World of Outlaws

Contact: Nick Graziano
World of Outlaws PR
ngraziano@dirtcar.com

Please click here for the original World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series article

SHOW STOPPER: Stewart wins big in Nashville

Shane Stewart beats Brent Marks for Music City Outlaw Nationals win in thrilling show

Among the music halls and concert venues of Nashville, there was no bigger stage than the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series’ Music City Outlaw Nationals at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Saturday night.

Thousands of buoyant fans filled the grandstand. Spotlights gleamed off the brown clay quarter-mile oval surface. The prize, a guitar shaped trophy, $25,000 in winnings and the pride of making history; becoming an inaugural Music City Outlaw Nationals champion.

That kind of stage can birth a star. Rejuvenate a career.

Coming up on almost a year since winning a race, that’s exactly what Shane Stewart needed.

His winning performance Saturday night showed it. In spectacular fashion, the Oklahoma-native claimed his first win of the season with his new CJB Motorsports team and his 34th career World of Outlaws win.

“Big stage, big win for this team,” Stewart said.

With one win during the 2018 season, Stewart was released from his ride with Kyle Larson Racing at the end of the year. At the same time CJB Motorsports parted ways with its then driver, David Gravel – a pairing that never finished worse than third in points together.

The two paired together for the 2019 season, starting the season off strong in Volusia by leading laps and finishing second in the opening race. From there on out, races of disappointment and wins that could have been.

It was a scenario Stewart almost had to cope with again.

With a pinch of luck, Stewart’s team drew an early Qualifying order position, leading to the No. 5 car being second fastest to Brad Sweet’s track record breaking 14.083 sec. time. Stewart then went on to win his Drydene Heat race and finish second in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash – putting him on the outside pole for the 30-lap Feature.

Throwing his car around the tight turns of the quarter-mile track, Stewart took the lead on the first lap of the Feature and put distance between he and second-place lap after lap. His early run was cut short by Daryn Pittman spinning and bringing out the caution on Lap two.

On the restart, Stewart set sail again. Behind him, though, lurked another driver just as eager to return to Victory Lane.

In the early stage of year, Brent Marks missed two Features and didn’t find the top-10 until the tenth race of the 2019 season. The Myerstown, Pa.-native earned his first top-five during the first round of the Music City Outlaw Nationals Friday night and was poised to do better on night two.

Marks methodically charged his way from fourth to second by Lap five. Two laps later, he found himself to the outside of Stewart down the front stretch. The two went side-by-side into turn one. Marks high. Stewart low.

Stewart slid up the track in turn two, allowing Marks to dart underneath him exiting the corner. But before he could complete the pass, a caution came out for several cars tangled in turn four.

Marks showed his hand. Stewart now knew there was no cruising to a win. The battle was on.

When the race went back green, Stewart stuck to the high side, while Marks ran low. The red No. 19 car showed its nose to Stewart turn after turn. Until Lap 11.

Marks finally found enough traction on the bottom of turns three and four to pull past Stewart for the lead. He cleared the No. 5 car the next corner, but Stewart wasn’t ready to watch another potential win slip away. He launched his car around the outside of Marks through turns three and four and charged back to the lead.

Marks then returned the move by throwing his car to the bottom of turn one and sliding up in front of Stewart in the center of the turn. Stewart cut underneath Marks, but couldn’t find enough traction to challenge Marks again for the position.

Marks was on his way to a historic win.

Lap traffic soon became an obstacle, though. Stewart kept Marks in his crosshairs, giving the Pennsylvanian no room for error while the track slicked up each lap.

With nine laps to go, Marks misjudged his drive into turn one around the outside of a lapped car and hit the cushion. His error allowed Stewart to dart past him and reclaim the lead, again.

The win wasn’t his, yet. Marks stayed close behind and with three laps to go Sweet made it a three-horse race for the win, challenging Marks for second. And even though Stewart reclaimed the lead, he knew it was going to be a battle to keep it.

