Courtesy of WoOSprint.com by Nick Graziano –
HANOVER, PA (Nov. 16, 2020) After crashing out of the race at Beaver Dam Raceway in June while running second, Logan Schuchart knew if he lost the championship by five points his grandfather would say, “I told you so.”
He lost it by 46 points, but the message delivered by that mistake has stuck with him ever since.
“There’s a few racetracks where we hurt because of my inexperience of being in these situations where I was racing for wins when I should have been more conservative and settled for a second or third-place finish,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “We would have definitely been closer.”
While a runner-up finish, or even a win, at Beaver Dam wouldn’t have made Schuchart the champion this year, it would’ve kept he and his Shark Racing team in contention for the title until the final lap, instead of allowing reigning champion Brad Sweet to lock up the championship during the penultimate race of the season.
Now, no longer a rookie at running for a championship, Schuchart is taking the lessons he learned this year to heart for another run at his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series championship in 2021. But along with implementing a more conservative nature at times, he admitted he and the team still need to work on their consistency.
Hitting the wall at Beaver Dam was Schuchart’s only DNF of the year, but he had two finishes outside the top-15 in the last 10 races, which hurt just as bad. Those two finishes combined cost Schuchart 40 points to Sweet.
“There’s been a few races where we had some issues and didn’t quite figure it out and finished mid-pack,” Schuchart said. “There’s some races and some racetracks that we still need to learn a little bit about; go watch some tape; look back at the notes and figure out what went wrong and fix it.”
Despite losing the championship, Schuchart and the Shark Racing team didn’t hang their heads at the end of the 2020 season. They were held high in celebration of their victory during the season ending World of Outlaws Last Call at The Dirt Track at Charlotte – his seventh win of the year.
Knowing the championship was out of reach, Schuchart was determined to end his season on a high note. Parking his Drydene #1S car in Victory Lane accomplished that and provided he and the team with the confidence that they can enter the 2021 season as championship contenders again.
“We just wanted to come down here and run strong,” Schuchart said about the season finale in Charlotte. “Six wins on the season is awesome, but coming into this racetrack (at Charlotte), knowing we’ve run good and have won in the past, I just wanted to finish this season strong and show everybody that this Shark Racing team is here to stay. We’re going to come out swinging next year.
“We finished a little bit shorter than where we wanted to be, but we started with the goal of a top three (in points). To win a race and finish top two in points is awesome.”
The 2021 season will kick off Feb. 5-7 at Volusia Speedway Park for the 50th DIRTcar Nationals. Schuchart demonstrated the growth of his team at the half-mile track this year. Before the 2020 season, he had never led a lap or finished inside the top-five at Volusia. At the end of the three-day event, he had one win, three top-five finishes and led 50 laps.
That was a trend throughout the season for Schuchart. He earned career best finishes at several tracks, giving the team hope they can continue that next year at tracks they still struggled at this season.
“I think we’re just going really good as a team,” Schuchart said. “I feel confident driving. Ron Helmick, Ben Witman, Tyler Garber, working on these cars, they’re really doing a good job with these cars and are confident in what they’re doing. They’re looking over them and making sure they’re not falling apart. Everyone is doing their job.
“We had limited DNFs this year, which is very important in this Series. And my grandfather (and car owner Bobby Allen), at the top, just doing what he needed to do to make sure we were all doing our jobs and to look over us. I feel like our team is working really well together. We’ve been out here [since 2014], using our experience to our advantage. I look forward to 2021.”
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Courtesy of WoOSprint.com by Nick Graziano
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 8, 2020) – Brad Sweet and Logan Schuchart closed out the 2020 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season the same way they opened it.
Schuchart won the DIRTcar Nationals finale in February, while Sweet claimed the event’s title. Saturday night, during the World of Outlaws Last Call season finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Schuchart won the race, while Sweet was officially crowned the 2020 champion.
“We overcame a lot of adversity to have four DNFs and to still win the points,” said Sweet, of Grass Valley, CA, about his 2020 season. “I thought we showed our resilience this week and we came here and executed, I thought, perfectly.
“We did everything we needed to do to win the points and get Kasey Kahne Racing the team championship. Hats off to our competitors. Logan (Schuchart) gave me a good run for my money all season long and the 41 (Jason Johnson Racing) bunch… nothing but respect from all of us here. Obviously, we want to win and stay on top of the mountain.”
Schuchart and his Shark Racing team kept the pressure on Sweet for the championship all year long. The two swapped the points lead twice during the season, but Schuchart’s effort came up short Friday night at The Dirt Track. By Sweet finishing ahead of him, the reigning champion secured enough points to clinch his second consecutive title.
However, that did little to diminish Schuchart’s hunger for another win. His last trip to Victory Lane was in September. So, with a championship mentality no longer needed, Schuchart went full king shark Saturday night.
He set Quick Time in his Qualifying flight; finished second in his Drydene Heat Race; finished second in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash; and dusted Sweet in the 30-lap Feature to earn his seventh win of the season and third win at The Dirt Track.
“We came into this weekend saying we just wanted to end strong,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “We knew certain things were out of our control. Last night was a challenge, but we made up for it a little bit. To end the World of Outlaws season with a win is awesome.
“We weren’t able to get the champion. But fifth last year and second this year (in points). This Shark Racing team is coming. We’re going to continue to try and get better and move forward.”
Sweet was the early contender for the win, claiming the pole for the Feature and led the three opening laps. But Schuchart had the NAPA Auto Parts #49 in sight the entire time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. With a run down the front stretch, Schuchart pulled the trigger and shot a slide job underneath Sweet into Turn 1 and cleared him for the lead by Turn 2.
