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WOO: Swindell Completes Sweep of San Jose Event

31 August 1998

By Richard Day

SAN JOSE, CA - This time last year, Sammy Swindell took control of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series championship race with seven straight feature victories.

Swindell closed to within 27 points of Steve Kinser in their battle for first place in the standings Saturday by completing his sweep of the $77,000 event at San Jose Speedway.

"The Channellock car was pretty fast tonight," Sammy said, "but we just weren't getting through traffic as well as we did Friday. The track was a lot tougher. They put a lot of water on it and it made it pretty tight, especially if you had to run the top to get through the traffic.

"I have to thank the Lord for another safe night and another win. Maybe this will get our momentum going and we can win the rest of the races this year."

The $12,000 victory was Swindell's seventh in a Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series main event this season. He won 19 on his way to claiming his third series championship in 1997.

Sammy earned the pole position in the 53rd "A" Feature of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' 20th Anniversary Season by winning his ninth Channellock Dash.

Swindell drove his #1 Channellock Stealth ahead of the 25-car field as the green flag fell. He was closely pursued by outside polesitter Jac Haudenschild.

Haudenschild, who won a Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series "A" Feature at San Jose on September 12, 1992, tried to take the lead with high moves through turns three and four during the third and fourth laps. He veered into the low groove between the first and second corners during lap five, but was unable to surge ahead.

Swindell and Haudenschild were bumper-to-bumper when they entered lapped traffic seven laps into the race. Haudenschild steered the #22 Pennzoil Maxim to the lowest point between turns one and two early in the eighth lap, but was unable to complete the pass.

After withstanding Donny Schatz' challenge early in lap nine, Haudenschild returned his attention to the leader and passed Sammy with an inside move through the third and fourth corners late in the 10th lap. Haudenschild opened a 10-car-length lead within five laps.

Haudenschild lost his comfortable advantage when Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race winner Tyler Walker stopped the #35 Air Sep Eagle in turn two early in the 17th lap.

Kinser, who started outside the fifth row, passed cousin Mark Kinser for fifth place with a low move into turn two as the race resumed. Stevie Smith passed Mark for sixth the next time around.

Swindell was challenging Haudenschild for the lead when broken suspension components on the #83T forced Randy Tiner to stop in the third corner late in lap 23.

The leaders were racing in dense lapped traffic in turn four as they headed for the checkered flag. Brent Kaeding and Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner Blake Robertson collided and Haudenschild tangled with Todd Bammer, giving Swindell the lead.

Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series rules don't allow races to end under caution, so two more laps were run after the green flag replaced the yellow.

Swindell controlled the ensuing restart while Schatz and Danny Lasoski exchanged the runner-up spot. Schatz was 10 car- lengths behind when Sammy took the checkered flag in the third "A" Feature victory of his career at San Jose Speedway.

"When those guys (Kaeding and Robertson) got together there in turn four, the #18 car (Bammer) moved up and Haud didn't have anywhere to go," Swindell explained.

Lasoski finished in third place, ahead of Steve Kinser, Smith, Mark Kinser, Dale Blaney, Jeff Swindell, 18th-starting Andy Hillenburg and Johnny Herrera.

Joe Gaerte, the only provisional starter in the field, passed five sprinters to finish 20th.

Robertson received the first Vivarin Fast-Time Award of his career after pacing the qualifying session with a 14.078-second lap around the semi-banked, 1/3-mile oval.

The Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series will take a week off before sanctioning the $115,000 Harvest Classic at Calistoga Speedway Friday, Saturday and Sunday. WoO

1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
San Jose Speedway, San Jose, CA
Saturday, August 29, Feature Program #53

