BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Donny Schatz looked 49 years young on Friday night.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series rolled into Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway amid a California swing that’s been controlled by California drivers and cars.
First it was James McFadden taking the Fresno-based Tarlton Motorsports to victory lane at Stockton. Aromas’ Justin Sanders pocketed $83,000 the next night in the Dennis Roth Classic finale. Then Lemoore’s Carson Macedo was the hometown hero on Tuesday at Kings Speedway.
But North Dakota’s Donny Schatz crashed the California party.
Schatz turned back the clock in “Bako.” The 10-time champion got his elbows up on a tricky cushion to rip from fifth to second. Heartbreaking mechanical woes for Michael “Buddy” Kofoid while leading handed Schatz the top spot, but the job was far from done. Behind Schatz sat Corey Day enjoying an off weekend from the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series to return to his roots. Few are better at hammering the top than Day, but Schatz fended off several challenges from the 20-year-old gasser to take the CJB Motorsports No. 15 to victory lane.
“He (Day) threw everything at me,” Schatz said. “I had to do the same thing in return. He was going for it. He’s obviously one of the best racers in the country. First race I’ve finished all week, and it was a win. Awesome for these guys, man. I’ve caused so many bent parts. It’s been a hell of a week. We were hanging out at Brent Kaeding’s, kind of where I started when I first came out to California. Brent kind of took me under his wing and kind of did that again this week to help us get through. I appreciate their help.”
Schatz is up to 318 career World of Outlaws victories, and Friday marked his second since joining CJB Motorsports. It was his first in the state of California since a 2017 Calistoga triumph. Bakersfield became the seventh different “Golden State” facility where he’s won, joining Silver Dollar Speedway, Calistoga Speedway, Thunderbowl Speedway, Stockton Dirt Track, Kings Speedway, and Placerville Speedway. Bakersfield is also the 91st different overall track where Schatz has grabbed a checkered flag with The Greatest Show on Dirt.
Corey Day collected his second straight runner-up finish in his home state aboard the Jason Meyers Racing No. 14.
Chris Windom was impressive all night in the Sides Motorsports/NOS Energy Drink No. 7S to finish third and bring home his third podium of the season.
Spencer Bayston and Emerson Axsom completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 15-Donny Schatz[5]; 2. 14-Corey Day[2]; 3. 7S-Chris Windom[4]; 4. 17-Spencer Bayston[3]; 5. 27-Emerson Axsom[8]; 6. 2C-Cole Macedo[10]; 7. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[14]; 8. 17B-Bill Balog[7]; 9. 23-Garet Williamson[16]; 10. 41-Carson Macedo[22]; 11. 1S-Logan Schuchart[11]; 12. 21-Dominic Scelzi[18]; 13. 10-Dominic Gorden[23]; 14. 51-Steven Snyder Jr[17]; 15. 2-David Gravel[12]; 16. 31-Jett Yantis[21]; 17. 5K-Gauge Garcia[25]; 18. 88N-DJ Netto[15]; 19. 6-Bryce Lucius[19]; 20. 24-Max Mittry[20]; 21. (DNF) 28M-Conner Morrell[24]; 22. (DNF) 16C-Skylar Gee[6]; 23. (DNF) 3-Kaleb Montgomery[13]; 24. (DNF) 83-Michael Kofoid[1]; 25. (DNF) 0-Tim Kaeding[9]