From then on, the Drydene #1S held command out front. Sweet closed on him in traffic but could never get close enough to attempt a pass.
“I wish I wouldn’t have lost the lead to Logan because I felt like the way the race played out I never really got another great opportunity to get by him,” Sweet said. “Just started out the race just a little off. But it came to me. I felt like we were just as good as Logan in open air. And that says a lot, because he’s usually really good at this place.”
Aside from trying to run down Schuchart for the win, Sweet still had a championship to worry about, other than his own. His Kasey Kahne Racing team entered the night 22 points ahead of Jason Johnson Racing. And JJR’s driver David Gravel didn’t help ease the pressure off Sweet throughout the night.
Gravel set overall Quick Time for the second night in a row and beat Sweet for the win in their Drydene Heat Race. By the luck of the draw, Sweet started on the pole for the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash and won, claiming the Feature’s pole position. Gravel finished fourth.
In the Feature, Gravel stole third on the first lap and kept Sweet in sight throughout the entire event. Gravel could close on him after a restart, but Sweet pulled away over time in clean air. To have any shot at bringing JJR the team title, he needed to beat Sweet and hope that “The Big Cat” fell at least 11 positions behind him.
He came up short on that goal and ended the season with a third-place finish.
“I knew we had a chance (at beating Sweet),” said Gravel, of Watertown, CT. “Just lacked a little bit there. We were pretty good, but Brad and Logan were really really good there. We could hang with them on the restart and I had some good runs and Brad made a move and blocked my lane. That was kind of my only chance.”
The race was also Gravel’s final drive behind the wheel of the JJR #41 car. He’ll join Big Game Motorsports in 2021 for a championship run.
Ten-time Series champion Donny Schatz ended the night with a sixth-place finish and ended the year third in the championship standings. That breaks his 14-year streak of finishing first or second in points.
Sheldon Haudenschild had a career best season, finishing fourth in points with a career-high seven wins in a single season. Carson Macedo also had a new career achievement by finishing fifth in points with Kyle Larson Racing. Macedo will join Jason Johnson Racing in 2021 as KLR closes this year.
The Last Call was 2013 World of Outlaws champion Daryn Pittman’s final race as a full-time Series driver. He capped off his career with a ninth-place run at The Dirt Track and finished seventh in the championship standings.
Now, with the 2020 season completed, the World of Outlaws will look to 2021 and, again, open the season in February at Volusia Speedway Park for the DIRTcar Nationals. A new beginning to Sweet and Schuchart’s budding competitive tale.
https://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Screen-Shot-2020-11-18-at-12.32.26-PM.png500592loganhttps://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/logo.pnglogan2020-11-18 17:15:582020-11-18 17:33:09SCHUCHART SCORES LAST CALL TRIUMPH TO CLOSE 2020 WOO SEASON
Courtesy of WooSprints.com by Nick Graziano
MESQUITE, TEXAS (Sept. 20, 2020) Blood was in the water. The scent of victory lingered for Shark Racing’s Logan Schuchart at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Saturday night.
The hunger for a win had been turning in his stomach for the past two months.
Since claiming the trophy at the Terre Haute Action Track in mid-July, Schuchart went on a run of 18 top-10 finishes in a row, including four runner-up finishes, but no wins.
When the opportunity to visit Victory Lane for the second year in a row at Devil’s Bowl – the birthplace of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series – presented itself, Schuchart made the most of it. He maneuvered his way past the likes of Jason Sides, Jacob Allen, Sheldon Haudenschild and David Gravel to go from fifth to the lead by the halfway point of the 30-lap Feature and then went on to claim the $20,000 win.
“We’ve had a lot of seconds and thirds in the last two months,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “Some really good races. Ran up front with big names and with great teams. There’s a lot of great teams out here that are tough to beat but this Drydene Performance Products race team is going to keep working hard and do the best we can to get this thing in the winner’s circle.
“Just happy to see these guys’ hard work – Ron Helmick, Ben Witman, Tyler Garber, Brendan Collum, Bill (Klingbeil), my grandfather (Bobby Allen), Michael Newman, everybody that is a part of this team – to just get this thing were it needs to be and see their hard work pay off and get this thing back in victory lane where it belongs.”
The victory was his sixth of the season and 22nd of his World of Outlaws career. It also helped him close back in on the championship lead. He now trails points leader Brad Sweet, who finished fourth, by eight points with 12 races remaining.
Before Schuchart galloped his Drydene sponsored horse through the field, Gravel and Haudenschild entered the Feature as the early favorites. Gravel set Quick Time for the fifth time this year – tying him with Sweet and Kyle Larson for the most Quick Time awards this season – won his Drydene Heat Race and then the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash.
However, his Dash win came with a bit of luck. Gravel and Haudenschild crossed the finish line at a dead tie – 0.000. Since Gravel led the lap prior, he was awarded the victory.
Like Schuchart, Gravel has craved a return to Victory Lane. His last win came at Knoxville Raceway about a month ago. He earned seven top-five finishes in the nine races after and had been a contender to win in several of them. He felt Saturday night at Devil’s Bowl could finally result in another trophy.
He rocketed ahead of the field in the early stage of the Feature, leaving little hope for second-place Haudenschild to get as close to him as he did during the Dash.
While he led, Schuchart did his dance through the field. He was in fourth by Lap 3. Third by Lap 8. And second by Lap 9. Five laps later he could sense the blood in the water. Gravel was in sight and in striking distance.
