GRANVILLE, NSW, AU (January 8) - Donny Schatz kicked off the 2004 O'Reilly World of Outlaws season at Parramatta City Raceway Thursday on opening night of the historic Outlaws "Down Under" event.

Schatz drove the #15 ParkerStore J&J to a fourth place finish in the feature event after leading the race during its early stages. Schatz earned the pole for Thursday's feature by racing from sixth to first in the night's first dash race.

The Fargo, ND native also won his heat race after starting third and began the evening by qualifying 14th in the field of 59 entries.

The ParkerStore team will return to PCR tonight for the second evening of the three night program. They will again have qualifications, heat races, dash events and a feature event. Saturday's finale will be lined up based points accumulated during Thursday and Friday's events. After one night of action, Schatz ranks fifth overall.

(Photo by Daniel Beard)