By Bryan Hulbert / Bill Wright KNOXVILLE, Ia. (August 10, 2013) — Cash on your birthday is always great, but even better is earning your seventh FVP Knoxville Nationals title and a $150,000 bounty as Donny Schatz raced from the twenty-first starting spot to make history as the deepest starting winner in Nationals history; a record that had stood since 1962 when Jerry Richert accomplished the feat. It was matched by Steve Kinser in 1995.
Talking about his mindset prior to the night’s feature event, Schatz was questioned on whether or not he had any doubt he could win, “I didn’t call if doubt, I called it motivation. This race team is unbelievable. I told these guys if we weren’t in the top five on that stoppage, we were going to be in trouble. I did not expect the track to get abrasive and take rubber like that.”
Taking the lead on Lap 41, the North Dakota native worked to 4.093 second advantage at the checkered flag.
“Man to get through there; I don’t know what the hell else anyone wants me to do,” said Schatz whose win defied the odds. “I guess I’m just going to keep doing what I do. That was a lot of fun to be able to start that far back and get up there. I know if it’s that much fun for me, it’s got to be that much fun for everyone here.”
Jumping to the lead from the onset, Brian Brown immediately jumped to a 1.321 second advantage before the first caution on Lap 2 for the spun No. 4 of Cody Darrah.
After a caution on Lap 4, Brown again starting pulling to a huge advantage, pulling away for a 3.602 second lead by Lap 11. Having cracked the top 10 by Lap 5, Schatz continued to quietly march to the front, pulling to fifth on Lap 20.
The night’s competition red flew on Lap 24 with Brown leading over Joey Saldana, Justin Henderson, Kevin Swindell, and Donny Schatz making up the top five.
Working to third on Lap 29 with the track starting to take rubber, the STP No. 15 grabbed second on Lap 32. From there, it was a matter of chasing down Brian Brown who ran amongst the back markers. Almost two seconds behind at Lap 33, Schatz closed to under a half second by Lap 40, taking the lead the following lap, and going uncontested to the finish.
Brian Brown settled for the runner up spot for the second year running. In victory lane, the Missouri shoe talked about what happened in the second session, “I just got out there a little too early on that second set. Just hats off to Donny. There’s a reason he’s a seven time champion. Congratulations to his team. “
Earning his best career finish in the FVP Knoxville Nationals, Justin Henderson completed the podium, only jumping in the American Fabrication No. 1D just over a month ago, “If it wasn’t for Schatz I think, we were close to having something for Brian at the end, but we had a hole in the tire. I was working as hard as I could to keep it up, but if I wouldn’t have pounded the wall trying pass Joey we may have had something, but, it is what it is. We’ll come back next year and try again.”
Paul McMahan crossed fourth with Chad Kemenah completing the top five from the nineteenth starting spot.
Kyle Larson charged from seventeenth to sixth with Joey Saldana seventh. Danny Lasoski moved from thirteenth to eighth with Steve Kinser and Cap Henry, who raced in via Friday night’s feature event, completing the top ten from eighteenth.
The finale of the 53rd FVP Knoxville Nationals began in the “E” Feature with Sammy Swindell winning. Dale Blaney topped the night’s “D” Feature with Sam Hafertepe, Jr. moving on via a “C” Feature. The “B” Feature was won by Donny Schatz with a last corner pass on Lynton Jeffrey.
Kevin Swindell, Roger Crockett, and Cap Henry made their first FVP Knoxville Nationals Championship “A” Feature start.
Kevin Swindell also earned the 2013 Jesse Hockett “Mr. Sprint Car” Award for his runs during Southern Iowa Sprint Week.
Danny Dietrich earned the Rookie of the Year honors for the 53rd running of the FVP Knoxville Nationals, advancing out of the “C” Feature and placing sixteenth in the “B” Feature.
Justin Henderson and the BDS Motorsports team earned the best appearing car of the year. The best appearing crew honor went to Cole Wood Racing. Crews for Joey Saldana and Jonathan Allard completed the top three best appearing crews.
The Knoxville Championship Cup Series will conclude 2013 with Season Championship Night on August 24. All three sprint car divisions will be in action. For more information, visit http://www.KnoxvilleRaceway.com!
- Admin Account on Aug 11, 2013
- Article Date: 8/11/2013