As the pair exited Turn 2, they had to split the lap car of rookie Mason Daniel, who ran the middle lane through the corner. Gravel chose to go high and Schuchart went low. The Pennsylvania driver’s choice proved to be most beneficial. Gravel was left little room between he, Daniel, and the edge of the track, forcing him to back off the throttle, while Schuchart was left an open door to jolt by them both.
That split second opportunity was all he needed to accomplish his quest of obtaining another victory. Gravel attempted to run him down in the closing laps, keeping him within reach but a caution with three laps to go allowed Schuchart to restart in clear and cruise to the win.
“We had a good enough car to win,” said Gravel, of Watertown, CT. “I’m really bummed for my guys and all our sponsors here tonight. Sometimes it’s better running second there. Mason Daniel has been hard to lap all season and he decides to miss the bottom and give Logan the bottom. It is what it is. We’ll take second and move on.”
He’s on a streak of 26 top-10 finishes in a row, which has helped keep Jason Johnson Racing in the hunt for the team championship. They are currently tied with Schuchart’s Shark Racing team for second in points – 8 points behind Kasey Kahne Racing.
Haudenschild rounded out the podium with his third-place finish, continuing to be one of the best cars on the tour at the moment. He’s collected 12 top-10 finishes in his last 16 races – five of them being wins. He’s now only 14 points behind 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz for third in the driver points.
“The car was good,” said Haudenschild, of Wooster, OH. “Logan (Schuchart) getting by me was a big move. I think we could have kept up with the 41 (of Gravel), but, man, it was a tough track. I feel like in traffic we could have had a shot. We all got bunched up there. We’ll take a third and keep pushing here.”
https://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Screen-Shot-2020-11-18-at-12.08.56-PM.png550887loganhttps://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/logo.pnglogan2020-11-18 17:14:332020-11-18 17:31:29SCHUCHART LOVES TEXAS! SHARK RACING DRIVER SCORES SECOND STRAIGHT AT DEVILS BOWL
Logan Schuchart and David Gravel left the three-day event at Knoxville Raceway with big gains and a lot to lose.
Schuchart reclaimed the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series points lead – now 18 points ahead of reigning Series champion Brad Sweet – and David Gravel helped propel Jason Johnson Racing to second in points for the team championship – four points behind Schuchart’s Shark Racing team.
With just 21 races left this season – including the North Dakota doubleheader this weekend at River Cities Speedway on Aug. 21 and at Red River Valley Speedway on Aug. 22 – both drivers are focused on winning and securing the best points nights they can every race in their championship quests.
“We want to win races,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “That’s why we’re out here. Each and every race track we go to that’s our goal. You also want to stay smart about it.”
Logan Schuchart / Trent Gower photo
Schuchart learned firsthand how detrimental a small mistake could be to his chances of winning a championship in June. While running second and trying to chase down Sweet at Beaver Dam Raceway, Schuchart jumped the cushion and got into the wall. He finished 21st and fell from first to third in the championship points.
“That’s the kind of stuff you don’t do,” he said. “I know if we lose the championship by five points my grandpa (Bobby Allen) is going to say ‘I told you so.’”
Gravel isn’t in contention for the driver championship, since he missed two races to run an ARCA and NASCAR Truck Series race, but with Parker Price-Miller filling in for him in those two races, JJR has been able to stay in contention for the team championship. The team currently has four wins this season with Gravel, including their most recent win at Knoxville Raceway.
For Gravel, the remainder of the season is about picking up more wins and helping JJR secure their first championship.
“Obviously, if I can help JJR propel and win a championship is something really cool for me,” said Gravel, of Watertown, CT. “I’m kind of torn as how the season has gone. I’m going to try my best. I try my best every night and see where it ends up. There’s still a lot of racing to go. We’re racing every weekend until the World Finals (at the Dirt Track at Charlotte) pretty much, so a lot could happen.”
Like Schuchart, Gravel knows it takes being fast and smart to secure a championship. And a bit of luck.
“You just got to keep rolling,” Gravel said. “You could be Brad Sweet and have [four] DNFs. You’ve got to enter every night, do the best you can and see what happens.”
David Gravel / Trent Gower photo
The best Schuchart has ever finished in the Series points is fifth last year – with eight wins. So, to be leading the points – and have five wins – with two and a half months to go is already a huge accomplishment in his eyes for he and his Shark Racing team that have gone from trying to make races in 2014 to now being in contention to win every week.
“It’s just a great position to be in during this time of the year,” Schuchart said. “You know you’re doing something right. Especially with our team, where we’ve come from in the last seven years and how hard we’ve worked to put ourselves in this position. My grandfather, Bobby Allen, has built an awesome team and everyone that’s a part of it is doing a great job. To be leading the points here in August says a lot about how far our team has come.”
River Cities and Red River Valley have been good tracks for Schuchart and Gravel. Schuchart picked up his first win at River Cities in June of last year and then finished third at the speedway last August. Gravel, who won at River Cities in 2017, also finished inside the top-five during both races at the quarter-mile track last year.
The Series will make its first trip back to Red River Valley Speedway since 2018 this weekend. The race was won by 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz, but Gravel was in contention to win throughout the event before having an issue and finishing 18th. Schuchart finished fifth in that event.
While they’ll be gunning for the win every race, they’ll also be careful to not lose the points they’ve earned to put them in the position they’re in.
https://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Logan_Gravel_Knoxville2020.jpg10781576loganhttps://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/logo.pnglogan2020-08-23 21:11:072020-08-23 21:11:07SHARK RACING LEADS THE DRIVER AND TEAM POINTS WITH JJR CLOSE BEHIND FOR THE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
By Nick Graziano World of Outlaws.com| June 28, 2020 at 2:06 am
Crown jewels dangled in front of Logan Schuchart throughout 2019 but were never close enough for him to grab.
