FIRST ‘WON’: SCHUCHART SCORES FIRST EDIRT RACING SHOOTOUT WINS IN CBS DEBUT

By World of Outlaws – April 29, 2020

Eldora Speedway never disappoints, and that clearly holds true for virtual racing, too. While fans wait for the real dirt to fly, Big E provided a rush of adrenaline during the World of Outlaws: eDirt Racing Shootout debut Tuesday night on CBS Sports Network.

World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car star Logan Schuchart brought the virtual crowd and those watching at home to their feet, trading slide jobs with Kevin Swindell for the final five laps and edging him at the finish line to win his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car iRacing Feature … using the DIRTVision studio simulator no less. But before all that excitement, 19-year-old Kaeden Cornell picked up his first World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model iRacing win in a barn burner race, kicking off the doubleheader.

The two drivers beat star-studded fields that included a host of dirt aces taking on high-profile invaders like Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Juan Pablo Montoya, William Byron, Ron Capps, Chase Briscoe, Justin Allgaier and Cruz Pedregon.

The start of the NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car eDirt Racing Shootout Feature saw NASCAR Xfinity Series standout Briscoe pulled away from the field as drivers behind him went three and four wide, arguing over positions second through fifth.

Swindell became the benefactor of the battle, splitting the gap between Brad Sweet, Max McLaughlin and Robbie Kendall to launch his #39 Swindell Speedlab car into second. The two-time World of Outlaws iRacing Invitational winner was then on the hunt for Briscoe.

Twelve laps into the 35-lap Feature, Briscoe pounced off the wall off Turn 2 and slid down into Swindell, who was underneath him going for the lead. The two cars locked and slid sideways going into Turn 3, stacking up the field and bringing out the caution.

Swindell and Briscoe held their positions up front, but Swindell now had the lead. He, like Briscoe before him, pulled away from the field while the top-five traded positions amongst themselves every lap.

With 15 laps to go, as Briscoe, Sweet and Balog slowed each other’s momentum while battling for second, Schuchart held the throttle to the floor and fired his Drydene #1a car into the runner-up spot.

Schuchart, a two-time World of Outlaws winner in real life at Eldora, knew exactly what to do to catch Swindell.

“I just kind of used the same line that I used in real life last year at the Kings Royal,” said Schuchart, who powered from 12th to second in the 2019 Kings Royal at Eldora. “It seems to work on this thing.”

He ran the top, putting his right rear tire on the cushion, inches from the wall. That helped him run down Swindell in seconds. Once he caught him, he tried a slide job on Swindell in the first corner, but Swindell charged back by him the next turn.

A couple of cautions got in the way of their battle, but on a restart with five laps to go, the two drivers put on a Sprint Car racing clinic, virtual or not. Schuchart would launch his car ahead of Swindell one corner and Swindell would slide back by him the next. They crossed the finish line separated by thousandths of a second each lap.

With two laps to go, Swindell bounced off the cushion just enough to give Schuchart the advantage to clear him off Turn 4. However, Swindell wasn’t finished. “The Bulldog” stayed close to Schuchart and looked underneath him coming to the checkered flag.

Schuchart had the better momentum off Turn 4 and edged Swindell at the line by 0.25 seconds.

As fast as everyone’s heart was beating by watching the spectacular finish, Schuchart’s adrenaline was up just as high.

“My heart is going, I feel like I just got out of a real car,” said an out of breath Schuchart. “That was a great race with Kevin. That was really cool. We were able to race each other real clean. It was a lot of run. It’s real cool to win one of these things.”

World of Outlaws Sprint Car NOS Energy Drink Feature (35 laps) — 1. 1-Logan Schuchart [6] [$1,000]; 2. 39-Kevin Swindell [5]; 3. 170-Bill Balog [1]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet [4]; 5. 7-Tyler Courtney [14]; 6. 17-Austin McCarl [11]; 7. 6-Juan Pablo Montoya [20]; 8. 5-Chase Briscoe [2]; 9. 35-Mike Mahaney [13]; 10. 1-Jacob Allen [15]; 11. 17-Max McLaughlin [7]; 12. 2-Wayne Johnson [18]; 13. 41-David Gravel [12]; 14. 5-Brent Marks [10]; 15. 25-William Byron [21]; 16. 28-Ron Capps [19]; 17. 18-Ian Madsen [16]; 18. 21-Brian Brown [9]; 19. 2-Carson Macedo [8]; 20. 55-Robbie Kendall [3]; 21. 2-Kerry Madsen [17]. Lap leaders: Chase Briscoe 1-11; Kevin Swindell 12-33; Logan Schuchart 34-35. KSE Hard Charger: Juan Pablo Montoya +13.

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MAKIN’ A SPLASH: LOGAN SCHUCHART OFF TO CAREER BEST START

Story courtesy of WOO; written by Nick Graziano – February 19, 2020

Logan Schuchart had never won at Volusia Speedway Park coming into the 2020 DIRTcar Nationals. Never led a lap. Never even finished inside the top-five. That’s changed.

In the three World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season opening races at the half-mile Florida track, Schuchart amassed 50 laps led and three top-five finishes, including two podiums and a win.

“Getting a win before we leave Florida is awesome,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “I’m really excited about that.”

Schuchart is now second in the standings, two-points behind reigning champion Brad Sweet. It’s the best position he’s been in to start a season with the Texas doubleheader at Cotton Bowl Speedway on March 13 and LoneStar Speedway on March 14 the next stop on the tour.

His performance is a testament to the continued growth of his talent and Shark Racing’s capabilities since joining the World of Outlaws tour full-time in 2014.