“I don’t think I had the best car, but I knew once we got in to lap traffic, I had to be patient,” Stewart said. “I knew the bottom was going to be key.”

Stewart cautiously slid his car to the bottom of the track each turn and eased back on the throttle off of it, leaving no opening for Marks to make a run. He did that with fine-tuned precision, leading to a standing ovation by the crowd as he soared past the checkered flag.

“It’s special,” Stewart said about the win. “Being the inaugural race here at Nashville. So many people here that came out to support the World of Outlaws, which is really cool to see. Just a big win. I don’t know where it ranks, but it’s up there for sure.”

For Marks, he was left meandering by his car, contemplating what could have been. But he still had fun.

“It actually was a lot of fun,” Marks said. “I thought the track was in real good shape there for the Feature and made it racy for us. Sort of took a little bit of rubber there toward the end. It wasn’t like lock down rubber, so when you’re following lap cars around and keep hearing people behind you because obviously everybody is so close, you’ve got to try to outsmart them.

“Another good thing to do is put a lap car between them. That’s what I tried to do and just caught the wall the wrong way.”

Sweet, who finished third said he hopes to continue to build momentum with his team. He cut a small chuck out of Donny Schatz’s points lead, now sitting 48 points behind the reigning champion in second.

Stewart’s win also puts him into Nashville’s history books. He became the second World of Outlaws driver to win on the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway dirt track, constructed on the speedway’s quarter-mile asphalt track with about seven million pounds of dirt put on it. Schatz claimed the first night of the Music City Outlaw Nationals Friday night.

There was no bigger stage this weekend than the Music City Outlaw Nationals doubleheader. It birthed a new star of an event that left several fans asking when the Series will return to Nashville. And it rejuvenated Stewart’s season with a guitar shaped trophy and $25,000 pay day. More importantly, just a win. Exactly what he needed.

UP NEXT:

The World of Outlaws will make its next trip on Tuesday, June 4, to Fairbury Speedway in Fairbury, Ill. for the FVP Platinum Battery Showdown.

As always, you can catch all World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series action on www.DIRTVision.com.

For tickets and more information, go to www.WorldofOutlaws.com.

Race Results: 6/1/19 - Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps) – 1. 5-Shane Stewart [2][$25,000]; 2. 19-Brent Marks [4][$7,000]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet [7][$5,000]; 4. 14-Tony Stewart [5][$4,000]; 5. 15-Donny Schatz [13][$3,000]; 6. 41-David Gravel [3][$2,900]; 7. 2-Carson Macedo [12][$2,800]; 8. 14X-Jeff Swindell [1][$2,700]; 9. 19X-Kevin Thomas [10][$2,600]; 10. 1S-Logan Schuchart [14][$2,500]; 11. 7-Jason Sides [6][$2,400]; 12. 9JR-Derek Hagar [23][$2,300]; 13. 99-Brady Bacon [17][$2,200]; 14. 83-Daryn Pittman [9][$2,100]; 15. 18-Ian Madsen [16][$2,000]; 16. 23-Russel Borland [11][$1,500]; 17. 1A-Jacob Allen [19][$1,500]; 18. 11K-Kraig Kinser [15][$1,500]; 19. 98-Chad Boespflug [20][$1,500]; 20. 4X-Jim Stinson [21][$1,500]; 21. 9-James McFadden [22][$1,500]; 22. 90-Jordan Givler [18][$1,500]; 23. 21-Carson Short [24][$1,500]; 24. 64-Scotty Thiel [8][$1,500];
Lap Leaders: Shane Stewart 1-10, 12, 22-30; Brent Marks 11, 13-21;
KSE Hard Charger Award: 9JR-Derek Hagar[+11]

