Schatz makes it two in a row at Knoxville Nationals
By Stacy Ervin

KNOXVILLE, IA (Aug 11) - Defending Knoxville Nationals champion Donny Schatz of Fargo, North Dakota, made it two in a row just before midnight on Saturday, August 11, 2007, at the 47th Annual Super Clean Knoxville Nationals presented by Factory Value Parts. The happy winner celebrated with family and friends in victory lane and led photographers to believe he would climb the fence before collecting the $150,000 payday.

During the course of the exciting race, Schatz built a four-and-a-half second lead on second-place finisher Joey Saldana of Brownsburg, Indiana, and third-place finisher Terry McCarl of Altoona, Iowa. Saldana, who also finished second to Schatz in 2006, collected $75,000 and McCarl collected $37,000.

When the green flag dropped on the 30-lap championship main, outside front-row starter Paul McMahan got a slight advantage over polesitter Schatz, but Schatz used a big slide job in turn four to lead the first lap. The red flag came out just after that, though, when Travis Cram got sideways in turn one and collected Tim Kaeding, who took a big tumble. Randy Hannagan was also caught up by the accident as he tried to race from the back of the field. Hannagan and Cram were able to restart.

After the restart, Schatz was on a rail on the extreme high side of the half-mile, building about a half-straightaway lead before the yellow flag came out on the seventh lap for a slowing Shane Stewart in turn four. His crew changed an MSD box, but his motor would not refire. Also at this time, Cram pulled back to the work area and he was able to return to action. However, Stevie Smith stopped on the pace laps with a flat right-rear tire and since the yellow was not thrown for him, he was not given any laps to change the tire and did not restart.

When the race went green again, Schatz again assumed a big lead, while McCarl put a slide job on McMahan for second. Schatz was just about to enter lapped traffic again at lap 12 and allow McCarl a chance to close when the yellow flag returned for Cram, who got into the turn-three wall. He did not restart.

On the restart, McCarl tried to pull a slide job on Schatz in turn two and the pair nearly got together and into the fence. The move allowed Schatz to get away with the lead for another lap before the red flag returned as Jason Martin got upside down in turn one.

On the next restart, McCarl tried again but could not catch Schatz, who came to lapped traffic at the 19th circuit. At the 21st lap, McCarl made a slight bobble on the cushion in turn two while trying to maneuver traffic and that allowed Saldana to slip by for second.

On the 25th lap, Craig Dollansky took third from McCarl, but McCarl made a big charge late in the race to gain the podium spot back. Knoxville regular Brian Brown made a charge from the back of the pack after transferring in from the B to finish 13th and garner the Hard Charger Award.

Randy Hannagan of Pittsboro, Indiana, led all 22 laps in a dramatic B-Main and transferred to the night’s big show along with third starter Shane Stewart of Bixby, Oklahoma, 10th starter Brian Brown of Grain Valley, Missouri, and eighth starter Tim Kaeding of San Jose, California. Hannagan started on the pole of the event and took the lead, coming to lapped traffic at lap seven. From there, he drove through heavy traffic until the 15th lap when the yellow flag came out for Toni Lutar, who spun sideways in turn one. After the next lap was completed, the yellow returned for Tony Bruce Jr., who drove into the turn-two fence with a broken Jacobs ladder and steering box damage. The drama came on the 17th lap when Brandon Wimmer, who had been in the fourth and final transfer spot, tried a slide job on third-place runner Chad Kemenah and the two got together. The duo went for a vicious crash into the turn-one wall. That handed Kaeding and Brown transfer spots and Brown made the most of the opportunity, passing Kaeding at the end of the race for insurance. Daryn Pittman and Justin Henderson gave thrilling performances in trying to make the show, as Pittman came from 18th starting spot to finish fifth and Henderson came from 22nd starting spot and a transfer from the C-Main to finish sixth. Ironically, Henderson may not have started the B-Main if not for a crash by the early leader of the C.

