BILLINGS, MT - The sky is definitely big in Montana and the ParkerStore World of Outlaws team looked like the biggest star in the night at Billings Motorsports Park on Saturday night. Donny Schatz dominated the first 37 laps of the World of Outlaws $12,000-to-win finale at the 3/8-mile oval, but for the third time this season a mechanical problem took a victory away from the Fargo, ND racer.

“We were pretty dominant in the feature and just needed to go a few more laps,” said Schatz following the race. “I think everyone there knew we had the car to beat, but something broke in the rear-end and it just quit with two laps to go. Daryn Pittman got the win, but we were good both nights and we'll take the car apart tomorrow and get ready for Elma next weekend.”

A triumph in Saturday's finale would have been a sweet way to end a bittersweet week for Schatz and the team. On Sunday night, he finished second in the season's biggest sprint car race the Knoxville Nationals driving his #15 ParkerStore J&J with Shaver power, for the fourth time in six years. On Tuesday, he returned home to race at Red River Valley Speedway where a flat tire slowed his charge. In Friday's preliminary feature at Billings Motorsports Park, he finished second locking him into the dash for Saturday's event.

Schatz and his ParkerStore crew (Ricky Warner and Dion Hindi) kept a close on eye on track conditions during Saturday's qualifying and heat race action. The 3/8-mile oval was tough on everyone in the opener, but things were different Saturday as the crew surface was in great condition. Schatz started the Stacker 2 Dash next to Friday's winner, Steve Kinser, and came home third in the six-lap race behind Kinser and Jac Haudenschild.

Schatz beat both Kinser and Haudenschild to the flagstand on lap one of the 40-lap “A” feature event. The #15 ParkerStore J&J was on a rail as Schatz hugged the bottom groove around the track and maneuvered his way through traffic. Late in the race, Kinser closed in on Schatz as he tried to lap Brian Paulus. After finally passing Paulus, the reared of the #15 sprinter began smoking. Schatz tried to nurse the car to the checkered flag, but on lap 37 he began slowing and finally stopped on the track.

“I could smell the thing going bad,” continued Schatz. “My guys did a great job giving me a car to win the race. We're going to continue working hard and try to have some fun on this swing out west. We had a great run out here last year and hope to be competitive throughout the swing.”