Qualifying – 1. 49-Brad Sweet, 14.083; 2. 5-Shane Stewart, 14.094; 3. 14-Tony Stewart, 14.38; 4. 98-Chad Boespflug, 14.383; 5. 14X-Jeff Swindell, 14.498; 6. 19X-Kevin Thomas, 14.561; 7. 64-Scotty Thiel, 14.576; 8. 19-Brent Marks, 14.609; 9. 83-Daryn Pittman, 14.714; 10. 41-David Gravel, 14.724; 11. 23-Russel Borland, 14.762; 12. 4X-Jim Stinson, 14.771; 13. 9JR-Derek Hagar, 14.846; 14. 90-Jordan Givler, 14.881; 15. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 14.888; 16. 21-Carson Short, 14.893; 17. 15-Donny Schatz, 14.993; 18. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 15.031; 19. 1A-Jacob Allen, 15.121; 20. 7-Jason Sides, 15.147; 21. 7S-Tim Kaeding, 15.216; 22. 10P-Jim Perricone, 15.255; 23. 9-James McFadden, 15.256; 24. 18-Ian Madsen, 15.326; 25. 51B-Joe B.Miller, 15.33; 26. 17B-Bill Balog, 15.371; 27. 9X-Paul Nienhiser, 15.441; 28. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey, 15.567; 29. 99-Brady Bacon, 15.602; 30. 4-Danny Smith, 15.626; 31. 28-Brian Paulus, 15.763; 32. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 15.781; 33. 4K-Kody Kinser, 15.785; 34. J4-Chad Kemenah, 15.851; 35. 71M-Paul May, 15.868; 36. 2-Carson Macedo, 15.982; 37. 6-Bill Rose, NT

DRYDENE Heat #1 (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 49-Brad Sweet [1]; 2. 14X-Jeff Swindell [2]; 3. 83-Daryn Pittman [3]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz [5]; 5. 99-Brady Bacon [8]; 6. 9JR-Derek Hagar [4]; 7. 7S-Tim Kaeding [6]; 8. 51B-Joe B.Miller [7]; 9. 4K-Kody Kinser [9]; 10. 6-Bill Rose [10]

DRYDENE Heat #2 (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 5-Shane Stewart [1]; 2. 41-David Gravel [3]; 3. 19X-Kevin Thomas [2]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [5]; 5. 90-Jordan Givler [4]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog [7]; 7. 4-Danny Smith [8]; 8. J4-Chad Kemenah [9]; 9. 10P-Jim Perricone [6]

DRYDENE Heat #3 (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 14-Tony Stewart [1]; 2. 64-Scotty Thiel [2]; 3. 23-Russel Borland [3]; 4. 11K-Kraig Kinser [4]; 5. 1A-Jacob Allen [5]; 6. 9-James McFadden [6]; 7. 71M-Paul May [9]; 8. 28-Brian Paulus [8]; 9. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [7]

DRYDENE Heat #4 (8 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 19-Brent Marks [2]; 2. 7-Jason Sides [5]; 3. 2-Carson Macedo [9]; 4. 18-Ian Madsen [6]; 5. 98-Chad Boespflug [1]; 6. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey [7]; 7. 21-Carson Short [4]; 8. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [8]; 9. 4X-Jim Stinson [3]

DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash (6 Laps) – 1. 14X-Jeff Swindell [1]; 2. 5-Shane Stewart [2]; 3. 41-David Gravel [3]; 4. 19-Brent Marks [4]; 5. 14-Tony Stewart [6]; 6. 7-Jason Sides [5]; 7. 49-Brad Sweet [8]; 8. 64-Scotty Thiel [7]

Last Chance Showdown (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer – 1. 4X-Jim Stinson [1][]; 2. 9-James McFadden [6][]; 3. 9JR-Derek Hagar [2][]; 4. 21-Carson Short [3][]; 5. 51B-Joe B.Miller [7][$500]; 6. 17B-Bill Balog [8][$400]; 7. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey [10][$350]; 8. 4K-Kody Kinser [14][$300]; 9. 28-Brian Paulus [12][$300]; 10. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [13][$300]; 11. 7S-Tim Kaeding [4][$300]; 12. J4-Chad Kemenah [15][$300]; 13. 71M-Paul May [16][$300]; 14. 6-Bill Rose [17][$300]; 15. 4-Danny Smith [11][$300]; 16. 10P-Jim Perricone [5][$300]; 17. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [17] [$300]