Lance Dewease of Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, won the 15-lap C-Main and transferred to the B-Main along with sixth starter Justin Henderson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dewease, who started fourth, inherited the lead just before the halfway mark when race leader Mark Dobmeier suffered a vicious crash. Skip Jackson was unable to start this race after losing a motor in hot laps. When the race went green, polesitter Seth Brahmer got a bit sideways and that allowed outside front-row starter Dobmeier to gain the lead. The first few laps of this event were a little wild as there were several near accidents while the cars jockeyed for position. The only stoppage, however, came when Dobmeier’s car turned head-on into the turn-one fence at lap six and sent him flipping violently into the wall. The culprit was the right-rear wheel, which broke in half.

Ryan Farrell of Perth, Western Australia, won the night’s D-Main after leading all 12 laps. He transferred to the C-Main along with second-place finisher Travis Rilat of Forney, Texas. Matt Wasmund, who had earned a transfer spot from the E-Main, was unable to start this race. When the green flag dropped, polesitter Farrell got out to the lead, but the yellow flag came out after one lap was in the books when Farrell’s teammate Kaley Gharst went up in smoke and suffered broken steering in turn two. On the restart, cars got stacked up and the yellow came out after the second lap when Jan Howard stopped in turn three with a flat right-rear tire. The next restart attempt was called back after Calvin Landis hit the restart cone and was forced to restart at the rear, giving up his seventh-place spot. Farrell again led when the race went green, but the red flag came out on lap seven. First, Davey Heskin, who was running in the second and final transfer spot, got sideways with a broken torsion arm. Soon after, Clint Garner came flipping along turn four. At this time, Jesse Hockett was called to the work area when officials thought he had lost his fuel cap. He was deemed to be fine and got his running spot back. Tony Shilling also came to the work area to repair damage to his nose wing which had been suffered in an earlier incident. Heskin and Shilling were able to restart. Garner did not restart but was able to climb out of his machine. When the race went green again, Farrell built a huge lead and took the win.

Chris Schmelzle of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, opened the night with a flag-to-flag win in the 10-lap E-Main. He transferred to the D-Main along with second-place finisher Matt Wasmund of Jackson, Minnesota. Wasmund started on the pole of the event with Schmelzle to his outside. When the race went green, Schmelzle got the lead and held it as Wasmund was challenged by Rager Phillips. The only yellow flag of the event came out on lap six when Neil Shepherd stopped at the backstretch pit gate.

The award for Best Appearing Crew went to Rob Chaney’s crew. Second place went to Paul McMahan’s crew and third place to Tony Bruce Jr.’s crew. The Mr. Sprint Car title went to Wayne Johnson, who amassed enough points in 10 nights of racing during Southern Iowa Sprint Week to top the standings. Sam Hafertepe Jr. was named Rookie of the Nationals.


KNOXVILLE RACEWAY, Knoxville, IA
August 12, 2007
47th annual Super Clean Knoxville Nationals RESULTS

E Feature, 10 laps, No Time: 1. Chris Schmelzle, Victoria BC Can ; 2. Matt Wasmund, Jackson MN; 3. Rager Phillips, Pleasantville IA; 4. T.J. Winegardner, Pierson FL; 5. Brent Antill, Ankeny IA; 6. Garrett Ishii, Caruthers CA; 7. Ray Allen Kulhanek, Conroe TX; 8. Ben Gregg, Glendale AZ; 9. Jack Dover, (R)Springfield NE; 10. Robert Bell, Colfax IA; 11. Neil Shepherd, Warsaw IN; 12. Ty Bartz, Sheboygan Falls WI; 13. Bob Bennett, Lewisberry PA;

