Schatz seeks third straight Knoxville title

LUKE MEREDITH

The Associated Press

Saturday, Aug. 09, 2008

KNOXVILLE, Iowa - Donny Schatz has a message for those hoping to stop him from becoming the second driver to three-peat at the Knoxville Nationals.

"I'm not leaving here without (the title)," the Fargo, N.D., driver said. "If I do, I'm going to be one somber person. That's what I expect out of myself, that's what I expect out of my team and that's what they expect out of me."

Schatz, the runner-up in the feature race four times from 2000-05, broke through with his first crown in 2006. Schatz followed that up with a win last year and, if he takes the checkered flag in Saturday's feature race, he'll join Steve Kinser as the only drivers to win the sprint car racing's ultimate prize three straight times.

Kinser won five straight from 1991-95 and put together three-peats in 1980-82 and 1986-88.

Schatz certainly appears to be a strong bet to join Kinser in the record book. He leads the World of Outlaws sprint car circuit with 5,629 points and has won 15 of 42 races this season.

"I don't see why anybody would want to be in these shoes and settle for anything but (a win). That's the way it is," Schatz said.

There will be plenty of drivers looking to knock Schatz off and take the $150,000 winner's check - by far the biggest purse in sprint car racing.

The list of challengers for the 48th annual race starts with the No. 14 car of Jason Meyers. He had been inching his way up the sprint car ladder until late last season, when Meyers won events on four consecutive weekends.

Meyers is second in the World of Outlaws standings.

There will be plenty of former Knoxville Nationals champions in the field as well, highlighted by the return of Danny "The Dude" Lasoski. He won in 2003 and 2004, but finished third in his quest for a three-repeat.

Steve Kinser, now 54 and 28 years removed from his first title, will be seeking his 13th Knoxville Nationals win.

The successor to Schatz in the role of bridesmaid is Joey Saldana, also known as the "The Brownsburg Bullet." Saldana has finished second to Schatz in each of the last two years, charging up from a starting position of ninth in 2007, and he won a qualifying race on Thursday.

But all eyes will be on Schatz, who joined Tony Stewart Racing in the offseason. Schatz says his desire to win sprint car's biggest race hasn't diminished because he's shed the runner-up label, and he doesn't view the chance to make history as pressure.

Schatz just wants to keep a good thing going.

"You're only as good as your last race," Schatz said. "It's a good feeling to know you've won it, not once but twice. We're pumped to be in this position. I'm 100 percent confident we can get the job done."

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