World of Outlaws

Contact: Nick Graziano
World of Outlaws PR
ngraziano@dirtcar.com

Please click here for the original World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series article

Winner Donny Schatz (DB3 Photo)

A NEW RIFF: Schatz wins first night of Music City Outlaw Nationals

Schatz makes late race pass on Bill Balog to be first World of Outlaws winner in Nashville

NASHVILLE, TN – Ballads of broken hearts and dirt roads are ingrained in Nashville’s history. On Friday night, a new hit was written during the inaugural World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Music City Outlaw Nationals at the historic Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.

It’s intro, an impassioned announcer filling ear drums with a four-wide call. It’s verse, thunderous 900-hp Sprint Cars shaking a packed grandstand for 30 laps. And its coda, a jubilant Donny Schatz exhaling a single “Woo!” from the top wing of his car with the checkered flag in hand and glimmering confetti floating around him.

“Anytime you go anywhere new it’s always good to get a win,” said 10-time Series champion Schatz, after claiming his 286th career win. “We’re in an awesome market that we’ve never been to before. It’s great to win the inaugural race here.”

Schatz became the first World of Outlaws driver to win on the quarter-mile Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway track, which is an asphalt track that was covered with about seven million pounds of dirt to accommodate the Series.

The Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing driver didn’t just conclude the ballad of the historic race, he was the bridge – the turning point of the night that made fans’ eye lids widen and heart rate increase.

He built to that point of the night by first winning his Drydene Heat race and drawing the third starting position for Feature.

From there he had to find his way around polesitter Bill Balog and outside polesitter Brad Sweet – who sits runner-up in points to Schatz – in order to claim the first night of the Music City Outlaw Nationals doubleheader.

On the first lap, Schatz worked his way under Sweet by hugging the bottom of turns one and two, clearing the Kasey Kahne Racing car before the next turn. The battle was then between the northerners – Fargo, N.D.-native Schatz and Wisconsin resident Balog.

Schatz rode the low line throughout the night, keeping a light right foot on the throttle around the tight slick track. Balog stayed a lane above the bottom, finding enough grip to stay ahead of the reigning Series champion, but not enough to increase the distance between them.

The duo reached a hoard of lap traffic by Lap nine – a scenario typically tightening the battle for the lead. However, Balog was able to use the traffic to his advantage. At times Schatz would close the gap, but with each lap car Balog passed he put a car length between he and Schatz.

Then on Lap 14, caution. Schatz was brought back to being inches away from the yellow No. 17B’s bumper.

When the race resumed, Balog didn’t give into the pressure. He maintained his lead and put about a two-car length distance between he and Schatz.

The race was building to be the song of Balog’s second career Series win. Then the bridge.

With nine laps to go, Balog lost traction off turn four, exiting the corner sideways. By the time he straightened out the car, Schatz was there. His winning performance was over.

Schatz slid past Balog for the lead in turn one. Balog attempted to sneak underneath Schatz exiting turn two, but Schatz shut the door, briefly touching his left rear tire with Balog’s right front.

“We probably tightened it up too much,” said Balog, who ended up third. “But… leading some laps with the World of Outlaws is pretty awesome. It was disappointing, I made a couple of little mistakes and you can’t do it with them guys. They’re going to get you.”

His mistake allowed Schatz to click off laps in the lead until reaching the checkered flag – picking up his third win of the season.

“My guys, it’s incredible what they do,” Schatz said. “They’ve been on their game. They’ve been making the race car better and better and better. And it’s fun to drive.”

Sweet followed Schatz passed Balog to finish second, but with the No. 15 car finishing one spot ahead of him, Sweet remains second in points, now with a 52-point deficit.

