Rolling Wheels report 98-06-03

Hillenburg Breaks Through at Rolling Wheels By Richard Day ELBRIDGE, NY (June 3) - Andy Hillenburg, who has come very close to winning several Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series "A" Features this season, broke through with a victory at Rolling Wheels Raceway Wednesday. "I just have to thank my crew," Hillenburg said following the 19th "A" Feature victory of his career. "Diesel (Keith Carlson) and Doug (Runkle) have worked so hard. "We've been second a bunch, but I was beginning to wonder if we could ever win one. Our morale may have been down a little, but this will definitely pick things back up." After Johnny Herrera led the first 20 laps from outside the front row, Hillenburg gained momentum in dense lapped traffic and took the lead with a back-straightaway pass during the 21st lap. Hillenburg, the sixth-fastest qualifier in the 34-car field, won his fourth Channellock Dash of the season for the right to start the 25-lap main event on the pole. Three other dash victories produced second-place finishes at Paducah International Race Park and in the Preliminary Feature at I-80 Speedway and a fifth at Lincoln Speedway Saturday. Andy also finished second at State Fair Speedway while starting outside the front row and at Hagerstown Speedway from inside the second row. Herrera steered the #47 Casey's General Stores Maxim into the high groove in the fourth corner to take the lead as the green flag fell in the "A" Feature. Hillenburg threatened to take first place with a low move into turn four late in the opening lap, but was unable to complete the pass. Herrera had a half-straightaway advantage when he entered lapped traffic six laps into the race. Hillenburg narrowed the gap to 10 car-lengths within three laps as Herrera slowed behind a group of backmarkers. Herrera broke out of lapped traffic, and was more than a straightaway ahead of Hillenburg midway through the race. Andy continued battling, however, and closed to within eight car- lengths by lap 17. Hillenburg continued gaining on Herrera in dense traffic during the next three laps, then steered his #2 J&J into the low groove in turn two and won a drag race down the back stretch to take the lead midway through the 21st lap. Herrera threatened to regain the lead with a low move through the third and fourth corners late in the 24th lap, but was unable to surge ahead. Hillenburg was two car-lengths ahead when he took the checkered flag. "Starting up front helped us a lot tonight," Andy said. "I thought we were running pretty good at the beginning, but Johnny just took off. I moved the wing around some, and tried a few different lines, and we were able to run him down. "I've been coming here for 11 years, and this is the nicest I've ever seen this track. We'll just have to get back to work and win another one tomorrow (at Canandaigua Speedway)." First Racing Champions Heat Race winner Jeff Swindell challenged Herrera for second during the final lap. The third- place finish was the best for the 104+ Octane Boost J&J since Jeff finished in third place at West Plains Motor Speedway 13 races before. Completing the top 10 were Stevie Smith, Tyler Walker, Dale Blaney, Mark Kinser, Steve Kinser, Todd Shaffer and 18th-starting Sammy Swindell. Steve Kinser, who has won seven "A" Features at Rolling Wheels Raceway in his career, received his first Vivarin Fast- Time Award of the season for pacing the qualifying session with a 17.788-second lap around the semi-banked, 5/8-mile oval. Don Kreitz, Jr., suffered a broken rear end as he completed his second qualifying lap and was unable to start the Third Racing Champions Heat Race. He raced into third place in the "B" Feature and finished 14th in the main event. Jac Haudenschild missed the Rolling Wheels event while recovering from a shoulder injury and fell from seventh to 11th in the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series point standings. WoO 1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series Rolling Wheels Raceway, Elbridge, NY Wednesday, June 3, Feature Program #23 Qualifications: 1. