WoO: Mark Kinser Takes Silver State Preliminary
27 February 1998
By Richard DayLAS VEGAS, NV (February 27) - Having won 15 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series championships, Karl Kinser is considered the dean of crew chiefs in sprint car racing. His ingenuity, along with precise, aggressive driving by his son, Mark, tamed a tough field and Las Vegas Motor Speedway Friday on opening night of the Second Annual Silver State Shootout.
The action was telecast live on TNN: The Nashville Network's Motor Madness program.
"We had some trouble with a bad starting position, but when the feature came along we showed them who's boss," Karl said following the evening's main event. "My boy really did a good job of driving."
Mark, the fastest qualifier in more events than any other driver on the World of Outlaws' tour each of the last two years, earned his first Vivarin Fast-Time Award of the season Friday. He was unable to drive the #5M Wirtgen Maxim past any cars in the First Racing Champions Heat Race, however. So, instead of starting sixth in the Channellock Dash, Mark was forced to race in the "B" Feature for the first time in three years. He raced into the lead from outside the second row during the first lap in the last-chance race and won it easily.
Kinser started the 30-lap Preliminary Feature inside the fifth row. While rookie Dale Blaney beat polesitter and Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series points leader Jac Haudenschild down the back straightaway, Mark passed Greg Hodnett, Donny Schatz, Danny Lasoski and Andy Hillenburg to take over fifth place during the opening lap.
Blaney had the #93 Amoco Ultimate J&J a full straightaway ahead of his closest pursuers during the sixth lap, and entered lapped traffic the next time around.
While Las Vegas Motor Speedway's hard racing surface made for one-groove racing during the heat races, it softened later in the program and allowed sprinters to pass in the inside and outside grooves. Kinser utilized both grooves and took over third place while "The Wild Child" challenged Blaney for the lead during the race's middle stages.
Kinser used the inside line to pass Haudenschild for second place early in lap 18, then took the lead with a low move in turn two with 10 laps remaining.
"The Wild Child" drove the #22 Pennzoil Maxim deep into the fourth corner to pass Blaney for second place late in the 23rd lap, but never challenged Kinser, who lapped up to eighth place.
"We struggled there in the heat race," Mark admitted in victory lane. "Our crew stayed with it though and they got this Ray Williams, Phil Durst Wirtgen Maxim right up front. It was a real joy to drive.
"I found some good lines to run and the race went green to checker. That shows what these Outlaw boys can do.
"Starting ninth, I could play with the track a little bit. I made a couple of diamond moves, going into the wet stuff high and going down and grabbing the rubber. Haudenschild, who was battling for the lead, couldn't do that."
Haudenschild, who finished a distant second, said he raced in the low groove too long. "We tried to run the bottom and let Dale Blaney get away from us. We went back to the top and ran him down, but Mark got us both."
Blaney tied his career-best finish in a World of Outlaws feature by running third. Johnny Herrera finished fourth, ahead of Sammy Swindell, 18th-starting Steve Kinser, Hillenburg, Stevie Smith, Lasoski and Brent Kaeding.
Jeff Swindell, winner of both Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series "A" Features at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last season, drove the #104+ Octane Boost J&J into 11th place. WoO
1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
Second Annual Silver State Shootout
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV
Friday, February 27, Preliminary Program
Qualifications: 1. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 15.917; 2. Brent Kaeding, M&M Racing 2M, 16.085; 3. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 16.207; 4. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 16.216; 5. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 16.270; 6. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 16.285; 7. Dale Blaney, Hylton-Blaney 93, 16.374; 8. Peter Murphy, Williams 0, 16.435; 9. Jeff Swindell Two Winners 7TW, 16.493; 10. Sean Fenn, Fenn 36, 16.528; 11. Randy Hannagan, TRH Racing 1XH, 16.555; 12. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 16.567; 13. Todd Bammer, Bammer 18B, 16.569; 14. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 16.569; 15. Bobby McMahan, Bumgarner 88, 16.579; 16. Greg Hodnett, Helm 11H, 16.604; 17. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 16.669; 18. Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 16.706; 19. Daryn Pittman, Pittman 11P, 16.716; 20. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 16.751; 21. Dion Hindi, Hindi 18, 16.779; 22. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 16.831; 23. John Bankston, Bankston 8, 16.879; 24. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 16.892; 25. Scott Whitworth, Whitworth 96, 17.036; 26. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 17.037; 27. Sid Blandford, Blandford 31, 17.147; 28. Rick Ziehl, Ziehl 18Z, 17.151; 29. Steve Coelho, Coelho 6C, 17.173; 30. Calvin Landis, Landis 70, 17.178; 31. Kevin Pylant, Pylant 14P, 17.183; 32. Dennis Moore, Jr., Stroud 1S, 17.194; 33. Jason Lund, Lund 8L, 17.206; 34. Larry Pineger II, Pineger 11L, 17.212; 35. Garry Brazier, Stanton 75, 17.243; 36. Danny Wood, Woodburn 21W, 17.255; 37. Gary Wright, Action Motorsport 9, 17.272; 38. Larry Neighbors, Neighbors 29N, 17.278; 39. Jason Meyers, Carter 14, 17.380; 40. Craig Dollansky, Dollansky 1x, 17.377; 41. David Fowler, Owens/Fowler 24F, 17.387; 42. Billy Wilburn, Wilburn 0W, 17.416; 43. Shawna Wilskey, Fauver 5, 17.493; 44. Graydon Cross, Cross 8C, 17.568; 45. Victor Hensley, Hensley 51P, 17.650; 46. Danny Jennings, Woodburn 61, 17.728; 47. Brian Coelho, Coelho 5C, 17.751; 48. Shane Travioli, Travioli 11V, 17.769; 49. Ronnie Day, Henderson 7N, 18.050; 50. Craig Stidham, Stidham 36x, 18.131; 51. Pat Bourke, B&B Excavating 27, 18.180; 52. Doug Jenkins, Jenkins 4, 18.253; 53. Greg Weiss, Johnson 17, 18.17, 18.261; 54. Duane Bonini, Jr., Bonini 72, 18.334; 55. Shawn Sander, Sander 48, 18.403; 56. Todd Heikes, Wilskey 56W, 18.865; 57. Derrick Lucchesi, Lucchesi 10, 19.162;; 58. Ron Cox, Wilskey 5W, 19.542.
