Gold Cup day 2 report

HILLENBURG PASSES 'THE BEST,' WINS SECOND GOLD CUP PRELIM By Richard Day CHICO, CA (September 16) - Andy Hillenburg shared an intriguing reaction to Steve Kinser's move to the NASCAR Winston Cup series in 1995 as he prepared for the World of Outlaws' second preliminary program at the 41st Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions Friday. "I'm happy for Steve, but I don't want him to leave because he keeps me motivated," Hillenburg said at Silver Dollar Speedway. "Beating him is what motivates me; he's the best." Hillenburg beat "the best" Friday night, steering his #2 STP J&J around "The King of the Outlaws" with four laps remaining on his way to winning the Preliminary Feature. Hillenburg, the fifth-fastest qualifier in the 41-car field, earned the right to start the 25-lap feature inside the second row by following Jeff Swindell and Kinser across the finish line in the Vivarin Dash. After winning the Vivarin Dash, Swindell knew he would be in for a battle when the evening's main event started: "If the bottom stays the same, Steve will get the jump on me in the feature," he said. His prediction came true as Kinser drove the #11 Valvoline Maxim around him in turn four when the green flag fell in the feature, and opened a six-car-length lead within three laps. Swindell and Hillenburg, who battled for the runner-up spot for 21 laps, reeled in the leader when Kinser entered lapped traffic during the fifth lap. They lined up right behind "The King of the Outlaws" after Brian Hodges' second-corner spin brought out the caution flag early in the sixth lap. But within three laps after the green flag replaced the yellow, Kinser was 10 car-lengths ahead of his challengers. The nine-time Gold Cup champion caught the backmarkers again late in the 10th lap. Swindell and Hillenburg were catching Kinser again when Keith Kauffman slowed to bring out the caution flag with 12 laps remaining. Hillenburg rode the rim around Swindell in turn three when the race resumed, and started challenging Kinser for first place. "The King of the Outlaws" was five car-lengths ahead of Andy when he caught the backmarkers again late in lap 17. He followed Gary Morgan around Silver Dollar Speedway's semi-banked, 1/4-mile oval for two laps before breaking out of heavy lapped traffic. Hillenburg burst into the lead late in the 21st lap when Kinser steered the #11 out of the low groove to lap "B" Feature winner Jamie Cavagnaro in the third corner. After racing through heavy traffic for two laps, Hillenburg cleared the backmarkers late in lap 23. He was six car-lengths ahead of "The King of the Outlaws" when he took the checkered flag. "We've been in a slump on the West Coast," Hillenburg admitted to the capacity crowd in victory lane. "I've been making some mistakes ... I crashed Steve at Calistoga. Hopefully, this will pick us up and we can start running up front." Swindell finished the Preliminary Feature in third place, ahead of Greg DeCaires, Danny Burton, Jason McMillen, 1989 Gold Cup champion Darrell Hanestad, Jac Haudenschild, 13th-starting Brent Kaeding and Tim Green. Haudenschild lost his first two qualifying laps when officials ruled that the #22 Pennzoil Maxim exceeded the maximum decibel level. His 13.090- second qualifying run was the fastest of the night, but "The Wild Child" only received credit for the 11th-fastest qualifying lap because it was taken out of turn. Kinser received his 12th Ecowater Fast-Time Award of the year for his 13.109-second qualifying run. He also won the First Snap-on Tools Heat Race. WoO 1994 WORLD OF OUTLAWS/COPENHAGEN-SKOAL SHOOTOUT Gold Cup Race of Champions, Silver Dollar Speedway, Chico, CA Friday, September 16, Second Preliminary Program Qualifications: 1. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 13.109; 2. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 7TW, 13.214; 3. Tim Green, Owen 14, 13.421; 4. Greg DeCaires, Roth 83, 13.421; 5. