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. ...