Outlaws' Eagle Nationals finale 2000-07-02

Kinser Wins Third Eagle Nationals in Five Years By Richard Day EAGLE, NE (July 2) -- There's just something about Nebraska that brings out the best in Mark Kinser. The defending and two-time Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series champion won his third Eagle Nationals title in five years Sunday at Eagle Raceway. "I don't know why we run so good here in Nebraska, but we just really enjoy coming here," Mark said. "We have so many friends here now. Phil Durst and his whole family are here, and it's just such a pleasure to be able to win one in their home town." A huge crowd, including Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns, returned to Eagle Raceway for the 17th Annual Eagle Nationals finale. Governor Johanns' wife, Stephanie, is a former head scorer at the facility. The race, originally scheduled for June 24th, was postponed when rain made Eagle Raceway unsafe for racing. Kinser received his ninth Vivarin Fast-Time Award for pacing the qualifying session with a 101.643-m.p.h. lap around the high-banked, 1/3-mile oval. He won the First NAPA AUTO PARTS Heat Race, then earned the second row outside starting position in the 40-lap "A" Feature by following Sammy Swindell, cousin and Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series points leader Steve Kinser and Joey Saldana across the finish line in the Second CHANNELLOCK Dash. Mark ended his cousin's two-year reign at the Eagle Nationals by passing Swindell early in the seventh lap and holding off Steve and Sammy for the final 33 2/3. "Steve has been so consistent this year, it's going to be hard to run him down," Mark said. "But we still have almost a half a season to go, so maybe we'll be able to give it a shot with this Mopar car." Swindell and Steve Kinser raced wheel-to-wheel down the front straightaway and through turn one as the green flag fell in the main event. Sammy's #1 CHANNELLOCK Stealth surged ahead in the second corner. Mark Kinser used an inside move between turns three and four to pass Saldana for third place late in the second lap. Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year points leader Danny Wood forfeited sixth place when the #21W Pepsi Avenger lost its right front wheel in turn two the next time around. Mark raced into the high groove when the green flag replaced the yellow and passed Steve in the second corner. He passed Swindell for the lead with an inside move in the same spot two laps later. Mark was four car-lengths ahead of his closest pursuers when he entered lapped traffic midway through the ninth lap. Third NAPA AUTO PARTS Heat Race winner Donny Schatz, Saldana and Greg Hodnett exchanged fourth and fifth place several times during the next 10 laps. Swindell was gaining on Kinser in dense lapped traffic before Mark drove the #5M Mopar Maxim between Jac Haudenschild and Dean Jacobs on the back stretch to open a 15-car-length advantage midway through lap 19. "I saw a little opening there coming off (turn) two and I was able the thread the needle (between Haudenschild and Jacobs)," Mark said of the daring pass. "That gave us a little bit of breathing room." Steve Kinser steered his #11 Quaker State Maxim deep in the first corner to pass Swindell for the runner-up spot three laps later. The former series champions exchanged the position two more times in the final eight laps. Little more than a lap remained when "The King of the Outlaws" passed Sammy in the low groove between turns three and four. Andy Hillenburg, who started outside the seventh row, passed nine cars during the first 30 laps. Danny Lasoski and Tim Shaffer passed Hillenburg when his #2 Luxaire J&J jumped the cushion in turn four late in the final lap, however. Steve Kinser was racing into the third corner when Mark took the checkered flag for his sixth main event victory of the season. The $12,000 victory was the sixth of his career at Eagle Raceway. "The track guys here at Eagle and the World of Outlaws gave us a three-groove race track tonight, and with the heat and the wind here today, that's pretty tough to do," Mark said. Swindell finished in third place, ahead of Schatz, Lasoski, Shaffer, Brian Paulus, 13th-starting Lance Blevins, Hillenburg and Dale Blaney. Wood and Shaffer were racing for fifth place when they collided in turn four on the final lap of the Second CHANNELLOCK Dash. Shaffer hit the retaining wall and turned over, but his crew had the #11H Vivarin J&J ready to start the "A" Feature. WoO

