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ELMA, WA (August 28) - Donny Schatz had a plan for the final two months of the 2005 World of Outlaws season: win as many races as he could and try to have fun doing it. Saturday's performance was just what he had in mind. After last weekend's heartbreak in Billings, Schatz left no doubt about who had the best racecar charging from the fifth row in his #15 ParkerStore J&J with Shaver power to win the finale of the 40-lap “A” Feature event at Grays Harbor Raceway. “We had a great racecar tonight,” said Schatz, following the win. “[Friday] night was a learning experience. I'm working with some new guys (Ricky Warner and Dion Hindi) and they understand things very well. We tried some things on Friday night came back tonight and made some adjustments our car. We did the same thing in Billings last weekend. We spent the first night trying to get good and the second night we were good. It was awful exciting to be that decent. To come from ninth and race the way we did, the racecar was just better, plain, flat and simple. The guys did a great job. They worked on this thing awful hard on the five days off that we had. That's the difference. We're getting our program switched around, getting our engines running really good and as long as Hoosier continues to build a great tire we're going to be in good shape.” Schatz and his team didn't let last weekend's mechanical failure while leading at Billings Motorsports Park get them down. Instead they focused on how to get better. Schatz qualified 18th on Friday night and charged to ninth in the feature. On Saturday night he qualified fifth and started the 40-lap race in ninth. The ParkerStore J&J was the class of the field as Schatz patiently worked his way up to the leaders. Steve Kinser led from the pole while Terry McCarl and Brooke Tatnell battled it out the runner up position. On lap 28, Schatz made his move past Tatnell for second and began charging on Kinser. Schatz caught “The King” and after pulling even with him one time, he made his bid for the lead on lap 37. Schatz led the final three laps to claim his fifth “A” feature win of the season. “Steve was really good on the bottom,” said the Fargo, ND racer. “I showed my nose underneath him once just to kind of mess with him a little bit. He thought I was going to be there and he just wouldn't give that bottom up. We were actually better in the middle of the racetrack. I knew when we were five car lengths behind him and I pulled up next to him going into Turn 3, that's really where the difference was. The car was so good in the middle of the racetrack on entry that anybody could have driven it. Racecars don't get that good that often so you have to eat it up when you can.” Schatz and the ParkerStore team traveled to Oregon on Sunday and will return to action on Tuesday night at Cottage Grove Speedway in Cottage Grove, OR, where Donny won his first-ever World of Outlaws feature on August 24, 1998. “I really like the Wild, Wild West swing through Montana, Washington and Oregon,” continued Schatz. “We've got some family out here and the racing is really good too. I always enjoy going back to Cottage Grove and remembering that first win. We're going to keep plugging along and try to keep all these guys chasing us from here on out.” The feature event from Grays Harbor Raceway will air on Wednesday, September 7 on the Outdoor Channel. |