Howard[7]
7. 3A-AJ Maddox[8]
8. 27-Carson McCarl[1]
9. DNS: 4X-Danny Smith
Kears Speed Shop Dash #1 (4 Laps)
1. 11-Ian Madsen[2]
2. 15-Donny Schatz[3]
3. 14-Tony Stewart[1]
4. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[4]
5. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[5]
Classic Ink USA B-Main (12 Laps)
1. 24-Terry McCarl[1]
2. 3C-Cale Conley[2]
3. 25-Chris Myers[3]
4. 21-Carson Short[5]
5. 49H-Bradley Howard[4]
6. 10-Paulie Colagiovanni[7]
7. 15B-Zach Hampton[15]
8. 40I-Mark Imler[10]
9. 08-Brandon Conkel[8]
10. 4B-Billy Boyd Jr[12]
11. 27C-Craig Pellegrini Jr[11]
12. 14R-Sean Rayhall[13]
13. DNS: 27-Carson McCarl
14. DNS: 3A-AJ Maddox
15. DNS: 88N-Frank Neill
16. DNS: 4X-Danny Smith
Sugarlands Shine A-Main (35 Laps)
1. 15-Donny Schatz[3]
2. 11-Ian Madsen[1]
3. 101-Kerry Madsen[17]
4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[8]
5. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[13]
6. 72-Tim Shaffer[10]
7. 13-Justin Peck[4]
8. 14-Tony Stewart[5]
9. 5-Brent Marks[16]
10. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[19]
11. 26-Cory Eliason[2]
12. 39M-Anthony Macri[6]
13. 17B-Steve Buckwalter[7]
14. 21-Carson Short[24]
15. 73-Scotty Thiel[18]
16. 24-Terry McCarl[21]
17. 75-Tyler Ross[14]
18. 18J-RJ Jacobs[12]
19. 3C-Cale Conley[22]
20. 25-Chris Myers[23]
21. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[9]
22. 1-Jamie Myers[11]
23. 22C-Cole Duncan[15]
24. 19-Chris Windom[20]
Kerry madsen 17th to 3rd