Silver Dollar Speedway
March 28, 2015
_______________________________________

Donny Schatz Wins Hard Fought Mini Gold Cup Victory
It was the second win in a week for Schatz as he took over the points lead

WoOSCS PR
CHICO, Calif. (March 28) - Donny Schatz scored his third win of the season Saturday night at Silver Dollar Speedway's Mini Gold Cup, but his competition did not make it easy for him.

Schatz led the field through the opening laps in his No. 15 Bad Boy Buggies car and held off Daryn Pittman as a series of cautions flew. The first caution came on lap four, followed by one on lap nine and then on the subsequent restart attempt. After Rico Abreu got off track and brought out the caution on lap 11, Kerry Madsen was able to battle past Pittman to take over the second position. Terry McCarl brought out a pivotal caution on lap 18 as he spun into the infield off of turn two.
As the field returned to green, Kerry Madsen got his opportunity to take on Schatz.

"I figured I'd go to the top because there was rubber, but there wasn't really rubber at that spot and I thought I've actually got a really good shot here and got a really good restart," Madsen said.

"I know my crew was probably calling me every name in the book on that restart but it started to lay a little rubber there and you're darned if you do and darned if you don't," Schatz said. "And I figured if I could get a run off the top. Kerry just got a really good start."

When the field came around to take lap 18, Madsen led Schatz in his No. 29 American Racing Custom Wheels car. Farther back, 18-year-old Tanner Thorson, who started the night in 13th, had been slowly progressing through the field. On lap 18, as Madsen battled past Schatz, Thorson took over the eighth spot.

Schatz began to catch Madsen again on lap 23. Schatz worked the track looking for the right line and almost had it as the two drivers came off of turn four headed to the start finish line. They battled side by side, but Madsen held the lead. The battle continued on laps 24 and 25. As they looked to complete lap 26, Schatz finally found a way around Madsen.

"I pushed pretty hard for a while but it got the rubber down in the middle and we were just a little too tough for the rubber," Madsen said. "Obviously Donny was way better."

By lap 27, Thorson moved his Richie Rich Motorsports car into the sixth position. One lap later, Schatz, the leader, caught lapped traffic and begin to work his way through. This closed the gap for Madsen, who tried to use the traffic as a pick around Schatz. Schatz was able to maintain the lead though.

Over the course of four laps, Thorson swiftly moved forward to the third position. In traffic, he found a way around Madsen on lap 36 to take over the second position. He set his sights on Schatz. While Schatz had built up a strong lead, Thorson cut into it lap by lap.

"Towards the end you could feel the tires were going and you were sliding around," Schatz said. "We ran the hardest thing we could. Racing with Kerry we probably used them up more than we should have but it got us the win so that's what's important."

In the end, Thorson ran out of time to catch Schatz.

"We were really good there in the beginning all the way throughout the race and I feel like a few more laps and I probably could have given Donny a run for his money," said Thorson, who finished the night in second. "Good job to him."

The career best World of Outlaws finish came in Thorson's fourth ever series start.

Schatz's win was the second in a week. Prior to his win last weekend, the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing driver had not won in California since 2012. He credited his team for trying new things and adapting.

"We haven't been very good on the short track stuff the last several years," Schatz said. "They've worked hard and tried things outside the box trying to get better. It's worked. Half the battle is getting qualified. And they've definitely got it qualifying better."

After leading eight laps, Madsen finished the night in third - his best finish so far this season

"We're extremely happy to come home with a podium," he said. "Chico has never been my best track so it's been a fantastic night for us."

The St. Marys, New South Wales, Australia native also took home his fourth quick time of the year - the most of any driver.

Jason Johnson was the night's KSE Racing Hard Charger award after advancing 16 positions to finish in eighth.