He finished second in the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway and then finished second at the Knoxville Nationals.
On Saturday night at the Jackson Motorplex, Schuchart fended off an assault of slide jobs and dive bombs throughout the 35-lap Feature to finally grab a crown jewel. He claimed the 42nd Annual Jackson Nationals title and the $30,000 prize that came with it.
“It’s awesome,” Schuchart said about winning the AGCO Jackson Nationals. “We’ve been so close to a couple of them (crown jewel events). It’s a huge win. Great for our team, without even thinking about the money. To win a race like this at a great facility with all of these great names here. To be able to win during these trying times in 2020 with everything that’s going on and to get a big win is great for our team.”
The win is his fourth of the season – second in a row at the 4/10-mile track – and 20th career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win.
The Hanover, PA driver entered the night as the points leader with his Shark Racing team for the event after a fourth-place finish and a win in the preliminary races.
He finished second in the DIRTVision Fast Pass King of the Hill Dash behind winner Daryn Pittman, placing them on the front row of the 35-lap Feature.
Schuchart darted ahead of Pittman at the start of the Feature, bringing two-time and defending Jackson Nationals champion Brad Sweet and Sheldon Haudenschild along with him. The next 30 laps became a summer blockbuster worthy of an Oscar nomination.
The lead officially changed hand six times throughout the event – not counting every time Schuchart, Sweet and Haudenschild swapped the lead before crossing the finish line. Haudenschild stole the lead from Schuchart in lap traffic on Lap 10. However, a red flag for Parker Price-Miller’s flip in Turn 1 put Haudenschild and Schuchart side by side on the restart.
Unwilling to lose another crown jewel event, Schuchart timed the restart perfect and powered his way around the outside of Haudenschild to reclaim the lead. But Haudenschild, who is winless this year, was just as hungry for the victory. He charged his way back around Schuchart the next lap.
Their duel of the fates was not yet over. Schuchart threw a slide job on Haudenschild going into Turn 1 and reclaimed the lead on Lap Lap 13. And this time, he was able to pull away, running the high line. Haudenschild fell victim to Sweet, as well.
With Schuchart in the lead, Sweet second and Haudenschild third, the three drivers ran single file around the top of the track for about the next 10 laps.
Once the Feature was under 10 laps to go and Schuchart again caught slower traffic, Sweet and Haudenschild closed in.
Like fighter jets playing war games, seeing how close they can dive around each other without touching, the three drivers swapped lanes every corner to try and get an advantage on the other. Haudenschild and Sweet almost made contact exiting Turn 4, forcing Haudenschild over the cushion with eight laps to go. He faded to the clutches of Pittman, while Sweet went after Schuchart.
“It’s tough when you get guys like that, that are so good,” Schuchart said about having to race Sweet and Haudenschild for the win. “Sheldon is going to pound the top down and take his shots. He can pull a slider from way far away. And I knew Brad was going to be coming at the end. You just have to keep your composure with those guys. You just have to hit your marks and not get overly excited.”“The Big Cat” pounced on Schuchart and edged him for the lead on Lap 29, but Schuchart dove into Turn 1 and slid ahead of Sweet for the final time. With tires wearing down, the reigning Series champion had nothing more for Schuchart. The Drydene #1S drove away with one of the biggest wins in his career.
Sweet finished on the podium all three nights of the 2020 AGCO Jackson Nationals, including a win on the first night. However, he had to settle for another runner-up finish with his Kasey Kahne Racing team.
“I went really hard there in the middle of the race and kind of used my one shot to get by Logan and didn’t make it stick,” said Sweet, of Grass Valley, CA. “He did a good job. I think he was able to set a nice pace out front and able to save his tires, while I tried to stay close.
“There’s some nights you just can’t get it done. NAPA Auto Parts guys gave me a good car. We’re working hard. It’s competitive out here right now. We’ll take a second and try to get better next week.”
Pittman was able to get around Haudenschild to finish third – his second podium finish in a row.
“We just got some work to do and got beat by, arguably, the two best cars on the tour this year,” said Pittman, of Owasso, OK. “We’re making gains.”
Haudenschild finsihed fourth in his NOS Energy Drink Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing car – his ninth top-10 finish in a row this year. David Gravel rounded out the top-five.
Ten-time Series champion and 2018 Jackson Nationals champion Donny Schatz ended the night eighth – his second top-10 finish in a row with his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team after four straight races outside the top-10.
Carson Macedo earned the KSE Racing Hard Charger award in his Kyle Larson Racing #2 car with his run from 18th to ninth. He’s now tied with Schuchart for the second most top-10 finishes, so far, this season with 14.
Now, with a crown jewel win under his beat, Schuchart said it only gives he and his team more confidence going forward this year.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to Cedar Lake Speedway July 2-4 for a three-day Independence Day mega event with the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models. Saturday’s event will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.
https://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Screen-Shot-2020-08-23-at-2.43.54-PM.png10621486loganhttps://loganschuchart.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/logo.pnglogan2020-08-23 18:46:322020-08-23 18:46:32SCHUCHART WINS FIRST CROWN JEWEL OF 2020: JACKSON NATIONALS
WITH 2020 IN THE BOOKS, FOCUS TOWARDS 2021 BEGINS
Courtesy of WoOSprint.com by Nick Graziano –
HANOVER, PA (Nov. 16, 2020) After crashing out of the race at Beaver Dam Raceway in June while running second, Logan Schuchart knew if he lost the championship by five points his grandfather would say, “I told you so.”
He lost it by 46 points, but the message delivered by that mistake has stuck with him ever since.
