Donny Schatz added to his collection of off-season hardware, collecting the fifth annual Economaki Champion of Champions award presented by Rockett Brand Racing Fuel Thursday afternoon during the PRI Trade Show at the Orlando Convention Center. Schatz, who won his second-consecutive World of Outlaws sprint-car championship, was selected by the National Speed Sport News staff from 10 finalists, narrowly beating out Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. National Speed Sport News Editor Chris Economaki made the presentation while accompanied by Rockett Brand Racing Fuel President Jack Day. Schatz, who acknowledged he was shocked, was in the audience and accepted the award from Economaki and Day. Previous winners of the award, which goes to the driver deemed by the NSSN staff to have had the most outstanding season while winning a major touring series championship competing in North America, are J.J. Yeley, Steve Kinser, Tony Schumacher and Johnson, who won the honor in 2006. Schatz will be honored on the cover of NSSN’s Dec. 19 year-end triple issue.(National Speed Sport News)(12-13-2007)
