Donny Schatz out at Tony Stewart Racing

Kerry Madsen has been signed to drive the No. 15 in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series

“Making a change now gives each of us the chance to reset and refocus before 2026.”

For 18 years, Donny Schatz has raced for Tony Stewart Racing. Along the way, Schatz has collected eight World of Outlaws championships, 234 race wins including nine Knoxville Nationals victories.

Effective immediately, the team is making a driver change. Kerry Madsen has been signed as the new driver for the No. 15 car.

Hear from team owner Tony Stewart below.

Madsen previously raced full-time at Knoxville Raceway driving No. 55 for the VerMeer Madsen Racing team. He is currently 3rd in track standings with just one race remaining.

Madsen will still race in the final points event at Knoxville. The race on Aug. 23 has a conflict with a World of Outlaws event. TSR plans to announce a reserve driver for that Outlaws event at a later date.

This is not the first stint for Madsen with Tony Stewart Racing. Back in 2021, Madsen drove the No. 14 car for TSR. He won six events in just 37 starts with the team.

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Tony Stewart comments

“Donny has been an incredible part of TSR for nearly two decades, he’s helped build this organization into what it is today,” said team owner Tony Stewart in a release.

“We’ve had a driver/team owner relationship that has gone beyond that partnership, he’s become part of my extended family through the years, and I have the utmost respect for him and what his career represents – a generational driving talent.”

“The achievements we’ve accomplished together are something that I’ll always be proud of,” Stewart added.

“But in the past few years we’ve weathered changes in the sport and our performance hasn’t been to the level that both Donny and I expect. We’re both competitors to our core and we both hold ourselves to a high standard of performance that we’ve struggled to obtain.”

“Making a change now gives each of us the chance to reset and refocus before 2026.”

Last season, Schatz collected 5 World of Outlaws race wins in 65 races. In the 46 races so far this season, Schatz has 8 top-5 runs but he’s yet to find victory lane.

Stewart continued, “Kerry’s been in our car before and is a proven winner, so bringing him back feels natural. He knows our team, we know his capabilities, and I’m confident he’ll give us everything he’s got as we close out the season.”

This change has been made just days after the 2025 Knoxville Nationals. Madsen will be behind the wheel of the No. 15 starting this Friday at Ogilvie Raceway in Minnesota.

Knoxville Nationals Results: August 9, 2025 (World of Outlaws)

Links

Donny Schatz | Tony Stewart Racing | World of Outlaws