Schatz spoils Haudenschild’s Speed, Closes points gap Again

Sheldon Haudenschild led all but the first lap in the Dash for Saturday’s Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals finale night, leading the field to green next to NOS Energy Drink World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series points leader Brad Sweet

After a poor start to the race on the first lap, however, Haudenschild relinquished the top two positions to Sweet and a charging Donny Schatz.

Schatz went on to win the race, but Haudenschild wouldn’t go away quietly.

Schatz spoils Haudenschild’s Speed, Closes points gap Again

Haudenschild kept pressing the top to, and after Schatz got by Sweet eight laps into the race, it was time for Haudenschild to set something up.

Three laps later, he would slide to the inside of the NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 car to take second-place with 18 laps to go.

Behind them, Daryn Pittman got by the red-hot David Gravel who was also the night’s fastest qualifier, for fourth place.

Haudenschild wasn’t done working, though.

With 10 laps to go, he was closing in on Schatz with lapped traffic ahead of the toco No. 15 car. The only thing that was stopping Haudenschild was the run that the Fargo, ND native was getting off of turns 1 and 2.

Haudenschild would get within two car lengths of Schatz with three laps to go, but after he tried to follow the leader on the inside of a lapped car, he ran too wide and couldn’t make up the time lost.

Schatz earned his first win at Williams Grove since 2015, and his seventh win of the 2019 World of Outlaws season.

With the victory, Schatz continues to make ground up on Sweet, and now sits just eight points back of the lead with two weekends remaining in the Month of Money.

Gravel crossed the line in fifth, but only drops four points to Schatz thanks to bonuses.

The Month of Money will continue next weekend, as the Outlaws invade Pevely, Missouri for the two-night show that concludes with the Ironman 55 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway.