WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa – When Parker Price-Miller won his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series race in 2017 at Indiana’s Tri-State Speedway, he had to hold off one of the best in David Gravel to accomplish the historic feat.
Friday night at Iowa’s 34 Raceway, in order to score his second Outlaw triumph, Price-Miller had to hold off not just one – but two – of the all-time greats to get the job done.
Price-Miller fended off a furious assault from Donny Schatz and Brad Sweet, the last two Outlaw champions, on a green-white-checkered finish en route to victory at the three-eighths-mile dirt oval.
Though he led all 30 laps, Price-Miller’s win was anything but assured, as Schatz kept him honest in the closing laps and nearly pulled alongside the Dietz Motorsports No. 14 coming to the checkered flag.
Price-Miller hung on, however, and crossed in front of Schatz by .101 seconds.
After a raucous victory lane celebration, Price-Miller was exuberant when describing what he went through following the final restart to secure top honors and the $10,000 prize that came with them.
“Man, to win again is amazing,” Price-Miller said. “It feels really good. The first one is always going to be special to me. Haubstadt, it favors non-wing guys, where I came from. But to win here on an unusual track that all of the Outlaw guys are going to be good at and to beat Donny (Schatz) and Brad (Sweet) there on the podium is really special.
“This one is probably on top as my number one (victory).”
For much of the 30-lap feature, Price-Miller’s win seemed like a foregone conclusion, as he opened up three and a half seconds over Schatz by halfway despite a caution-laden start to the main.
Following a lap-16 red flag for the flipped machine of Lynton Jeffrey, Price-Miller again ran out to a near-two-second lead, but saw that begin to evaporate as he caught traffic in the closing laps and Schatz ran him down.
With three to go, Price-Miller’s car biked up in turn three, and when it came down the mud guard knocked a spark-plug wire loose – putting the No. 14 on seven cylinders for the balance of the race.
Moments later, as Schatz made a bid for the lead off turn two on lap-28, the 10-time champion’s car biked much like Price-Miller’s did. The only difference was, as Schatz gathered it up, he was run into by a charging Kerry Madsen from behind.
Schatz was able to continue, but third-running Madsen flipped, bringing out a second red flag and setting up a green-white-checkered finish – with Price-Miller leading and Schatz and Sweet chasing.
But even with his wounded motor, Price-Miller dug deep and found the will to win, holding off Schatz in a near-photo finish at the flagstand and grabbing hold of a moment he won’t soon forget.
“It’s just really hard to win these races,” Price-Miller said. “I haven’t really been in a consistent ride, but now I’m really happy with where I’m at. It takes consistency and to build a team around you. You just have to keep with those guys and more wins will come like this one did tonight.”
It wasn’t just a special night for Price-Miller, either. Friday night marked the first World of Outlaws win for Dietz Motorsports, co-owned by Jason Johnson Racing crew chief Philip Dietz and his wife, Brooke.
“It’s pretty crazy to be honest,” said Dietz, who has two Knoxville Nationals wins as a crew chief for JJR. “He ran a great race. I was getting nervous there at the end. I could tell he was down a cylinder … but I couldn’t be happier. I wish my wife Brooke was here. It’s really special.”
Schatz did all he could, but came up one spot short, though he held off title rival Sweet in the process.
Carson Macedo crossed fourth and Jacob Allen was fifth. Sheldon Haudenschild, Daryn Pittman, Kraig Kinser, Gravel and Logan Schuchart filled out the top 10 in the finishing order.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season continues Saturday night at Wilmot (Wis.) Raceway with the running of the annual Badger 40.
To view complete race results, advance to the next page.