“There’s a few racetracks where we hurt because of my inexperience of being in these situations where I was racing for wins when I should have been more conservative and settled for a second or third-place finish,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “We would have definitely been closer.”
While a runner-up finish, or even a win, at Beaver Dam wouldn’t have made Schuchart the champion this year, it would’ve kept he and his Shark Racing team in contention for the title until the final lap, instead of allowing reigning champion Brad Sweet to lock up the championship during the penultimate race of the season.
Now, no longer a rookie at running for a championship, Schuchart is taking the lessons he learned this year to heart for another run at his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series championship in 2021. But along with implementing a more conservative nature at times, he admitted he and the team still need to work on their consistency.
Hitting the wall at Beaver Dam was Schuchart’s only DNF of the year, but he had two finishes outside the top-15 in the last 10 races, which hurt just as bad. Those two finishes combined cost Schuchart 40 points to Sweet.
“There’s been a few races where we had some issues and didn’t quite figure it out and finished mid-pack,” Schuchart said. “There’s some races and some racetracks that we still need to learn a little bit about; go watch some tape; look back at the notes and figure out what went wrong and fix it.”
Despite losing the championship, Schuchart and the Shark Racing team didn’t hang their heads at the end of the 2020 season. They were held high in celebration of their victory during the season ending World of Outlaws Last Call at The Dirt Track at Charlotte – his seventh win of the year.
Knowing the championship was out of reach, Schuchart was determined to end his season on a high note. Parking his Drydene #1S car in Victory Lane accomplished that and provided he and the team with the confidence that they can enter the 2021 season as championship contenders again.
“We just wanted to come down here and run strong,” Schuchart said about the season finale in Charlotte. “Six wins on the season is awesome, but coming into this racetrack (at Charlotte), knowing we’ve run good and have won in the past, I just wanted to finish this season strong and show everybody that this Shark Racing team is here to stay. We’re going to come out swinging next year.
“We finished a little bit shorter than where we wanted to be, but we started with the goal of a top three (in points). To win a race and finish top two in points is awesome.”
The 2021 season will kick off Feb. 5-7 at Volusia Speedway Park for the 50th DIRTcar Nationals. Schuchart demonstrated the growth of his team at the half-mile track this year. Before the 2020 season, he had never led a lap or finished inside the top-five at Volusia. At the end of the three-day event, he had one win, three top-five finishes and led 50 laps.
That was a trend throughout the season for Schuchart. He earned career best finishes at several tracks, giving the team hope they can continue that next year at tracks they still struggled at this season.
“I think we’re just going really good as a team,” Schuchart said. “I feel confident driving. Ron Helmick, Ben Witman, Tyler Garber, working on these cars, they’re really doing a good job with these cars and are confident in what they’re doing. They’re looking over them and making sure they’re not falling apart. Everyone is doing their job.
“We had limited DNFs this year, which is very important in this Series. And my grandfather (and car owner Bobby Allen), at the top, just doing what he needed to do to make sure we were all doing our jobs and to look over us. I feel like our team is working really well together. We’ve been out here [since 2014], using our experience to our advantage. I look forward to 2021.”
SCHUCHART SCORES LAST CALL TRIUMPH TO CLOSE 2020 WOO SEASON
Courtesy of WoOSprint.com by Nick Graziano
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 8, 2020) – Brad Sweet and Logan Schuchart closed out the 2020 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season the same way they opened it.
Schuchart won the DIRTcar Nationals finale in February, while Sweet claimed the event’s title. Saturday night, during the World of Outlaws Last Call season finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Schuchart won the race, while Sweet was officially crowned the 2020 champion.
“We overcame a lot of adversity to have four DNFs and to still win the points,” said Sweet, of Grass Valley, CA, about his 2020 season. “I thought we showed our resilience this week and we came here and executed, I thought, perfectly.
“We did everything we needed to do to win the points and get Kasey Kahne Racing the team championship. Hats off to our competitors. Logan (Schuchart) gave me a good run for my money all season long and the 41 (Jason Johnson Racing) bunch… nothing but respect from all of us here. Obviously, we want to win and stay on top of the mountain.”
Schuchart and his Shark Racing team kept the pressure on Sweet for the championship all year long. The two swapped the points lead twice during the season, but Schuchart’s effort came up short Friday night at The Dirt Track. By Sweet finishing ahead of him, the reigning champion secured enough points to clinch his second consecutive title.
However, that did little to diminish Schuchart’s hunger for another win. His last trip to Victory Lane was in September. So, with a championship mentality no longer needed, Schuchart went full king shark Saturday night.
He set Quick Time in his Qualifying flight; finished second in his Drydene Heat Race; finished second in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash; and dusted Sweet in the 30-lap Feature to earn his seventh win of the season and third win at The Dirt Track.
“We came into this weekend saying we just wanted to end strong,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “We knew certain things were out of our control. Last night was a challenge, but we made up for it a little bit. To end the World of Outlaws season with a win is awesome.
“We weren’t able to get the champion. But fifth last year and second this year (in points). This Shark Racing team is coming. We’re going to continue to try and get better and move forward.”
Sweet was the early contender for the win, claiming the pole for the Feature and led the three opening laps. But Schuchart had the NAPA Auto Parts #49 in sight the entire time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. With a run down the front stretch, Schuchart pulled the trigger and shot a slide job underneath Sweet into Turn 1 and cleared him for the lead by Turn 2.
From then on, the Drydene #1S held command out front. Sweet closed on him in traffic but could never get close enough to attempt a pass.
