Donny Schatz

Donny Schatz Bio

Donald R. Schatz, known professionally as Donny Schatz, is an American professional sprint car racing driver born on August 10, 1977. He is best known for his long and dominant career in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, where he has established himself as one of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport. Schatz competes for Big Game Motorsports and has built a reputation as a consistent winner, a ten-time series champion, and a record-setting performer at marquee sprint car events across the United States and Australia.

Schatz has accumulated more than 300 feature wins in World of Outlaws competition, placing him among the all-time leaders in the series. His career is highlighted by an unmatched run of championships, repeated victories at the Knoxville Nationals, and a transition into stock car racing with a one-off NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start in 2021.

Early Life and Background

Donny Schatz was born in Minot, North Dakota, and grew up in a family with deep roots in sprint car racing. He is the son of Danny Christ Schatz, who raced sprint cars during the 1970s, and Diane Korgel. His father’s involvement in the sport gave Schatz an early introduction to open-wheel racing and shaped his path toward a professional career behind the wheel.

Schatz attended Minot High School, graduating in 1995, and he has continued to keep North Dakota as his home base. He is a licensed pilot and, outside of racing, he spends time working with his parents in the family truck stop businesses in Fargo and Minot. He is also an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting and snowmobiling.

Path to Sprint Car Racing

Schatz began his racing career at the age of 11, starting in go-karts before moving to 358 sprint cars as a 15-year-old at Red River Valley Speedway. The early experience in lighter sprint car classes gave him a foundation in dirt track racing, an environment that has defined much of his career. Within a few years, he stepped up to 410 sprint cars, the premier division of American dirt racing.

At the age of 18, Schatz joined the World of Outlaws series, the top level of sprint car competition in the United States. He quickly established himself as a rising talent, earning the World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year award in 1997 and recording his first A-feature victory in 1998. His progress through karting, 358 sprints, and 410 sprints prepared him for the demanding national tour schedule of the World of Outlaws.

Donny Schatz Career

Early Career (1997-2005)

Schatz’s first years with the World of Outlaws were marked by steady development. After winning Rookie of the Year in 1997 and his first feature win in 1998, he continued to build experience on the national tour. He also spent time racing in Australia, where he captured the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic at Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria, in back-to-back seasons in 2001 and 2002, and finished as runner-up in the 1999-2000 and 2001-02 World Series Sprintcars championships.

Throughout this period, Schatz established himself as a regular contender for feature wins, gradually building the consistency that would later define his career. Early prestigious wins included multiple National Open titles at Williams Grove Speedway, with victories in 2000, 2004, and 2005, signaling his arrival as a top-tier sprint car driver.

World of Outlaws Breakthrough (2006-2018)

Schatz’s career reached a new level beginning in 2006, when he captured the first of what would become ten World of Outlaws championships. He won four consecutive titles from 2006 through 2009, becoming only the second driver in series history, after Steve Kinser, to win the points championship four years in a row. He added further championships in 2012 and then strung together five more consecutive titles from 2014 through 2018, cementing his place as the dominant force of his era.

During this breakthrough run, Schatz became the king of the Knoxville Nationals, winning the prestigious event eleven times, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2022. He also won the Kings Royal six times, in 2007, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2023, and captured the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup in 2006, 2007, and 2020. Additional standout wins include the Brad Doty Classic in 2013, 2016, and 2018, and the inaugural World of Outlaws World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2008.

In 2008, Schatz moved to Tony Stewart Racing, where he would drive for the next eighteen years. By June 2021, he had reached 300 World of Outlaws wins, placing him third on the all-time list behind Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell. In 2013, he set the record for the farthest starting position ever to win the Knoxville Nationals, taking the victory from 21st on the grid.

Big Game Motorsports Era (2025-Present)

After nearly two decades with Tony Stewart Racing, Schatz left the team on August 12, 2025, and joined Big Game Motorsports. The move marked the start of a new chapter in his career, pairing one of the most accomplished sprint car drivers in history with a new team structure as the World of Outlaws tour continued into the back half of the 2025 season.

Schatz enters this era as a ten-time champion and a member of the 300-win club, with his blend of consistency and big-race experience remaining a major asset. His transition to Big Game Motorsports is expected to keep him in title contention as the team builds around his established strengths on dirt.

Driving Style and Strengths

Schatz is known for his smooth, calculated driving style and his ability to manage long feature events on demanding dirt tracks. He excels at high-banked half-mile and mile ovals, where his car control and tire management have produced the bulk of his Knoxville Nationals and Williams Grove victories. His long partnership with a single organization for nearly two decades helped him build a deep working relationship with his crew chiefs, contributing to his consistent run of top-two points finishes since 2006.

Notable Races and Milestones

Signature venues in Schatz’s career include the Knoxville Raceway, Williams Grove Speedway, Eldora Speedway, and the Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. His eleven Knoxville Nationals titles, six Kings Royal wins, and eleven National Open victories at Williams Grove form the backbone of his big-race résumé. His 2013 Knoxville Nationals win from the 21st starting position remains a record for the event.

Donny Schatz Career Wins

Schatz has built one of the most decorated résumés in sprint car racing history, with more than 300 career World of Outlaws A-feature victories and ten series championships. His win totals are spread across hundreds of tracks nationwide, with marquee events accounting for a significant share of his most celebrated performances.

World of Outlaws Highlights

Schatz has recorded more than 300 World of Outlaws A-feature wins, a total that places him third on the all-time list behind Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell. His first A-feature win came in 1998, and he has since added championships in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. He has finished no worse than second in series points since 2006, including three runner-up finishes alongside his ten titles.

His most recent major victory came at the 2023 Kings Royal, reinforcing his status as a premier big-race performer even late in his World of Outlaws career. Earlier signature moments include his eleventh Knoxville Nationals title in 2022 and his Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup wins in 2006, 2007, and 2020.

Other Wins and Performances

Outside of the World of Outlaws, Schatz won the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic in Warrnambool, Australia, in 2001 and 2002, and finished as runner-up in the World Series Sprintcars championship in Australia in 1999-2000 and 2001-02. He also made a one-off NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut on June 2, 2021, driving the No. 17 for David Gilliland Racing in the inaugural Truck Series race at Knoxville Raceway.

Donny Schatz Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Schatz comes from a family with direct ties to sprint car racing. His father, Danny Christ Schatz, raced sprint cars during the 1970s and helped introduce his son to the sport at a young age. His mother is Diane Korgel, and the family has continued to operate truck stop businesses in Fargo and Minot, North Dakota.

Personal Life

Schatz has a stepdaughter named Savanna and currently resides in Fargo, North Dakota. Outside of racing, he is a licensed pilot and an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting and snowmobiling. He is also a 1995 graduate of Minot High School.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 World of Outlaws season has been a year of significant change for Schatz, highlighted by his departure from Tony Stewart Racing on August 12, 2025, after eighteen seasons with the team. The move followed years of championship-level performance, including a streak of points titles that ran through 2018. Joining Big Game Motorsports in the middle of the season presented an opportunity to reset and pursue additional wins and titles.

Schatz’s 2025 campaign has continued to feature the hallmarks of his career, with regular top finishes and a focus on the biggest events of the World of Outlaws schedule. His standing in series history, with ten championships and more than 300 career wins, ensures that every race in 2025 is treated as a chance to add to one of the most decorated résumés in sprint car racing.

With Big Game Motorsports now established as his new home, Schatz will look to build momentum heading into future seasons, drawing on the experience that has made him one of the all-time greats of the World of Outlaws tour.