World of Outlaws' Mopar Clash on Friday, July 16th

Greg Hodnett Takes Mopar Clash at Eldora By Richard Day ROSSBURG, OH (July 16) - Late last July, Greg Hodnett and Tim Shaffer exchanged jobs. David Helm brought Shaffer to the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series to drive his #11H Vivarin Eagle, while Hodnett went to Pennsylvania to take the reins of the #12 Apple Chevrolet car. Shaffer won a Preliminary Feature at Grays Harbor Raceway Park in last August and the first main event of his Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series career at Eldora Speedway June 5th. Hodnett, the series' Rookie of the Year in 1993, won the second "A" Feature of his Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series career Friday, leading the final 8 1/4 laps in the Mopar Clash at Eldora Speedway. "I knew we had a pretty good car tonight," Greg said. "This couldn't come at a better time. I have some great local sponsors, and they like to watch their car race. I can understand that, so I'm glad we were able to talk them into coming out here. I want to thank my crew, They've kept working when we've struggled, and never let it get them down." Hodnett, the 10th-fastest qualifier in the 46-car field, won the Second NAPA Auto Parts Heat Race and earned the right to start the 30- lap main event on the pole by following Dean Jacobs and Butch Schroeder under the checkered flag in the Channellock Dash. Jacobs, driving Junior Holbrook's #8H Energy Release Eagle for only the second time, burst into the lead as the green flag fell in the "A" Feature. Mark Kinser collided with Donny Schatz, however, breaking the front axle on the #5M Mopar Maxim. His crew was unable to get the car ready to restart by the time the race resumed, so the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series points leader had to settle for a 25th-place finish. Jacobs controlled the restart and was .5 seconds ahead of his closest pursuers when he entered lapped traffic midway through lap 10. Stevie Smith, who passed Frankie Kerr during the opening lap, took fourth place from Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner Joey Saldana with an inside move into the fourth corner seconds later. A blown engine the #22 Elden Motorsports Maxim forced defending Kings Royal champion Jac Haudenschild to stop in turn one early in the 11th lap. Smith challenged Schroeder for third place as the green flag replaced the red, but was unable to surge ahead. Daryn Pittman, one of two provisional starters in the 26-car field, allowed the #47 Casey's General Stores Maxim to spin in the second corner midway through the race. Hodnett passed Jacobs for the lead deep in turn four during the restart, only to have debris in the first corner bring out the caution flag and negate the move. Hodnett pressured Jacobs as the race resumed, making runs at him in all four corners, but was unable to complete the pass. Hodnett took the lead with an inside move in the fourth corner late in lap 22. A flat left rear tire forced Jacobs to stop on the back straightaway the next time around. Danny Lasoski, who started inside the fourth row, began making his way to the front during the final four laps. He drove the #83 Beef Packers Eagle past Smith deep in turn three, then took second place from Schroeder with a similar move one lap later. Lasoski was unable to catch the leader, and was racing through the fourth corner when Hodnett claimed the $8,000 first prize. Hodnett is the 10th different driver to win in 40 "A" Features the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series has run this season. "We won our heat and got to start up front, and that always helps when you race against guys this tough," Hodnett said. Schroeder finished third, ahead of Smith, Kerr, "B" Feature winner Steve Kinser, Schatz, 23rd-starting Sammy Swindell, Paul McMahan and Shaffer. Saldana received his first Vivarin Fast-Time Award of the season after pacing the qualifying session with a 13.067-second, 137.752- m.p.h., lap around the high-banked, 1/2-mile oval. Johnny Herrera, the 1996 Kings Royal champion, used his first provisional of the season after finishing fifth in the "B" Feature, and passed 10 sprinters to finish 15th in the main event. WoO

