Williams Grove results 2008-05-15

Lights-Camera-Win: Kinser Victorious at Williams Grove Speedway

Mechanicsburg, PA-- May 15, 2008-- There were a lot of firsts on Thursday night at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. It was the first Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event at the famed half-mile since a brand new Musco light system was installed. It also was the first event of the season that the cameras from SPEED were on hand for, to capture all of the action for broadcast on May 31. Last but certainly not least, it was Steve Kinser's first series win of the 2008 season.

The 20-time series champion led the final seven laps to take home the $8,000 top prize in the first of two consecutive nights of racing for the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at the hallowed track. Both nights of racing will be taped for broadcast on SPEED.

"It is always special to win here, especially with how this season has started," said Kinser. "I always enjoy winning here. The competition is as tough here, as it is anywhere."

Kinser took the lead initially in the Q Oil Maxim on the 12th lap, but there was a red flag period before the full lap was completed. By way of Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws series rules the running order reverts to the last completed lap, which kept Craig Keel, who started on the pole and led from the outset, in the lead. Then after Kinser took the white flag while leading, there was another stoppage, and by way of series rules, two consecutive green flag laps have to be completed to end a race, thus adding one more obstacle for him, as he had to fend off the field on one final restart.

"It was a little frustrating, especially trying to win your first race of the year," noted the winner, of the two red flags that came at inopportune times for him. "The track was pretty much the same all around, whether you were running the middle, bottom or top if you car was running right. I choked the car low and may have been better off running up top, but we got to the checkered flag first and that's the main thing."

The race took three starts to get going, and Craig Keel charged to the lead on all three of them, with Kinser quickly moving into the third position, from his second row starting spot. He would shadow rookie Lucas Wolfe for a number of laps, before sweeping past the freshman driver for the second spot on the 11th lap. From there, Kinser would track down Keel, who had opened some sizeable leads early in the race.

"I was sort of taking my time," Kinser said. "I was feeling pretty good and ran him down pretty hard. I felt like I was getting faster as the race went on. I was pretty sure I could handle the guys in front of me, I just didn't know what the guys behind me were doing."

The win was the 38th of Kinser's career at Williams Grove Speedway and the 544th A-Feature win with the World of Outlaws. He has three Top-Five finishes this season and moved into the Top-Five in points, as the series has battled Mother Nature all season long.

"It's been hard to get into a rhythm with all of the rain that we have had," explained the native of Bloomington, Indiana. "We've been getting better at times and also falling backwards at times. We ran good tonight and we'll see if we can repeat it. It will take the same thing tomorrow. You have to qualify decent and get through your heat and get a good starting spot. Everyone is so close right now that's it's tough to give up a whole lot."

After starting 17th, Donny Schatz methodically worked his way to the front aboard the Armor J&J for Tony Stewart Racing. He picked up three spots on the first lap of the 25-lap contest and just six laps into the event he was already in the Top-10.

Schatz used a strong restart with five laps to go to move from fifth to third. He would gain one more spot after the checkered flag to finish second for the fifth time this season, after Keel who lead the first 17 laps of the race was disqualified for being too light at the scales. Schatz also picked up the KSE Race Products Hard Charger Award for passing the most cars in the A-Feature.

"That's what we had to do," said the two-time defending series champion of passing the most cars on the night. "We started back there and just kept plugging away. The race track was really good. I wish we would have had a 30-lapper. It is what it is, and it's over. We probably didn't go far enough with the race car and we can go and get better. We're happy to be in the position that we are in."

Schatz had a very long night, as his team had to change engines twice over the course of the event. The first time came during time trials. He came back from that to turn the fastest lap of the 47 cars that took time, but by way of World of Outlaws rules, the best he could be scored was 17th due to taking a lap at the end of qualifying, because he never completed his initial lap, after taking the green flag. After finishing third in the first heat race, his Tony Stewart Racing team, led by crew chief Ricky Warner again swapped powerplants. The hard work paid off, as he gained significant points on Jason Meyers and Craig Dollansky in the standings.

"My team is definitely one of the best in the business," said the North Dakota native. "We came here and everyone was excited. We overcame a lot of adversity and it really was a great night. We were here to win and wanted to win and we got the next best thing to it."

Joey Saldana had a night that was very similar to Schatz's, as he lost an engine in hot laps, as well a rear end on the car, forcing the team to utilize their back-up car. He promptly went out and turned the second fastest lap in time trials, with a car that had never seen the track. He then had trouble with the engine in the A-Feature, as a water fitting broke. Through it all, he soldiered on to a third-place finish aboard the Budweiser/Open Joist Mopar-powered JEI.

"Tonight is the type of night that helps win championships," explained Saldana. "To come back from what we had and have a good solid run is what it's all about. My team busted their butts all night. To come home third for everything that went on is a great effort by the Budweiser crew. At least we got a good finish out of it."