“I wish I wouldn’t have lost the lead to Logan because I felt like the way the race played out I never really got another great opportunity to get by him,” Sweet said. “Just started out the race just a little off. But it came to me. I felt like we were just as good as Logan in open air. And that says a lot, because he’s usually really good at this place.”
Aside from trying to run down Schuchart for the win, Sweet still had a championship to worry about, other than his own. His Kasey Kahne Racing team entered the night 22 points ahead of Jason Johnson Racing. And JJR’s driver David Gravel didn’t help ease the pressure off Sweet throughout the night.
Gravel set overall Quick Time for the second night in a row and beat Sweet for the win in their Drydene Heat Race. By the luck of the draw, Sweet started on the pole for the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash and won, claiming the Feature’s pole position. Gravel finished fourth.
In the Feature, Gravel stole third on the first lap and kept Sweet in sight throughout the entire event. Gravel could close on him after a restart, but Sweet pulled away over time in clean air. To have any shot at bringing JJR the team title, he needed to beat Sweet and hope that “The Big Cat” fell at least 11 positions behind him.
He came up short on that goal and ended the season with a third-place finish.
“I knew we had a chance (at beating Sweet),” said Gravel, of Watertown, CT. “Just lacked a little bit there. We were pretty good, but Brad and Logan were really really good there. We could hang with them on the restart and I had some good runs and Brad made a move and blocked my lane. That was kind of my only chance.”
The race was also Gravel’s final drive behind the wheel of the JJR #41 car. He’ll join Big Game Motorsports in 2021 for a championship run.
Ten-time Series champion Donny Schatz ended the night with a sixth-place finish and ended the year third in the championship standings. That breaks his 14-year streak of finishing first or second in points.
Sheldon Haudenschild had a career best season, finishing fourth in points with a career-high seven wins in a single season. Carson Macedo also had a new career achievement by finishing fifth in points with Kyle Larson Racing. Macedo will join Jason Johnson Racing in 2021 as KLR closes this year.
The Last Call was 2013 World of Outlaws champion Daryn Pittman’s final race as a full-time Series driver. He capped off his career with a ninth-place run at The Dirt Track and finished seventh in the championship standings.
Now, with the 2020 season completed, the World of Outlaws will look to 2021 and, again, open the season in February at Volusia Speedway Park for the DIRTcar Nationals. A new beginning to Sweet and Schuchart’s budding competitive tale.
SCHUCHART LOVES TEXAS! SHARK RACING DRIVER SCORES SECOND STRAIGHT AT DEVILS BOWL
Courtesy of WooSprints.com by Nick Graziano
MESQUITE, TEXAS (Sept. 20, 2020) Blood was in the water. The scent of victory lingered for Shark Racing’s Logan Schuchart at Devil’s Bowl Speedway Saturday night.
The hunger for a win had been turning in his stomach for the past two months.
Since claiming the trophy at the Terre Haute Action Track in mid-July, Schuchart went on a run of 18 top-10 finishes in a row, including four runner-up finishes, but no wins.
When the opportunity to visit Victory Lane for the second year in a row at Devil’s Bowl – the birthplace of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series – presented itself, Schuchart made the most of it. He maneuvered his way past the likes of Jason Sides, Jacob Allen, Sheldon Haudenschild and David Gravel to go from fifth to the lead by the halfway point of the 30-lap Feature and then went on to claim the $20,000 win.
“We’ve had a lot of seconds and thirds in the last two months,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “Some really good races. Ran up front with big names and with great teams. There’s a lot of great teams out here that are tough to beat but this Drydene Performance Products race team is going to keep working hard and do the best we can to get this thing in the winner’s circle.
“Just happy to see these guys’ hard work – Ron Helmick, Ben Witman, Tyler Garber, Brendan Collum, Bill (Klingbeil), my grandfather (Bobby Allen), Michael Newman, everybody that is a part of this team – to just get this thing were it needs to be and see their hard work pay off and get this thing back in victory lane where it belongs.”
The victory was his sixth of the season and 22nd of his World of Outlaws career. It also helped him close back in on the championship lead. He now trails points leader Brad Sweet, who finished fourth, by eight points with 12 races remaining.
Before Schuchart galloped his Drydene sponsored horse through the field, Gravel and Haudenschild entered the Feature as the early favorites. Gravel set Quick Time for the fifth time this year – tying him with Sweet and Kyle Larson for the most Quick Time awards this season – won his Drydene Heat Race and then the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash.
However, his Dash win came with a bit of luck. Gravel and Haudenschild crossed the finish line at a dead tie – 0.000. Since Gravel led the lap prior, he was awarded the victory.
Like Schuchart, Gravel has craved a return to Victory Lane. His last win came at Knoxville Raceway about a month ago. He earned seven top-five finishes in the nine races after and had been a contender to win in several of them. He felt Saturday night at Devil’s Bowl could finally result in another trophy.
He rocketed ahead of the field in the early stage of the Feature, leaving little hope for second-place Haudenschild to get as close to him as he did during the Dash.
While he led, Schuchart did his dance through the field. He was in fourth by Lap 3. Third by Lap 8. And second by Lap 9. Five laps later he could sense the blood in the water. Gravel was in sight and in striking distance.
As the pair exited Turn 2, they had to split the lap car of rookie Mason Daniel, who ran the middle lane through the corner. Gravel chose to go high and Schuchart went low. The Pennsylvania driver’s choice proved to be most beneficial. Gravel was left little room between he, Daniel, and the edge of the track, forcing him to back off the throttle, while Schuchart was left an open door to jolt by them both.
That split second opportunity was all he needed to accomplish his quest of obtaining another victory. Gravel attempted to run him down in the closing laps, keeping him within reach but a caution with three laps to go allowed Schuchart to restart in clear and cruise to the win.