The team’s first few years were about surviving and making it to November, Schuchart has said. In his rookie campaign he earned five top-five finishes and 15 top-10s. It wasn’t until 2016 that he earned his first career victory.

Last year, in a breakout year for the 27-year-old, Schuchart earned a career high eight wins – doubling his number of total career wins – 32 top-five finishes, 53 top-10s and led 243 laps. He also finished a career best fifth in the Series standings. And while that success has helped propel him to a strong start this year, Schuchart cites he and the team’s progressive growth began long before 2019.

“Not just 2019, but all of the years in general, the experience over the years, taking notes, getting better and just getting smarter about everything,” Schuchart said. “I just feel like the more experience we get the smarter we get about certain things.

“But this is tough. There’s a lot of great race car drivers out here. A lot of great teams. Great mechanics. They can put you in your place very quick. The World of Outlaws is in a great spot. The sport is in a great spot. But we’re trying to stay on top.”

Schuchart’s five days in Florida showed how quickly he and his Shark Racing team can learn and adapt. The two opening Sprint Week races during the DIRTcar Nationals with the All Star Circuit of Champions saw Schuchart finish 11th and 17th, respectively.

Then he nearly won the season opening race for the World of Outlaws. Schuchart led 21 laps and lost the lead to 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz with three laps to go, settling for a runner-up finish. The next night he failed to qualify for the Feature and had to use a provisional to start. However, he was able to charge his way from 25th to fifth – earning the Hard Charger award for the night.

On the final night of racing in Florida, Schuchart led 29 of 30 laps, and held off attacks from Cory Eliason and Daryn Pittman to pick up his first Volusia Speedway Park win. His Shark Racing teammate Jacob Allen also got a career best finish of 12th at the speedway on the final night.

“Definitely a weight off your shoulders knowing you got one,” Schuchart said. “They’re so tough to come by. To get one off your back and being able to just go out there and race and build off of what you already have is definitely a relief.”

While Schuchart is on track for another possible career year, with more than 80 races to go this year, contending for the championship is far out of his mind.

“I just want to win races,” Schuchart said. “I don’t want to think about that at all. That comes at the end. At November I’m sure you think about that when the points are close. Whatever it is. I just want to win as many races as I can and if we’re able to do that the rest will come.”

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SCHUCHART GRABS GATOR, FIRST WOO WIN IN 2020

BARBERVILLE, FL – February 9, 2020 – The wild hunt commenced Sunday night at the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series finale at the DIRTcar Nationals presented by Bozard Ford.

The trophies: A golden gator. And a Big Gator.

Logan Schuchart put an assault on the 27-car field, in front of a packed house, to earn his first win at Volusia Speedway Park and Brad Sweet cruised to his third podium finish in-a-row, awarding him his second Big Gator championship. Sweet won his first Big Gator in 2016.

“It was a lot of fun,” Sweet said about the event. “I thought we had a lot of different tracks all week. The NAPA car was fast on all the different conditions, but we’ll take that… 2020 is looking to be a strong year for us.”

Schuchart, who had never finished inside the top-five and never led a lap at the half-mile speedway, ended his 2020 DIRTcar Nationals with three top-five finishes in-a-row and 50 laps led. He placed second the first night. Charged from 25th to fifth the second night. And won the DIRTcar Nationals Sprint Car Week finale.

“This place is just so tough,” Schuchart said. “You know, we come here, we learn, I watch videos in the wintertime. We just try to make our cars better as a whole.

“Just kind of studying the racetrack. Notes from the past. Watching the highlight videos from the past few years and what other people’s cars look like compared to ours and maybe what we could have done better to qualify and put us in better positions… First three races were awesome. To pull away with a win really helps our confidence.”

That confidence showed before the conclusion of Sunday night’s 30-lap Feature when the Hanover, PA driver powered his way underneath Daryn Pittman on Lap 2 to take the lead. From there, he never relinquished it, leading the final 29 laps. Although, those on the hunt behind him tested his poise.

Schuchart held a commanding lead on the field but as lap traffic continuously hindered his pace, Pittman closed in. With 10 laps to go, Schuchart got caught behind a slower car coming off Turn 2, allowing Pittman to close within a car length’s distance.

However, once Schuchart found his way back into clean air, Pittman was left having to fend off Cory Eliason and Sweet.

In the closing laps of the race, Eliason found another gear. With five laps to go he charged his way around the outside of Pittman for second and set his sights on Schuchart. Three laps later, with smoke billowing out of his exhaust, Eliason powered his way around Schuchart off Turn 2.

Not willing to forgo his first DIRTcar Nationals win, Schuchart threw a hold-your-breath-slide job on Eliason through Turns 3 and 4 to reclaim the lead.

A large cloud of smoke erupted from Eliason’s motor the next lap, ending his night. The yellow flag flew with one lap to go.

On the restart, with Pittman and Sweet breathing down his neck, Schuchart darted away from the field. No one could touch the red and white Drydene car. Pittman and Sweet had to settle for second and third, respectively.

“Just pissed off at myself,” Pittman said. “I feel like if I would have stayed second… Man, like on that white flag, I couldn’t believe how far back he (Schuchart) came to me and Cory (Eliason). Honestly, I think it was anybody’s race going down the backstretch there on the white flag lap. We were kind of nose to tail. I wish I would have been in second there, I think I would have had a shot.”

Sweet started the DIRTcar Nationals being presented his 2019 World of Outlaws championship ring and ended it being presented his second Big Gator trophy. He’ll also leave Florida with the Series points lead – two points ahead of Schuchart.