Qualifications: 1. Blake Robertson, BR Motorsports 15R, 14.078; 2. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 14.127; 3. Dale Blaney, Hylton/Blaney 93, 14.268; 4. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 14.291; 5. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 14.307; 6. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 14.324; 7. Randy Tiner, Tiner 83T, 14.344; 8. Tim Shaffer, Helm 11H, 14.347; 9. Roger Crockett, Crockett 7N, 14.362; 10. Randy Hannagan, THR 1x, 14.391; 11. Jim Taves, Taves 34, 14.475; 12. Mark Monico, ATM Motorsports 21M, 14.528; 13. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 14.529; 14. Graydon Cross, Cross 8C, 14.580; 15. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 14.607; 16. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 14.609; 17. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 14.613; 18. Paul McMahan, Stanton 75, 14.633; 19. Peter Murphy, Williams 0, 14.702; 20. Steve Coelho, Coelho 6C, 14.707; 21. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 14.713; 22. Brian Coelho, Coelho 5C, 14.734; 23. Steve Kent, McMillian/Mitchel 10, 14.743; 24. Kevin Pylant, Pylant 14P, 14.822; 25. Jason Statler, ATM/Rios 00, 14.847; 26. Duane Bonini, Jr., Bonini 72, 14.849; 27. Brent Kaeding, M&M Racing 2M, 14.849; 28. Ryan Riley, Filipich 98, 14.851; 29. Lee Brewer, Jr., Brewer 1ST, 14.864; 30. Ronnie Day, Offill 88W, 14.899; 31. Kasey Kahne, Kahne 23K, 14.905; 32. Todd Bammer, Bammer 18, 14.937; 33. Tommy Tarlton, Tarlton 21T, 14.995; 34. Bud Kaeding, Macieal 29, 15.003; 35. Eric Rossi, Owens/Fowler 24F, 15.114; 36. Jason Meyers, Carter 14, 15.281; 37. Tim Kaeding, Wright 35W, 15.456; 38. Keith Nafzger, Brown 9B, 15.559; 39. Daniel Hood, Hood 33, 15.659; 40. Jason York, York 25, 15.745.

First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Roger Crockett, 2. Jeff Swindell, 3. Stevie Smith, 4. Johnny Herrera, 5. Joe Gaerte, 6. Blake Robertson, 7. Tommy Tarlton, 8. Lee Brewer, Jr., 9. Jason Statler, 10. Tim Kaeding. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Randy Hannagan, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Graydon Cross, 5. Brian Coelho, 6. Bud Kaeding, 7. Paul McMahan, 8. Duane Bonini, Jr., 9. Ronnie Day, 10. Keith Nafzger. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Lance Blevins, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Steve Kent, 4. Randy Tiner, 5. Peter Murphy, 6. Jim Taves, 7. Kasey Kahne, 8. Eric Rossi, 9. Daniel Hood, 10. Brent Kaeding. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Tyler Walker, 2. Andy Hillenburg, 3. Tim Shaffer, 4. Todd Bammer, 5. Steve Coelho, 6. Kevin Pylant, 7. Jason York, 8. Mark Monico, 9. Ryan Riley, 10. Jason Meyers. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

Finishing 1-4 in Friday's Preliminary Feature automatically qualified Sammy Swindell, Jac Haudenschild, Donny Schatz and Mark Kinser for the first four starting positions in the Channellock Dash.

Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Sammy Swindell, 2. Jac Haudenschild, 3. Donny Schatz, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Dale Blaney, 6. Mark Kinser. (finish determined the first six starting positions in the "A" Feature)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Blake Robertson, 2. Brent Kaeding, 3. Paul McMahan, 4. Jason Statler, 5. Peter Murphy ($200); 6. Joe Gaerte, 7. Jim Taves ($175); 8. Steve Coelho ($150); 9. Lee Brewer, Jr. ($100); 10. Kevin Pylant ($90); 11. Brian Coelho ($80); 12. Ryan Riley ($60); 13. Duane Bonini, Jr. ($50); 14. Mark Monico ($50). (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

A Feature (30 laps): 1. Sammy Swindell ($12,000); 2. Donny Schatz ($6,000); 3. Danny Lasoski ($3,500); 4. Steve Kinser ($3,200); 5. Stevie Smith ($3,000); 6. Mark Kinser ($2,500); 7. Dale Blaney ($2,300); 8. Jeff Swindell ($2,200) 9. Andy Hillenburg ($2,100); 10. Johnny Herrera ($2,000); 11. Randy Hannagan ($1,500); 12. Tim Shaffer ($1,400); 13. Lance Blevins ($1,300); 14. Blake Robertson ($1,220); 15. Tyler Walker ($1,000); 16. Brent Kaeding ($1,020); 17. Jac Haudenschild ($800); 18. Steve Kent ($600); 19. Paul McMahan ($620); 20. Joe Gaerte ($620); 21. Jason Statler ($620); 22. Todd Bammer ($600); 23. Randy Tiner ($600); 24. Roger Crockett ($600); 25. Graydon Cross ($600). Provisional starter - Joe Gaerte

Lap leaders: Sammy Swindell 1-9, 29-30; Jac Haudenschild 10-28

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Blake Robertson