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WoO: Gaerte Wins Battleground Speedway Race

21 March 1998

By Richard Day

HIGHLAND, TX - Joe Gaerte was happy to have Henry Holbrook, Jr., become his car owner during the off-season. That happiness turned to elation Thursday when he led all but four laps to win the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series event at Battleground Speedway.

"This is great, but I feel bad that Junior (Holbrook) couldn't be here for his first win as a World of Outlaws car owner," Gaerte said. "He had some problems at home and couldn't be here tonight. It's the first race he's missed this year."

The $7,000 victory, Gaerte's first since May 21, 1993, pushed him to within one point of second place in the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series point standings.

Gaerte, the second-fastest qualifier in the 35-car field, was .055 seconds off Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner Mark Kinser's 14.975-second pace. Joe finished third in the Second Racing Champions Heat Race and the Channellock Dash for the right to start the "A" Feature inside the second row.

Frankie Kerr, who started outside the front row, raced around Channellock Dash winner Johnny Herrera as the green flag fell, only to have Greg Hodnett, Craig Dollansky, Danny Smith and Shane Stewart crash between the third and fourth corners. A broken axle on the #11H Vivarin Eagle kept Hodnett from restarting. Dollansky and Stewart were also forced to watch the remainder of the race from the pit area. Steve Kinser was involved in the incident, but managed to keep the #11 Quaker State Maxim moving. His crew replaced his flat right front tire and his broken nose wing during the caution period.

Kerr burst into the lead again when the green flag replaced the yellow. Gaerte, passed Herrera, then took the low line into turn four to take the lead from Kerr.

Mark Kinser, who started inside the third row, steered the #5M Wirtgen Maxim into the high groove in the third corner to pass Kerr for second place late in lap two.

Kinser caught Gaerte as Danny Lasoski, Sammy Swindell and Herrera raced three-abreast in their battle for sixth place the next time around.

Mark took the lead with a high move in turn two early in the fourth lap and was approaching lapped traffic when Daryn Pittman spun between the first and second corners one lap later.

Lasoski steered the #83 Beef Packers Eagle high into turn four to pass Schatz for fourth place as the race resumed. He continued his run toward the front early in the sixth lap, passing defending World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell low in the fourth corner.

Gaerte challenged Kinser for 1 1/2 laps before regaining the lead with an inside move in turn four late in the eighth lap. He opened an eight-car-length advantage within two laps and entered lapped traffic during the 12th lap.

Lasoski and Swindell relegated Kinser to fourth place midway through the race. Lasoski caught Gaerte during lap 18 and took the low line in the second corner to take the lead three laps later. Gaerte was battling "The Dude" for first place seconds later when they collided and Lasoski spun to a stop in turn four.

"It got a little crowded down there in turn four," Gaerte said. "I hated getting into Danny like that, but it was just one of those racing deals."

Swindell was threatening to pass Gaerte for the lead as the green flag replaced the yellow when his #1 Channellock Stealth drifted out of the high groove, allowing Kinser to race past.

Gaerte was six car-lengths ahead of his closest pursuers when Ronald Laney brought out the caution flag with a second-corner spin with five laps remaining. Gaerte controlled the restart, opened a 10-car-length advantage within two laps and cruised to the eighth "A" Feature victory of his World of Outlaws career.

"It was pretty tough out there tonight," Gaerte said. "We decided to put a different tire on and I think it was to our advantage.

"I hated to see all of the rain because we've been really consistent this year.. When you're out trying to win a championship, that's what you need.

"My crew (Holbrook and Brian Sperry) have worked really hard to give me a good race car and I'm glad I could win this one for them tonight. Hopefully, this is what we need to keep our season on the right track."

