Donny Schatz Leaves Tony Stewart Racing After 18 Years

BROWNSBURG, Ind. — Donny Schatz has ended his long tenure with Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) after nearly 18 years. TSR announced on Tuesday that Kerry Madsen, an experienced racer, will step into the driver’s seat of the No. 15 sprint car for the remainder of the season.

Schatz has been a key figure in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, winning 10 championships and 234 races during his illustrious career. Despite these achievements, this season has marked a challenging period for Schatz and TSR, leading to this significant change.

Kerry Madsen is no stranger to TSR. He previously drove the No. 14 sprint car for the team in 2021, securing six victories in 37 races. He now aims to continue that success with the team as they compete in the World of Outlaws series, starting this weekend at Ogilvie Raceway in Minnesota.

“Donny has been an incredible part of TSR for nearly two decades,” said Tony Stewart, team owner. “We’ve developed a great partnership, and he will always be part of our family. However, the past few years have been challenging, and we felt it was time to make a change.”

Madsen comes to TSR after racing full-time with the No. 55 VerMeer Madsen Racing team, where he remains third in the championship standings at Knoxville Raceway.

As TSR prepares for its upcoming races in North Dakota on August 22-23, they will soon announce an interim driver to fill in for Schatz’s absence. The future of Schatz in sprint car racing remains unclear, but his legacy as one of the sport’s greats is well established.