GP2: ART follows McLaren’s lead with livery change, whilst Hilmer joins the grid

By Luke SmithMay 7, 2015, 3:00 PM EDT
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MONTMELO – Following an exciting first race weekend in Bahrain three weeks ago, the GP2 Series resumes on Saturday in support of this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix with a couple of changes to the grid.

Following the example set by McLaren earlier this week, ART Grand Prix – home to McLaren junior Stoffel Vandoorne and Honda-backed Nobuharu Matsushita – has also changed its livery to match.

The team has traditionally raced in white and red, but will revert to a black and red design for the rest of the season.

Vandoorne heads into the weekend following a near-perfect start to the 2015 season, claiming pole position, the feature race win and second place in the sprint race in Bahrain to storm into a 10-point lead at the top of the standings ahead of Rio Haryanto.

Matsushita’s debut weekend was less spectacular but still very impressive, finishing sixth in the sprint race and setting the fastest lap in the process.

In other GP2 news, Hilmer Motorsport returns to the grid for the Spanish round after missing Bahrain due to financial problems. Johnny Cecotto Jr. will become the first driver to race in seven different GP2 seasons when he lines up on the grid for the German team on Saturday, with Nick Yelloly racing in the sister car.

Donny Schatz edges Kyle Larson for Outlaws victory at Lake Ozark

Trent Gower/World of Outlaws
By Nate RyanMay 30, 2020, 11:30 PM EDT
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Donny Schatz made a last-lap pass on Kyle Larson, snatching a World of Outlaws victory Saturday night at Lake Ozark Speedway.

Larson started on the pole, led 30 of 35 laps and was in control until a caution set up a two-lap shootout to the finish before a limited crowd in Eldon, Missouri.

Schatz and Larson traded the lead twice over the final two laps, but the 10-time champion emerged with his first victory since the NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returned in mid-May from a two-month layoff because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

‘THEY’VE STUCK BEHIND ME’: Kyle Larson comments on future, Outlaws plans

“Man, I don’t know what to say, but Kyle’s a damn good racer,” Schatz, who led five laps, told DirtVision after his 296th Outlaws win. “I kind of had to go where he didn’t. We got that green-white-checkered, and I decided I was going to send it. He decided the same thing.

Donny Schatz celebrates at Lake Ozark Speedway after his second Outlaws Sprint Car victory of the season (Trent Gower).

“I’m glad to get the win. It feels like it’s been forever. I’ve been out here 24 years, and every night is a learning experience still.”

Larson finished second in his fifth start since he began racing with the Outlaws after being suspended from NASCAR.

“Obviously, it would have been nice to get the win,” Larson said on DirtVision. “I figured Donny would rip the middle. The restarts before, he’d almost clear me in (turns) 3 and 4. I should have known to protect and block his momentum. I felt I exited 2 OK. We don’t have spotters or rearview mirrors so you can’t see how close he is or really hear it when the pace is so slow.

“I just didn’t do a good enough job to run a smarter final couple of laps.”

Brad Sweet, Larson’s brother in law, finished third, with Shane Stewart and David Gravel rounding out the top five.

Larson rebounded from a 10th in Friday’s feature at Lake Ozark Speedway, continuing his streak of top-10 finishes in all five of his starts since the Outlaws’ return.

“We got our car a lot better from last night, so that was a plus,” said Larson, who finished second and first in back-to-back nights last week at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at Pevely, Missouri. “These guys are really tough. To be on the podium with Donny and Brad, they’ve won lots of big races and championships, it’s nice. I just didn’t do what I needed to do that last restart.”

Larson nearly had a flawless night Saturday, turning a 11.426-second lap to capture his second pole position this season and won the pole dash to start first in the feature.

Larson, who was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing from his NASCAR Cup Series ride last month for using a racial slur in an iRacing event, said last week that he plans to run several more NOS Energy Sprint Car Series races this year.

Larson remains indefinitely suspended by NASCAR but was approved to race by the Outlaws after completing sensitivity training.