WOO: Haudenschild Claims His First Gold Cup Championship
21 September 1998
By Richard Day 
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CHICO, CA - Jac Haudenschild has seen the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat at Silver Dollar Speedway.
He won the Mini Gold Cup in 1987 and 1989, but recorded only two top-10 finishes in the Gold Cup Race of Champions between 1994 and 1997. Haudenschild felt like he was due to win one of the few prestigious Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series events to elude him.
After battling local favorite Randy Tiner during the first seven laps, Haudenschild took control of the 45th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions main event Saturday and raced under the checkered flag with a half-straightaway to spare. Brent Kaeding was the runner-up for the second straight year.
"We've wanted this for a long time," Jac said. "We've been fast here before, but never got to the checkered flag.
"I have to thank Jack Elden and my crew for giving me a great car. I also have to thank my wife, Patty, for all of her support."
The $20,000 victory, Haudenschild's 10th of the season, pushed him past Johnny Herrera into seventh place in the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series point standings. The most "A" Features Haudenschild had ever won in a season before 1998 was six in 1989.
Haudenschild started the 40-lap championship feature outside the front row next to Tiner, the First Preliminary Feature winner. After Bud Kaeding's first-corner spin brought back the original start, Tiner burst into the lead.
Haudenschild and Tiner exchanged first place during the next two laps. Haudenschild steered the #22 Pennzoil Maxim into the high groove between the first and second corners to take the lead early in the second lap, but Tiner came back with a low move in the same spot the next time around.
Tiner entered lapped traffic with a four-car-length advantage seven laps into the race. Haudenschild caught him the next time around, and took the lead with a high move between turns three and four. Tiner tangled with Tyler Walker as they headed out of the fourth corner, and lost five positions before Walker stopped to bring out the caution flag.
Haudenschild opened a half-straightaway advantage within three laps after the green flag replaced the yellow. He was half a lap ahead of his closest pursuers when Kaeding passed two-time Gold Cup champion Andy Hillenburg for second place early in lap 23.
Jeff Swindell, winner of the 1996 Gold Cup, passed Hillenburg for third three laps later, but a back-straightaway collision with a lapped car during lap 32 pushed Jeff back to eighth place.
Tiner battled his way back into fifth place by the 35th lap when Bobby McMahan stopped on the back stretch with a flat left rear tire. Bud Kaeding brought out the final caution flag with a fourth-corner spin late in the 38th lap.
Haudenschild controlled the ensuing restart and took the checkered flag while Brent Kaeding raced through turn four.
"Randy (Tiner) has been the fast guy out here this year, and we knew he'd be tough," Haudenschild said. "We got the Goodyear tires hooked up to the track and took off. The car felt good, and the track had three grooves. You could run anywhere tonight."
Hillenburg held off Pennzoil World of Outlaws point standings leader Steve Kinser for third place. Completing the top 10 in the series' 57th event of the year were Tiner, 14th-starting Mark Kinser, 1993 Gold Cup champion Stevie Smith, Jeff Swindell, Danny Lasoski and Sammy Swindell.
Steve Kinser, winner of nine Gold Cup championships, has a 48- point lead over defending Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series champion Sammy Swindell with 11 events remaining on the schedule.
Manufacturers Rookie of the Year candidates Walker and Dale Blaney took provisionals to start the championship feature. Walker finished 10th in the "B" Feature while a first-lap crash on the opening lap of the last-chance race caused Blaney to finish 18th. Walker and Blaney finished 23rd and 24th, respectively, in the main event.
Peter Murphy won the "B" Feature, while Graydon Cross finished first in the "C" Feature. Kyle Schild claimed the "D" Feature and Korey Lovell won the "E" Feature.
The Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' next stop is I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, NE. The Inaugural Cornhusker Outlaws Showdown is scheduled for Friday and Saturday. TNN: The Nashville Network will televise Friday's races live on its Motor Madness program. The three- hour starts at 8 p.m. eastern time.
1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series 45th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions Silver Dollar Speedway, Chico, CA
Saturday, September 19, Feature Program #57
E Feature (10 laps): 1. Korey Lovell, 2. Claudia Harvey, 3. Steve Fehrman, 4. Dave Clarke ($100); 5. Gerald Hopping ($75); 6. Greg Sherman ($50); 7. Pat Desbiens ($50); 8. Tim Sherman ($50); 9. Jim Marsh ($50). (first three qualified for the D Feature)
D Feature (12 laps): 1. Kyle Schild, 2. Jason York, 3. Jon McClain, 4. Gary Willey, 5. Mark Cooper, 6. Tony Souza ($100); 7. Daniel Hood ($75); 8. Jimmy Sills ($75); 9. Korey Lovell ($75); 10. Ty Hawkins ($50); 11. Alan Bradway ($50); 12. Steve Fehrman ($75); 13. Mark Tabor ($50); 14. Claudia Harvey ($75); 15. Kevin Lovell ($50); 16. Jeff Young ($50).
C Feature (15 laps): 1. Graydon Cross, 2. Jimmy Trulli, 3. Ron McBride ($300); 4. Jerry Bonema ($250); 5. Jim Carter ($200); 6. Tim Kaeding ($175); 7. David Fowler ($150); 8. Mark Cooper ($175); 9. Jason York ($150); 10. Todd Bammer ($100); 11. Gary Willey ($150); 12. Rick Frock ($100); 13. Jonathan Allard ($100); 14. Mike Benson ($100); 15. Jon McClain ($150); 16. Kyle Schild ($150). (first two qualified for the B Feature)
B Feature (20 laps): 1. Peter Murphy, 2. Donny Schatz, 3. Jason Statler, 4. Randy Hannagan, 5. Sean Fenn ($500); 6. Kevin Pylant ($450); 7. Lance Blevins ($400); 8. Andy Forsberg ($350); 9. Duane Bonini, Jr. ($325); 10. Tyler Walker, 11. Roger Crockett ($250); 12. Brian Coelho ($225); 13. Jimmy Trulli ($200); 14. Tim Shaffer ($150); 15. Graydon Cross ($200); 16. Ryan Riley ($150); 17. Colby Weissz ($150); 18. Dale Blaney. (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)
A Feature (40 laps): 1. Jac Haudenschild ($20,000); 2. Brent Kaeding ($10,000); 3. Andy Hillenburg ($5,500); 4. Steve Kinser ($4,600); 5. Randy Tiner ($3,500); 6. Mark Kinser ($2,760); 7. Stevie Smith ($2,300); 8. Jeff Swindell ($2,200); 9. Danny Lasoski ($2,100); 10. Sammy Swindell ($2,000); 11. Bobby McMahan ($1,700); 12. Greg DeCaires ($1,600); 13. Johnny Herrera ($1,450); 14. Donny Schatz ($1,325); 15. Tommy Tarlton ($1,200); 16. Jason Meyers ($1,050); 17. Randy Hannagan ($1,025); 18. Jason Statler ($725); 19. Shane Scott ($600); 20. Joe Gaerte ($600); 21. Bud Kaeding ($600); 22. Brad Furr 23. Tyler Walker ($600); 24. Dale Blaney ($600); 25. Peter Murphy ($625). DNS - Paul McMahan. Provisional starters - Tyler Walker, Dale Blaney.
Lap leaders: Randy Tiner 1, 3-7; Jac Haudenschild 2, 8-40
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