Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Is Donny Schatz planning on using his pre-entry and running the Thursday-only portion of the Late Model Nationals this weekend?    Obviously he is busy Friday and Saturday nights....unless the monsoon season hits Bloomington IN and Marne MI this weekend.   

Boy, that would really piss of the WRG if he decided that his points lead could survive a weekend off and the penalties to go race a late model with the Lucas Oil Series.....  

I am sure he has good equipment, and has proved his skills translate well to the world of fenders and trick suspensions.....but he has never raced one at the track he knows best.    I think he actually has a chance of being the first to win both Knoxville Nationals.  

I'm guessing STP as primary sponsor of the World of Outlaws would want Donny there (at the sprint car races).  Having said that, I could see one of the shows running quicker or slower to try to get him there.  He can fly.  I would bet that Tony would have someone helicopter him into Knoxville if time allotted.  I know he tested there and rumor has it he found a pretty darn good setup.  Will be fun to see if he tries to attempt it.  

No idea if Schatz will be at the Late Model Nationals or not. My honest guess is he will be for the prelim night only. Also he actually has raced a late model at Knoxville from what I am told. Not against any real compeition but I believe he and a few others rented the track during a week night this summer and word was he was testing his late model. If thats true I bet he would come for at least one night and would be extremely competitive. Not really a fan of him but he is one heck of a racer. Gotta give him that.

OK,  there is certainly a chance he will be there for at least the first night.  Gonna be interesting to see how he does.   (and why has nobody hit Terry McCarl over the head and stuffed his butt into a late model for this race yet?   Even a half way goofy TMac would be great for ticket sales) 

How's he gonna  do?   For those that think he will get locked into the A main based on his Thursday performance......how good of a starting spot does he need to come back on Saturday?'

I don't think that Knoxville can drag the show out long enough to get him in from Michigan to do a true double,  but darn the luck if he might have to scratch the WoO show after time trials with engine troubles.    Between the time zone difference and the 9 pm or so starting time in Knoxville,  I beleive that Smoke's fleet of planes, trains, helicopters and SUV's can get him into Knoxville in time to make the 100 lapper.  

Come to think of it,  can the WoO even penalize a guy for being in a Knoxville Late Model instead of Marne winged sprint car this Saturday?    

Remember, this race has been won "from the B" at least once and "from the rear" at least 3 other times.  

He doesn't need Tony's planes or helicopter, he has his own jet and fly's it to all the races himself. It would be interesting to see if he does lock in if he would make an attempt to make it from Michigan, he would also gain an hour on the trip from Michigan to Knoxville. I don't know though, seems pretty tough, logistically.

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Schatz is running his personal late model for the Thursday show only, will not miss a WoO race. And yes he flys himself to every race.

I assumed that Donny's main mode of transportation was wrapped up in the TSR/SHR fleet.  

What is the rainout cutoff time for Donny to try and run Friday or Saturday?

Can he give T-Mac a call and let him run it either of those nights?  

His membership/contract doesnt allow him to miss a scheduled WoO event to race elsewhere. Maybe contact Jason Sides to see how much they dislike that.

I understand that Donny will not skip the Marne race and most likely will not scratch after hotlaps with "engine trouble".....but what is the weather forecast for IN and MI?     That jet can take off in the rain, right?  

Weather looks perfect for Marne on Sat., sun, high of 78 low of 56 and no chance of rain. Not that forcasts are always right but it doesn't look like a rainouts likely.

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Did anyone else notice Donny actually went backwards on saturday night ?

I'm no mechanic but as the feature wore on Saturday night it sounded like Donny's motor was hurt.  Maybe down a cylinder.  It had a definite miss to it.

Donny tested his Late Model @ KNoxville (along with Rick Eckert and Tim McCreadie) a while back.  He stated his intentions are to run Thursday night and then fly out to the WoO sprint races @ Bloomington and Berlin (Berlin was added to the schedule late - his original plan was to fly back and race on Saturday night too).

Should be good to see if he has the same "touch" at Knoxville in a Late Model as he does in a sprint.  Totally different cars.

No way he skips a WoO sprint race to come back (even if he does great on Thursday and is "locked in" to the main or even scheduled to start on the pole.  It's just not worth it when you look at the big picture (WoO points championship - by rule, they could strip him of ALL WoO points if he skips a race), and the race pays good, but not nearly as good as the sprint Nationals ($40,000 to win, $20,000 for 2nd, $2500 to start).

Would love to see what his lap times were compared to Eckert and McCreadie. With the best of the best there for the LM Nationals it will put him to the test no doubt. If he can beat the three hottest late model drivers in the country right now in Bloomquist, Owens, and Lanigan it would be an upset on par with McCreadie winning the Chili Bowl.