The championship is far out of Schuchart’s head with more than 80 races to go this season. He said his focus is just to win as many races as he can. Nabbing his first golden gator trophy is one he can finally cross of his list.

“I really wanted one of these gators,” Schuchart said. “I’m really glad we got one.”

Story courtesy of WorldofOutlaws.com

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HIGH-FIVE: Schuchart Earns Fifth WoO Triumph of 2019 at Skagit

Logan Schuchart always wanted to match his grandfather Bobby Allen’s win total in a single World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season – five.

For the Pennsylvania-native that number always stopped at four. He’s had seven second-place finishes since his fourth win of the year in June. Always close. But never quite enough.

Until Friday night at Skagit Speedway. Schuchart claimed his first victory at the 3/10-mile speedway and the illustrious fifth win of the season.

“Having my grandfather by my side since the beginning, he’s the main part of why this team is where it is, and really everyone together, but he’s the boss, the man in charge,” Schuchart said. “The most Outlaw wins he had in a year was five, so that was my main goal at the beginning of the year to at least get that. It’s pretty cool to do that with him and the rest of our team.”

Schuchart and his Shark Racing team at first looked destined for another runner-up finish as the night progressed. He finished second to Kraig Kinser in his Drydene Heat race and then second to Kinser again in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash.

When the 30-lap Feature went green, Schuchart was ready. He stayed side by side with Kinser into the first turn. Kinser, on the bottom, edged Schuchart on the exit of turn two, but the Shark Racing driver had the better run on the outside and powered by the Mesilla Valley Transportation No. 11k for the lead.

Schuchart pulled away by several car lengths, but a caution two laps into the race brought Kinser back to his tail tank. On the restart the Pennsylvanian picked up where he left off. He rocketed in front of Kinser by almost two car lengths before entering turn one and then ran away with the lead.

Kinser said he couldn’t hang with Schuchart in traffic.

Schuchart caught the back of the field by Lap six, but the slower cars didn’t hinder his performance. He maneuvered around them with ease, never losing his quick pace. However, in the closing laps, Schuchart said he felt like he fell off a little bit.

“For the first half, three-quarters of the race I could run up on any car that is in front of me and run a different line and go right by them,” Schuchart said. “There at the end I caught up to Shane (Stewart), but I wasn’t gaining anymore. It’s hard to tell how close Kraig is. You’re just running your own race at that point.”

At the end of the 28- lap run to the finish, Schuchart crossed the finish line with a 4.6 second lead over Kinser.

“I’ve wanted to win here for a couple of years now, since we’ve been coming here,” Schuchart said.

Schuchart – 298 points behind leader Donny Schatz – knows it would be hard to get in the mix with the top three in points, but has his eye on fourth-place, currently held by Daryn Pittman. He’s currently 34 points behind him.

“We’re kind of close to Daryn there in points, it would be nice to see if we could get him,” Schuchart said. “My best finish in points is sixth, last year. We’re fifth right now, I’d like to get to fourth and stay consistent. Keep learning as a program.

“We had two new guys with Ron Helmick and Ben Whitman this year and they’ve improved tremendously since they’ve started. I just want to improve the team and keep building this team from what it was five years ago and keep heading in the right direction.”

Tying records with Bobby Allen is a good start.

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Schuchart Looking For A Repeat At Hanford

HANFORD, Calif. – In the moment, Logan Schuchart could only focus on the fact that he won a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series race in California for the first time.

That moment came on March 31, 2017 after his remarkable run from the 19th-starting position to victory at Keller Auto Speedway in Hanford, a result no driver has come close to matching since.

The most recent winner on the World of Outlaws trail returns to Hanford almost two years to the day Friday, when he leads The Greatest Show on Dirt back to Keller Auto Speedway with the goal of parking his Drydene Performance Products/NGK Spark Plugs/Michael Palumbo-backed Shark Racing No. 1s in victory lane again.

The thrill of victory following Schuchart’s triumph on March 31, 2017 at Keller Auto Speedway.

“I didn’t realize how big of a deal it was that night,” admitted Schuchart. “I was pumped that we got our first win of the year. A Pennsylvania driver winning an Outlaw feature in California. Those things don’t happen often. Let alone the fact that we started 19th. It was a just one of those special nights. Needless to say, I can’t wait to get back there on Friday night.”

Schuchart, the grandson of sprint car hall of famer Bobby Allen, emulated the man known as Scruffy that night, patiently working the bottom groove of the three-eighths-mile dirt oval to perfection. He picked up position after position, ultimately taking the lead from Ian Madsen coming to the white flag in the 35-lap marathon. It was the 11th race of the 2017 World of Outlaws campaign and Schuchart had shown signs that he was close to picking up his third World of Outlaws victory, but after qualifying 11th and dropping from third to fifth in his heat, the outlook for winning didn’t look all that promising.

“I just watched the race again on DIRTVision yesterday,” said Schuchart, who currently sits fourth in the World of Outlaws standings following his victory at the Stockton Dirt Track on March 15. “We qualified OK, but I ended up having a bad start to the heat and found myself racing as hard as I could just to get fifth. We knew we were going to be deep in the field. It’s one of the great things about racing with the Outlaws. You just have to keep working. We went out there with a plan and I was patient enough to let my car come in and we just kept passing cars. It was a great race. Gave our team a lot of confidence. The season before we won our first race at Cedar Lake in July and then won back home at Port Royal late in the season. We knew we could win. Looking back, man that was one we’ll always remember.”

