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Stevie Smith Scores First National Open Win in 24 Years

Donny Schatz clinches 2015 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship title

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. - Oct. 4, 2015 - After having his hopes dashed in a controversial finish one year ago, Stevie Smith roared back Sunday night and scored his third-career Champion Racing Oil National Open victory at Williams Grove Speedway.

The win, Smith's second World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory of the season, is his first National Open title since 1991 and comes one year after contact between he and David Gravel in the closing laps of the 2014 National Open ended his run.

Tonight, the memory of last year was a distant one as Smith had 50,000 reasons to smile.

"It's amazing," Smith said of winning the $50,000-to-win 53rd Annual National Open title. "A couple of years ago I pretty much thought I was getting ready to wrap it up and just couldn't get anything going. Just like you said, 24 years later here we are. This all goes to Fred Rahmer and the crew. I'm telling you, they have helped me tremendously. They have given me a really good racecar. I just try not to make too many mistakes. They're the reason we're standing down here."

After crossing the finish line in his No. 51s Miller Chevrolet car, Smith saluted the Pennsylvania Posse fans who rode out three days of rainouts, by stopping on the track in front of the famous 'Beer Hill' on the backstretch of Williams Grove.

Smith battled Danny Dietrich through the early portion of the race and Donny Schatz through the last half. Late cautions set up several side-by-side restarts but Smith held tough.

"Well, I know he's the best driver in the nation - one of them anyways," Smith said of Schatz. "Look at his record. I just drive my race. I try to tell the boys that. I look forward and I don't worry about who is behind me or beside me."

For Smith's team owner, Fred Rahmer, the win was his 10th as a car owner. It was also the second time in the last three seasons Rahmer has stood in victory lane at the event. He won the 2013 National Open title.

"Absolutely unbelievable," Rahmer said. "I want to thank the Grove for persevering. I know as a half-assed promoter I would have bagged it. Here we sit $50,000 richer."

The postponed National Open got underway after the previous three days had rained out thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Joaquin, churning off the East Coast. Though Sunday started off cloudy, the day gave way to sunshine and racing began under clear skies.

Dietrich and Rahmer started on the front row of the 40-lap feature with Logan Schuchart and Justin Henderson in row two. Dietrich led early but after a fierce battle, lost the top spot to Smith on lap eight. Through the next several laps, Schuchart chased down Dietrich and worked to get around him as both maneuvered through traffic.

Disaster nearly struck on lap 21 as Dietrich did a full 360 spin but was able to keep his car moving.

"If he didn't get in the gas and try to spin it around I was probably going to hit him," Schuchart said. "I'm glad that he's a good enough driver that once he got in that situation he was able to back himself back out of it because it probably would have cost us both a run up front."

The spin shuffled the field, as Dietrich slipped back to fifth, Schatz drove his No. 15 Bad Boy Buggies/Chevrolet Performance car into third. Schatz chased down Schuchart six laps later and as they all worked through traffic began running down Smith for the lead.

The yellow flag waved on laps 31 and 33. A red also flew following a restart on lap 33. On the final restart of the night with seven to go, Smith said the track changed.

"It got a little dirty and I just felt like I needed to slow my pace down," Smith said. "Before that I could just run harder and harder. I think the tires were getting a little wore down too so I think that was probably a lot of it."

Schatz closed the gap in the final two laps, but with a 1.5 second lead at the white flag, Smith cruised to victory lane.

"I've never won a $50,000-to-win race! I wanted to win it since Fred won it and I wanted to win it for Fred," Smith said. "I appreciate everyone here. It's been a great year and this just tops it off."

The night was also a big one for Schatz, who, after a dominant and historic season, clinched the 2015 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series title, his seventh career series title.

Schatz said that tonight, Stevie Smith was just better than he and his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team.

"There's nothing I could really do on the restarts," Schatz said. "Stevie was really good. He made all the right lines on the race track work for him. We got ourselves buried there at the beginning and had to pass those guys one by one without traffic. We got going there about the lap 20 mark but it was just almost too late. Hats off to this whole Bad Boy Buggies/Chevrolet Performance team… Somedays you're just going to be second best. Today we'll settle for that."

Schatz said he and his team have been trying things with their car in the last several weeks and that some days have worked and others have not. Regardless, the preparation, Schatz said, is giving them a head start on next season.

For Schuchart, a native of nearby Hanover, Pa., his third place finish came in front of family and friends. It's the sixth top-five run of the season and second podium finish in a row for Schuchart and his No. 1S Shark Racing/Mark Pell Tire Service team.

