BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Donny Schatz is starting 2018 firing on all cylinders, which is bad news for the rest of the competition.
Schatz fought off a pesky Brian Brown early in the race Sunday night, and held off charges from Sheldon Haudenschild and Brad Sweet late to capture his fourth win in five nights at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park.
Schatz, who has won just about everything to win in Sprint Car racing, captured his first ever DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator Championship.
Sweet finished in second, with Haudenschild in third, Jason Johnson in fourth and Chad Kemenah in fifth.
Shane Stewart, Brown, Paul McMahan, David Gravel and Parker Price-Miller rounded out the top ten.
In other action, it was the second and final Gator Qualifying Night for the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds. The second half of the 79 total Modified teams who had made at least one appearance during the 47th Annual DIRTcar Nationals had their shot at racing their way into the $5,000-to-win Big Gator Championships on Monday.
Two-time defending DIRTcar Nationals Champion Nick Hoffman returned to his winning ways, as he took the lead with six laps to go and pulled away to his third Gator of the week and a starting spot in the Big Gator Championship feature.
Will Krup finished in second, followed by Zeke McKenzie in third, NASCAR driver Justin Allgaier in fourth and Ryan Cripe in fifth.
Allen Weisser, Kenny Wallace, Jason Beaulieu, Jamie Carter, and Mark Whitener rounded out the top ten.
The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds close out their ironman status within the DIRTcar Nationals with their seventh and final night of action on Monday night, with the $5,000-to-win Big Gator Championships on tap. Also on Monday, the DIRTcar Late Models kick off Late Model week on Monday.
For more information, visit DIRTcarnationals.com.
DIRTcar Nationals
Volusia Speedway Park – Barberville, FL
Race Results – Feb. 11, 2018
World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series
1. 15-Donny Schatz
2. 49-Brad Sweet
3. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild
4. 41-Jason Johnson
5. 10H-Chad Kemenah
6. 2-Shane Stewart
7. 21-Brian Brown
8. 13X-Paul McMahan
9. 5-David Gravel
10. 4-Parker Price-Miller
11. 49X-Tim Shaffer
12. 27-Greg Hodnett
13. 11K-Kraig Kinser
14. 18-Ian Madsen
15. 26-Joey Saldana
16. 2M-Kerry Madsen
17. 9-Daryn Pittman
18. 1K-Kyle Larson
19. 7S-Jason Sides
20. 1S-Logan Schuchart
21. 5W-Lucas Wolfe
22. 70-Dave Blaney
23. W20-Greg Wilson
24. 44-Trey Starks
25. 24-Rico Abreu
26. 1A-Jacob Allen
27. 13-Clyde Knipp
DIRTcar UMP Modifieds
1.Nick Hoffman
2. Will Krup
3. Zeke McKenzie
4. Justin Allgaier
5. Ryan Cripe
6. Allen Weisser
7. Kenny Wallace
8. Jason Beaulieu
9. Jamie Carter
10. Mark Whitener
11. Brian Ruhlman
12. Troy Johnson
13. Justin Haley
14. Larry Burkins
15. Rich Pratt
16. Tyler Evans
17. Ken Schrader
18. Jessie Hoskins
19. Sean Monaghan
20. KC Burdette
21. Gary Bentley
22. Austin Holcombe
23. Joey Miller
24. Steve Stevenson
25. Dustin Thayer