2000 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series 17th Annual Eagle Nationals Eagle Raceway, Eagle, NE Sunday, July 2, Feature Program #30 Vivarin qualifications: 1. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 11.806; 2. Greg Hodnett, Millennium Racing V12, 11.846; 3. Brian Paulus, P&P Motorsports 28, 11.900; 4. Dale Blaney, DB Racing 93, 12.016; 5. Danny

Wood, Woodburn 21W, 12.067; 6. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 12.077; 7. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 12.235; 8. Daryn Pittman, Pittman 3, 12.266; 9. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 12.288; 10. Dean Jacobs, Holbrook 8H, 12.301; 11. Johnny Herrera, DOCC Motorsports 20, 12.327; 12. Jeff Mitrisin, Mitrisin 5J, 12.495; 13. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 12.545; 14.

Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 12.603; 15. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2,

12.648; 16. Brooke Tatnell, Parsons 6, 12.712; 17. Toni Lutar, Lutar 4x, 12.715; 18. Bill Robertson, Eckley 16, 12.914; 19. Christi Passmore, GAP Roofing 1A, 13.058; 20. Bob Weuve, BW Racing 19W, 13.141. First NAPA AUTO PARTS Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Mark Kinser, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Danny Lasoski, 4. Stevie Smith, 5. Dean Jacobs, 6. Brooke Tatnell, 7. Christi Passmore. (first four qualified for the CHANNELLOCK Dashes) Second NAPA AUTO PARTS Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Danny Wood, 2. Greg Hodnett, 3. Johnny Herrera, 4. Daryn Pittman, 5. Jac Haudenschild, 6. Toni Lutar, 7. Bob Weuve. (first four qualified for the CHANNELLOCK Dashes) Third NAPA AUTO PARTS Heat Race (10 laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Brian Paulus, 3. Lance Blevins, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Jeff Mitrisin, 6. Bill Robertson. (first four qualified for the CHANNELLOCK Dashes) Finishing 1-4 in the June 24th Preliminary Feature qualified Sammy

Swindell Steve Kinser, Joey Saldana and Tim Shaffer for the first four

starting positions in the Second CHANNELLOCK Dash. First CHANNELLOCK Dash (10 laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Greg Hodnett, 3. Dale Blaney, 4. Brian Paulus, 5. Johnny Herrera, 6. Lance Blevins, 7. Andy Hillenburg, 8. Daryn Pittman, 9. Stevie Smith. (finish determined positions 8-16 in the "A" Feature) Second CHANNELLOCK Dash (10 laps): 1. Sammy Swindell, 2. Steve Kinser, 3. Joey Saldana, 4. Mark Kinser, 5. Danny Wood, 6. Donny Schatz, 7. Tim Shaffer. (finish determined positions 1-7 in the "A" Feature) A Feature (40 laps): 1. Mark Kinser ($12,000); 2. Steve Kinser ($6,000); 3. Sammy Swindell ($3,500); 4. Donny Schatz ($3,200); 5. Danny Lasoski ($3,000); 6. Tim Shaffer ($2,500); 7. Brian Paulus ($2,300); 8. Lance Blevins ($2,200); 9. Andy Hillenburg ($2,100); 10. Dale Blaney ($2,050); 11. Greg Hodnett ($2,000); 12. Johnny Herrera ($1,600); 13. Stevie Smith ($1,500); 14. Joey Saldana ($1,200); 15. Daryn Pittman ($1,100); 16. Dean Jacobs ($1,000); 17. Jac Haudenschild

($900); 18. Brooke Tatnell ($700); 19. Toni Lutar ($700); 20. Jeff Mitrisin ($700); 21. Bill Robertson ($700); 22. Christi Passmore ($700); 23. Bob Weuve ($700); 24. Danny Wood ($700). Lap leaders: Sammy Swindell 1-6, Mark Kinser 7-40 Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Mark Kinser WoO