There have been 148 World of Outlaws A-Mains since Schuchart’s victory in Hanford and only once has a driver started outside the top-10 and came home victorious. Donny Schatz raced from 12th to win at Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek, Ariz., early last season, the same race where Schuchart charged from 16th to third, indicating just how impressive his drive from the 19th-to-first was.

In those same 148 races, 45 have been won from the pole and in exactly half (74) the winner has started on the front row.

It was the deepest win during a World of Outlaws A-Main since Schatz raced from 21st to win the 2013 Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals, but Fred Rahmer’s run from 24th to first on May 14, 2010 at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., remains the benchmark.

“I remember Fred winning that night at the Grove, it was a pretty crazy race,” said Schuchart. “The only experience I had that comes close was in 2011 at Lincoln Speedway. I was driving a 358 and we started last, 22nd I think, and passed Pat Canon on the last lap to win. All the way from the back with only one caution. That was a really big deal for us. Doing what we did a couple years ago at Hanford that was an Outlaw show. Those are extremely difficult races to win and to do it in California where not a lot guys from back home have won before. Just crazy to think about. Hopefully, we don’t have to try and come from that deep again Friday.”

Logan Schuchart races to victory at Stockton (Ca) Dirt Track, March 15, 2019. Photo courtesy of DB3 Imaging

Schuchart returns to Hanford with plenty of momentum despite dealing with several early season rainouts. The Drydene Performance Products-backed driver picked up his second California World of Outlaws triumph in Stockton by rough riding his way to victory from the pole on a treacherous surface. He became the sixth different winner in the previous six races.

Only World of Outlaws points leader Daryn Pittman, winner of the first two races at Volusia Speedway Park to start the year, has more than one victory. With the win, Schuchart is now tied with sprint car legends Keith Kauffman, Brent Kaeding and Kenny Jacobs with nine career World of Outlaws triumphs.

“It’s been a dream of mine to race with the World of Outlaws,” continued Schuchart. “My grandpa had a dream and vision for making this happen. We are in our sixth season out here with the World of Outlaws and so many people have made it possible. I can’t thank everyone enough for all the help and support. We just want to keep working hard and winning races. Stockton was cool to have an all Shark Racing front row. A couple of Drydene sponsored cars leading the field to the green flag. I’m hoping that happens quite a bit more. We are the best we’ve ever been prepared to compete with the Outlaws and now it’s up to us to keep putting up the wins. However we have to. From first. From 19th. It doesn’t matter. Every time you win an Outlaw race you know you’ve beaten the best.”

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ROUGH RIDING TO VICTORY

Schuchart Muscles His Way to Stockton Triumph

March 16, 2019 – Stockton, CA – Logan Schuchart set some high goals for 2019 and winning races was the priority. For most of Saturday night, his Shark Racing Drydene Performance Products/NGK Spark Plugs/ Michael Palumbo backed XXX No. 1s was in total control of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series FVP Platinum Battery Showdown, but his first victory of the season wasn’t easy to grab.

Schuchart qualified second in the field of 35 cars, dominated heat race two and the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash to earn his first pole of the 2019 season. The Hanover, PA native shared the front row with his Shark Racing teammate Jacob Allen and the two raced side by side into turns one and two on the opening lap before Schuchart took control. Several cautions early kept Schuchart from getting a good rhythm around the demanding 3/8-mile dirt oval that was extremely rough.

He led the first 11 laps before bouncing violently through turns three and four which allowed Shane Stewart to take command. Schuchart gathered up his machine and got back to work and tracked Stewart for the ensuring dozen laps when a caution provided Schuchart another shot at Stewart. He took advantage of the restart and regained the lead coming out of turn four and pulled away. He would withstand another late restart and drove off for his first WoO A-Main triumph of 2019 and ninth of his career.

“I’m just happy for this whole team,” said Schuchart, who ranks fourth in the 2019 WoO championship standings. “It’s very rewarding for all of their hard work to be able to get a win this early in the season. It also feels good to get this win for everyone that helps us. Drydene Performance Products is a huge part of this by sponsoring both me and Jacob and then we have great partners in NGK Spark Plugs and people like Mike Palumbo that helps us out. It’s a total team effort.”

His team put in a lot of work to position Schuchart for Saturday victory. First-year crewman Ron Helmick and AJ Haynes along with assistance from Tyler Garber have started gelling with 10 nights of racing under their belts. After a hard-charging run of 19th to eighth in Volusia and a podium finish in Las Vegas, the team was looking to find consistency during the Outlaws’ annual spring California swing.

Friday night in the Mini Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, they recovered from a mechanical problem which kept them out of qualifying as Schuchart charged from 10th to third in his heat and 11th to sixth in the A-main. The momentum continued Saturday where Schuchart was looking to improve on his career-best sixth at Stockton. He paced the field in hot laps and backed it up by turning the second fastest-lap in qualifying. He knew he had a fast car and starting from the pole there would be only one finish that satisfied them.

Despite losing the lead, Schuchart relied on the mantra of his hall of fame grandfather and mentor Bobby Allen of “Never Giving Up” to keep himself in the right frame of mind during the second half of the race.

“I was running pretty hard when I was out by myself,” Schuchart said. “That’s what kind of got me in trouble. I almost flipped the thing, bouncing around, jumping up and down.“I knew (Shane) was going to have the same issues, he’s going to want to get out front and stand on it. You can count on probably some more yellows, because we were having one right after the other.”

The win gives Schuchart a second Outlaws triumph in California and the former Pennsylvania Posse racer was happy to give the packed house a show they won’t soon forget.

