Rico Abreu and Logan Schuchart were each victorious in the Ironman 55 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Missouri over the weekend. For both drivers, it marked their first win of the 2018 season and awarded them $20,000. Abreu’s win in the opener served as the 2017 edition of the race, which was postponed by rain until this year. Schuchart won the 2018 rendition of the Ironman 55. This week is the biggest week of the year for World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series drivers as the 58^thAnnual Knoxville Nationals hits the track at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa for four nights of racing.

Back-to-back

Rico Abreu won the opener of the Ironman Weekend, which served as the 2017 Ironman 55, earning him back-to-back wins in the grueling 55-lap event. For Abreu, the win was his first of the season in any race and the seventh of his career with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. Abreu became the second driver to win the Ironman 55 back-to-back, with Craig Dollansky (who won three-in-a-row) being the other. The win was also special for Abreu’s crew chief, Drew Warner, the son of Ricky Warner, Donny Schatz’s longtime crew chief, as it was his first Outlaws win turning the wrenches.

A big payday

Logan Schuchart’s win in the finale of the Ironman 55 Weekend, marked the biggest payday of his career, banking $20,000 for the 55-lap triumph. The Pennsylvania native took the lead from Daryn Pittman on the 15^thcircuit and paced the remainder of the 40-lapper. For Schuchart, the win was the seventh of his career with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. He opened the night by turning the fastest lap in time trials of the 27 entries. Schuchart finished fourth in the Friday portion of the event.

Knocking on the door

Jacob Allen continues to close in on his first World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series win. Running as high as second on the first night of the Ironman 55 Weekend, the young driver ended up finishing third. Allen made the extreme low side of the track work, after starting seventh. He fell back to 11^thjust pass the halfway point of the race and the steadily charged back to the front. In the finale on Saturday night, Allen finished fifth to cap a weekend which saw him and his Shark Racing teammate Logan Schuchart among the top-five both nights.

Unique trophy

The Ironman 55 awards one of the most unique trophies in sprint car racing. An engraved 35-pound dumbbell awaits the winner, along with a $20,000 check. In the inaugural Ironman 55 in 2009, a 55-pound dumbbell was the trophy in recognition of the 55-laps in the main event. Brian Carter, the CEO of the World Racing Group, parent company of the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series, handed the trophy to the winner each of the two nights of the event.

On the podium

Brad Sweet and Daryn Pittman were both podium finishes in the finale of the Ironman 55 Weekend for Kasey Kahne Racing. Sweet finished second, while Pittman was third. Pittman led the opening 14 laps, after taking the lead from eventual winner and pole sitter Logan Schuchart on the start.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie

James McFadden earned his best finish of the season with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series in the finale of the Ironman 55 Weekend, finishing fourth. Driving a Pennsylvania-based car for owner Matt Highlands, McFadden came from the 11^thstarting spot to garner the top-five run. Ian Madsen finished sixth to put two Australian-born drivers in the top-10 on Saturday night.

Hard charger

Brent Marks picked up yet another KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award in the finale of the Ironman 55 Weekend. The native of Myerstown, PA worked his way from the 22^ndstarting spot to finish ninth, after racing his way into the main event via the Last Chance Showdown.

In the box score of the opener of the weekend, it shows that Marks gained six positions, but he passed a lot more cars than that. After having a flat tire just past the halfway mark of the 55-lap race, he had to restart at the tail of the field and proceeded to power his way back into the top-10.

An off-weekend

It’s not very often that Donny Schatz loses positions in main events, but that was the case both nights at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. In the opener, the nine-time and defending champion started fifth and finished ninth. In the finale, he slipped from the third starting spot to seventh. The weekend was not a total loss as, Schatz only dropped four markers to Brad Sweet as they battle for the championship, with the gap between the pair still 198 points to Schatz’s advantage.

A solid rebound

Paul Nienhiser show a lot of speed both nights at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. In the opener, he powered his way from 20^thto ninth, when he was involved in an accident. After a lot of work to get the car back together for the finale, Nienhiser rewarded his team with a 10^th-place effort, which marked his second top-10 finish of the season with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series.

The band is back together

The Ironman 55 Weekend was the first pair of races this season for Shane Stewart to be paired with veteran crew chief Paul Silva. The pair has had a great deal of success in the past, including winning a pair of ASCS championships. Silva had been serving as the General Manager for Kyle Larson Racing at their shop in the Charlotte area. The team also welcomed a couple of new partners, with Chevy Accessories and Scott gracing the wings and body work.

Points update

Donny Schatz continues to lead Brad Sweet in the chase for the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series title, though the latter gained a little ground during the Ironman 55 Weekend, cutting the lead to 198 points. David Gravel is currently third, followed by Daryn Pittman in fourth and Shane Stewart in fifth. Sheldon Haudenschild sits sixth, followed by Logan Schuchart in seventh, Ian Madsen in eighth, Brent Marks in ninth and Kraig Kinser in 10^th.

Tuning up

A trio of World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series drivers took to the track on Sunday evening for the Capitani Classic at Knoxville Raceway, in Iowa, which served as the final tune-up for the 58^thAnnual 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals Presented by Casey’s General Store. Brad Sweet was the class of the field, leading all 25 laps to win the event. The Californian won seven head-to-head matches in the series of pole dashes that were held to earn the pole position. Shane Stewart finished fifth in the 25-lap contest, while Daryn Pittman was also in attendance.

Up next

The “Month of Money” concludes with the “Granddaddy of them all,” the 58^thAnnual 5-Hour Energy Knoxville Nationals Presented by Casey’s General Store at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. The field will be split in two for qualifying nights on Wednesday, August 8 and Thursday, August 9. The top-16 in event points from those two nights will be directly locked into the 50-lap, $150,000-to-win finale on Saturday, August 11. The remainder of the field will race again on Friday, August 10. Donny Schatz is the defending Knoxville Nationals winner and has won the event 10 of the last 12 years.