WOO: Stevie Smith Takes West Plains Feature
20 April 1998
By Richard DayWEST PLAINS, MO - The Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series more than quenched Show-Me State racing fans' "need for speed" Saturday at West Plains Motor Speedway.
Twenty drivers ran qualifying laps faster than the standard Joe Gaerte set a year ago and the 30-lap main event featured three leaders. The fastest of the fast was Stevie Smith, whose 11.090-second, 114.107-m.p.h., time trial around the semi-banked, 3/8-mile oval chopped .741 seconds off the one-year-old record.
Besides receiving his second Vivarin Fast-Time Award, Smith won his first World of Outlaws "A" Feature of the season. He battled Channellock Dash winner Dale Blaney and Channellock Stealth driver Sammy Swindell for 9 1/4 laps before taking the lead, then raced ahead of the field throughout the final 21 laps to claim the $7,000 first prize.
"The Ingersoll-Rand car was working really good tonight," Smith said following the 35th main event victory of his World of Outlaws career. "My dad (Steve Smith) and Devin (Delugio) have been working hard all year and we've been pretty happy with the way things have gone, but it's really nice to get our first win."
Blaney, the Manufacturers' Rookie of the Year points leader, started the "A" Feature on the front row next to Swindell, the series' defending champion. Dale drove the #93 Amoco J&J into the lead as the green flag fell and Mark Kinser beat Swindell down the front straightaway. Smith, who started outside the second row, exchanged third place with Sammy during the first two laps.
Blaney entered lapped traffic with a six-car-length lead four laps into the race. He was increasing his advantage two laps later when Dion Hindi and Craig Dollansky collided in front of the leaders between the first and second corners. Blaney and Kinser collided with Dollansky, causing the #75 Mopar Schnee to turn over, bringing out the red flag. The extensive damage to Dollansky's and Blaney's sprinters kept them from restarting.
Swindell was the leader when the race resumed. Smith was challenging him when Rob Hartman spun in turn four late in lap seven. Stevie battled Swindell as the green flag replaced the yellow and raced wheel-to-wheel with him during the eighth lap.
The leaders were side-by-side on the front stretch early in lap nine when Swindell took the outside line around Hartman and bumped the retaining wall and spun into the wall in the first corner. As the trailing cars searched for an escape route, Steve Kinser and First Racing Champions Heat Race winner Tyler Walker collided, sending Walker's #35 Air Sep Eagle into Swindell. The #1 Channellock Stealth was badly damaged, so Sammy had to watch the rest of the race from the pit area.
Smith restarted at the front of the field and opened an eight-car-length advantage within three laps. He caught the backmarkers again during the 13th lap and was more than a full straightaway ahead of his closest pursuers within six laps.
Stevie continued to build his advantage, and took the checkered flag was Jac Haudenschild raced out of turn two.
"The Goodyear tires were working great tonight," Smith said. "The bottom was the place to be, especially in the last 20 laps. Early in the race, we seemed to be pretty even with Sammy, but I thought we were going to have something for him before he got into trouble.
"The track was in great shape, and I hope we put on a good show for all the fans who came out tonight."
Jeff Swindell passed six cars to finish in third place, ahead of Steve Kinser and Johnny Herrera. Mark Kinser drove the #5M Wirgten Maxim back through the field to finish sixth. Completing the top 10 in the World of Outlaws' 10th event of the year were Andy Hillenburg, Joe Gaerte, 15th-starting Donny Schatz and Greg Hodnett.
Rookie of the Year candidate Larry Neighbors arrived too late to take any qualifying laps. He passed cars early and often in the main event, however, racing into 14th place from outside the 13th row to post his best finish of the season.
The Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' next stop is Knoxville Raceway. "The Home of the Nationals" will host Featherlite Night Friday, April 24th, then Amoco Night, Saturday, April 25th. "The greatest show on dirt" is also scheduled to run a $40,000 event at Huset's Speedway on Sunday, April 26th. WoO
1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
West Plains Motor Speedway, West Plains, MO
Saturday, April 18, Feature Program #10
Qualifications: 1. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 11.090 (new one-lap record); 2. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 11.202; 3. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 11.269; 4. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 11.278; 5. Dale Blaney, Hylton-Blaney 93, 11.293; 6. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 11.391; 7. Greg Hodnett, Helm 11H, 11.413; 8. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 11.430; 9. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 11..466; 10. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 11.505; 11. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 11.520; 12. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 11.563; 13. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 11.569; 14. Danny Smith, Brazier 21S, 11.625; 15. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 11.670; 16. Randy Kinser, Kinser 14, 11.712; 17. Brooke Tatnell, RE Technologies 7K, 11.727; 18. Jerrod Hull, Hull 11J, 11.765; 19. Dion Hindi, Hindi 18, 11.768; 20. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 11.789; 21. Shane Stewart, Stewart 9S, 11.879; 22. Craig Dollansky, Stanton 75, 11.935; 23. Jason Evans, Evans 88, 12.153; 24. Rob Hartman, Hartman 17H, 12.379; 25. David Chappell, Chappell 50, 12.428; 26. Larry Neighbors, Neighbors 29N, no time.