“The fans are awesome (in California),” continued Schuchart, who is now tied with Sprint car greats Keith Kauffman, Brent Kaeding and Kenny Jacobs on the all-time the Outlaws win list with nine. “They’re very passionate. It’s awesome to win in front of this great crowd.”

Schuchart will look to keep the momentum going in California next weekend with a pair of races Friday (Ocean Speedway, Watsonville, CA) and Saturday (Placerville Speedway).

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SCHUCHART CAPS AUSTRALIAN TOUR WITH HISTORIC VICTORY

GRANVILLE, NSW, AUSTRALIA – (January 14, 2019)  American standout Logan Schuchart concluded his third tour of Sprint car racing in Australia with a dramatic victory in the final Scott Darley Memorial Challenge Saturday near Sydney. 

Schuchart carried the Drydene banner to great heights over the past 16 days in Australia finishing second twice and winning once during six nights of action driving a Drydene-branded No. USA1s.

The first five nights he competed at Archerfield Speedway near Brisbane and Australia’s famous Gold Coast region. He earned podium finishes in his first nights of action coming home third on December 29 and second to reigning World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz on New Year’s Day. After finishing eighth in the Australian Open preliminary event, Schuchart was poised to grab one of the most prestigious Sprint car races in Australia. He raced his way to the pole position with great time in the pole shuffle and led the star-studded field to the green. The Drydene USA No. 1s set a blistering pace through the first 20 laps, but Schuchart struggle to get past a lapped car. While trying to get around the back marker, Schatz was able to get under him and grab the top spot. Schuchart chased him the rest of the way and finished a career-best second in the event. 

A part failure in heat race during his final appearance at Archerfield ended his night early on January 9. The team regrouped and headed for Sydney to compete in the 10thand final Scott Darley Challenge at Sydney Speedway. After Friday night’s opening night was washed out by rain, Schuchart closed his trip with the best possible results. He was fastest in his qualifying group, won his heat and after starting fifth in the 38-lap A-Main, charged forward to take the lead on lap 22 and never looked back. 

Schuchart returned to the United States on Monday and will join his Shark Racing team as they continue preparing for the 2019 campaign, which will begin Thursday, January 31 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fl. 

QUICK STATS:
Races: 6               
Wins: 1                
Top-3: 4                
Highlights: Logan led the first half of the prestigious Australian Open before finishing second. He scored his first A-Main win at Sydney Speedway to close his Summer Tour Down Under, winning the final Scott Darley Memorial and joining an elite list of winners of the event including Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz.

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ACT THREE: AMERICAN SPRINT CAR STAR LOGAN SCHUCHART READY TO TACKLE AUSTRALIAN SOIL IN DRYDENE MACHINE

BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND (December 29) – After landing in Australia’s Gold Coast Thursday afternoon, World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series standout Logan Schuchart knew he was less than 48 hours away from getting back to work.

For the third consecutive year the native of Hanover, Pennsylvania has traveled Down Under to compete in Sprint car competition at Archerfield Speedway near Brisbane and Valvoline Raceway near Sydney.

His first piece of business after arriving was to head to the raceshop and check out his USA No. 1s Drydene XXX racer.

After finishing his fifth season of World of Outlaws competition with a pair of spectacular podium finishes in the World Finals, Schuchart has been itching to get back into competition and his wait is almost over. He’ll drive for John and Vicky Jane Weatherall again during this year’s seven-race summer tour. Schuchart will make his first of five appearances at Archerfield Speedway Saturday night in the East Coast Logistics Sprintcar Track Championship round seven event.

“I’m excited to get back on the track,” said Schuchart, the 2018 Ironman 55 winner. “With the way we finished up our season in Charlotte, I couldn’t wait to race again. I’m really happy to be here in Australia again. John and Vicky Jane are like family to me and I know Chris, Tyler and Teddy have everything ready to go. We’re excited to be bringing Drydene with us this year. We teamed up in May and they are committed to continuing to grow with us. Not only with Shark Racing and Jacob (Allen), but also in our venture over here in Australia. It’s a such a great partnership. It’s a priviledge to be representing them.”

Schuchart won two of his first three races at Archerfield during last year’s Summer Run Down Under after earning his first-ever Australian victory the previous season at Valvoline Raceway during the Scott Darley Memorial event. The goal over the next couple of weeks is not only chasing more wins, but also enjoying the experience.

“It’s a great challenge for me to come over here and race,” admitted the 26-year-old. “These guys race here every week and we drop in here in the middle of the summer and try to catch up. That’s where the World of Outlaws experience kicks in for us. We have do that a lot during our season. Archerfield is a short little bullring that reminds me of some of the west coast tracks we have back home. We’ve had some good runs there the last couple of years. This year we are hoping that continues, and we’re shooting to be in the hunt for the Australian Open.”

Scoring his first World Series Sprintcars triumph and adding an Australian Open victory are stated goals he’s hoping to accomplish before concluding his tour in near Sydney.

“Family is so important to all of us and to have the opportunity to be part of the final Scott Darley Memorial is an honor,” said Schuchart. “I know it takes a lot of work every year to put on events like this and is added stress for the family. We’d sure like to join an elite list of winners in the final event. Racing in Parramatta is a lot of fun too. It’s a great way to close our tour.”

Fans can follow Schuchart’s progress by following the social media outlets on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Logan_Schuchart_1s, www.facebook.com/TeamDrydene/

Twitter: @LSchuchart1s @TeamDrydene

Instagram: loganschuchart, TeamDrydene

Clay-per-view will provide live video coverage of all seven of Schuchart’s races in Australia. There is a charge for each race program. Race Monitor will also provide live timing and scoring.

