Camargo, IL (2-4-09) by Kelly Brown - Public Relations Director – After winning night one at Volusia Speedway Park in dramatic fashion, it only seems fair that Donny Schatz follow it up with a All Star Circuit of Champions victory in dominant style. He did just that leading wire-to-wire on the fourth night of Florida Speedweek Winter Nationals.

On the drop of the Green Flag, Schatz was a man on a mission taking the lead going into the first turn with Joey Saldana on his heels. Behind them a battle for third waged on as Jason Sides, Greg Wilson and Tim Kaeding got three wide at one point for the position. As Kaeding got high out of the line, Daryn Pittman jumped at the opportunity and moved his way into the top-five.

During Lap 5 Schatz got caught behind a slowing Pat Cannon and Joey Saldana took the lead for a brief moment, but Cannon brought out the Yellow Flag before the lap could be recorded. Therefore, Schatz was relegated back into the top position. On the restart Schatz retained the lead and by Lap 8 he had build over a second lead over his nearest competitor.

There were a few times where lapped traffic brought Saldana’s 9 car close to the bumper of Schatz’s 15, but Saldana could not get by. This allowed Sides to close on Saldana, but he held Sides’ advances off. One of the best battles on the track was for who was going to make it into the top-five. There was quite a scuffle going on between Pittman, Kaeding, Steve Kinser, and Stevie Smith for the position.

With five laps to go the struggle for fifth was between Wilson and Pittman, while at the front of the pack Saldana once again had Schatz in his sights following him feverishly in the low line. With one lap remaining the Red Flag came out as a result of Wilson tangling with two lapped cars on the back stretch, which sent him plummeting end-over-end. Wilson would land on all fours and exit his w20 racing machine unscathed.

This set up a green-white-checker finish. When the field saw the Green Flag unfurled for the final time, Schatz once again beat Saldana into the first turn and took off never looking back. When the checkers fell it was Schatz who took them first, followed by: Saldana, Sides, Pittman and Kinser.

This was Schatz’s fifth All Star Circuit of Champions Winter Nationals win. The first came in 2006 and the other two came last year at Volusia Speedway Park, when he won two out of three nights. With having won two out of three nights this year, will he be able to make it a sweep?

The All Star Circuit of Champions will be back in action at Volusia Speedway Park tomorrow night for the fifth and night of Florida Speedweek Winter Nationals. 

Top Three Quotes:

Third Place Jason Sides – “Starting out the year with a top three run was good for us. We appreciate the fans coming out with the cold temperatures and I hope we put on a decent race for them. We got through tonight and will hopefully be able to build on that the next four nights of racing here.”

Second Place Joey Saldana – “It was cold out there. The track was challenging and hard to pass on tonight. We had a good car and we were just riding around there. Schatz was pushing pretty hard and I was just trying to get a run, but we’ll take second and go on to tomorrow night.”

First Place Donny Schatz – “It was definitely a different race track than last night. My guys are doing an awesome job with my race car. It was one of those tracks that we don’t like to get on, but at the end there it was really good. The last few laps I could run wide open. When the line gets around the gutter there, it makes it hard to pass. Most of the time when guys slow on track it is at the extreme inside or outside, so when the 17 slowed in the middle I was not ready for it. It was my own fault, but the yellow also came out and saved us. The key to getting to Victory Lane tonight was the guys on the Armor All Team, this team does an awesome job and it is a pleasure for me to get into the car each night and drive it.”

Kistler Engines Qualifying

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