Behind the podium, Brent Marks earned his first top-five of the season, finishing fourth, and Sheldon Haudenschild found his way back into the top-five, finishing fifth, after a tough month of May that saw him miss four Features in a row.

“It’s definitely good. Good for our team,” Haudenschild said. “I think anytime you get in the top-five is definitely a little bit of a confidence builder and something to build off.”

Schatz is also looking to build off his Nashville win to turn his team’s consistent run of top-five finishes into consistent wins.

“You’ve got to crawl before you can walk, and you’ve got to walk before you can run and I feel like we’re walking pretty solid, so now it’s time to get running,” Schatz said.

With the air strumming of his newly earned metal guitar trophy in Victory Lane and $15,000 prize winnings, Schatz wrote a new ballad into Nashville’s history books. A ballad of heart break. A ballad of dirt roads. And a ballad of outlaws. The World of Outlaws in Nashville.

UP NEXT:

The World of Outlaws will return to Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway Saturday, June 1, for the final night of the Music City Outlaw Nationals with $25,000-to-win on the line.

As always, you can catch all World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series action on www.DIRTVision.com.

For tickets and more information, go to www.WorldofOutlaws.com.

Race Results: 5/31/19 - Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps) – 1. 15-Donny Schatz [3][$15,000]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet [2][$6,000]; 3. 17B-Bill Balog [1][$3,200]; 4. 19-Brent Marks [5][$2,800]; 5. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [4][$2,500]; 6. 21-Carson Short [7][$2,300]; 7. 1A-Jacob Allen [6][$2,200]; 8. 64-Scotty Thiel [8][$2,100]; 9. 18-Ian Madsen [9][$2,050]; 10. 1S-Logan Schuchart [13][$2,000]; 11. 9JR-Derek Hagar [12][$1,500]; 12. 41-David Gravel [11][$1,200]; 13. 14-Tony Stewart [16][$1,100]; 14. 83-Daryn Pittman [15][$1,050]; 15. 19X-Kevin Thomas [14][$1,000]; 16. 91-Cale Thomas [10][$1,000]; 17. 99-Brady Bacon [17][$1,000]; 18. 2-Carson Macedo [23][$1,000]; 19. 5-Shane Stewart [19][$1,000]; 20. 9-James McFadden [21][$1,000]; 21. 11K-Kraig Kinser [20][$1,000]; 22. 51B-Joe B.Miller [18][$1,000]; 23. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [22][$1,000]; 24. 98-Chad Boespflug [24][$1,000];
Lap Leaders: Bill Balog 1-22, Donny Schatz 23-30;
KSE Hard Charger Award: 2-Carson Macedo[+5]

Qualifying Flight-A – 1. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 15.32; 2. 49-Brad Sweet, 15.324; 3. 19-Brent Marks, 15.328; 4. 41-David Gravel, 15.542; 5. 9-James McFadden, 15.818; 6. 21-Carson Short, 15.839; 7. 18-Ian Madsen, 15.876; 8. 5-Shane Stewart, 15.905; 9. 99-Brady Bacon, 15.909; 10. 83-Daryn Pittman, 16.025; 11. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 16.053; 12. K4-Chad Kemenah, 16.08; 13. 71M-Paul May, 16.142; 14. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey, 16.144; 15. 7-Jason Sides, 16.16; 16. 4-Danny Smith, 16.265; 17. 7S-Tim Kaeding, 16.327; 18. 4X-Jim Stinson, 16.383; 19. 28-Brian Paulus, 16.528; 20. 4K-Kody Kinser, NT