Saldana started eighth on Thursday night and got around Greg Hodnett on the opening lap, before setting his sights on Mike Erdley and Todd Shaffer. He got around Shaffer on the 10th go-around to move into the Top-Five. After getting around Doug Esh, he used a late pass of Lucas Wolfe to move into fourth. He too gained a spot after the disqualification of Keel.

"I needed to keep running because the motor would not pick up and run," he shared. "The restarts were killing me. I got by Lucas (Wolfe) on the first one and then on the one two later, (Donny) Schatz got by both of us. I think I had a car that was capable of winning."

Doug Esh wound up fourth in the Pancho's Racing Products J&J, while Wolfe earned his first Top-Five finish of the season aboard the Hunter Truck Sales/Peterbuilt Maxim.

Jac Haudenschild was sixth driving the Owen-Corning Fiberglass Maxim, with Todd Shaffer seventh in the McCoy Brothers Construction JEI. Mike Erdley wound up eighth in the Lisi Shell Maxim, with Greg Hodnett ninth in the Macri Concrete J&J. Jeff Shepard was 10th in the Zemco Speed Equipment Maxim.

Current series point leader Jason Meyers would up 11th in the GLR Investments KPC, with Craig Dollansky who is second in points, two spots behind him in the Auto Value Parts Stores Maxim. Meyers continues to lead the standings by five markers over Dollansky, with Schatz just seven points behind in third.

The Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series returns to action on Friday, May 16 with the finale at Williams Grove Speedway, which also will be taped by SPEED for broadcast on June 8. The winner on Friday night will receive $12,000.

WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY NIGHT #1 NOTEBOOK

* FAST QUALIFIER: Greg Hodnett paced the 48 cars that took time with an AMB i.t. timed lap around the semi-banked 1/2-mile oval at 16.752 seconds at 107.450 mph. For his qualifying effort, Hodnett earned five bonus points. The next four fastest qualifiers also earned bonus points, including: Joey Saldana (4), Cody Darrah (3), Jac Haudenschild (2), and Alan Cole (1).

* QUALIFYING WINNERS: Jeff Shepard, Lucas Wolfe, Doug Esh and Kerry Madsen won heat races... Jason Johnson won the C-Main... Craig Keel won the Crane Cams Dash... Pat Cannon won the B-Main.

* UP NEXT: The final night at the famed Williams Grove Speedway, which will also be taped for broadcast on SPEED. That event will air on June 8.

Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Williams Grove Speedway Night #1; Mechanicsburg, PA; May 15, 2008

Qualifying
1) 22-Greg Hodnett 16.752
2) 9-Joey Saldana 16.812
3) 89-Cody Darrah 16.817
4) R19-Jac Haudenschild 16.840
5) 35-Alan Cole 16.862
6) 3-Pat Cannon 16.864
7) 51-Fred Rahmer 16.866
8) 83-Shane Stewart 16.874
9) 11E-Mike Erdley 16.879
10) 5W-Lucas Wolfe 16.884
11) 11-Steve Kinser 16.886
12) 55-Kerry Madsen 16.904
13) 1-Jeff Shepard 16.923
14) 9K-Craig Keel 16.925
15) 11C-Cory Haas 16.929
16) 88-Todd Shaffer 16.933
17) 15-Donny Schatz 16.933
18) 2-Craig Dollansky 16.933
19) 7S-Jason Sides 16.934
20) 7M-Mark Smith 16.952
21) 14-Jason Meyers 16.965
22) 21-Daryn Pittman 16.966
23) 30-Doug Esh 16.993
24) 21P-Brian Montieth 16.995
25) 87-Alan Krimes 17.045
26) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. 17.068
27) 71-Brian Leppo 17.083
28) 8M-Chris Meleason 17.088
29) 30C-Lance Dewease 17.090
30) 20-Kraig Kinser 17.097
31) 17B-Steve Buckwalter 17.145
32) 20E-Brian Ellenberger 17.156
33) 6-Tim Shaffer 17.199
34) 24-Terry McCarl 17.199
35) 19-Stevie Smith 17.208
36) 5C-Chad Hillier 17.247
37) 18X-Ryan Bohlke 17.250
38) 19E-Jason Johnson 17.255
39) 69K-Donald Kreitz Jr. 17.291
40) 45-A J Michael 17.320
41) 39-T J Stutts 17.320
42) 3W-John Westbrook 17.341
43) 18-Tony Bruce Jr. 17.362
44) 13-Paul McMahan 17.366
45) 8K-Chad Kemenah 17.425
46) 25-Chad Layton 17.467
47) 43-Doug Dodson 17.611
48) 11T-T J Winegardner -.---

Heat 1 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 1-Jeff Shepard
2) 11E-Mike Erdley
3) 15-Donny Schatz
4) 22-Greg Hodnett
5) 35-Alan Cole
6) 30C-Lance Dewease
7) 87-Alan Krimes
8) 6-Tim Shaffer
9) 14-Jason Meyers
10) 8K-Chad Kemenah
11) 39-T J Stutts
12) 18X-Ryan Bohlke