First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Lance Blevins, 2. Greg Hodnett, 3. Dion Hindi, 4. Johnny Herrera, 5. Randy Hannagan, 6. Mark Kinser, 7. Kevin Pylant, 8. Danny Wood, 9. Danny Jennings, 10. David Fowler, 11. Pat Bourke, 12. Todd Heikes. (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)
Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Stevie Smith, 3. Brent Kaeding, 4. Dale Blaney, 5. Sid Blandford, 6. Tyler Walker, 7. Brian Coelhho, 8. Dennis Moore, Jr., 9. Doug Jenkins, 10. Ron Cox, 11. Billy Wilburn, 12. Gary Wright. (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)
Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Andy Hillenburg, 2. John Bankston, 3. Jason Lund, 4. Terry McCarl, 5. Peter Murphy, 6. Shawna Wilskey, 7. Greg Weiss, 8. Derrick Lucchesi, 9. Todd Bammer, 10. Larry Neighbors, 11. Shane Travioli, 12. Rick Ziehl. (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)
Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Steve Coelho, 3. Jac Haudenschild, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Jeff Swindell, 6. Larry Pinegar II, 7. Ronnie Day, 8. Jason Meyers, 9. Daryn Pittman, 10. Duane Bonini, Jr., 11. Graydon Cross. (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)
Fifth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Calvin Landis, 2. Craig Dollansky, 3. Scott Whitworth, 4. Joe Gaerte, 5. Garry Brazier, 6. Victor Hensley, 7. Craig Stidham, 8. Shawn Sander, 9. Sean Fenn, 10. Sammy Swindell, 11. Bobby McMahan. (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)
Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Jac Haudenschild, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Johnny Herrera, 4. Brent Kaeding, 5. Andy Hillenburg, 6. Danny Lasoski, 7. Donny Schatz, 8. Greg Hodnett. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the Preliminary Feature)
C Feature (12 laps): 1. Danny Wood, 2. Gary Wright, 3. Billy Wilburn ($100); 4. Jason Meyers ($80); 5. Brian Coelho ($60); 6. Shawna Wilskey ($50); 7. Victor Hensley ($40); 8. Ronnie Day ($30); 9. Shane Travioli ($25); 10. Danny Jennings ($25); 11. Pat Bourke ($25); 12. Craig Stidham ($25); 13. David Fowler ($25); 14. Doug Jenkins ($25); 15. Todd Heikes ($25); 16. Shawn Sander ($25); 17. Duane Bonini, Jr. ($25); 18. Ron Cox ($25); 19. Derrick Lucchesi ($25); 20. Graydon Cross ($25); 21. Larry Neighbors ($25); 22. Greg Weiss ($25). (first two qualified for the "B" Feature)
B Feature (12 laps): 1. Mark Kinser, 2. Jeff Swindell, 3. Peter Murphy, 4. Sammy Swindell, 5. Bobby McMahan ($150); 6. Randy Hannagan ($125); 7. Tyler Walker ($100); 8. Todd Bammer ($75); 9. Daryn Pittman ($60); 10. Kevin Pylant ($50); 11. Danny Wood ($60); 12. Garry Brazier, 13. Dennis Moore, Jr. ($40); 14. Larry Pinegar II ($40); 15. Sid Blandford ($40); 16. Gary Wright ($60); 17. Sean Fenn ($40); 18. Rick Ziehl ($40). (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)
Preliminary Feature (30 laps): 1. Mark Kinser ($4,520); 2. Jac Haudenschild ($2,500); 3. Dale Blaney ($1,700); 4. Johnny Herrera ($1,500); 5. Sammy Swindell ($1,370); 6. Steve Kinser ($1,250); 7. Andy Hillenburg ($1,200); 8. Stevie Smith ($1,100); 9. Danny Lasoski ($1,075); 10. Brent Kaeding ($1,050); 11. Jeff Swindell ($1,020); 12. Greg Hodnett ($800); 13. Lance Blevins ($700); 14. Donny Schatz ($630); 15. Terry McCarl ($400); 16. Craig Dollansky ($400); 17. Peter Murphy ($320); 18. Garry Brazier ($300); 19. Joe Gaerte ($300); 20. Steve Coelho ($300); 21. Dion Hindi ($300); 22. Jason Lund ($300); 23. John Bankston ($300); 24. Calvin Landis ($300); 25. Scott Whitworth ($300). Provisional starter - Garry Brazier
Lap leaders: Dale Blaney 1-20, Mark Kinser 21-30
Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Mark Kinser