D Feature, 12 laps, No Time: 1. Ryan Farrell, Perth, WA, Aust ; 2. Travis Rilat, Forney TX; 3. Scott Winters, Butterfield MN; 4. Sean Michael, Allentown PA; 5. Jesse Hockett, Warsaw MO; 6. Chad Hillier, Sedro Woolley WA; 7. Calvin Landis, Knoxville IA; 8. Lynton Jeffrey, Sydney, NSW, Aust./Prairie City IA; 9. Kim Mock, Pleasant Prairie WI; 10. Larry Pinegar II, Des Moines IA; 11. Mike Moore, East Des Moines IA; 12. Mike Deavers, (R)Normal IL; 13. Davey Heskin, (R)St. Michael MN; 14. Jan Howard, Byhalia MS; 15. Chris Schmelzle, Victoria BC Can ; 16. Bob Weuve, Newton IA; 17. Todd King, Sheboygan Falls WI; 18. Tony Shilling, Knoxville IA; 19. Clint Garner, Sioux Falls SD; 20. Chad Blonde, Litchfield MI; 21. Kaley Gharst, Decatur IL; 22. Matt Wasmund, Jackson MN;

C Feature, 15 laps, No Time: 1. Lance Dewease, Fayetteville PA; 2. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 3. Kerry Madsen, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ; 4. Jason Meyers, Clovis CA; 5. Dean Jacobs, Wooster OH; 6. Jac Haudenschild, Wooster OH; 7. Greg Wilson, Benton Ridge OH; 8. Jason Johnson, Greenville TX; 9. Jonathan Allard, Chico CA; 10. Bob Felmlee, Franklin PA; 11. Seth Brahmer, Wisner NE; 12. Brock Mayes, Bucyrus OH; 13. Travis Rilat, Forney TX; 14. Jeff Mitrisin, Oskaloosa IA; 15. Billy Alley, Lincoln NE; 16. Kenny Jacobs, Holmesville OH; 17. John Lambertz, Sioux Falls SD; 18. Ryan Farrell, Perth, WA, Aust ; 19. Tayler Malsam, Sammamish WA; 20. Jack Potter, Pleasant Hill MO; 21. Mark Dobmeier, (R)Grand Forks ND; 22. Skip Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Aust. ;

B Feature, 22 laps, No Time: 1. Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro IN; 2. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 3. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 4. Tim Kaeding, San Jose CA; 5. Daryn Pittman, Owasso OK; 6. Justin Henderson, Sioux Falls SD; 7. Lance Dewease, Fayetteville PA; 8. Greg Hodnett, Thomasville PA; 9. Danny Smith, Danville IN; 10. Garry Lee Maier, Cimarron KS; 11. Sam Hafertepe, Sunnyville TX; 12. Mark Smith, Selinsgrove PA; 13. Dusty Zomer, Brandon SD; 14. Bronson Maeschen, Knoxville IA; 15. Jeremy Campbell, Monroe MI; 16. Brian Paulus, Mechanicsburg PA; 17. Chad Kemenah, Findlay OH; 18. Brandon Wimmer, Fairmount IN; 19. Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal KS; 20. Rob Chaney, Millersburg OH; 21. Rob Chaney, Millersburg OH; 22. Randy Martin, California MO; 23. Toni Lutar, (R)White Rock, BC, Can. ;

A Feature, 30 laps, No Time: 1. Donny Schatz, Fargo ND; 2. Joey Saldana, Brownsburg IN; 3. Terry McCarl, Altoona IA; 4. Craig Dollansky, Elk River MN; 5. Paul McMahan, Nashville TN; 6. Steve Kinser, Bloomington IN; 7. Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Aust. ; 8. Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa PA; 9. Jason Solwold, Mt. Vernon WA; 10. Jeff Shepard, Upperco MD; 11. Wayne Johnson, Mustang OK; 12. Danny Lasoski, Dover MO; 13. Brian Brown, Grain Valley MO; 14. Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg PA; 15. Randy Hannagan, Pittsboro IN; 16. Jason Sides, Bartlett TN; 17. Dion Hindi, Albuquerque NM; 18. Don Droud Jr, Lincoln NE; 19. Ed Lynch Jr, Apollo PA; 20. Jason Martin, Liberal KS; 21. Travis Cram, Knoxville IA; 22. Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow OK; 23. Shane Stewart, Bixby OK; 24. Tim Kaeding, San Jose CA. Lap Leaders: Schatz 1-30