By Alex Nieten
ATTICA, OH (May 14, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are ready to kick off a two-week stay in the “Buckeye State.”
Ohio welcomes The Greatest Show on Dirt for two nights at two tracks this weekend. First up is the 24th visit in Series history to Attica Raceway Park on Friday, May 17. The following night it’s an eastward trip to Hartford, OH’s Sharon Speedway.
The pair of races are the first two of five consecutive in the state of Ohio with Atomic Speedway (May 24-25) and Fremont Speedway (May 27) on the horizon.
The slick ovals of Ohio routinely produce some of the season’s most exciting racing, and the upcoming slate should be no different. A strong crop of Buckeye based talent is ready to face off with the stars of the World of Outlaws tour.
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Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
HAUD’S HOME: Trips to Ohio are always circled on Sheldon Haudenschild’s calendar. The 30-year-old calls Wooster, OH home, and it’s where he cut his teeth in Sprint Cars. He’ll roll into home territory with four victories under his belt already in 2024.
Attica is home to two of Haudenschild’s 17 career All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) victories. The Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing driver is yet to bag a World of Outlaws win at Attica, but he’s been banging on the door with three top fives in his last four tries including a runner-up at last year’s Brad Doty Classic.
Over at Sharon, it’s a similar story for the son of Jac Haudenschild. He topped the 2015 Lou Blaney Memorial in ASCoC competition. Victory Lane has narrowly eluded him with the World of Outlaws as he owns three podiums in four tries piloting the NOS Energy Drink #17.
BIG GAME BRILLIANCE: The combination of David Gravel and Big Game Motorsports are borderline unbeatable right now. Three of the last four races have belonged to the potent pairing as they’ve claimed wins at Jacksonville, Eldora and Lincoln. The most recent made Tod Quiring the sixth owner in Series history to reach 100 wins. The No. 2 has finished in the top two in nine of the last 12 main events. Gravel came into the year as a premier championship favorite, and he’s showing why.
The numbers show no reason for Gravel to slow this weekend in Ohio. The Watertown, CT native three most recent visits to Attica have resulted in top fives. He’s also bagged a pair of Series victories at the 1/3-mile (2017 & 2021).
Over at Sharon, Gravel is yet to make a trip to Victory Lane, but he’s been remarkably consistent. His four starts there with the Big Game Motorsports team have led to a pair of runner-ups, no result worse than fourth, and an average finish of third.
Gravel heads to Ohio atop the standings with a 58-point advantage over Donny Schatz.
OHIO EXPERTISE: There’s no doubt this coming stretch of Ohio races is circled on Donny Schatz’s calendar as he chases an 11th World of Outlaws title. The Fargo, ND native has won at least once at all four tracks within the “Buckeye State” borders over the next couple weeks.
It begins this weekend at Attica where Schatz has excelled. In 17 Attica starts, Schatz owns five wins, nine podiums, and a 4.53 average finish. A DNF in 2009 caused his only result outside the top 10. Last May Schatz picked up his first Series victory at Sharon to complete a weekend sweep at the two tracks ahead this weekend.
Schatz heads to Attica sitting second in the points amid what’s been a resurgent season. He’s already bagged a pair of victories along with seven podiums, and the only occurrences he’s missed the top-10 have been a trio of 11ths.
READY TO WIN: There are two notable names on the 2024 roster still chasing a victory with the season nearly a quarter complete – Logan Schuchart and Michael “Buddy” Kofoid.
Schuchart and the Shark Racing crew have been consistent all year long with an average finish of 7.21, and they’ve completed every lap of Feature competition through 19 events. None of Schuchart’s 41 career wins have come at Attica or Sharon, but like the story of his 2024 campaign, he’s been close. His last seven outings at Attica have led to top 10s including a trio of top fives. Four of his five Sharon finishes have been inside the top 10.
Kofoid rolls to Ohio on a streak of 14 straight top 10s including six podiums with Roth Motorsports. But none of those top three efforts placed the Penngrove, CA native atop the podium. Kofoid owns plenty of Attica laps courtesy of moving from California to Ohio when his Sprint Car career was blooming. He’s made 11 appearances on the Attica podium highlighted by a 2020 local win. The 22-year-old’s Sharon experience is much more limited, but he did pick up a top five in a 2022 ASCoC race.
The pair currently reside as neighbors in the points with Schuchart in fifth, 18 markers ahead of Kofoid.
BUCKEYE PROUD: With plenty of racing on a weekly basis, Ohio offers up many local talents that are expected to battle the World of Outlaws this weekend.
Bryce Lucius (Findlay, OH), Cap Henry (Bellevue, OH), and Craig Mintz (Gibsonburg, OH) are all Buckeyes who’ve already made visits to Attica Victory Lane in 2024. Greg Wilson is a 25-time Attica Feature winner (tied 16th-most) and is fresh off a runner-up finish at the 3/8-mile this past weekend. The Benton Ridge, OH driver picked up an Attica top five with the World of Outlaws back in 2005.
Sharon may share the state with Attica, but its location being about 150 miles east typically means the local contingent looks a little different. Dave Blaney owns the racetrack and often finds success when he brings his No. 10 out for battle. Last year, the 1995 Series champion collected a trio of Sharon checkered flags, and it’s also the site of his most recent World of Outlaws win came at Sharon in 2021 with a dramatic last lap pass. Dave’s brother – Dale Blaney – is also strong at the Ohio oval. He matched Dave’s 2023 Sharon win tally with three victories of his own.
Sharon also often invites a western Pennsylvania presence including the likes of A.J. Flick (Apollo, PA), George Hobaugh (Chicora, PA), Brandon Matus (Wampum, PA), and more.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, May 17 at Attica Raceway Park in Attica, OH
Saturday, May 18 at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH
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CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (19/78 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports #2 (2692 PTS)
2. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 (-58 PTS)
3. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing #18 (-62 PTS)
4. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing #41 (-80 PTS)
5. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing #1S (-116 PTS)
6. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports #83 (-134 PTS)
7. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 (-180 PTS)
8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports #17B (-324 PTS)
9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing #3Z (-462 PTS)
10. Landon Crawley – Sides Motorsports #7S (-538 PTS)