LOGAN SCHUCHART – 2018/2019 AUSTRALIAN TOUR

📍: Archerfield Speedway • Brisbane, QLD, AU

December 29 – Sprintcars ECL International Round Seven

January 1 – Sprintcars ECL International Round Eight

January 4 – Titan Garages World Series Sprintcars Australian Open Night 1

January 5 – Titan Garages World Series Sprintcars Australian Open Finale

January 9 – Performance Wholesale World Series Sprintcars

📍: Valvoline Raceway • Sydney, NSW, AU

January 11 – Scott Darley Memorial Night 1

January 12 – – Scott Darley Memorial Finale

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For more information contact: Bill Klingbeil – william.m.klingbeiljr@gmail.com – 309.825.5425

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DRYDENE PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS INKS MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH SHARK RACING

CONCORD, North Carolina (Nov. 1, 2018) – Drydene Performance Products, the makers of automotive, commercial and industrial lubricants, announced today a multi-year agreement with Shark Racing to serve as the primary sponsor for drivers Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen to compete in the World of Outlaws (WoO) Craftsman Sprint Car Series.

Drydene served as a co-primary sponsor with Schuchart on his Shark Racing No. 1s machine for a majority of the 2018 campaign and is expanding their relationship in 2019 and 2020 to both cars owned by Sprint car Hall of Famer and one of the original Outlaws Bobby Allen. Headquartered in Jonestown, Pennsylvania, Drydene Performance Products also announced today a multi-year partnership with the World of Outlaws to become the Official Motor Oil and the Official Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car and Late Model Series beginning in 2019. 

“Drydene is all in, and these partnerships underscore our commitment to Shark Racing, the World of Outlaws’ series, and race fans throughout the United States,” said Dave Klinger, President of Drydene Performance Products. “Successful partnerships are mutually beneficial, and we recognize the growth Shark Racing has demonstrated during their first five years competing in the World of Outlaws. Drydene got a firsthand look this year while teaming up with Logan (Schuchart) for most of the 2018 season. He’s a rising star in this sport and we’re excited to align with him as he chases his dream of becoming a World of Outlaws champion. In addition, seeing talent develop is very important to us and we are thrilled to be able to expand our partnership with Shark Racing and add Jacob Allen to Team Drydene. Two drivers and two cars, both carrying the Drydene brand while chasing wins in “The Greatest Show on Dirt”, and all in front of the most passionate fans across the country… what a great way to build the Drydene brand.”

Schuchart is excited to continue carrying the Drydene brand into the future after a solid beginning to the partnership this season that included the Hanover, Pennsylvania native earning Drydene its first World of Outlaws triumph in August winning the Ironman 55. Wins during the prestigious Knoxville Nationals and later in the season in Fulton, New York also highlighted a campaign that continued his ascent in Sprint car racing’s premiere series. Entering the final weekend of competition, he is tied for seventh in overall wins, ranks fifth in top-five finishes, leads all drivers with seven fast qualifier awards and holds down the sixth position in the championship standings. Accomplishments he hopes to surpass next season driving the Drydene No. 1s.

“The Drydene relationship has been incredible and we’re just getting started,” said Schuchart, grandson of Bobby Allen. “Our goal is to become a World of Outlaws champion. Trying to do that with a company led by people like Dave Klinger that has passion for being the best is something I just can’t describe. I was ready to run through a brick wall the first time I heard Dave speak. Partnering with Drydene and racing with the World of Outlaws for years to come has all of us really excited. The future is really bright and we’re ready to get the job done.”

In the midst of completing a career-best season, Shark Racing’s Jacob Allen becomes the newest member of Team Drydene. The 24-year-old turned the corner this season and became a consistent threat starting in June. A 28-race stretch during the middle of the season elevated his status on the tour thanks to Allen leading laps in five races, finishing second four times and qualifying for both the Kings Royal and Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals A-Main fields. The experience gained along with the opportunity to represent Drydene in more than 90 nights of racing next season and beyond has Allen poised to make another big jump in the series standings.

“Following in my dad’s footsteps and racing with the Outlaws has been something I hoped I could do, but this year I really felt like I belonged and had a legitimate shot at competing for wins,” said Allen. “Now to join Team Drydene and carry their brand and products on the Shark Racing 1a next year is such a big deal for me. The game just got better for sure.”

For Shark Racing, the partnership with Drydene solidifies the team’s ability to continue its climb in the World of Outlaws hierarchy. From their initial season in 2014 through 2018, the growth curve has been steadily climbing to the point where Shark Racing cars were in contention for wins on a regular basis this season and with the partnership with Drydene Performance Products, owner Bobby Allen is poised to push his two drivers and the team to new heights.

“I only know one way to race and that’s to try to do everything I can to beat the competition,” admitted Allen, a former World Karting Champion and winner of the 1990 Knoxville Nationals. “Being around people like Dave Klinger at Drydene has me so pumped up to get to the track. Drydene’s entire organization has a passion to win and be the best, and that’s the kind of energy we want to be surrounded by. We are looking forward to having a lot of success in the future.”

American owned and operated, Drydene Performance Products offers a complete line of automotive, commercial and industrial lubricants including engine oils, diesel exhaust fluid, transmission fluids, grease and hydraulic & gear oils. Drydene products are built with ALL Technology®, Advanced Lubricity Life chemistry, to meet and exceed today’s modern automotive, heavy duty and industrial needs.

