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WoO: Kinser Wins Pike County Race From Fifth Row

15 March 1998

By Richard Day

MAGNOLIA, MS - Mark Kinser has won three of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' first four races this year, but that doesn't mean everything has gone his way.

At Pike County Speedway Friday - for the second time in three races - the World of Outlaws' 1996 champion was among the fastest qualifiers but problems in the Second Racing Champions Heat Race kept him out of the Channellock Dash. After qualifying for the 30-lap main event in the "B" Feature, Kinser started inside the fifth row and drove the #5M Wirtgen Maxim to victory.

"We don't want to make a habit of this," Mark said when asked how he liked starting on the fifth row. "My crew worked really hard all night.

"I hope the fans here at Pike County enjoyed the show. We like coming down here. I'm not much for gumbo, but we have a good time racing here."

Jac Haudenschild earned the Vivarin Fast-Time Award by slashing almost a half-second off the single-lap record he set last March 14th with a 13.749-second lap around the high-banked, 3/8-mile oval. In all, 14 drivers recorded laps under the previous qualifying standard.

Kinser, the second-fastest qualifier, had to be believing the Friday the 13th myth was true early in the Second Racing Champions Heat Race. Garry Brazier and Darryn Pittman were racing wheel-to-wheel when fellow rookie Tyler Walker tried to pass them in the low groove. Walker allowed the #35 Air Sep Eagle to hit the berm in front of Kinser, who was unable to find an escape route. Neither Walker nor Kinser were able to restart the race.

"Tyler Walker is just a young kid out here racing with us," Kinser said of the incident. "I did the same thing when I was in his position, so I have no hard feelings about that."

Terry McCarl beat Danny Lasoski in the Channellock Dash for the right to start the feature on the pole.

Lasoski, winner of the World of Outlaws feature at Pike County in 1995, drove the #83 Beef Packers Eagle past McCarl in the fourth corner as the green flag fell in the main event, however. "The Dude" opened an eight-car-length advantage within two laps as Haudenschild challenged McCarl for second place.

Dion Hindi brought out the first caution flag early in lap three, stopping his #18 Sam's Town J&J on the front straightaway with a packed right rear wheel. After defending World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell challenged him for third place during the ensuing restart, Haudenschild steered the #22 Pennzoil Maxim deep into turn three to pass McCarl for second place late in the fourth lap.

Brazier and Lance Blevins collided on the back stretch midway through the fifth lap to bring out the second caution flag. Blevins restarted the #21 Up Front J&J at the rear of the field, but damage to the #75 Mopar Schnee kept Brazier in the pit area.

Kinser made an exceptional move as the green flag replaced the yellow to move from seventh to third place. He passed Swindell, McCarl, Stevie Smith and Dale Blaney by taking the high line through the third and fourth corners. Kinser used a similar move to pass for second place Haudenschild late lap eight.

Lasoski was a full straightaway ahead of Kinser when he entered lapped traffic 11 laps into the race. Mark and "The Wild Child" narrowed the gap in dense traffic during the next three laps, however.

Kinser passed "The Dude" for the lead midway through the 18th lap, but the move was nullified seconds later when Frankie Kerr brought out the caution flag with a third-corner spin.

The leaders caught the backmarkers again within four laps after the green flag replaced the yellow. Kinser caught Lasoski within two laps, and took the lead with a low move in turn four late in the 25th lap.

Kinser opened a full straightaway advantage by lap 28, and took the checkered flag with Lasoski racing in the third corner.

"I thought we might have a shot in traffic," Kinser said. "It seemed like we were able to run a little different line (than the other cars).

"I was a little worried about the tires. They're not really bald now, but they were getting down there."