1999 Pennzoil World of Outlaw Series Mopar Clash, Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, OH Friday, July 16, Feature Program #40 Vivarin qualifications: 1. Joey Saldana, Mox 17, 13.067; 2. Jeff Shepard, Zematis 1Z, 13.358; 3. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 13.368; 4. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 13.383; 5. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 13.386; 6. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 13.392; 7. Kenny Jacobs, Jacobs 6, 13.416; 8. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 13.454; 9. Frankie Kerr, Shoff 23S, 13.460; 10. Greg Hodnett, Apple Motorsports 12, 13.515; 11. Butch Schroeder, Gottschalk 17S, 13.560; 12. Dean Jacobs, Holbrook 8H, 13.579; 13. Ed Lynch, Jr., Lynch 2L, 13.591; 14. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 13.594; 15. Paul McMahan, Johnson U2, 13.605; 16. Tim Shaffer, Helm 11H, 13.622; 17. P.J. Chesson, Chesson 76, 13.623; 18. Brooke Tatnell, Tatnell 7K, 13.654; 19. Dale Blaney, Andrews 72, 13.661; 20. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 13.664; 21. Kasey Kahne, Kahne 23K, 13.678; 22. James Fisher, Fisher 48, 13.716; 23. Kevin Gobrecht, Hylton/Blaney 93, 13.747; 24. Johnny Herrera, DOCC Motorsports 1BK, 13.752; 25. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 13.756; 26. Keith Kauffman, Middleswarth 7M, 13.772; 27. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 13.782; 28. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 13.790; 29. Kyle Sauder, Winner's Circle 2S, 13.796; 30. Danny Smith, Ashworth 92, 13.821; 31. Chad Kememaugh, Harble 15K, 13.839; 32. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 13.869; 33. James Chesson, Chesson 22C, 13.915; 34. Fred Boso, Javalina Construction 7J, 13.999; 35. Craig Dollansky, Dollansky 7, 14.055; 36. Rob Chaney, Chaney 42, 14.121; 37. Eddie Neumeister, Neumeister 11N, 14.200; 38. Steve Suever, Suever 36S, 14.229; 39. Kent Wolters, Wolters 12W, 14.246; 40. Daryn Pittman, Sonner 47, 14.359; 41. Brian Carlson, Carlson 18C, 14.403; 42. Alan Schmidt, Schmidt 25S, 14.788; 43. Duffy Smith, Smith 29, 14.827; 44. Chris Simon, Racing Motorsports 24C, 14.888; 45. Charlie Baker, Baker 1C, 14.925; 46. Gerry Hart, Hart 39, 15.946. First NAPA Auto Parts Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Frankie Kerr, 2. Tim Shaffer, 3. Joey Saldana, 4. Mark Kinser, 5. Jeff Swindell, 6. P.J. Chesson, 7. James Chesson, 8. Eddie Neumeister, 9. Charlie Baker, 10. Brian Carlson, 11. Kasey Kahne. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Second NAPA Auto Parts Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Greg Hodnett, 2. Kenny Jacobs, 3. Paul McMahan, 4. Jeff Shepard, 5. Brooke Tatnell, 6. Danny Smith, 7. Keith Kauffman, 8. James Fisher, 9. Steve Suever, 10. Fred Boso, 11. Alan Schmidt, 12. Gerry Hart. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Third NAPA Auto Parts Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Butch Schroeder, 2. Tyler Walker, 3. Sammy Swindell, 4. Stevie Smith, 5. Kevin Gobrecht, 6. Dale Blaney, 7. Steve Kinser, 8. Craig Dollansky, 9. Chad Kememaugh, 10. Kent Wolters, 11. Duffy Smith. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Fourth NAPA Auto Parts Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Dean Jacobs, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Donny Schatz, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Jac Haudenschild, 6. Daryn Pittman, 7. Lance Blevins, 8. Rob Chaney, 9. Chris Simon, 10. Johnny Herrera, 11. Ed Lynch Jr. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature) Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Dean Jacobs, 2. Butch Schroeder, 3. Greg Hodnett, 4. Frankie Kerr, 5. Stevie Smith, 6. Joey Saldana, 7. Danny Lasoski, 8. Jeff Shepard. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature) C Feature (10 laps): 1. Craig Dollansky, 2. Daryn Pittman, 3. Rob Chaney ($125); 4. Steve Suever ($100); 5. Kent Wolters ($80); 6. Eddie Neumeister ($70); 7. Chris Simon ($60); 8. Brian Carlson ($50); 9. Duffy Smith ($40); 10. Gerry Hart ($35); 11. Alan Schmidt ($30). (first two qualified for the "B" Feature) B Feature (12 laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Keith Kauffman, 3. Dale Blaney, 4. P.J. Chesson, 5. Johnny Herrera, 6. Kasey Kahne ($200); 7. Daryn Pittman, 8. Lance Blevins ($180); 9. Chad Kememaugh ($150); 10. Craig Dollansky ($130); 11. James Chesson ($90); 12. Fred Boso ($80); 13. Kyle Sauder ($60); 14. Danny Smith ($50); 15. James Fisher ($50); 16. Ed Lynch, Jr. ($50). (first four qualified for the "A" Feature) A Feature (30 laps): 1. Greg Hodnett ($8,000); 2. Danny Lasoski ($4,000); 3. Butch Schroeder ($3,000); 4. Stevie Smith ($2,500); 5. Frankie Kerr ($2,300); 6. Steve Kinser ($2,220); 7. Donny Schatz ($2,100); 8. Sammy Swindell ($2,000); 9. Paul McMahan ($1,800); 10. Tim Shaffer ($1,700); 11. Jeff Swindell ($1,400); 12. Joey Saldana ($1,200); 13. Kevin Gobrecht ($1,100); 14. Dale Blaney ($1,070); 15. Johnny Herrera ($1,020); 16. Daryn Pittman ($940); 17. Andy Hillenburg ($700); 18. P.J. Chesson ($570); 19. Dean Jacobs ($550); 20. Jeff Shepard ($550); 21. Brooke Tatnell ($550); 22. Tyler Walker ($550); 23. Jac Haudenschild ($550); 24. Keith Kauffman ($570); 25. Mark Kinser ($550); 26. Kenny Jacobs ($550). Provisional starters - Johnny Herrera, Daryn Pittman Lap leaders: Dean Jacobs 1-21, Greg Hodnett 22-30 Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Joey Saldana WoO