Mark Kinser Snaps Winless Streak at San Jose

9 September 1997

SAN JOSE, CA (September 6) - For a team that captured the series championship a year ago and has won 20 "A" Features this season, going more than a month without a victory in a main event is quite a slump. Mark Kinser and the Wirtgen America team ended their winless streak Saturday when the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series closed out a $75,000 event at San Jose Speedway. "It's nice to get back in the winner's circle," Mark said. "We've had kind of a rough time the last couple of weeks, but my dad (15-time World of Outlaws champion Karl Kinser) and the crew never gave up. In fact, I think I may have let them down a couple of times. We had one won in Oregon, but I crashed on the last lap." Mark took advantage of cousin Steve Kinser's problems in the second corner during the 18th lap, passed him on the back straightaway and held off Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series points leader Sammy Swindell for the $10,000 victory. Steve, winner of six World of Outlaws main events at San Jose, beat Mark across the finish line in the Vivarin Dash for the right to start the 30-lap "A" Feature on the pole. He burst into the lead as the green flag fell in the main event, and opened a four-car-length advantage within four laps. Mark caught his cousin in lapped traffic during the sixth lap. The Kinser cousins were battling for the lead when a mechanical malfunction caused Randy Hannagan to stop on the front stretch the next time around. As the race resumed, Ronnie Day spun turn four, bringing out the caution flag again. Swindell, who started inside the fourth row, passed Greg Hodnett late in the sixth lap and Jac Haudenschild five laps later. He was threatening to pass more cars when Jason Lund stopped in turn one with a flat left rear tire early in lap 11. Sammy, a two-time winner at San Jose, raced into fourth place when Dave Blaney allowed his #10 Vivarin J&J to jump the cushion in the third corner as the race resumed. The Kinsers battled for the lead a half-straightaway ahead of "The Wild Child" and Swindell midway through the race. Sammy drove his #1 Channellock Gambler past Haudenschild on the back stretch to take over third place two laps later. Steve allowed his #11 Quaker State Maxim to slide over the cushion in turn two early in the 18th lap, allowing Mark to beat him down the back straightaway seconds later. "A lot of times when you're running second, you try to run where the leader's not," Mark said of the winning pass. "When Steve bobbled up there in turn two, I was fortunate enough to be on the bottom and get by." Mark opened a 10-car-length advantage by lap 22 as Swindell challenged Steve for second place. Sammy used a low move through the second corner to take over the runner-up spot the next time around. Six laps remained when Tom Tarleton's turn-two spin collected Haudenschild and the #22 Pennzoil Maxim. "The Wild Child" restarted at the back of the pack and eventually finished 21st. Mark raced away from the field as the green flag replaced the yellow and recorded his second straight "A" Feature victory at San Jose, taking the checkered flag with a straightaway to spare. "It's nice to win here at San Jose," Mark said. "Ray Williams has been one of my biggest supporters for several years, and this is his home track." Swindell's second-place finish gave him a 95-point lead over Blaney as the World of Outlaws continues its California tour with $40,000 events at Kings Speedway and Santa Maria Speedway Friday and Saturday. Steve Kinser finished third, ahead of "The Buckeye Bullet," Randy Tiner, Stevie Smith, Hodnett, 12th-starting Andy Hillenburg, Danny Lasoski and Brent Kaeding. Johnny Herrera's collision with Jason Meyers sent the #47 Casey's General Stores Maxim flipping early in the First Heat Race. He used a provisional in the "A" Feature and drove a backup car past 12 sprinters to finish 13th. The World of Outlaws' Rookie of the Year standings were tighter than ever after the San Jose event. Rookie points leader Donny Schatz passed seven cars in the "B" Feature, but his fifth- place finish failed to qualify him for the main event. Paul McMahan finished 14th in the "A" Feature, leaving him only four points behind with 13 events remaining on the schedule. By Richard Day (Racing PR)