"We come back home with our family and friends and we have a lot of people to thank, a lot of people that are here helping us out… I'm thankful to be here. This Shark car was really fast and I'm looking forward to the rest of the year."

Chase Dietz was named the National Open rookie of the year. He took home a $1,500 prize for the honor.

The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series joins Super DIRT Week with an appearance at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge, New York. To find out more information and to learn how to buy tickets, visit http://woosprint.com/rolling-wheels-raceway.

Follow the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws, like it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws, or check out the latest videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws.

Williams Grove Speedway Notebook

RACE NOTES: Stevie Smith's win tonight was his third Champion Racing Oil National Open victory. It is his first since 1991… This is the second World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory of the season for Smith. He is the ninth repeat winner of the season… Donny Schatz clinched the 2015 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series title tonight. It is the seventh series title of Schatz's career… Cody Darrah was the night's KSE Racing Hard Charger, advancing nine positions to finish in 14th… Chase Dietz was named the National Open rookie of the year. He took home a $1,500 prize for the honor.

CONTINGENCY WINNERS - MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Brock Zearfoss; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 cash): N/A; Penske Shocks ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Mobil 1 ($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; Lincoln Welders ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Super Flow ($50 cash): Brad Sweet; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 product certificate): Logan Schuchart;KSE Racing Products ($100 product certificate): N/A; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate): Donny Schatz;Mobil 1 (20% off Mobil1RacingStore.com): Brock Zearfoss; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Brad Sweet; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Brad Sweet.

SEASON WINNERS: Donny Schatz - 30 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Stockton Dirt Track on March 21, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 28, Placerville Speedway on April 8, Calistoga Speedway on April 12, Devil's Bowl Speedway on April 26, Eldora Speedway on May 8, Eldora Speedway on May 9, Williams Grove Speedway on May 15, Weedsport Speedway on May 17, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 22, Knoxville Raceway on June 13, Huset's Speedway on June 14, Granite City Speedway on June 17, River Cities Speedway on June 19, Dakota State Fair Speedway on June 20, Beaver Dam Raceway on June 27, Lakeside Speedway on July 1, Dodge City Raceway Park on July 4, Cedar Lake Speedway on July 11, Lebanon Valley Speedway on July 26, Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 8, Knoxville Raceway on Aug. 15, River Cities Speedway on Aug. 21, Nodak Speedway on Aug. 23, Castrol Raceway on Aug. 28, Grays Harbor Raceway on Sept. 7, Cottage Grove Speedway on Sept. 9, Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 12, Berlin Raceway on Sept. 26); Shane Stewart - 9 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5, Keller Auto Speedway on April 17, Salina Highbanks Speedway on May 1, Crawford County Speedway on June 12, Eldora Speedway on July 17, Eldora Speedway on July 18, Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 8, Skagit Speedway on Sept. 5, Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 11); Daryn Pittman - 5 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 13, Antioch Speedway on March 29, New Egypt Speedway on May 19, Castrol Raceway on Aug. 29, Antioch Speedway on Sept. 13); Brad Sweet - 4 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 15, Calistoga Speedway on April 11, I-96 Speedway on June 25, Deer Creek Speedway on Sept. 19); Rico Abreu - 2 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 14, Stockton Dirt Track on March 22); Dale Blaney - 2 (Attica Raceway Park on May 29, Lernerville Speedway on July 21); Paul McMahan - 2 (Perris Auto Speedway on April 18, Tri-State Speedway on May 3); Joey Saldana - 2 (Kokomo Speedway on June 3, Cedar Lake Speedway on July 12); Stevie Smith - 2 (Williams Grove Speedway on July 25, Williams Grove Speedway on Oct. 4); Christopher Bell - 1 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on May 2); Brian Brown - 1 (USA Raceway on March 7); Cody Darrah - 1 (Lernerville Speedway on July 21); Danny Dietrich - 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on July 25); Stewart Friesen - 1 (Ohsweken Speedway on July 28); Greg Hodnett - 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 13); Tim Kaeding - 1 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 13); Danny Lasoski - 1 (I-80 Speedway on June 5); Kerry Madsen - 1 (Junction Motor Speedway on Aug. 18); Terry McCarl - 1 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5); Jason Sides - 1 (Dodge City Raceway Park on July 3); Greg Wilson - 1 (Eldora Speedway on Sept. 25).

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