World of Outlaws to return to birthplace

World of Outlaws to Return to Birthplace
By Richard Day

MESQUITE, TX (October 24) -- Steve Kinser has clinched his 16th Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series championship, but battles for other positions continue to rage like wild fire. Only seven points separate Sammy Swindell and defending series champion Mark Kinser in their battle for second place, while Dean Jacobs tries to catch Brian Paulus for the 16th position as the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series heads toward its birthplace -- Devil's Bowl Speedway -- for the 27th Annual Winter Nationals. The Devil's Bowl hosted the series' inaugural race on March 18, 1978. Steve Kinser and Swindell are the only two drivers who raced in that event still competing with the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series. Kinser clinched the championship Saturday by winning the Lone Star Classic at Houston Raceway Park. The $12,000 victory completed his sweep of the events held at Baytown's new semi-banked, 3/8-mile oval. "The King of the Outlaws" need only attempt to race in the two double- feature events remaining on the schedule. "It feels really good," Kinser said Tuesday. "We had a good year. I thought we had our race car capable of winning any time we hit the race track. We struggled around there for a year or so and I didn't feel that way. I have a lot of confidence in the car and the team now. "I don't know how many seconds we ran this year (15), but I think we could have easily won twice as many races as we did. We ran good all year and I'm really happy with everything." Swindell, the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' three-time champion, passed Mark Kinser in the standings Saturday by finishing second in the Lone Star Classic. Sammy has nine "A" Feature and nine Preliminary Feature victories while Mark has won 12 main events and one Preliminary Feature. Both have recorded 44 top-10 finishes in 59 "A" Features, while Mark's 35 top-five finishes is one more than Sammy's total. Swindell leads the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series with 24 CHANNELLOCK Dash victories. With 23 Vivarin Fast-Time Awards, Mark will lead the series in that category for the sixth straight year. Swindell, winner of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' second main event at Devil's Bowl Speedway in 1978, has won more races at Lanny Edwards' semi-banked, 1/2-mile oval than anybody. With 11 victories, Sammy has won one more "A" Feature than Steve Kinser. Mark has won three main events at "The Bowl." Paulus' eighth top-10 finish of the season - a seventh at Houston Raceway Park Saturday - pushed him past Jacobs in the points race. Paulus, who split his racing schedule between USAC's Coors Light Silver Bullet Series and the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series this year, has driven P and P Motorsports' Verdelli Farms Maxim into the top 10 eight times, including a fourth-place run at his home track -- Williams Grove Speedway -- May 19th. Jacobs, who took the reins of Junior Holbrook's #8H Energy Release Eagle in early May, has recorded seven top-10 finishes. With only 49 points separating Joey Saldana and Dale Blaney, sixth place could possibly change in the next two events as well. Both former Rookies of the Year have 34 top-10 finishes and 16 top-fives. Saldana has won three "A" Features, while Blaney is a two-time winner. From the Devil's Bowl, the series' fire-breathing, mudslinging sprint car racing teams will travel to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the 2000 season finale, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. WoO

k