WOO: Haudenschild Hurt; Bruns Joins Pennzoil Team
4 June 1998
By Richard DayVERMILLION, OH - Jac Haudenschild suffered an injury to his left shoulder Monday when the #22 Pennzoil Maxim hit the outside retaining wall during his first qualifying lap at Lebanon Valley Speedway.
Although Haudenschild came back to qualify for the main event by passing nine cars in the "B" Feature, the injury kept him from finishing the 25-lap race. Car owner Jack Elden says the injury will keep Haudenschild out of a few Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series events, which will give new crew chief Dean "Banzai" Bruns time to get acquainted with the team. Bruns, who has worked with several World of Outlaws teams - including Dion Hindi's this year - replaces Guy Forbrook, who decided to start his own team.
"Jac hasn't pulled off the track in seven years with me, so I know he was hurting," Elden said Wednesday. "When he came off the track, he couldn't move it. He's had trouble with that arm in the past.
"We're having all kinds of problems right now. We thought (crewman) David Kinnard had a broken ankle. He stepped off the truck and hurt it the other day and my wife and I drove him to the hospital."
When the conversation turned to his new crew chief, Elden said, "I was taken by surprise when Guy quit. We hired Dean Bruns immediately.
"We're just waiting for Jac to get well, then we'll be back racing with the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series. That could be by the Bloomington Speedway race (June 12th), if not sooner. I'd like for him to be back for the Springfield (Illinois State Fair Speedway) race, but I don't think he'll be ready."
Haudenschild took the early lead in the point standings by winning the season opener at Manzanita Speedway. He put together the first double-feature sweep of his career at Knoxville Raceway in early May for his second "A" Feature victory of the year. A 16th-place finish at Lincoln Speedway Saturday and a 23rd at Lebanon Valley Monday broke a string of four straight top-10 runs and dropped him into seventh place in the standings, 23 points behind Johnny Herrera. He recorded 13 top-10 finishes - 10 in the top five - through the first 22 events of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' 20th Anniversary Season.
Haudenschild enjoyed the best season of his career in 1997. He, Elden and Forbrook combined to win two "A" Features and finish fourth in the point standings. His 18 Vivarin Fast-Time Awards was the highest total of his career. For his contribution, Forbrook received the Channellock Mechanic of the Year award.