“We had a good enough car to win,” said Gravel, of Watertown, CT. “I’m really bummed for my guys and all our sponsors here tonight. Sometimes it’s better running second there. Mason Daniel has been hard to lap all season and he decides to miss the bottom and give Logan the bottom. It is what it is. We’ll take second and move on.”
He’s on a streak of 26 top-10 finishes in a row, which has helped keep Jason Johnson Racing in the hunt for the team championship. They are currently tied with Schuchart’s Shark Racing team for second in points – 8 points behind Kasey Kahne Racing.
Haudenschild rounded out the podium with his third-place finish, continuing to be one of the best cars on the tour at the moment. He’s collected 12 top-10 finishes in his last 16 races – five of them being wins. He’s now only 14 points behind 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz for third in the driver points.
“The car was good,” said Haudenschild, of Wooster, OH. “Logan (Schuchart) getting by me was a big move. I think we could have kept up with the 41 (of Gravel), but, man, it was a tough track. I feel like in traffic we could have had a shot. We all got bunched up there. We’ll take a third and keep pushing here.”
SHARK RACING LEADS THE DRIVER AND TEAM POINTS WITH JJR CLOSE BEHIND FOR THE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Logan Schuchart and David Gravel left the three-day event at Knoxville Raceway with big gains and a lot to lose.
Schuchart reclaimed the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series points lead – now 18 points ahead of reigning Series champion Brad Sweet – and David Gravel helped propel Jason Johnson Racing to second in points for the team championship – four points behind Schuchart’s Shark Racing team.
With just 21 races left this season – including the North Dakota doubleheader this weekend at River Cities Speedway on Aug. 21 and at Red River Valley Speedway on Aug. 22 – both drivers are focused on winning and securing the best points nights they can every race in their championship quests.
“We want to win races,” said Schuchart, of Hanover, PA. “That’s why we’re out here. Each and every race track we go to that’s our goal. You also want to stay smart about it.”
Schuchart learned firsthand how detrimental a small mistake could be to his chances of winning a championship in June. While running second and trying to chase down Sweet at Beaver Dam Raceway, Schuchart jumped the cushion and got into the wall. He finished 21st and fell from first to third in the championship points.
“That’s the kind of stuff you don’t do,” he said. “I know if we lose the championship by five points my grandpa (Bobby Allen) is going to say ‘I told you so.’”
Gravel isn’t in contention for the driver championship, since he missed two races to run an ARCA and NASCAR Truck Series race, but with Parker Price-Miller filling in for him in those two races, JJR has been able to stay in contention for the team championship. The team currently has four wins this season with Gravel, including their most recent win at Knoxville Raceway.
For Gravel, the remainder of the season is about picking up more wins and helping JJR secure their first championship.
“Obviously, if I can help JJR propel and win a championship is something really cool for me,” said Gravel, of Watertown, CT. “I’m kind of torn as how the season has gone. I’m going to try my best. I try my best every night and see where it ends up. There’s still a lot of racing to go. We’re racing every weekend until the World Finals (at the Dirt Track at Charlotte) pretty much, so a lot could happen.”
Like Schuchart, Gravel knows it takes being fast and smart to secure a championship. And a bit of luck.
“You just got to keep rolling,” Gravel said. “You could be Brad Sweet and have [four] DNFs. You’ve got to enter every night, do the best you can and see what happens.”
The best Schuchart has ever finished in the Series points is fifth last year – with eight wins. So, to be leading the points – and have five wins – with two and a half months to go is already a huge accomplishment in his eyes for he and his Shark Racing team that have gone from trying to make races in 2014 to now being in contention to win every week.
“It’s just a great position to be in during this time of the year,” Schuchart said. “You know you’re doing something right. Especially with our team, where we’ve come from in the last seven years and how hard we’ve worked to put ourselves in this position. My grandfather, Bobby Allen, has built an awesome team and everyone that’s a part of it is doing a great job. To be leading the points here in August says a lot about how far our team has come.”
River Cities and Red River Valley have been good tracks for Schuchart and Gravel. Schuchart picked up his first win at River Cities in June of last year and then finished third at the speedway last August. Gravel, who won at River Cities in 2017, also finished inside the top-five during both races at the quarter-mile track last year.
The Series will make its first trip back to Red River Valley Speedway since 2018 this weekend. The race was won by 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz, but Gravel was in contention to win throughout the event before having an issue and finishing 18th. Schuchart finished fifth in that event.
While they’ll be gunning for the win every race, they’ll also be careful to not lose the points they’ve earned to put them in the position they’re in.
SCHUCHART WINS FIRST CROWN JEWEL OF 2020: JACKSON NATIONALS
Crown jewels dangled in front of Logan Schuchart throughout 2019 but were never close enough for him to grab.
He finished second in the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway and then finished second at the Knoxville Nationals.
On Saturday night at the Jackson Motorplex, Schuchart fended off an assault of slide jobs and dive bombs throughout the 35-lap Feature to finally grab a crown jewel. He claimed the 42nd Annual Jackson Nationals title and the $30,000 prize that came with it.
“It’s awesome,” Schuchart said about winning the AGCO Jackson Nationals. “We’ve been so close to a couple of them (crown jewel events). It’s a huge win. Great for our team, without even thinking about the money. To win a race like this at a great facility with all of these great names here. To be able to win during these trying times in 2020 with everything that’s going on and to get a big win is great for our team.”
The win is his fourth of the season – second in a row at the 4/10-mile track – and 20th career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win.