First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Tyler Walker, 2. Randy Kinser, 3. Joe Gaerte, 4. Greg Hodnett, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. Stevie Smith, 7. Dion Hindi, 8. Craig Dollansky, 9. David Chappell. (first nine qualified for the "A" Feature)
Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Danny Smith, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Brooke Tatnell, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Dale Blaney, 6. Jac Haudenschild, 7. Lance Blevins, 8. Jason Evans. (first eight qualified for the "A" Feature)
Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Steve Kinser, 3. Jeff Swindell, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Sammy Swindell, 6. Shane Stewart, 7. Jerrod Hull, 8. Rob Hartman, 9. Larry Neighbors. (first nine qualified for the "A" Feature)
Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Dale Blaney, 2. Sammy Swindell, 3. Mark Kinser, 4. Stevie Smith, 5. Danny Lasoski, 6. Jac Haudenschild, 7. Andy Hillenburg, 8. Greg Hodnett. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature)
A Feature (30 laps): 1. Stevie Smith ($7,000); 2. Jac Haudenschild ($4,000); 3. Jeff Swindell ($3,000); 4. Steve Kinser ($2,500); 5. Johnny Herrera ($2,300); 6. Mark Kinser ($2,200); 7. Andy Hillenburg ($2,100); 8. Joe Gaerte ($2,000); 9. Donny Schatz ($1,700); 10. Greg Hodnett ($1,600); 11. Danny Smith ($1,200); 12. Danny Lasoski ($1,150); 13. Randy Kinser ($1,100); 14. Larry Neighbors ($1,050); 15. Brooke Tatnell ($1,000); 16. Tyler Walker ($700); 17. Shane Stewart ($600); 18. Dion Hindi ($500); 19. Lance Blevins ($500); 20. Jason Evans ($500); 21. David Chappell ($500); 22. Sammy Swindell ($500); 23. Jerrod Hull ($500); 24. Rob Hartman ($500); 25. Dale Blaney ($500); 26. Craig Dollansky ($500).
Lap leaders: Dale Blaney 1-5, Sammy
Swindell 6-9, Stevie Smith 10-30
Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Stevie Smith
WoO
1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
Point Standings & Statistics Through April 19th
Pennzoil World of Outlaws Pennzoil World of Outlaws
Driver Point Standings Car Owner Point Standings
1. Mark Kinser . . . . 1,517 1. Karl Kinser 5M . . . 1,517
2. Steve Kinser . . . 1,508 2. Steve Kinser 11 . . . 1,508
3. Stevie Smith . . . 1,470 3. Smith Racing 19 . . .. 1,470
4. Andy Hillenburg . . 1,445 4. Andy Hillenburg 2 . . 1,445
5. Jac Haudenschild . 1,442 5. Jack Elden 22 . . . . 1,442
6. Sammy Swindell . . 1,426 6. Sammy Swindell 1 . . 1,426
7. Jeff Swindell 7. Two Winners 104+
(tie) Johnny Herrera . 1,425 (tie) Gil Sonner 47 . . . 1,425
9. Joe Gaerte . . . . 1,421 9. Henry Holbrook 8H . . 1,421
10. Danny Lasoski . . . 1,380 10. Dennis Roth 83 . . . 1,380
11. Greg Hodnett . . . 1,342 11. David Helmm 11H . . . 1,342
12. Donny Schatz . . . 1,337 12. Danny Schatz 15 . . . 1,337
13. Dale Blaney . . . . 1,333 13. Hylton-Blaney 93 . . 1,333
14. Tyler Walker . . . 1,258 14. Bob Walker 35 . . . . 1,258
15. Craig Dollansky . . 1,155 15. Larry Neighbors 29N . 1,122
16. Larry Neighbors . . 1,122 16. Gary Stanton 75 . . . 1,041
17. Dion Hindi . . . . . 985 17. Shawkeet Hindi 18 . . . 985
18. Lance Blevins . . . . 795 18. Joe Blevins 21 . . . . 705
19. Terry McCarl . . . . 780 19. Terry McCarl 24 . . . . 780
20. Daryn Pittman . . . . 685 20. Dale Pittman 11P . . . 685
Pennzoil World of Outlaws Pennzoil World of Outlaws
Driver Earnings "A" Feature Winners
1. Mark Kinser . . . $49,265 1. Mark Kinser . . . . . . . 3
2. Steve Kinser . . $42,800 2. Steve Kinser . . . . . . 2
3. Stevie Smith . . $34,340 3. Stevie Smith
4. Jac Haudenschild $33,240 (tie) Jac Haudenschild
5. Sammy Swindell . $29,890 (tie) Sammy Swindell
6. Jeff Swindell . . $27,780 (tie) Jeff Swindell
7. Andy Hillenburg . $27,675 (tie) Joe Gaerte . . . . . . 1
8. Joe Gaerte . . . $25,650 Pennzoil World of Outlaws
9. Johnny Herrera . $24,790 Preliminary Feature Winners
10. Danny Lasoski . . $23,885 1. Mark Kinser
11. Greg Hodnett . . $17,530 (tie) Steve Kinser
12. Dale Blaney . . . $16,920 (tie) Joey Saldana . . . . . 1
13. Donny Schatz . . $16,120 Channellock Dash Pole Winners
14. Tyler Walker . . $13,330 1. Mark Kinser . . . . . . . 3
15. Craig Dollansky . . $9,565 2. Steve Kinser
16. Frankie Kerr . . . $7,450 (tie) Sammy Swindell . . . . 2
17. Larry Neighbors . . $6,620 Vivarin Fast-Time Award Winners
18. Terry McCarl . . . $5,810 1. Mark Kinser
19. Dion Hindi . . . . $4,180 (tie) Jac Haudenschild . . . 3
20. Lance Blevins . . . $3,570