The Swindell brothers - Sammy and Jeff - finished third and fourth, respectively. Fifteenth-starting Andy Hillenburg raced into fifth place. Completing the top 10 were Steve Kinser, Stevie Smith, Dale Blaney, Herrera and 24th-starting Danny Smith. WoO

1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series

Battleground Speedway, Highland, TX

Thursday, March 19, Feature Program #4

Qualifications: 1. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 14.975; 2. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 15.030; 3. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 15.083; 4. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 15.118; 5. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 15.119; 6. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 15.382; 7. Frankie Kerr, Shoff 23S, 15.385; 8. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 15.393; 9. Larry Neighbors, Neighbors 29N, 15.431; 10. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 15.444; 11. Dale Blaney, Hylton-Blaney 93, 15.554; 12. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 15.625; 13. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 15.547; 14. Dion Hindi, Hindi 18, 15.704; 15. Craig Dollansky, Dollansky 1x, 15.711; 16. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 15.720; 17. Tommie Estes, Jr., Archer 1A, 15.743; 18. Greg Hodnett, Helm 11H, 15.783; 19. Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 15.808; 20. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 15.825; 21. Jason Johnson, Johnson 57, 15.896; 22. Daryn Pittman, Pittman 11P, 15.941; 23. Calvin Landis, Landis 70, 15.979; 24. Ronald Laney, Laney 52, 15.988; 25. Shane Stewart, Stewart 9S, 16.033; 26. Randy Kinser, Kinser 14, 16.065; 27. Danny Jennings, Woodburn 61, 16.097; 28. Danny Smith, Smith 4, 16.157; 29. John Bankston, Bankston 8, 16.159; 30. David Chappell, Chappell 50, 16.535; 31. Chuck Swenson, Swenson X, 16.960; 32. Steve Smith, Smith 85, 17.304; 33. Doug Jenkins, Jenkins 4J, 17.578; 34. Dodie Miller, Miller 8K, 17.985; 35. Larry Hartwell, Hartwell 10x, no time.

First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Tommie Estes, Jr., 2. Jason Johnson, 3. Mark Kinser, 4. Johnny Herrera, 5. Steve Kinser, 6. Larry Neighbors, 7. Shane Stewart, 8. Doug Jenkins, 9. John Bankston. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Daryn Pittman, 3. Joe Gaerte, 4. Greg Hodnett, 5. Randy Kinser, 6. Jac Haudenschild, 7. David Chappell, 8. Dion Hindi, 9. Dodie Miller. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Terry McCarl, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Craig Dollansky, 4. Donny Schatz, 5. Frankie Kerr, 6. Danny Jennings, 7. Chuck Swenson, 8. Calvin Landis, 9. Larry Hartwell. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Jeff Swindell, 3. Ronald Laney, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Sammy Swindell, 6. Tyler Walker, 7. Danny Smith, 8. Steve Smith. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Johnny Herrera, 2. Frankie Kerr, 3. Joe Gaerte, 4. Donny Schatz, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. Sammy Swindell, 7. Danny Lasoski, 8. Dale Blaney. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Larry Neighbors, 2. Shane Stewart, 3. Danny Smith, 4. Tyler Walker, 5. Dion Hindi ($200); 6. Jac Haudenschild, 7. David Chappell ($180); 8. Danny Jennings ($150); 9. Chuck Swenson ($110); 10. John Bankston ($90); 11. Dodie Miller ($80); 12. Steve Smith ($60); 13. Doug Jenkins ($50); 14. Calvin Landis ($50); 15. Larry Hartwell ($50). (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

A Feature (30 laps): 1. Joe Gaerte ($7,000); 2. Mark Kinser ($4,000); 3. Sammy Swindell ($3,000); 4. Jeff Swindell ($2,500); 5. Andy Hillenburg ($2,300); 6. Steve Kinser ($2,200); 7. Stevie Smith ($2,100); 8. Dale Blaney ($2,000); 9. Johnny Herrera ($1,700); 10. Danny Smith ($1,620); 11. Terry McCarl ($1,200); 12. Tyler Walker ($1,170); 13. Jac Haudenschild ($1,120); 14. Tommie Estes, Jr. ($1,050); 15. Frankie Kerr ($1,000); 16. Danny Lasoski ($700); 17. Ronald Laney ($600); 18. Larry Neighbors ($520); 19. Donny Schatz ($500); 20. Jason Johnson ($500); 21. Daryn Pittman ($500); 22. Randy Kinser ($500); 23. Shane Stewart ($520); 24. Craig Dollansky ($500); 25. Greg Hodnett ($500). Provisional starter - Jac Haudenschild

Lap leaders: Joe Gaerte 1-3, 8-30; Mark Kinser 4-7

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Mark Kinser