Donny Schatz, one of the greatest dirt track racers of all time, is dipping his feet into NASCAR. On Wednesday, David Gilliland Racing announced the ten-time World of Outlaws champion will make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series début at Knoxville Raceway on 9 July. He will drive the #17 Ford F-150.
Schatz, who drives for Tony Stewart Racing, has enjoyed a legendary career in sprint cars. His 299 victories are the third most in WoO history, 17 of which came at Knoxville. Ten additional wins at the Iowa track have come in the prestigious Knoxville Nationals from 2006 to 2009, 2011 to 2015, and 2017. Knoxville is a new addition to the Truck calendar.
“Donny is a legend in the dirt car world and has an incredible track record at Knoxville in the World of Outlaws,” team owner David Gilliland stated. “His experience level and knowledge of dirt track racing and Knoxville Raceway will make him a great addition to the team for the first ever truck race there. We are super excited to welcome him aboard.”
After 27 races into the 2021 season, he sits fourth in points. Schatz’s ten titles came from 2006 to 2009, 2014, and a five-year stretch between 2014 and 2018. He trails Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell on the all-time wins list, both of whom have also dabbled in NASCAR in the past.
“I am unbelievably excited to take part in my first NASCAR-sanctioned event as part of David Gilliland Racing,” added Schatz. “I’ve had the opportunity to meet David and his organisation’s record speaks for itself. DGR has a great group of people working with their team and I’m looking forward to making my début in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with them at Knoxville Raceway in July.
“The fact that my first NASCAR-sanctioned event will take place on dirt and in a truck fits perfectly into the path that my career has taken. To make my Truck Series début at Knoxville, a place that has been so good to me over the years is also very fitting. I’m hoping to represent our partners and the sprint car community well.”
Schatz will not be the only dirt ringer entered at Knoxville. Fellow sprint car racer and Knoxville star Brian Brown is driving a Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports, and it is expected that most specialists from the last dirt race at Bristol in March will return.
The #17 serves as DGR’s multi-driver truck, with Cup regular Kevin Harvick finishing fifteenth at Bristol. The truck sits thirty-fourth in owner points with six starts.