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 17.788; 2. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 18.120; 3. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 18.120; 4. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 18.174; 5. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 18.222; 6. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 18.418; 7. Dale Blaney, Hylton-Blaney 93, 18.554; 8. Kevin Gobrecht, Gobrecht 92, 18.570; 9. Greg Hodnett, Helm 11H, 18.585; 10. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 18.589; 11. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 18.619; 12. Todd Shaffer, Beam 88, 18.727; 13. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 18.733; 14. Jeff Shepard, Stewart 4J, 18.747; 15. Don Kreitz, Jr., Kreitz 69, 18.927; 16. Mike Woodring, Woodring 19W, 19.007; 17. Dion Hindi, Hindi 18, 19.021; 18. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 19.135; 19. Craig Dollansky, Stanton 75, 19.075; 20. George Suprick, Suprick 87, 19.125; 21. Danny Smith, Brazier 21S, 19.361; 22. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 19.836; 23. Shawn Keen, Keen 53, 20.010; 24. Len Thompson, Thompson 10, 20.064; 25. Lance Yonge, Yonge 17, 20.166; 26. Doug Emory, Emory 32, 20.201; 27. Don DeCracker, DeCracker 470, 20.313; 28. Brian Paulus, P&P Motorsports 28, 20.534; 29. Howard Singer, Singer 26, 20.852; 30. Bob Bennett, Mickle 3, 20.931; 31. Crash Nash, Nash 48, 21.310; 32. Mike Bozzuto, Bozzuto 8, 21.667; 33. George Schuldt, Schuldt 03, 22.234; 34. Darrell Bragman, Bragman 96, no time. First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Jeff Swindell, 2. Steve Kinser, 3. Dion Hindi, 4. Danny Smith, 5. Donny Schatz, 6. Greg Hodnett, 7. Lance Yonge, 8. Howard Singer, 9. George Schuldt. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Andy Hillenburg, 3. Sammy Swindell, 4. Joe Gaerte, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. Jeff Shepard, 7. Doug Emory, 8. Bob Bennett, 9. Darrell Bragman. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Tyler Walker, 4. Craig Dollansky, 5. Shawn Keen, 6. Don DeCracker, 7. Crash Nash. DNS - Don Kreitz, Jr. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. George Suprick, 2. Todd Shaffer, 3. Mike Woodring, 4. Johnny Herrera, 5. Len Thompson, 6. Kevin Gobrecht, 7. Brian Paulus, 8. Mike Bozzuto. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Andy Hillenburg, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Jeff Swindell, 4. Tyler Walker, 5. Stevie Smith, 6. Mark Kinser, 7. Steve Kinser, 8. Dale Blaney. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature) B Feature (12 laps): 1. Jeff Shepard, 2. Greg Hodnett, 3. Don Kreitz, Jr. 4. Kevin Gobrecht, 5. Lance Yonge ($200); 6. Doug Emory ($180); 7. Bob Bennett ($150); 8. Don DeCracker ($110); 9. Brian Paulus ($90); 10. Mike Bozzuto ($80); 11. Howard Singer ($60); 12. Crash Nash ($50); 13. George Schuldt ($50); 14. Darrell Bragman ($50). (first four qualified for the "A" Feature) A Feature (25 laps): 1. Andy Hillenburg ($7,000); 2. Johnny Herrera ($4,000); 3. Jeff Swindell ($3,000); 4. Stevie Smith ($2,500); 5. Tyler Walker ($2,300); 6. Dale Blaney ($2,200); 7. Mark Kinser ($2,100); 8. Steve Kinser ($2,000); 9. Todd Shaffer ($1,700); 10. Sammy Swindell ($1,600); 11. Kevin Gobrecht ($1,220); 12. Joe Gaerte ($1,150); 13. Danny Lasoski ($1,100); 14. Don Kreitz, Jr. ($1,070); 15. Greg Hodnett ($1,020); 16. Donny Schatz ($700); 17. Mike Woodring ($600); 18. Craig Dollansky ($500); 19. Danny Smith ($500); 20. George Suprick ($500); 21. Dion Hindi ($500); 22. Len Thompson ($500); 23. Shawn Keen ($500); 24. Jeff Shepard ($520). Lap leaders: Johnny Herrera 1-20, Andy Hillenburg 21-25 Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Steve Kinser WoO