Donny Schatz Wins Second Badger 40 At Wilmot

Donny Schatz competing at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, WI (Photo: Trent Gower | World Racing Group)

WILMOT, Wis. — After Carson Macedo won Friday night’s feature at Wilmot Raceway, the World of Outlaws sprint cars stayed there for another night of the Larry Hillerud Memorial Badger 40.

Donny Schatz and Michael “Buddy” Kofoid were the front row that led all 24 cars to the starting zone in Turn 4. Kofoid jumped out to the lead initially with Schatz following close behind. Behind them, Macedo and Sheldon Haudenschild battled it out for third.

Eight laps later, Schatz saw that lap traffic was a factor for Kofoid and used it to his advantage. Kofoid was on the high side while Schatz was a little bit lower. Kofoid tried to get around a lap car but could not figure out the right lane to do so. Schatz, being the veteran that he is, knew exactly what lane to take and when to take it and did so, taking over the lead going down the backstretch.

Lap 13 saw Kofoid lose yet another spot, this time to Macedo. Lap traffic proved to be a problem for the newer driver yet again as he could not find a way around. Macedo went low around the car and slidejobbed Kofoid coming off of Turn 3 to claim second.

Kofoid clearly was not having the best night of his career by any means because he slipped up a little off of Turn 3 ten laps later. Although he kept third, Haudenschild and Gravel were like sharks in the water that were smelling freshly spilled blood with the way they were on him. Kofoid gave it all he had to hold the two of them off. 

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid competing at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, WI (Photo: Trent Gower | World Racing Group)

While in the pursuit of Haudenschild and Kofoid, Gravel hopped the cushion in Turn 3 and Giovanni Scelzi, a space back, saw this and smiled a very evil grin. Scelzi flew right up to Gravel and held himself there like a hummingbird until a few laps later when he went to the top, sailed around Gravel for fifth off of Turn 4 and held it to lead Lap 29.

With four laps remaining, another lap car got in the way of Kofoid. This allowed Haudenschild to use the lap car and Kofoid to draft himself ahead of Kofoid to get that podium finish position. Kofoid tried to get him back coming down the front straight, but could not manage to find the right groove.

Schatz held the lead while working his way masterfully through traffic to come home for the second time in his career at the Badger 40. Macedo, Haudenschild, Kofoid and Gravel rounded out the top five.

“Last night was really trying but that makes this [racing] what it is,” said Schatz about his racing experience at Wilmot Raceway. “The guys spent a lot of time today digging and changing things and it was a whole different racecar tonight so hats off to them. There was a lot of traffic, but it was a hell of a lot of fun.”