Terre Haute Nationals day 2 report

KINSER TAKES U.S. DIRT NATIONALS, CLINCHES WoO CHAMPIONSHIP By Richard Day TERRE HAUTE, IN (October 15) - "God sure loves Steve Kinser," Helen Whitehorse, Kinser's mother-in-law, said Saturday night as "The King of the Outlaws" took his victory lap after winning the Third Annual U.S. Dirt Nationals. While, in reality, God loves us all, he was definitely watching out for Kinser Saturday. Danny Lasoski was almost a full straightaway ahead of "The King of the Outlaws" when he took the white flag. But as "The Dude" approached the first corner, the left rear shock mount broke on the #47 Casey's General Stores Maxim and sent him spinning into the retaining wall. "The King of the Outlaws" restarted the race at the front of the field and led the final two laps to claim the $8,200 first prize. The victory, his fourth straight at the Terre Haute Action Track, coupled with Dave Blaney's fourth-place finish, clinched Kinser's 14th World of Outlaws championship in the series' 17-year history. Kinser has a 361-point advantage over Blaney with only Wednesday's race at Battleground Speedway and a double-feature event scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Devil's Bowl remaining on the 1994 Copenhagen- Skoal Shootout schedule. The most points "The Buckeye Bullet" can score in the final two events is 348. "Danny's car was good; he had us covered," Kinser admitted to the standing-room-only crowd of admirers in victory lane. "We were going to run second. I'm not sure what happened to his car." Friday's Preliminary Feature winner Kenny Jacobs won the Snap-on Tools Dash for the privilege of starting the 30-lap main event on the pole. He drove the #71M Ecowater Maxim into the lead as the green flag fell, but Lasoski took the high road around him in turn two. Kinser relegated Jacobs to third place before the opening lap was completed. Lasoski opened an eight-car-length advantage as the Swindell brothers - Sammy and Jeff - raced past Jacobs on the front straightaway the next time around. "The Dude" entered lapped traffic six laps into the race, and allowed Kinser to narrow the gap as he slowed behind Tony Weyant and Randy Kinser. "The King of the Outlaws" steered the #11 Valvoline Maxim deep into the first corner, but was unable to complete the pass for the lead one lap later. Lasoski opened a half-stretch advantage within the next three laps as Kinser had trouble lapping his cousin, Randy. His lead disintegrated, however, late in the 17th lap when Aaron Berryhill stopped his #97 Custom Stainless Maxim in turn four with a flat left rear tire. With Craig Dollansky, Johnny Herrera and Joe Gaerte restarting between the leaders, Lasoski raced away from the field as Kinser battled Sammy Swindell to retain the runner-up spot. "The Dude" caught the backmarkers again with nine laps remaining, and Kinser narrowed the gap as Lasoski carefully charted his course around Jacobs, Sid Blandford and Stevie Smith. Lapping the threesome enabled Lasoski to pad his cushion, making his last-lap disaster all the more heart-breaking. Sammy restarted the race right behind Kinser, but a broken throttle spring in the #1 Bull & Hannah's Jenkins kept him from challenging for the lead during the final two laps. Swindell was racing through turn four when Kinser took the checkered flag. Rounding out the top 10 in the championship feature were Jac Haudenschild, Blaney, Greg Hodnett, Mark Kinser, Smith, Andy Hillenburg, Jeff Swindell and Jacobs. "The Buckeye Bullet," only the 12th-fastest qualifier in the 39-car field, drove the #10 Vivarin J&J past nine sprinters during the first 20 laps. He passed Mark Kinser and Hodnett during the final eight laps to finish in fourth place. WoO 1994 WORLD OF OUTLAWS/COPENHAGEN-SKOAL SHOOTOUT Third Annual U.S. Dirt Nationals; Terre Haute Action Track, Terre Haute, IN Saturday, October 15, Feature Program #66 Qualifications: 1. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 17.532; 2. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 17.656; 3. Aaron Berryhill, Berryhill 97, 17.659; 4. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 17.665; 5. Jeff Shepard, Poston 15, 17.774; 6. Joe Saldana, Johnson U2, 17.780; 7. Greg Hodnett, Two Winners 8TW, 17.798; 8. Stevie Smith, Forbrook 5, 17.809; 9. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 17.838; 10. Joe Gaerte, Two Winners 9TW, 17.902; 11. Craig Dollansky, Serace 55, 17.938; 12. Dave Blaney, Luna 10, 17.969; 13. Danny Smith, Smith 00, 18.055; 14. Johnny Herrera, Hamilton 77, 18.065; 15. Kevin Huntley, Wahle 1M, 18.120; 16. Tim Engler, Engler 73, 18.160; 17. Sid Blandford, Blandford 31, 18.162; 18. Dale Laakso, DNL Industries 77L, 18.181; 19. Jimmy Brewer, Brewer 32, 18.191; 20. Tony Weyant, Black 1T, 18.204; 21. Frankie Kerr, Shoff 23S, 18.212; 22. Steve Beitler, Beitler 21, 18.232; 23. Kelly Kinser, Kinser 4K, 18.434; 24. Tony Elliott, Bolin 10E, 18.454; 25. Randy Kinser, Bradham 14, 18.568; 26. Rusty McClure, McClure 09, 18.617; 27. Terry Pletch, Pletch 29T, 18.761; 28. Lee Bletch, Bletch 66C, 18.864; 29. Terry Babb, Babb 42, 19.388; 30. Keith Crabtree, Crabtree 6C, 19.432; 31. John Nicoson, Nicoson 11N, 20.829; 32. Bob Breneman, Brememan 69, 23.119; 33. Terry McCarl, RCSN Racing 12, no time; 34. Keith Hutten, Simmons 7x, no time; 35. Kent Wohlters, Wohlters 52, no time. First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Andy Hillenburg, 2. Mark Kinser, 3. Frankie Kerr, 4. Danny Smith, 5. Sid Blandford, 6. Randy Kinser, 7. Terry Babb ($10). DNS - Jeff Shepard, Kent Wohlters. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature) Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Joe Gaerte, 4. Joey Saldana, 5. Steve Beitler, 6. Dale Laakso, 7. Rusty McClure, 8. Keith Crabtree. DNS - Terry McCarl, Keith Hutten. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature) Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Craig Dollansky, 2. Aaron Berryhill, 3. Greg Hodnett, 4. Kevin Huntley, 5. Jimmy Brewer, 6. Terry Pletch, 7. John Nicoson, 8. Kelly Kinser. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature) Fourth Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Jac Haudenschild, 2. Dave Blaney, 3. Stevie Smith, 4. Tim Engler, 5. Tony Weyant, 6. Lee Bletch, 7. Tony Elliott, 8. Bob Breneman. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature) Finishing 1-4 in Friday's Preliminary Feature automatically qualified Kenny Jacobs, Danny Lasoski, Jeff Swindell and Sammy Swindell for the first four starting positions in the Snap-on Tools Dash. Snap-on Tools Dash (five laps): 1. Kenny Jacobs, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Sammy Swindell, 4. Steve Kinser, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. Jeff Swindell. (finish determined the first six starting positions in the "A" Feature) B Feature (12 laps): 1. Steve Beitler, 2. Sid Blandford, 3. Randy Kinser, 4. Tony Weyant, 5. Rusty McClure ($260); 6. Kelly Kinser ($235); 7. Dale Laakso ($185); 8. Terry Pletch ($135); 9. Lee Bletch ($110); 10. Keith Crabtree ($90); 11. Bob Breneman ($70); 12. Jimmy Brewer ($60); 13. John Nicoson ($60); 14. Kent Wohlters ($60). DNS - Jeff Shepard, Terry McCarl, Terry Babb, Keith Hutten. (first four qualified for the A" Feature) A Feature (20 laps): 1. Steve Kinser ($8,210); 2. Sammy Swindell ($5,000); 3. Jac Haudenschild ($3,310); 4. Dave Blaney ($3,010); 5. Greg Hodnett ($2,260); 6. Mark Kinser ($2,085); 7. Stevie Smith ($1,810); 8. Andy Hillenburg ($1,710); 9. Jeff Swindell ($1,500); 10. Kenny Jacobs ($1,400); 11. Craig Dollansky ($1,210); 12. Joe Gaerte ($1,110); 13. Johnny Herrera ($1,060); 14. Tim Engler ($1,010); 15. Danny Smith ($710); 16. Danny Lasoski ($600); 17. Sid Blandford ($530); 18. Tony Weyant ($430); 19. Steve Beitler ($430); 20. Aaron Berryhill ($410); 21. Kevin Huntley ($410); 22. Joey Saldana ($410); 23. Frankie Kerr ($410); 24. Randy Kinser ($430). Lap leaders: Danny Lasoski 1-28, Steve Kinser 29-30 WoO *eof