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ABOUT DRYDENE PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
For over a century Drydene lubricants have been made in America and made to last… paving the way on our highways, in our fields and on the production line. In the dawn of American industry, Drydene was there as we built our first roads, laid the blocks for our first factories, spanned rivers with new bridges and rail. And we’re still right here today doing what we do best; helping America Get the Job Done. Drydene products are built with ALL Technology®, Advanced Lubricity Life chemistry, to meet and exceed today’s modern automotive, heavy duty and industrial needs.

Drydene offers a complete line of automotive, commercial and industrial lubricants:

  • Engine Oils
  • Diesel Exhaust Fluid
  • Transmission Fluids
  • Grease
  • Hydraulic & Gear Oils

For more information, visit www.drydene.com or follow us on Facebook: TeamDrydene, Twitter: @TeamDrydene and Instagram: TeamDrydene.

ABOUT LOGAN SCHUCHART
Logan Schuchart, pronounced (SHOE – HART), is completing his fifth season of competition with the World of Outlaws (WoO) Craftsman Sprint Car Series driving for Shark Racing. He competed in go-karts and won a number of track championships before moving to 358 Sprint cars in 2009. He won track and series championships in 358s before moving to the 410 division late in 2011. In 2012 and 2013, he collected wins with the All-Star Circuit of Champions and at legendary Central Pennsylvania tracks like Williams Grove, Lincoln, and Port Royal. In 2014, he began his career with the World of Outlaws and two years later scored his first career triumph in July 2016. He has eight career wins with the Outlaws and also scored two wins in Australia this past winter.  More details are available at: www.loganschuchart.com and on social media platforms: Facebook –  www.Facebook.com/LoganSchuchart1s, Twitter: @LSchuchart1s, and Instagram @loganschuchart.

ABOUT JACOB ALLEN
Jacob Allen is in his fifth season of competition with the World of Outlaws (WoO) Craftsman Sprint Car Series driving for Shark Racing. He competed in go-karts before moving to 358 Sprint cars in 2012. He won races at Lincoln Speedway, Trail-way Speedway and Susquehanna Speedway in 358s before moving to the 410 division in 2013. He earned his first 410 win at Susquehanna Speedway after completing his third season competing with the World of Outlaws. Follow him on his social media platforms: Facebook: www.Facebook.com/JacobAllen, on twitter: @JacobAllen1a, and Instagram: @jacoballen1a.

ABOUT SHARK RACING
Shark Racing is a dream realized of National Sprint Car Hall of Fame member Bobby Allen. The former world champion go-kart racer grew up in Miami, Florida and migrated to Central Pennsylvania in 1967 to race Sprint cars. After concluding his career as driver, which included hundreds of victories most notably the 1990 Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals, “Scruffy” began mentoring his grandson, Logan Schuchart, and son, Jacob Allen, from go-karts into 358-Winged Sprint car and ultimately into the 410-Winged Sprint car class. In 2014, he took both drivers out on the road to compete with the World of Outlaws. The team in the midst of their fifth season of competition with the Outlaws and have scored six wins to date. Shark Racing is based out of Hanover, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit https://shark1s.com/.

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SCHUCHART LOOKS TO KEEP HEAT ON OUTLAW COMPETITORS

BLACK HILLS, South Dakota – A weekend double header in Big Sky Country continues what has been the most successful month of the 2018 World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series season for Shark Racing’s Logan Schuchart. The 25-year-old driver of the No. 1s Drydene Performance Products/Priority Aviation/Ausherman Properties XXX is seeking to bookend the month with victories as he makes his second career starts at Black Hills Speedway in Rapid City, South Dakota Friday and Big Sky Speedway in Billings, Montana Saturday night.

IRON-HOT AUGUST

The summer heat of St. Louis can be almost unbearable. Schuchart opened the month of August still chasing his first 2018 victory on U.S. soil and that didn’t sit well with the fifth-year WoO traveler. After making an appearance with former NASCAR star Ken Schrader at a Sears location for Craftsman in the St. Louis area on August 2, Schuchart looked to be a man on a mission in the annual Ironman 55 doubleheader at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Missouri.

In the opener, what was billed as the Night Before the Ironman and 2017 Ironman 55, Schuchart qualified second in the field of 30 cars and won the second heat race before finishing third in the Sears Craftsman Dash. In the 55-lap main event, Schuchart was in contention throughout the contest that was slowed several times by cautions and red flags. He had a good battle late with his Shark Racing teammate Jacob Allen for the third position, he came home fourth at the finish. 

He came back determined to score a better result the following night in the 2018 Ironman 55. He was the first car to make a qualifying lap and posted the fastest lap in the field to pick up his fifth fast qualifier award of the season. After finishing second in the opening heat, he started third in the Sears Craftsman Dash. While Allen battled Donny Schatz for the top position on the opening lap, Schuchart drove past both of them before checking out on the field in the six-lap dash. It was his first pole position of the season and the Hanover, PA native was looking to make it count.

Daryn Pittman started outside Schuchart in the 55-lap main event and took the early lead. Schuchart closed in on the leader as the two reached traffic but a caution slowed the action on lap 13. Two laps later, Schuchart took the top spot and never looked back setting a blistering pace. The final 42 laps went nonstop and Schuchart drove a smart race including finding the rubber late. The win was his first of the season and seventh career WoO A-Feature triumph.

“Man, this is awesome,” said Schuchart in victory lane. “I feel like we have the best team we’ve ever had. This is Drydene Performance’s first Outlaw win and we can’t thank them enough for their support. This is one of the big ones – Ironman 55. It’s tough, it wears you out. It’s awesome to get one of these wins and a big one at that. I had a good car all night. We proved that. At the end, I tried to hold my line as the rubber set in and force someone to go around me. What a great way to head into the Knoxville Nationals.”