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 13.423; 6. Randy Hannagan, Hannagan 1x, 13.497; 7. Keith Kauffman, Fauber 64, 13.520; 8. Jason McMillen, McMillen 2Y, 13.604; 9. Darrell Hanestad, Lovell 71N, 13.640; 10. Danny Burton, Mitchell 10N, 13.699; 11. x-Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 13.090; 12. Kyle Schild, Schild 16, 13.712; 13. Brent Kaeding, Kaeding 69, 13.713; 14. Jamie Cavagnaro, Deschamps 44, 13.788; 15. Mike Hubert, Jr., Hubert 56, 13.814; 16. Garry Lee Maier, Bailey 17, 13.816; 17. Jimmy Sills, Berry 7, 13.829; 18. Lindsey Casto, Hasebe 2M, 13.860; 19. Brian Hodges, Britton 31, 13.896; 20. Gary Morgan, Morgan 45, 13.961; 21. Kevin Urton, Urton 14x, 14.011; 22. Eric Rossi, Filipich 98x, 14.018; 23. Greg Blevins, Blevins 5B, 14.078; 24. Brian Crockett, Crockett 11R, 14.096; 25. Jay Follman, Follman 7F, 14.106; 26. Dale Smith, Smith 75, 14.145; 27. Bill Nutter, Nutter 88, 14.313; 28. Alan Howell, Howell 15, 14.325; 29. David McCreary, McCreary 78, 14.422; 30. Shawna Hogg, Hogg 30, 14.454; 31. Marty Wilcox, Finkenbinder 3F, 14.622; 32. Kevin Cory, Cory 2K, 14.622; 33. Brian Lawson, Lawson 73, 14.647; 34. Jim Carr, Carr 65, 14.780; 35. Jack Clark, Clark 41S, 15.161; 36. Stephen Allard, Allard 83A, 15.276; 37. Mark McKay, McKay 86, 15.355; 38. David Vertullo, Vertullo 83V, 15.701; 39. Gary Matranga, Matranga 32, 15.799; 40. Tim Marsh, Marsh 25C, 17.234; 41. Neil Cagle, Cagle 7C, no time. First Snap-on Tools Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Jimmy Sills, 3. Brent Kaeding, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Kevin Urton, 6. David McCreary, 7. Mark McKay, 8. Jay Follman, 9. Brian Lawson, 10. Darrell Hanestad. DNS - Neil Cagle. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Second Snap-on Tools Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Jeff Swindell, 2. Lindsey Casto, 3. Danny Burton, 4. Eric Rossi, 5. Randy Hannagan, 6. Jamie Cavagnaro, 7. Dale Smith, 8. Shawna Hogg, 9. David Vertullo, 10. Jim Carr. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Third Snap-on Tools Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Jac Haudenschild, 2. Brian Hodges, 3. Greg Blevins, 4. Keith Kauffman, 5. Mike Hubert, Jr., 6. Tim Green, 7. Marty Wilcox, 8. Bill Nutter, 9. Jack Clark, 10. Gary Matranga. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Fourth Snap-on Tools Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Kyle Schild, 2. Gary Morgan, 3. Greg DeCaires, 4. Brian Crockett, 5. Jason McMillen, 6. Garry Lee Maier, 7. Alan Howell, 8. Kevin Cory. DNS -Stephen Allard, Tim Marsh. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Vivarin Dash (five laps): 1. Jeff Swindell, 2. Steve Kinser, 3. Andy Hillenburg, 4. Keith Kauffman, 5. Greg DeCaires, 6. Jason McMillen, 7. Danny Burton, 8. Randy Hannagan. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the Preliminary Feature) B Feature (12 laps): 1. Jamie Cavagnaro, 2. Garry Lee Maier, 3. Tim Green, 4. Darrell Hanestad, 5. Dale Smith ($160); 6. Marty Wilcox ($135); 7. Shawna Hogg ($110); 8. Bill Nutter ($85); 9. Jay Follman ($70); 10. David McCreary ($60); 11. Brian Lawson ($50); 12. Mark McKay ($50); 13. Alan Howell ($50); 14. David Vertullo ($50); 15. Gary Matranga ($50); 16. Jack Clark ($50); 17. Kevin Cory ($50); 18. Jim Carr ($50); 19. Stephen Allard ($50); 20. Neil Cagle ($50). (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Preliminary Feature (25 laps): 1. Andy Hillenburg ($4,010); 2. Steve Kinser ($2,010); 3. Jeff Swindell ($1,510); 4. Greg DeCaires ($1,210); 5. Danny Burton ($1,010); 6. Jason McMillen ($860); 7. Darrell Hanestad ($630); 8. Jac Haudenschild ($560); 9. Brent Kaeding ($535); 10. Tim Green ($530); 11. Randy Hannagan ($410); 12. Jimmy Sills ($260); 13. Lindsey Casto ($235); 14. Kyle Schild ($210); 15. Garry Lee Maier ($230); 16. Eric Rossi ($210); 17. Gary Morgan ($210); 18. Mike Hubert, Jr. ($210); 19. Jamie Cavagnaro ($230); 20. Greg Blevins ($210); 21. Brian Hodges ($210); 22. Brian Crockett ($210); 23. Keith Kauffman ($210); 24. Kevin Urton ($210). Lap leaders: Steve Kinser 1-20, Andy Hillenburg 21-25 Ecowater Fast-Time Award winner: Steve Kinser WoO *eot