Terre Haute report 98-05-15

Kinser Takes Featherlite Winged Thunder Prelim By Richard Day TERRE HAUTE, IN (May 15) - Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series races in Indiana always bring the Kinser family together. When asked how many Kinsers would be at A.J. Foyt's Featherlite Winged Thunder event at the Terre Haute Action Track Friday, Karl Kinser replied, "It doesn't matter. Only one of them is fast." As boastful as the reply sounded to the television audience watching the race on TNN: The Nashville Network, the winner of 15 World of Outlaws car owner championships proved to be correct. His son, 1996 series champion Mark Kinser, passed Jac Haudenschild early in the 29th lap and won his second Preliminary Feature of the year with four car-lengths to spare. "We struggled at the first of the race, then it came to us," Mark said in victory lane. "My dad and crew have done a great job all year. These guys have never given up on me. It's going to be tough again tomorrow, but hopefully we'll be back right here." Mark, who swept the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series races at Terre Haute in 1995, was the third-fastest qualifier in the 38-car field and earned the right to start the feature inside the second row by finishing behind Tyler Walker and Johnny Herrera in the Channellock Dash. Walker and Herrera raced wheel-to-wheel down the front straightaway and into turn one as the green flag waved in the evening's main event. Herrera surged ahead in the second corner and opened a 15-car-length advantage within five laps. Haudenschild, whose 16.788-second lap sliced .006 seconds off the qualifying standard he set at Terre Haute last May, passed Kinser during the opening lap, then took second place from Walker early in lap two. He and Herrera were approaching lapped traffic when Brooke Tatnell stopped in the second corner with a flat left rear tire early in the seventh lap. Haudenschild steered the #22 Pennzoil Maxim deep into turn two and was even with Herrera within a lap after the green flag replaced the yellow. Jac took the lead with a slingshot move between the first and second corners two laps later. Jac opened a six-car-length advantage within two laps, but Herrera challenged him for the lead when they caught the backmarkers during lap 13. A broken shock absorber on the right front of the #93 Amoco J&J caused Dale Blaney to hit the outside retaining wall in turn two midway through the race. He stopped on the front straightaway seconds later, bringing out the caution flag and taking the leaders out of lapped traffic. Danny Lasoski and Kinser passed Walker for third and fourth place before the Rookie of the Year candidate spun in turn two early in the 20th lap. Greg Hodnett took the #11H Vivarin Eagle for a spin in the fourth corner during the ensuing restart. Kinser had the #5M Wirtgen Maxim roaring after the caution period, passing Lasoski for third early in lap 21 then taking second place from Herrera with a low move through the third and fourth corner three laps later. Haudenschild lost a commanding lead when Donny Schatz spun in the second corner with three laps remaining. It was discovered, however, that the caution and ensuing red period for fuel saved the Pennzoil team from disaster. Crew chief Guy Forbrook admitted the #22 had only enough fuel for 1 1/2 more laps when the red flag fell. At the same time, Kinser's car was overheating. "During that red, we had (sponsor) Stu Murray and everybody in the pits trying to find whatever they could try to cool the engine down," Mark said. It was running about 220 (degrees)." Kinser challenged Haudenschild with a high move in turns three and four as the green flag replaced the red, then took the inside line in turn one for the lead early in the 29th lap. "I was running pretty good on top and got a little run on Jac," Mark said of the winning pass. "When he moved out, I just ran where he wasn't." Although saddened that he didn't win the race, Haudenschild had high hopes for Saturday's feature racing program. "We were pretty about out of fuel and the fuel stop saved us," Jac said. "Late in the race, we just were in the wrong place and got passed. We earned a transfer spot, so tomorrow we have a shot at winning." Stevie Smith maintained a two-point lead over Mark in the standings when he followed Lasoski across the finish line in fourth place. Eleventh-starting Andy Hillenburg finished fifth, ahead of Herrera, the Swindell brothers - Sammy and Jeff - Blaney and Steve Kinser. Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race winner Danny Smith drove Steve Brazier's #21S sprinter past 12 cars to finish 12th. WoO 1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series A.J. Foyt Featherlite Winged Thunder Terre Haute Action Track, Terre Haute, IN Friday, May 15, Preliminary Program Qualifications: 1. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 16.788 (new one-lap record); 2. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 16.909; 3. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 16.933; 4. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 17.104; 5. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 17.203; 6. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 17.203; 7. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 17.288; 8. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 17.343; 9. Randy Kinser, Kinser 14, 17.363; 10. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 17.478; 11. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 17.494; 12. Greg Hodnett, Helm 11H, 17.523; 13. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 17.531; 14. Kelly Kinser, Kinser 4K, 17.578; 15. Brian Paulus, P&P Motorsports 28, 17.658; 16. Brooke Tatnell, Tatnell 7K, 17.678; 17. Dale Blaney, Hylton-Blaney 93, 17.681; 18. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 17.685; 19. Craig Dollansky, Stanton 75, 17.762; 20. Dion Hindi, Hindi 18, 17.837; 21. Shane Stewart, Stewart 9S, 17.867; 22. Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 17.936; 23. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 17.956; 24. Danny Smith, Brazier 21S, 17.964; 25. Jason Johnson, Pembleton 42, 17.981; 26. Daryn Pittman, Pittman 11P, 17.992; 27. Tim Engler, Engler 73, 17.999; 28. Bob Burkle, Burkle 21B, 18.290; 29. Mike Bowling, Bowling 98, 18.381 30. Larry Neighbors, Neighbors 29N, 18.405; 31. Larry Bland, Bland 20, 18.661; 32. Bryan Ruble, Ruble 38R, 18.901; 33. Donnie Jeschke, Jeschke 99H, 19.016; 34. Terry Babb, Babb 88, 19.024; 35. Fred Boso, Javelina Construction 7, 19.348; 36. Rodney Fish, Fish 18S, 19.619; 37. Brenda Buster, Buster 31, 19.711; 38. Victor Hensley, Hensley 51P, 19.813. First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Shane Stewart, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Jac Haudenschild, 4. Tyler Walker, 5. Joe Gaerte, 6. Jason Johnson, 7. Mike Bowling, 8. Donnie Jeschke, 9. Brenda Buster, 10. Randy Kinser. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Terry McCarl, 2. Jeff Swindell, 3. Danny Lasoski, 4. Johnny Herrera, 5. Donny Schatz, 6. Kelly Kinser, 7. Daryn Pittman, 8. Larry Neighbors, 9. Terry Babb, 10. Victor Hensley. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Craig Dollansky, 2. Mark Kinser, 3. Andy Hillenburg, 4. Brian Paulus, 5. Stevie Smith, 6. Lance Blevins, 7. Tim Engler, 8. Fred Boso, 9. Larry Bland. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Danny Smith, 2. Greg Hodnett, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Sammy Swindell, 5. Brooke Tatnell, 6. Dion Hindi, 7. Bob Burkle, 8. Bryan Ruble, 9. Rodney Fish. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature) Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Tyler Walker, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Mark Kinser, 4. Jac Haudenschild, 5. Steve Kinser, 6. Danny Lasoski, 7. Sammy Swindell, 8. Stevie Smith. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the Preliminary Feature) C Feature (eight laps): 1. Bryan Ruble, 2. Terry Babb, 3. Fred Boso, 4. Victor Hensley, 5. Rodney Fish ($100); 6. Brenda Buster ($80); 7. Donnie Jeschke ($60); 8. Larry Bland ($50). (first four qualified for the "B" Feature) B Feature (12 laps): 1. Lance Blevins, 2. Randy Kinser, 3. Kelly Kinser, 4. Dion Hindi, 5. Daryn Pittman ($150); 6. Jason Johnson ($125); 7. Mike Bowling ($100); 8. Bob Burkle ($75); 9. Tim Engler ($60); 10. Terry Babb ($70); 11. Victor Hensley ($60); 12. Bryan Ruble ($60); 13. Fred Boso ($60); 14. Larry Neighbors. Preliminary Feature (30 laps): 1. Mark Kinser ($4,500); 2. Jac Haudenschild ($2,500); 3. Danny Lasoski ($1,700); 4. Stevie Smith ($1,500); 5. Andy Hillenburg ($1,350); 6. Johnny Herrera ($1,250); 7. Sammy Swindell ($1,200); 8. Jeff Swindell ($1,100); 9. Dale Blaney ($1,075); 10. Steve Kinser ($1,050); 11. Brooke Tatnell ($1,000); 12. Danny Smith ($800); 13. Craig Dollansky ($700); 14. Brian Paulus ($630); 15. Dion Hindi ($420); 16. Tyler Walker ($400); 17. Donny Schatz ($300); 18. Lance Blevins ($320); 19. Larry Neighbors ($320); 20. Greg Hodnett ($300); 21. Randy Kinser ($320); 22. Joe Gaerte ($300); 23. Terry McCarl ($300); 24. Shane Stewart ($300); 25. Kelly Kinser ($320); Provisional starter - Larry Neighbors Lap leaders: Johnny Herrera 1-9, Jac Haudenschild 10-28, Mark Kinser 29-30 Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Jac Haudenschild WoO