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars

A-Main
1 15 Donny Schatz
2 88X Tanner Thorson
3 29 Kerry Madsen
4 83JR Tim Kaeding
5 9 Daryn Pittman
6 49 Brad Sweet
7 92 Andy Forsberg
8 41 Jason Johnson
9 22K Shane Golobic
10 83 David Gravel
11 75 Sean Becker
12 71M Joey Saldana
13 5V Colby Copeland
14 2 Shane Stewart
15 21X Carson Macedo
16 11K Kraig Kinser
17 21 Brian Brown
18 3C Jonathan Allard
19 51 Paul McMahan
20 31C Justyn Cox
21 7S Jason Sides
22 24 Rico Abreu
23 44W Austen Wheatley
24 88N DJ Netto
25 88 Terry McCarl
26 41X Dominic Scelzi

B-Main
1 2 Shane Stewart
2 21X Carson Macedo
3 24 Rico Abreu
4 75 Sean Becker
5 35M Kyle Hirst
6 22 Mason Moore
7 71M Joey Saldana
8 11K Kraig Kinser
9 0 Bud Kaeding
10 17W Bryan Clauson
11 1A Jacob Allen
12 7 Craig Dollansky
13 19 Keith Bloom
14 1s Logan Schuchart

C-Main
1 71M Joey Saldana
2 19 Keith Bloom
3 00 Jason Statler
4 99T Skylar Gee
5 18 Ian Madsen
6 68 Chase Johnson
7 7H Jojo Helberg
8 98 Sean Watts
9 13 Rowdy McLenon
10 57 Billy Butler
11 15H Pat Harvey Jr.

Heat #1
1 44W Austen Wheatley
2 29 Kerry Madsen
3 15 Donny Schatz
4 7S Jason Sides
5 83 David Gravel
6 0 Bud Kaeding
7 7 Craig Dollansky
8 22 Mason Moore
9 18 Ian Madsen
10 7H Jojo Helberg
11 13 Rowdy McLenon

Heat #2
1 51 Paul McMahan
2 88 Terry McCarl
3 88X Tanner Thorson
4 3C Jonathan Allard
5 41 Jason Johnson
6 24 Rico Abreu
7 19 Keith Bloom
8 17W Bryan Clauson
9 15H Pat Harvey Jr.
10 35M Kyle Hirst
11 21X Carson Macedo

Heat #3
1 88N DJ Netto
2 83JR Tim Kaeding
3 9 Daryn Pittman
4 31C Justyn Cox
5 21 Brian Brown
6 71M Joey Saldana
7 1s Logan Schuchart
8 68 Chase Johnson
9 99T Skylar Gee
10 98 Sean Watts
11 1A Jacob Allen

Heat #4
1 49 Brad Sweet
2 22K Shane Golobic
3 92 Andy Forsberg
4 41X Dominic Scelzi
5 5V Colby Copeland
6 11K Kraig Kinser
7 2 Shane Stewart
8 57 Billy Butler
9 75 Sean Becker
10 00 Jason Statler
11 89 Branden Mansfield

Qualifying Results
1 29 Kerry Madsen 11.804
2 24 Rico Abreu 11.948
3 9 Daryn Pittman 12.027
4 2 Shane Stewart 12.136
5 15 Donny Schatz 12.233
6 35M Kyle Hirst 12.252
7 83JR Tim Kaeding 12.259
8 49 Brad Sweet 12.289
9 44W Austen Wheatley 12.291
10 51 Paul McMahan 12.308
11 1A Jacob Allen 12.318
12 92 Andy Forsberg 12.335
13 83 David Gravel 12.355
14 88X Tanner Thorson 12.386
15 88N DJ Netto 12.401
16 41X Dominic Scelzi 12.420
17 22 Mason Moore 12.430
18 88 Terry McCarl 12.455
19 31C Justyn Cox 12.458
20 22K Shane Golobic 12.461
21 7S Jason Sides 12.496
22 21X Carson Macedo 12.511
23 21 Brian Brown 12.539
24 75 Sean Becker 12.544
25 7 Craig Dollansky 12.576
26 3C Jonathan Allard 12.621
27 1s Logan Schuchart 12.649
28 11K Kraig Kinser 12.680
29 0 Bud Kaeding 12.699
30 17W Bryan Clauson 12.723
31 71M Joey Saldana 12.725
32 5V Colby Copeland 12.732
33 7H Jojo Helberg 12.770
34 41 Jason Johnson 12.880
35 99T Skylar Gee 12.880
36 00 Jason Statler 12.930
37 18 Ian Madsen 13.002
38 19 Keith Bloom 13.048
39 68 Chase Johnson 13.464
40 89 Branden Mansfield 13.927
41 13 Rowdy McLenon 14.001
42 15H Pat Harvey Jr. 14.018
43 98 Sean Watts 14.116
44 57 Billy Butler 14.553