Clinton, MO -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/05/2020 -- "I was probably pretty excited on my victory lap," Schatz said. "I was trying to wave at them guys in the infield in Turn 3 and then lost it. They told me that I suck before the race started, so I figured that I would remind them that before that race I was the only five-time National Open champion. Now it's six. Thank you, guys, for the motivation in Turn 3. That's just what I needed." The win is Schatz's fifth of the season and 299th of his career.

Schatz won his Heat Race and then finished fourth in the Fast Pass Dash, which was won by David Gravel, who won Friday's race at Williams Grove in dominating fashion.

Gravel, of Watertown, CT, led every lap Friday night and won by more than two seconds. That made him a favorite to earn his third National Open title on Saturday. However, when the green flag unraveled in the air, Logan Schuchart stole the spotlight.

From the outside pole, Schuchart darted ahead of Gravel off Turn 4 and had the Mesillva Valley Transportation #41 cleared before they entered the first corner. Schatz pulled a similar move on Jacob Allen, and stole third before the leaders crossed the starting line.

Schuchart, of Hanover, PA, held command out front for the first 11 laps before a caution dampened his chances of winning a National Open title. Gravel kept pace on the restart and stayed close enough down the back stretch to throw a slider underneath it into Turn 3. He cleared Schuchart off the corner and set course for a weekend sweep. Behind him, Schatz took advantage of a wide exit off Turn 4 to sneak by into the runner-up spot.

Gravel was unable to run away with the lead like he had Friday night. Schatz had a rope hooked to the #41 car and pulled himself closer to it every lap. With 19 laps to go, Schatz snuck underneath Gravel into Turn 1 and pulled ahead of him off Turn 2. From then on, Schatz made it his race to lose. Gravel faded and Schuchart couldn't make up ground once he got back to second.

Kyle Larson was on the hunt, though. With 15 laps to go, he moved into third. With 14 laps to go, he was second. Initially, Larson was unable to cut into the two second gap Schatz had on him. But with five laps to go, he found a surge. The gap between he and Schatz shrunk each corner. He threw everything he had at the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing machine after passing the white flag.

He looked low in Turn 1. Wasn't enough. He tried going high in Turn 3, nearly pulling even with Schatz through the corner, but the wall and his right rear didn't get along. Schatz pulled away with the big win, while Larson had to settle for his second runner-up finish in a row at the track.

"I knew Donny (Schatz) was getting to traffic and he'd went to the top in Turns 1 and 2 to get around somebody there earlier and made it work," Larson said. "I knew he would do that again. I was just hoping that I would be close enough off Turn 4 to be there to get to his inside when he went to the top. Just wasn't quite close enough and tried just running the top there to do what I could, even though I knew a miracle was going to have to happen."

Schuchart rounded out the podium, which helped him cut a few points off of Sweet's championship lead. Sweet, who finished 10th, now leads the driver championship by 38 points over Schuchart in second and by 70 points over Schatz in third.

With Gravel finishing fourth, that moved Jason Johnson Racing to the points lead for the team championship. JJR is currently eight points ahead of Sweet's Kasey Kahne Racing team with seven races to go.

Schatz admitted 2020 has been one of his worst seasons, coming off an eight season stretch of winning 11 or more races. However, winning the biggest Sprint Car event of 2020 has been a welcomed boost.

"Feels good to win the 2020 Champion Racing Oil National Open," Schatz said. "it's really a special event."

Champion Oil, celebrating its 64rd year as an industry leader, develops synthetic motor oils for racing. These multi-viscosity motor oils contain high zinc and phosphorous formulas designed to deliver the correct balance of chemistry to protect high performance engines, especially those using flat tappet roller cams operating at high RPMs and requiring high-pressure valve springs.

These "purpose-built" lubricant products contain Champion's proprietary TVS® (Thermal Viscosity Stabilizer) which extends oil film capacity for better protection at high temperatures. The Champion oils also contain special lubricity modifiers to reduce friction, and unlock the full potential of any engine by providing increased compression, horsepower and torque.

About Champion Brands, LLC
Champion Brands, LLC, is a globally recognized industry leader in specialty lubricants. Champion also produces and blends over 300 products including fuel, oil, engine additives, and lubricants for the racing, automotive, heavy truck, agricultural, industrial, and specialty markets. For more information about Champion contact your nearest Champion Distributor or call Champion at 800-821-5693 or 660-890-6231. Champion Brands, LLC; 1001 Golden Drive, Clinton, MO, 64735 or go to http://www.championbrands.com