News Director 
Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / TONY STEWART RACING – BROWNSBURG, IN – It was a quick, two-race stint in the Empire State for Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing, but when the dust finally settled, the team found themselves with a few more checks in the top-ten column, highlighting the weekend with a podium run at the state-of-the-art Weedsport Speedway in Weedsport, New York, on Saturday, July 31.
Schatz, driver of the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing/Carquest Auto Parts/Curb Records/Ford Performance/Sage Fruit/Digital Ally/Advance Auto Parts/Rush Truck Centers/Absolute Automation and Security/Hunt Brothers Pizza/J&J Auto Racing/No. 15 sprint car, started from the pole position and led the first 20 circuits at Weedsport, forced to give way to a quick closing Sheldon Haudenschild. The Fargo, North Dakota-native would go on to finish third in the Empire State Challenge, kicking off the evening with heat race and dash victories. Additionally, Schatz nailed down the third-fastest time during qualifying time trials.
“We just needed to be better,” Schatz mentioned, who now owns 15 podium finishes with the World of Outlaws in 2021. “You’re not gonna be that bad at the end of the race and end up winning. I guess we lucked into a third-place tonight.”
One night prior at Ransomville Speedway in Ransomville, New York, Schatz and Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing turned a ninth-place starting position into an eighth-place finish, launching the evening’s program with a third-place performance during heat race competition.
Donny Schatz and TSR will continue their 2021 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series campaign with the two-day Ironman 55 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Missouri, on Friday and Saturday, August 6-7. Dubbed as one of the most grueling events on the World of Outlaws schedule, Ironman weekend will conclude with the infamous 55-lap finale awarding a $20,000 top prize; Friday’s preliminary will award an $8,000 top prize.
The two-day visit to Pevely will be flanked by the 60th running of the Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway on Wednesday through Saturday, August 11-14.
