HARTFORD, Ohio — Donny Schatz had not driven a 360 sprint car since 1996, but that didn’t seem to phase him one bit as he dominated the ASCS Patriot-sanctioned, 30-lap Ollie’s 360 Challenge at Sharon Speedway June 17.
Schatz bested a star-studded field of sprint-car drivers, making the pass on Bryan Howland on lap 12 and driving away to the win in his Armor All No. 15.
“We used a hard tire tonight and that really seemed to pay off as the race went on,” said the Fargo, N.D., veteran. “I just can’t thank this crew enough for getting out here and getting the job done.”
Schatz started third and quickly began pressuring Howland, who was using a softer tire. Schatz slid underneath Howland on lap nine in turn three only to see the No. 51 drive back underneath and take back the lead.
Stevie Smith stopped on the track on lap 11, drawing the first caution flag of the night, allowing Schatz the restart he needed to capture the lead once and for all.
Schatz slid under Howland off of turn two and put as much as four seconds on the rest of the pack before they bunched up 21 laps in for a two- car spin involving Trevor Lewis and Kasey Kahne.
Danny Lasoski, who started 10th, used his bonus laps in the Bonnell’s Collision Center Four Laps of Fame Dash for Cash and ran the bottom to get into the runner-up spot. Schatz allowed a hindrance to become his aid, though, as he moved to the bottom to hold off Lasoski.
“The top was good for a while, but then when it went away, I had no place to go but on the inside,” Schatz noted.  “It actually worked out because that’s where I had to be to block.”
With the win, Schatz netted $6,000 and set himself up for a run towards the Ollie’s $50,000 bonus if he wins at Eldora or Williams Grove over the next two months.
Lasoski finished second, with Jason Meyers, Howland and Jason Johnson filling the top five as 49 cars from 17 states filled the pits at the three-eighths-mile dirt track.
The finish:
Donny Schatz, Danny Lasoski, Jason Meyers, Bryan Howland, Jason Johnson, Terry McCarl, Dale Blaney, Fred Rahmer, Danny Smith, Paul McMahan, Dave Blaney, Ronnie Blair, Bobby Breen, Greg Wilson, Justin Barger, Trevor Lewis, Curtis Evans, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Jared Zimbardi, Joey Saldana, Stevie Smith, Scott Bonnell, Davey Franek, Darren Long, Jason Barney.