Qualifying Flight-B – 1. 15-Donny Schatz, 15.857; 2. 64-Scotty Thiel, 15.972; 3. 1A-Jacob Allen, 16.256; 4. 17B-Bill Balog, 16.269; 5. 91-Cale Thomas, 16.293; 6. 14-Tony Stewart, 16.516; 7. 9X-Paul Nienhiser, 16.593; 8. J4-John Garvin, 16.651; 9. 19X-Kevin Thomas, 16.795; 10. 90-Jordan Givler, 16.859; 11. 2-Carson Macedo, 16.347; 12. 9JR-Derek Hagar, 16.87; 13. 51B-Joe B.Miller, 16.882; 14. 10P-Jim Perricone, 16.887; 15. 98-Chad Boespflug, 16.972; 16. 14X-Jeff Swindell, 16.972; 17. 17X-Josh Baughman, 17.209; 18. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 17.253; 19. 23-Russel Borland, 17.418; 20. 6-Bill Rose, 17.525

DRYDENE Heat #1 – Flight (A) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [1]; 2. 19-Brent Marks [2]; 3. 18-Ian Madsen [4]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [6]; 5. 99-Brady Bacon [5]; 6. 7-Jason Sides [8]; 7. 7S-Tim Kaeding [9]; 8. 9-James McFadden [3]; 9. 71M-Paul May [7]; 10. 28-Brian Paulus [10]

DRYDENE Heat #2 – Flight (A) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 49-Brad Sweet [1]; 2. 21-Carson Short [3]; 3. 41-David Gravel [2]; 4. 83-Daryn Pittman [5]; 5. 5-Shane Stewart [4]; 6. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey [7]; 7. 4-Danny Smith [8]; 8. 4K-Kody Kinser [10]; 9. 4X-Jim Stinson [9]; 10. K4-Chad Kemenah [6]

DRYDENE Heat #3 – Flight (B) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 15-Donny Schatz [1]; 2. 1A-Jacob Allen [2]; 3. 91-Cale Thomas [3]; 4. 19X-Kevin Thomas [5]; 5. 51B-Joe B.Miller [7]; 6. 98-Chad Boespflug [8]; 7. 17X-Josh Baughman [9]; 8. 23-Russel Borland [10]; 9. 2-Carson Macedo [6]; 10. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [4]

DRYDENE Heat #4 – Flight (B) (10 Laps) – Top 5 Transfer – 1. 64-Scotty Thiel [1]; 2. 17B-Bill Balog [2]; 3. 9JR-Derek Hagar [6]; 4. 14-Tony Stewart [3]; 5. 11K-Kraig Kinser [9]; 6. 6-Bill Rose [10]; 7. 14X-Jeff Swindell [8]; 8. 10P-Jim Perricone [7]; 9. J4-John Garvin [4]; 10. 90-Jordan Givler [5]

DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash (0 Laps) – 1. 17B-Bill Balog [1]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet [2]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz [3]; 4. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [4]; 5. 19-Brent Marks [5]; 6. 1A-Jacob Allen [6]; 7. 21-Carson Short [7]; 8. 64-Scotty Thiel [8]

C-Main (8 Laps) – Top 2 Transfer – 1. 4X-Jim Stinson [1][]; 2. 28-Brian Paulus [3][]; 3. 23-Russel Borland [4][$150]; 4. 4K-Kody Kinser [5][$150]; 5. 14X-Jeff Swindell [2][$150]; 6. 17X-Josh Baughman [8][$125]; 7. 71M-Paul May [7][$125]; 8. 6-Bill Rose [6][$125]

Last Chance Showdown (10 Laps) – Top 4 Transfer – 1. 9-James McFadden [1][]; 2. 9X-Paul Nienhiser [2][]; 3. 2-Carson Macedo [8][]; 4. 98-Chad Boespflug [12][]; 5. J4-John Garvin [4][$500]; 6. 7-Jason Sides [7][$400]; 7. 28-Brian Paulus [14][$350]; 8. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey [5][$300]; 9. 10P-Jim Perricone [10][$300]; 10. 7S-Tim Kaeding [11][$300]; 11. 90-Jordan Givler [6][$300]; 12. 4-Danny Smith [9][$300]; 13. 4X-Jim Stinson [13][$300]; 14. K4-Chad Kemenah [3][$300]