IN
SEARCH OF A "COMMONWEALTH CLASSIC" VICTORY LIVE ON TNN
SARVER, PA - Having momentum can be a valuable
asset on the grueling Pennzoil World of Outlaws tour. Donny Schatz and his ParkerStores
team have been one of the hottest teams in the Outlaw series recently, and they are hoping
that continues on Friday at Lernerville Speedway at the Commonwealth Classic.
"We've been running real well here lately," said Schatz, who has jumped to
seventh in the WoO standings following eight top ten finishes in the last nine races,
including three victories. "This is the first time since I started with the Outlaws
in 1997 that we've been consistently up front for this long of stretch. It feels really
good and I'm thankful that I've got Kenny Woodruff as my crew chief. We've been working
really well together and it's showing on the track."
The team started the season with some inconsistency, but lately they've been a player in
most events. Two weeks ago, Schatz dominated the preliminary program at Williams Grove
Speedway and was ready to lead the field to the green flag from the pole position before
rain stopped the event. Last weekend, Schatz qualified his #15 J&J first and second at
Lowe's Motor Speedway, and in Saturday's 40-lap "A" Feature, he charged from
10th to third. On Monday, the team led every lap of they raced as "the Minot
Missile" claimed his seventh career WoO "A" Feature at Lebanon Valley
Speedway in W. Lebanon, New York.
"I really wanted to string together a few wins," said Schatz. "We ran 10th
at Rolling Wheels on Wednesday, and I feel like we could have won it too. The track was
really slick, and KW devised a plan. We moved forward in the Dash when no one else was
really passing anyone. I out thought myself about how I wanted the car for the feature,
and it was just kind of a hang on deal. I'm really getting used to the equipment we're
using and am feeling good about it. Ron Shaver has been building us some strong motors,
and I'm really happy with the way our J&J cars have been rolling around the
track."
Schatz has competed in nine WoO events at Lernerville. After struggling during his first
two seasons at the high-banked 1/2-mile oval, he began to find the fast way around track
in 1999. In the May event, he qualified fifth and raced from seventh to third in the
35-lap race. In the Eighth annual Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup later that season, Schatz
started the "A" Feature third and took the lead on the 12th lap before
surrendering the lead with a cut tire. Last September, he raced at the track with Kenny
Woodruff for the first time and qualified second. He finished eighth in the feature for
only his second top ten finish at Lernerville.
"Išve had some great chances to win at Lernerville before," said Schatz.
"If you look at the tracks where I've won an Outlaw race (including three preliminary
victories), you'll see that for the most part I've been good there in the past and just
happened to put it all together one night. Williams Grove is the only exception, and Kenny
has been a real key to my success there. You've got to be able to run up front to win and
right now we've been up front a lot. We're hoping that continues and we can make
Lernerville the ninth different track where I've won an Outlaw race."
Schatz and the ParkerStores team will be join the rest of the Outlaws in Friday's race,
which will air live on TNN: The National Network at 9 PM (ET).
(Article and Photo by Bill Klingbeil)