Heat 2 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 5W-Lucas Wolfe
2) 9K-Craig Keel
3) 9-Joey Saldana
4) 2-Craig Dollansky
5) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.
6) 21-Daryn Pittman
7) 3-Pat Cannon
8) 20-Kraig Kinser
9) 25-Chad Layton
10) 19E-Jason Johnson
11) 3W-John Westbrook
12) 24-Terry McCarl

Heat 3 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 30-Doug Esh
2) 11-Steve Kinser
3) 51-Fred Rahmer
4) 7S-Jason Sides
5) 89-Cody Darrah
6) 17B-Steve Buckwalter
7) 71-Brian Leppo
8) 11C-Cory Haas
9) 19-Stevie Smith
10) 18-Tony Bruce Jr.
11) 69K-Donald Kreitz Jr.
12) 43-Doug Dodson

Heat 4 (8 Laps, top 5 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 55-Kerry Madsen
2) 88-Todd Shaffer
3) R19-Jac Haudenschild
4) 83-Shane Stewart
5) 21P-Brian Montieth
6) 7M-Mark Smith
7) 20E-Brian Ellenberger
8) 8M-Chris Meleason
9) 5C-Chad Hillier
10) 13-Paul McMahan
11) 45-A J Michael
12) 11T-T J Winegardner

Crane Cams Dash (6 laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature)
1) 9K-Craig Keel
2) 5W-Lucas Wolfe
3) 30-Doug Esh
4) 11-Steve Kinser
5) 11E-Mike Erdley
6) 88-Todd Shaffer
7) 22-Greg Hodnett
8) 9-Joey Saldana
9) 55-Kerry Madsen
10) 1-Jeff Shepard

C-main (10 laps, top 2 finishers transferred to B-main)
1) 19E-Jason Johnson
2) 18X-Ryan Bohlke
3) 69K-Donald Kreitz Jr. [$125]
4) 39-T J Stutts [$125]
5) 18-Tony Bruce Jr. [$125]
6) 13-Paul McMahan [$100]
7) 8K-Chad Kemenah [$100]
8) 45-A J Michael [$100]
9) 3W-John Westbrook [$100]
10) 43-Doug Dodson [$100]
11) 25-Chad Layton [$100]

B-main (12 laps, top 4 finishers transferred to A-feature)
1) 3-Pat Cannon
2) 14-Jason Meyers
3) 87-Alan Krimes
4) 71-Brian Leppo
5) 30C-Lance Dewease [$200]
6) 11C-Cory Haas [$180]
7) 21-Daryn Pittman [$175]
8) 20-Kraig Kinser [$160]
9) 6-Tim Shaffer [$150]
10) 19E-Jason Johnson [$150]
11) 19-Stevie Smith [$150]
12) 8M-Chris Meleason [$150]
13) 5C-Chad Hillier [$150]
14) 17B-Steve Buckwalter [$150]
15) 18X-Ryan Bohlke [$150]
16) 20E-Brian Ellenberger [$150]
17) 7M-Mark Smith [$150]
18) 24-Terry McCarl [$150]

A-main (25 laps) - Starting Position [#]
1) 11-Steve Kinser[4] [$8,000]
2) 15-Donny Schatz[17] [$4,000]
3) 9-Joey Saldana[8] [$2,500]
4) 30-Doug Esh[3] [$2,200]
5) 5W-Lucas Wolfe[2] [$2,100]
6) R19-Jac Haudenschild[12] [$2,000]
7) 88-Todd Shaffer[6] [$1,800]
8) 11E-Mike Erdley[5] [$1,600]
9) 22-Greg Hodnett[7] [$1,500]
10) 1-Jeff Shepard[10] [$1,300]
11) 14-Jason Meyers[20] [$1,200]
12) 35-Alan Cole[13] [$1,100]
13) 2-Craig Dollansky[18] [$1,000]
14) 21P-Brian Montieth[21] [$700]
15) 8K-Chad Kemenah[27] [$0]
16) 25-Chad Layton[26] [$0]
17) 30C-Lance Dewease[28] [$0]
18) 24-Terry McCarl[25] [$0]
19) 83-Shane Stewart[16] [$600]
20) 7S-Jason Sides[19] [$600]
21) 51-Fred Rahmer[15] [$600]
22) 71-Brian Leppo[24] [$600]
23) 3-Pat Cannon[14] [$600]
24) 89-Cody Darrah[11] [$600]
25) 87-Alan Krimes[22] [$600]
26) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[23] [$600]
27) 55-Kerry Madsen[9] [$600]
28) 9K-Craig Keel[1] [$600]

Note: Terry McCarl and Chad Kemenah used World of Outlaws provisionals to start the A-Feature. Chad Layton and Lance Dewease used Williams Grove Speedway track provisionals to start the A-Feature.

Lap Leaders: Craig Keel 1-17, Steve Kinser 18-25

Chicken Hawk Hot Lap Award: Craig Keel
Penske Power Position Award: Joey Saldana
KSE Hard Charger Award: Donny Schatz

-credit: woo