Smith, who drove his #19 Ingersoll-Rand sprinter into fifth place from outside the fifth row during the first five laps, finished in third place. Haudenschild finished fourth, ahead of Greg Hodnett, Swindell, Blaney, 14th-starting Andy Hillenburg, Craig Dollansky and Joe Gaerte. WoO

1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
Pike County Speedway, Magnolia, MS
Friday, March 13, Feature Program #3

Qualifications: 1. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 13.749 (new one-lap record); 2. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 13.779; 3. Dale Blaney, Hylton-Blaney 93, 13.819; 4. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 13.890; 5. Joe Gaerte, Gaerte 3G, 13.937; 6. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 13.938; 7. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 13.960; 8. Greg Hodnett, Helm 11H, 14.089; 9. Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 14.114; 10. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 14.117; 11. Randy Kinser, Kinser 14, 14.148; 12. Craig Dollansky, Dollansky 1x, 14.169; 13. Larry Neighbors, Neighbors 29N, 14.183; 14. Frankie Kerr, Shoff 23S, 14.184; 15. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 14.232; 16. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 14.238; 17. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 14.294; 18. Garry Brazier, Stanton 75, 14.296; 19. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 14.309; 20. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 14.345; 21. Dion Hindi, Hindi 18, 14.353; 22. Daryn Pittman, Pittman 11P, 14.390; 23. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 14.417; 24. Jason Johnson, Johnson 57, 14.480; 25. Danny Smith, Smith 4, 14.747; 26. Danny Jennings, Woodburn 61, 14.871; 27. Danny Wood, Woodburn 21W, 14.897; 28. John Bankston, Bankston 8, 15.087; 29. Dan Oswalt, Oswalt D1, 15.393; 30. Christopher Dick, Dick C02, 15.563; 31. David Chappell, Chappell 50, 15.565; 32. Doug Jenkins, Jenkins 4J, 15.644; 33. Terry Vidrine, Vidrine 68, 15.667; 34. Neil Gatian, Gatian 78, no time; 35. Lance Hester, Hester 16F, no time.

First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Johnny Herrera, 2. Jac Haudenschild, 3. Dion Hindi, 4. Terry McCarl, 5. Joe Gaerte, 6. Danny Smith, 7. Larry Neighbors, 8. Dan Oswalt, 9. Terry Vidrine. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Garry Brazier, 2. Daryn Pittman, 3. Frankie Kerr, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Christopher Dick, 6. Danny Jennings, 7. Lance Hester, 8. Tyler Walker, 9. Mark Kinser. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Lance Blevins, 2. Jeff Swindell, 3. Randy Kinser, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Dale Blaney, 6. Danny Wood, 7. Stevie Smith, 8. David Chappell. DNS - Neil Gatian. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Jason Johnson, 3. Sammy Swindell, 4. Craig Dollansky, 5. Donny Schatz, 6. Greg Hodnett, 7. Doug Jenkins, 8. John Bankston. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Terry McCarl, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Sammy Swindell, 4. Jac Haudenschild, 5. Joe Gaerte, 6. Dale Blaney, 7. Randy Kinser, 8. Craig Dollansky. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Tyler Walker, 3. Mark Kinser, 4. Greg Hodnett, 5. Danny Wood ($200); 6. Danny Smith ($180); 7. Larry Neighbors ($150); 8. Danny Jennings ($110); 9. John Bankston ($90); 10. Terry Vidrine ($80); 11. Doug Jenkins ($60); 12. Lance Hester ($50); 13. Dan Oswalt ($50); 14. David Chappell ($50); 15. Neil Gatian ($50). (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

A Feature (30 laps): 1. Mark Kinser ($7,020); 2. Danny Lasoski ($4,000); 3. Stevie Smith ($3,020); 4. Jac Haudenschild ($2,500); 5. Greg Hodnett ($2,320); 6. Sammy Swindell ($2,200); 7. Dale Blaney ($2,100); 8. Andy Hillenburg ($2,000); 9. Craig Dollansky ($1,700); 10. Joe Gaerte ($1,600); 11. Tyler Walker ($1,220); 12. Donny Schatz ($1,150); 13. Jeff Swindell ($1,100); 14. Steve Kinser ($1,050); 15. Johnny Herrera ($1,000); 16. Randy Kinser ($700); 17. Terry McCarl ($600); 18. Lance Blevins ($500); 19. Frankie Kerr ($500); 20. Dion Hindi ($500); 21. Jason Johnson ($500); 22. Daryn Pittman ($500); 23. Garry Brazier ($500); 24. Christopher Dick ($500).

Lap leaders: Danny Lasoski 1-24, Mark Kinser 25-30

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Jac Haudenschild