March 29, 2024

Schatz is 2017 Knoxville Nationals champion

KNOXVILLE — Donny Schatz continues to add to his legendary resume at the Knoxville Raceway, as he took his 10th career championship in the 57th Annual 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Stores Saturday night at the Knoxville Raceway.

It was the 10th win in 12 years for the Fargo, N.D., driver, and his eighth aboard the Tony Stewart Racing No. 15. The win was worth $150,000.

Schatz held off a late charge by Kyle Larson to secure the victory in the 50-lap race. Larson took second. Kerry Madsen took third.

“I did everything I could to get by (in traffic),” Schatz said in Victory Lane. “That’s how it works some days. You can’t be frustrated by it. You have to figure out what to do.  I was off the pace, I knew someone would be coming (at the end of the race).

“We’re glad to get this win. This whole race team is incredible with what they do. We just won the Knoxville Nationals,” Schatz said.

David Gravel led early over Schatz and Madsen. On Lap 19, Austin McCarl went up in smoke, bringing the first caution of the event. Gravel led Schatz, Madsen, Brad Sweet and Brian Brown back to green flag racing. Defending champion, Jason Johnson came from 21st into the top 10 by Lap 20.

Gravel lost his motor while leading on Lap 22 with Schatz going to the front. Larson drove by Brown and Sweet for third on the restart.

A caution for Terry McCarl, who slowed after getting into the turn three wall, slowed things again. The mandatory stop was implemented.

After the pause, Schatz led Madsen, Larson, Sweet and Shane Stewart back to green. Madsen took a shot at the leader, but a slider in turn two fell short, allowing Larson to cruise by into second.

With five laps to go, Schatz entered lapped traffic again. With several cars side by side in front of him, Larson would close.

“Kyle normally finds everything there is in a race car. You got to stay on your toes with him. He’s an awesome sprint car driver,” Schatz said. “It stinks that he has another career to deal with. I’m just glad he’s part of the sport and still comes back.”

On the white flag lap, Larson would make a sliding attempt in turn three that would fall short. Larson left Knoxville following the race to return to Brooklyn, Mich, for Sunday’s NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series race. Larson drove the Chip Ganassi No. 42 Target Chevrolet to victory in the Pure Michigan 400.

“That was a fun, tough race,” Larson said. “We had some good restarts and got to second. We were maintaining pace with him. I hammered the wall coming off four coming for the white. I feel that if I hadn’t done that, I could have gotten a run and maybe cleared him in two. I just made a costly mistake and ended up second.”

Stewart, Sweet, Brown, Aaron Reutzel, Rico Abreu, Daryn Pittman and Ian Madsen rounded out the top 10. Rager Phillips won the E main, Jamie Veal won the D, James McFadden claimed the C, and Jason Sides emerged victorious in a highly competitive B main.