KNOXVILLE NATIONALS

The Drydene Performance Products team headed northwest on Sunday full of confidence and plenty of momentum behind them. Schuchart was making his sixth appearance in the sport’s biggest event. He was the third car to make a qualifying lap in the 58th annual 5-hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway behind former WoO champions Donny Schatz and Daryn Pittman. He posted the fastest two laps of the night and was the only driver to post lap under 15 seconds (14.933).

The challenging format would then place Schuchart eighth in the opening heat. After contact with Pittman at the start, Schuchart dug deep and one by one advanced toward that all important fourth and final transfer position.  The track was still narrow and fast, but he had a final lap shot at Roger Crockett for the spot, but couldn’t quite make the pass.

The finish relegated him to the stacked B-main that included five other WoO regulars. He started on the pole and after Schatz took the lead on the start, Schuchart passed the 10-time Knoxville Nationals champion to take the lead. Schatz regained the top spot, but Schuchart would pass him again for the top spot before driving away to score the victory. The emotional high from the win quickly turned to disappointment once Schuchart pulled into to his pit before making a trip to scales, which is mandatory for all transferring cars. He was disqualified and his night was done.

Schuchart owned up to the mistake and was determined to take advantage of the Nationals’ Friday night Hard Knox Night which had four spots remaining for Saturday’s 50-lap A-Main. He was the 30th of 31 cars in the first group to make a qualifying lap and once again he was quick time. He finished second in the opening heat and earned the pole position for the 25-lap A-Main. He led the opening laps before Brian Brown, a six-time Knoxville winner in 2018, took over the top spot. Schuchart stayed in his tracks and regained the lead in traffic and would end up leading 19 laps on his way to his first career Knoxville Raceway victory and earn one of the coveted four spots in Saturday’s A-Main.

“If anyone was going to ask, I know where the scales are now,” said a happy Schuchart in Victory Lane. “My leader of this team (grandfather Bobby Allen who is in the hospital) has taught me its not about how you get knocked down, it’s how you get back up. He’s taught Jacob (Allen) and I since we were young kids if you work hard enough, you can get to where you want to go. He’s the man and a champion. He won this thing in 1990 with little to nothing. He’s my hero, and it’s weird him not being here. It’s the first race my grandpa has not been at since I was about ten years old. I know he’s watching, and he’s proud. He’s got both his cars in the A main tomorrow night.”

In Saturday’s A-Main, Schuchart knew it would be an uphill climb. Earlier in the day, he identified some issues with the engine he used both Wednesday and Friday. He climbed from 17th to 11th in the opening 25 laps and following the pit stop he was looking to continue moving forward. He made his way inside the top-10, but was smoking the final 10 laps. He held on to finish eighth despite having a hole in his oil pan, which looked to be caused by some debris from the track.

“To have the best finish I’ve ever had in the biggest race of the year, we will call that a success,” admitted Schuchart. “After the way the week started, this team just kept working. This is the biggest race of the year and you have to have a lot go your way. We were coming forward, but just didn’t have enough drive out of the corners to get where we wanted to be. We lost a lot of oil late in the race, but a top-10 in the Knoxville Nationals is something we can build on for sure.”

NORTH DAKOTA RETURN

Following his most successful Knoxville Nationals, Schuchart and the Shark Racing team headed north to continue their run with the Outlaws. He returned to North Dakota with high hopes and in search of his first WoO triumph in the Rough Rider state. River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks is one of his favorite stops on the tour and he qualified sixth in the field of 29 cars. In heat three, he three he would battle Rico Abreu for the second position early. He smacked the frontstretch wall with his right rear, but looked like he would survive the miscue until a red flag halted the action halfway through the heat. While waiting for the track to be cleared, his right rear tire lost air because of the damage. He wasn’t able to get the tire replaced in time to return to action. The DNF pushed him into the Last Chance Showdown. Schuchart won the B to transfer into the 40-lap A-Feature. Starting 19th, he knew early on it was going to be a matter of avoiding any trouble. Unfortunately, a crash in front of him on the first lap left him with nowhere to go and he was involved in the crash. Extensive top wing and front axle damage ended his night.

It was a 70-mile trip down Interstate 29 the following night for his second appearance at Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo. A late qualifying draw put him behind early, but on the first lap of the opening heat he moved from seventh to second, but was put back for allegedly starting early. After being put back he charged back up to third, but a broken rod on the final lap spurred his chances to transfer directly into the A. Following an engine change, he came back and won his second consecutive Last Chance Showdown. From the 19th position, Schuchart charged forward 14 positions in the 30-lap A-Feature to earn his fourth KSE Hard Charger Award and 14th top-five finish of the season.

LOOKING FORWARD

The weekend ahead continues Outlaws’ 40th Anniversary Season with stops in their only stops in South Dakota and Montana. Last year, Schuchart was credited with a 23rd-place finish in his debut at Black Hills Speedway and charged from 13th to seventh in his first start at Big Sky.

He is currently tied for sixth in the WoO championship standings with Sheldon Haudenschild and the two trail fifth-place Shane Stewart by 80 markers with 25 nights of racing remaining. If you can’t make it to the track this weekend, watch all the action live on dirtvision.com.

SEASON STATS

Races: 50
Wins: 2
Podium Finishes: 7
Top-Fives: 14
Top-10s: 26
Fast-time Awards: 7
KSE Hard Chargers: 4
Points/Position: 6th/6104

Photos courtesy of DB3 Imaging (Ironman & Fargo), Paul Arch (Knoxville).

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