The Hanover, PA driver entered the night as the points leader with his Shark Racing team for the event after a fourth-place finish and a win in the preliminary races.
He finished second in the DIRTVision Fast Pass King of the Hill Dash behind winner Daryn Pittman, placing them on the front row of the 35-lap Feature.
Schuchart darted ahead of Pittman at the start of the Feature, bringing two-time and defending Jackson Nationals champion Brad Sweet and Sheldon Haudenschild along with him. The next 30 laps became a summer blockbuster worthy of an Oscar nomination.
The lead officially changed hand six times throughout the event – not counting every time Schuchart, Sweet and Haudenschild swapped the lead before crossing the finish line. Haudenschild stole the lead from Schuchart in lap traffic on Lap 10. However, a red flag for Parker Price-Miller’s flip in Turn 1 put Haudenschild and Schuchart side by side on the restart.
Unwilling to lose another crown jewel event, Schuchart timed the restart perfect and powered his way around the outside of Haudenschild to reclaim the lead. But Haudenschild, who is winless this year, was just as hungry for the victory. He charged his way back around Schuchart the next lap.
Their duel of the fates was not yet over. Schuchart threw a slide job on Haudenschild going into Turn 1 and reclaimed the lead on Lap Lap 13. And this time, he was able to pull away, running the high line. Haudenschild fell victim to Sweet, as well.
With Schuchart in the lead, Sweet second and Haudenschild third, the three drivers ran single file around the top of the track for about the next 10 laps.
Once the Feature was under 10 laps to go and Schuchart again caught slower traffic, Sweet and Haudenschild closed in.
Like fighter jets playing war games, seeing how close they can dive around each other without touching, the three drivers swapped lanes every corner to try and get an advantage on the other. Haudenschild and Sweet almost made contact exiting Turn 4, forcing Haudenschild over the cushion with eight laps to go. He faded to the clutches of Pittman, while Sweet went after Schuchart.
“It’s tough when you get guys like that, that are so good,” Schuchart said about having to race Sweet and Haudenschild for the win. “Sheldon is going to pound the top down and take his shots. He can pull a slider from way far away. And I knew Brad was going to be coming at the end. You just have to keep your composure with those guys. You just have to hit your marks and not get overly excited.”“The Big Cat” pounced on Schuchart and edged him for the lead on Lap 29, but Schuchart dove into Turn 1 and slid ahead of Sweet for the final time. With tires wearing down, the reigning Series champion had nothing more for Schuchart. The Drydene #1S drove away with one of the biggest wins in his career.
Sweet finished on the podium all three nights of the 2020 AGCO Jackson Nationals, including a win on the first night. However, he had to settle for another runner-up finish with his Kasey Kahne Racing team.
“I went really hard there in the middle of the race and kind of used my one shot to get by Logan and didn’t make it stick,” said Sweet, of Grass Valley, CA. “He did a good job. I think he was able to set a nice pace out front and able to save his tires, while I tried to stay close.
“There’s some nights you just can’t get it done. NAPA Auto Parts guys gave me a good car. We’re working hard. It’s competitive out here right now. We’ll take a second and try to get better next week.”
Pittman was able to get around Haudenschild to finish third – his second podium finish in a row.
“We just got some work to do and got beat by, arguably, the two best cars on the tour this year,” said Pittman, of Owasso, OK. “We’re making gains.”
Haudenschild finsihed fourth in his NOS Energy Drink Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing car – his ninth top-10 finish in a row this year. David Gravel rounded out the top-five.
Ten-time Series champion and 2018 Jackson Nationals champion Donny Schatz ended the night eighth – his second top-10 finish in a row with his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team after four straight races outside the top-10.
Carson Macedo earned the KSE Racing Hard Charger award in his Kyle Larson Racing #2 car with his run from 18th to ninth. He’s now tied with Schuchart for the second most top-10 finishes, so far, this season with 14.
Now, with a crown jewel win under his beat, Schuchart said it only gives he and his team more confidence going forward this year.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to Cedar Lake Speedway July 2-4 for a three-day Independence Day mega event with the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models. Saturday’s event will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.
NOS Energy Drink Feature (35 Laps) – 1. 1S-Logan Schuchart [2][$30,000]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet [3][$8,000]; 3. 83-Daryn Pittman [1][$5,000]; 4. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild [6][$2,700]; 5. 41-David Gravel [4][$2,500]; 6. 2M-Kerry Madsen [9][$2,200]; 7. 18-Ian Madsen [7][$2,000]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz [10][$1,800]; 9. 2-Carson Macedo [18][$1,600]; 10. 83R-Lynton Jeffrey [19][$1,450]; 11. 16-Brooke Tatnell [17][$1,300]; 12. 9-Kasey Kahne [14][$1,200]; 13. 1A-Jacob Allen [8][$1,100]; 14. 11K-Kraig Kinser [13][$1,000]; 15. 41S-Dominic Scelzi [24][$1,000]; 16. 17B-Bill Balog [22][$1,000]; 17. 7-Justin Henderson [16][$1,000]; 18. 7S-Jason Sides [12][$1,000]; 19. 17A-Austin McCarl [21][$1,000]; 20. O9-Matt Juhl [23][$1,000]; 21. 49X-Tim Shaffer [15][$1,000]; 22. 21-Brian Brown [11][$1,000]; 23. 2C-Wayne Johnson [20][$1,000]; 24. 14-Parker Price-Miller [5][$1,000]; Lap Leaders: Logan Schuchart 1-9, 11, 13-28, 30-35; Sheldon Haudenschild 10, 12; Brad Sweet 29; KSE Hard Charger Award: 2-Carson Macedo[+9]