By Alex Nieten
The final weekend in North Dakota this season means the final chance for Donny Schatz to race in front of home state fans – something the 10-time Series champion has always excelled at doing.
Schatz’s River Cities numbers are staggering. He’s competed in all 32 World of Outlaws races contested at the bullring and made a dozen trips to Victory Lane – a 36% winning clip. Twenty-three of those 32 starts have resulted in podiums. Only three times has he missed the top five, and he’s never missed the top 10 with a worst result of eighth. His average finish is 2.7.
Over at Red River Valley, the track closest to his current home, Schatz hasn’t been quite as strong as he is at River Cities but still boasts a solid résumé. The driver of the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 has made 46 Series appearances at Red River Valley and won six times. It’s where he made his World of Outlaws debut back in 1993.
Schatz could use a strong weekend on home turf as he looks to catch David Gravel in the battle for the championship. Gravel is currently 106 points ahead.
SHARK SWEEP: Last year, the August trip to North Dakota proved to be a fruitful one for Logan Schuchart.
He and the Shark Racing team swept the River Cities and Red River Valley weekend. The Hanover, PA native pulled off a late pass to steal the win. Then, the next night, he dominated by leading all 30 laps for his first Red River Valley checkered flag.
This year, Schuchart rolls into the “Peace Garden State” locked in a tight battle for a top five in the standings. He’s 40 markers behind Michael “Buddy” Kofoid who currently holds down the fifth spot, but he’s got Sheldon Haudenschild just 10 behind him. The stats stay Schuchart could piece together a productive weekend toward that effort.
GRAND FORKS GLORY: Schatz and Schuchart aren’t the only full-timers among the current crop of World of Outlaws competitors to enjoy success at River Cities. In fact, half of the roster has topped a Series race at the 1/4-mile dirt track.
Current point leader David Gravel owns a pair of River Cities trophies. Back in 2017 he took the CJB Motorsports No. 5 to a win and then added a second last year with Big Game Motorsports.
Two years ago, Carson Macedo took home his sole River Cities victory to date. It came aboard his current ride, the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41.
In 2012, Kraig Kinser made an impressive drive at River Cities to collect one of his 17 career wins. The Bloomington, IN native rolled from 10th to Victory Lane.
The latest to add his name to the list is Fresno, CA’s Giovanni Scelzi. The 22-year-old outdueled Sheldon Haudenschild and crossed the finish line first in the KCP Racing No. 18.
A MATTER OF TIME: Friday’s visit to River Cities looks like the perfect opportunity for Sheldon Haudenschild to break through into Victory Lane.
After topping seven of the first 27 World of Outlaws races this season, Haudenschild and the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing crew are now on a 19-race winless streak. This past weekend at Jackson, the hunger to win again intensified even more as he finished second both nights, his sixth and seventh podium efforts since his last victory.
Coincidentally, Haudenschild’s last two visits to River Cities have led to runner-up results. He’s come so close to a River Cities triumph with laps led in six different Features and three total second place finishes in his career at the North Dakota bullring. It’s a track where he’s undoubtedly ready to find a way to win.
BULLRING BREAKTHROUGH: Another driver that can be expected to be in contention at Friday’s River Cities tilt is Brock Zearfoss.
The “Jonestown Jet” might’ve developed his skills on the big tracks of Pennsylvania, but the bullring of River Cities has suited him well on the World of Outlaws tour. He’s raced there six times and come away with five top 10s. The last two visits have seen him drive from 22nd to 10th and 21st to ninth.
Zearfoss will head to River Cities already carrying some momentum. Since the break for Fourth of July weekend, he’s earned four top 10s in 11 Feature starts including a ninth in this past weekend’s Jackson Nationals finale.
NORTH DAKOTA KNOWLEDGE: North Dakota always offers up a solid collection of local talent ready to face off with the country’s best when the World of Outlaws come to town.
Mark Dobmeier headlines the North Dakota contingent. The Grand Forks, ND driver has been dominant at his home track to the tune of more than 100 career River Cities wins including six this year. He’s yet to beat the World of Outlaws there but has come close with a pair of podiums. Over at Red River Valley, Dobmeier is a former Northern Outlaw Sprint Association (NOSA) winner.
Fellow Grand Forks native and reigning NOSA champion, Jade Hastings, is another local to keep an eye on. He’s already topped four River Cities races this year. Hastings picked up a World of Outlaws top 10 at the 1/4-mile track in 2018.
The only person not named Dobmeier or Hastings to claim a River Cities NOSA race this season is Nick Omdahl. He’s from East Grand Forks, MN and frequently makes the trip across the Red River when the World of Outlaws visit. He also owns a pair of NOSA runner-ups at Red River Valley.
This trio is likely to be joined by additional local competitors including Brendan Mullen (Grand Forks, ND), Jack Croaker (East Grand Forks, MN), Adam Sobolik (Grand Forks, ND), and more.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, August 23 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND
Saturday, August 24 at Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, ND
ON THE INTERNET
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CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (46/70 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (6364 PTS)
2. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 (-106 PTS)
3. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-142 PTS)
4. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing No. 18 (-232 PTS)
5. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-300 PTS)
6. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-340 PTS)
7. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing No. 17 (-350 PTS)
8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports No. 17B (-812 PTS)
9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing No. 3Z (-1052 PTS)
10. Kraig Kinser – Premier Motorsports No. 70 (-1316 PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (16 Drivers):
13 Wins – David Gravel
7 Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
4 Wins – Carson Macedo, Donny Schatz
3 Wins – Giovanni Scelzi, Kyle Larson
2 Wins – Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu
1 Win – Brad Sweet, Brent Marks, Brady Bacon, Michael Kofoid, Corey Day, Logan Schuchart, James McFadden, T.J. Stutts