Beaver Dam report 97-06-18

'Buckeye Bullet' Bags Beertown Bash By Richard Day BEAVER DAM, WI (June 18) - When Gerry Olson's Beertown Showdown was run at Hales Corners Speedway, four of its first five winners captured Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series championships that same year. Dave Blaney, winner of the first Beertown Showdown at Beaver Dam Raceway Wednesday, would like to see that pattern continue. Considering the way he's been racing lately, it just might. "I can't say enough about everybody involved with our team - Vivarin, Nicoderm, U.S. Print - and especially Kenny Woodruff and Dwayne Krieger," Blaney said. "They've been working really hard. It's kind of a new team, but we keep working and getting better and better. We just keep gaining and we have a chance to win every night." The $10,000 victory, the third in the last four events for "The Buckeye Bullet," pushed him to within 17 points of Steve Kinser in their battle for second place in the World of Outlaws' driver point standings. Blaney's performance overshadowed an otherwise outstanding run by Mark Kinser. Kinser, the defending Pennzoil World of Outlaws champion, earned his fourth Channellock Fast-Time Award in the last four events and won the Vivarin Dash for the right to start the 30-lap "A" Feature on the pole. Mark's 12.549-second qualifying run set Beaver Dam's single-lap record. Kinser burst into the lead from the pole as the green flag fell in the main event, and opened a four-car-length lead within two laps. He entered lapped traffic three laps later, which allowed Blaney to catch him late in the sixth lap. "The Buckeye Bullet" threatened to take the lead with a low move through turn three the next time around as he raced nose-to-tail with the Kinser cousins - Mark and Steve. Although Mark opened a half-straightaway lead during lap 10, Blaney caught him as the race reached its midpoint. Jeff Ferkin's fourth-corner flip took the leaders out of lapped traffic late in the 16th lap. Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series points leader Sammy Swindell suffered front-end damage in the crash and restarted at the rear of the field. Blaney challenged Kinser for the lead as the green flag replaced the red and executed the winning pass seven laps later. Getting plenty of traction in the second corner, Blaney caught Mark on the back straightaway and steered his #10 Vivarin J&J deep into turn three to pass Kinser. "We got a good run on Mark and we were able to keep going right on by," Blaney said of the winning pass. "Once I got out in front, I didn't have to look at his car and could pay more attention to the cushion. when I got a good eye on the cushion, I could run good on it." "The Buckeye Bullet" was racing away from the field when Chris Wiser flipped in turn four late in the 25th lap. Danny Lasoski, who was also involved in the crash, dropped out of the race. Blaney quickly built a comfortable advantage after the race resumed. Although he caught the backmarkers as the white flag fell, he won his sixth World of Outlaws "A" Feature of the year with a half-straightaway to spare. "The Vivarin/U.S. Print car was good all night," Blaney said. "In fact, we've been really good for a couple of weeks." Steve Kinser finished the "A" Feature in third place, ahead of Greg Hodnett and Jac Haudenschild. Stevie Smith, who started outside the sixth row, passed Johnny Herrera deep in turn four with five laps remaining to claim sixth place. Completing the top 10 in the World of Outlaws' 32nd main event of the year were Joey Saldana, Andy Hillenburg and First Heat Race winner Jeff Swindell. Donny Schatz won the Second Heat Race and edged fellow Rookie of the Year candidate Paul McMahan for 11th place in the "A" Feature. WoO 1997 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series Eighth Annual Beertown Showdown Beaver Dam Raceway, Beaver Dam, WI Wednesday, June 18, Feature Program #32 Qualifications: 1. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 12.549 (new one- lap record); 2. Dave Blaney, Blaney/Hylton 10, 12.665; 3. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 12.696; 4. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 12.710; 5. Danny Lasoski, Wahlie 1W, 12.731; 6. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 12.732; 7. Greg Hodnett, Helm 11H, 12.742; 8. Paul McMahan, Stanton 75, 12.766; 9. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 12.813; 10. Joey Saldana, Gray 51, 12.859; 11. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 12.984; 12. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 12.888; 13. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 7TW, 12.930; 14. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 12.953; 15. Joe Gaerte, Gaerte 3G, 12.965; 16. Scott Neitzel, Lamansky 66, 13.066; 17. Todd Dawn, Dawn 19T, 13.146; 18. Dion Hindi, Hindi 11D, 13.183; 19. Donny Goeden, Goeden 27G, 13.254; 20. Jeff Ferkin, Ferkin 21, 13.472; 21. Gib Wiser, Wiser 55, 13.558; 22. Chris Wiser, Wiser 16, 14.049; 23. Bill Warren, Warren 95, 14.284. First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Jeff Swindell, 2. Scott Neitzel, 3. Greg Hodnett, 4. Johnny Herrera, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. Joey Saldana, 7. Donny Goeden, 8. Chris Wiser. (first eight qualified for the "A" Feature) Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Sammy Swindell, 3. Dave Blaney, 4. Todd Dawn, 5. Paul McMahan, 6. Danny Lasoski, 7. Jeff Ferkin, 8. Bill Warren. (first eight qualified for the "A" Feature) Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Jac Haudenschild, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Joe Gaerte, 6. Dion Hindi, 7. Gib Wiser. (first seven qualified for the "A" Feature) Vivarin Dash (five laps): 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Dave Blaney, 3. Mark Kinser, 4. Jac Haudenschild, 5. Sammy Swindell, 6. Steve Kinser, 7. Paul McMahan, 8. Jeff Swindell. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature) A Feature (30 laps): 1. Dave Blaney ($10,000); 2. Mark Kinser ($5,000); 3. Steve Kinser ($3,000); 4. Greg Hodnett ($2,500); 5. Jac Haudenschild ($2,300); 6. Stevie Smith ($2,200); 7. Johnny Herrera ($2,100); 8. Joey Saldana ($2,000); 9. Andy Hillenburg ($1,700); 10. Jeff Swindell ($1,600); 11. Donny Schatz ($1,200); 12. Paul McMahan ($1,150); 13. Joe Gaerte ($1,100); 14. Sammy Swindell ($1,050); 15. Todd Dawn ($1,000); 16. Donny Goeden ($700); 17. Dion Hindi ($600); 18. Scott Neitzel ($500); 19. Gib Wiser ($500); 20. Chris Wiser ($500); 21. Danny Lasoski ($500); 22. Bill Warren ($500); 23. Jeff Ferkin ($500). Lap leaders: Mark Kinser 1-23, Dave Blaney 24-30 Channellock Fast-Time Award winner: Mark Kinser WoO