Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway is a very familiar track for 10-time World of Outlaws (WoO) champion Donny Schatz. He’s recorded 27 career wins on the half-mile dirt oval – 17 with the WoO and 10 Knoxville National triumphs in 22 Nationals A-Main starts. Schatz is the most prolific current-day WoO racer, who owns 299 wins, 954 top-fives and an astounding 1,403 top-10 results in his career. He’s the third most-successful driver in series history.
Those impressive results could come in handy this July 9th when Schatz races the David Gilliland Racing-entered No. 17 Little Giant Ford F-150 in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS), the series first visit to the famed half-mile.
As NASCAR takes its three touring series to different venues around the country, opportunities present themselves for drivers like Donny Schatz to show their stuff to fans who aren’t familiar with their exploits, giving a superstar like Schatz the chance to bring different fans to the sport. David Gilliland Racing recognized the value of hiring Schatz to perform at a racetrack he knows and loves.
“Donny is a legend in the dirt car world and has an incredible track record at Knoxville in the World of Outlaws,” David Gilliland Racing team co-owner David Gilliland acknowledged. “His experience level and knowledge of dirt-track racing and Knoxville Raceway will make him a great addition to the team for the first ever truck race there. We are super excited to welcome him aboard.”
Currently racing for Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing in the No. 15 World of Outlaws sprint car, Fargo, North Dakota-raised Donny Schatz’s career began when he was 11 years old – he’s 43 currently with a birthday in August – when he began racing karts, switching to 358 sprints as a 15-year-old and then on to 410 sprints and WoO when he reached 18 years of age. He earned his first A-feature victory in 1998 and is, along with the legendary Steve Kinser, one of only two drivers to win the WoO points title four years in a row.
“I am unbelievably excited to take part in my first NASCAR-sanctioned event as part of David Gilliland Racing,” Schatz said. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet David and his organization’s record speaks for itself. DGR has a great group of people working with their team and I’m looking forward to making my NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut with them at Knoxville Raceway in July.
“The fact that my first NASCAR-sanctioned event will take place on dirt and in a truck fits perfectly into the path that my career has taken,” Schatz continued. “To make my truck series debut at Knoxville, a place that has been so good to me over the years, is also very fitting. I’m hoping to represent our partners and the sprint community well.”
Among the partners lining up in support of Schatz for this debut race are Miller Manufacturing and its Little Giant brand. Schatz supporters Carquest, Kraig Ford, Absolute Automation, Curb-Agajanian, Sage Fruit and Elliott’s Custom Carts and Trailers will also be represented by Schatz during this race meeting. “It’s really exciting to be able to bring them along for this experience,” the driver said.
David Gilliland Racing enters Ford F-150 trucks for Hailie Deegan and Tanner Gray in most NCWTS races; DGR also prepares the No. 46 Ford Fusion for Thad Moffitt in the national ARCA Menards Series. The July 9th truck series race will air on FS1.
Leave a Reply