WOO: Mark Kinser Gets Back on Track in National Opener

3 October 1998

By Richard Day

MECHANICSBURG, PA - While Mark Kinser considers it an honor and a privilege to drive for his father, Karl Kinser, he also has to endure the pressure that comes from racing with the 15-time Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series champion car owner.

Mark eased some of that intense pressure Friday by winning the Preliminary Feature in the 36th Annual Williams Grove National Open.

"We need to come back tomorrow night and win one for the Gipper, Mark said, referring to his father. "After struggling the way we've been, maybe it will help a little and get him off my back."

Mark's fifth Preliminary Feature victory of the season pushed him to within six points of Sammy Swindell in their battle for second place in the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series standings.

Kinser, the 11th-fastest qualifier in the 49-car field, received plenty of help in the Racing Champions Heat Races. Only three of the eight fastest drivers in time trials qualified for the feature through the heat races, putting Mark on the front row in the Channellock Dash. He earned the right to start the Preliminary Feature on the pole by winning his 11th Channellock Dash of the year.

The Racing Champions Heat Races were so competitive that Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series front-runners Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski, along with Tim Shaffer and Billy Pauch, were forced to qualify for the evening's main event through the "B" Feature.

Kevin Gobrecht, who won the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' July 31st "A" Feature at Williams Grove, took the high line around Mark and beat him into the first corner as the green flag fell in the Preliminary Feature.

Joe Gaerte tangled with Swindell in turn one early in the second lap. Donny Schatz was unable to steer clear of the crash and flipped over the guard rail, bringing out the red flag. Schatz' Blue Beacon crew quickly replaced his top wing and front axle, enabling him to restart. Swindell wasn't as fortunate, and had to wait to return to the race during the next caution.

Sammy didn't have to wait long, however. The #1G lost its top wing during the ensuing restart, sending Gobrecht into the outside retaining wall in the first corner. Mark restarted in the lead and Swindell returned at the rear of the field a lap down.

"The Wirtgen Maxim worked really good tonight, but Gobrecht's misfortune really helped us out," Kinser admitted. "He would have been tough to beat."

After a caution for Jac Haudenschild's third-corner spin, Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner Tyler Walker passed Jeff Shepard for fourth and Greg Hodnett took the high line around Cris Eash into second place.

Kinser, who swept the 1995 Williams Grove National Open, entered lapped traffic with a full straightaway advantage 12 laps into the race. A broken radius rod on the #21 Up Front J&J forced Lance Blevins to stop on the front stretch the next time around, bringing out the caution and opening the track for the leaders.

Eash and Hodnett exchanged second place before Gaerte stopped the #8H Maxim on the back stretch with a broken front end late in lap 15.

Hodnett challenged Kinser for the lead as the green flag replaced the yellow, racing wheel-to-wheel with him through turns one and two and down the back stretch before Mark surged ahead in the third corner. Lasoski, who started inside the sixth row, steered the #83 Beef Packers Eagle deep in turn one to pass both Walker and Shepard with 5 3/4 laps remaining.

Kinser steadily built a comfortable advantage and took the checkered flag with Hodnett racing into turn three.

"I was concerned about Greg Hodnett," Mark said. "I haven't raced with him for a while, but I've heard a lot about him lately. Now I know why.

"Even before I could drive a car, I could come here (to Williams Grove) and run pretty good. This place has been pretty good to me."

Danny Lasoski finished the Preliminary Feature in third place, ahead of Eash, Walker, Shepard, Steve Kinser, Shaffer, Pauch and 19th- starting Johnny Herrera.

Andy Hillenburg, who won a Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series main event at Williams Grove on June 3, 1994, drove his #2 J&J past 12 cars to finish in 12th place.

Walker received his sixth Vivarin Fast-Time Award of the season after pacing the qualifying session with a 17.392-second, 103.496- m.p.h. lap around the legendary semi-banked, 1/2-mile oval.

1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series

36th Annual Williams Grove National Open

Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA

Friday, October 2, Preliminary Program

Qualifications: 1. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 17.392; 2. Tim Shaffer, Helm 11H, 17.431; 3. P.J. Chesson, Chesson 76, 17.472; 4. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 17.485; 5. Greg Hodnett, Apple Motorsports 12, 17.536; 6. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 17.560; 7. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 17.562; 8. James Chesson, Chesson 22C, 17.565; 9. Paul McMahan, Stanton 75, 17.576; 10. Cris Eash, E&G Classics 17E, 17.578; 11. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 17.601; 12. Kevin Gobrecht, Zemaitis 1G, 17.629; 13. Jeff Shepard, Stewart 4J, 17.629; 14. Lance Dewease, Dyer 461, 17.634; 15. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 17.653; 16. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 17.653; 17. Billy Pauch, Zemaitis 1Z, 17.669; 18. Dale Blaney, Hylton/Blaney 93, 17.693; 19. Sean Michael, Harz 88M, 17.695; 20. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 17.731; 21. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 17.747; 22. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 17.767; 23. Lance Blevins, Blevins 21, 17.867; 24. Todd Shaffer, Beam 88, 17.890; 25. Fred Rahmer, Hamilton 77, 17.935; 26. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 17.940; 27. Todd Gracey, Cooper 25, 17.956; 28. Todd Hestor, Middlesworth 7M, 17.967; 29. Johnny Mackison, Swope 65, 17.971; 30. Don Kreitz, Jr., Kreitz 69, 17.993; 31. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 17.995; 32. Shawn Keen, Keen 53, 18.019; 33. Brian Paulus, P&P Motorsports 28, 18.030; 34. Brook Weibley, Weibley 32, 18.055; 35. Dave Haight, Neiderer 10N, 18.118; 36. Craig Dollansky, Dollansky 7, 18.144; 37. Rod George, Bomberger 5G, 18.294; 38. Brian Gobrecht, Gobrecht 92, 18.304; 39. Brian Ellenberger, Ellenberger 20, 18.306; 40. Jesse Wentz, Wentz 2W, 18.350; 41. Mike Wagner, Wagner 55, 18.358; 42. Ed Lynch, Jr., Lynch 2L, 18.406; 43. Len Thompson, Thompson 10T, 18.431; 44. Jimmy Burns, Thomas 77T, 18.461; 45. Bobby Allen, Pell 1a, 18.618; 46. Jeff Rohrbaugh, Tanger 07, 18.622; 47. Ned Powers, Powers 0, 18.974; 48. Mark Coldren, Coldren 107, 19.078; 49. William Kiley, Kiley 4K, 19.314.

First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Sammy Swindell, 2. Jeff Shepard, 3. Fred Rahmer, 4. Greg Hodnett, 5. Tyler Walker, 6. Brian Paulus, 7. Johnny Mackison, 8. Mike Wagner, 9. Billy Pauch, 10. Bobby Allen, 11. Paul McMahan, 12. William Kiley, 13. Rod George. (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Johnny Herrera, 2. Lance Dewease, 3. Cris Eash, 4. Dale Blaney, 5. Jeff Swindell, 6. Steve Kinser, 7. Don Kreitz, Jr., 8. Tim Shaffer, 9. Brook Weibley, 10. Jeff Rohrbaugh, 11. Ed Lynch, Jr., 12. Brian Gobrecht. 2:25.40 (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Sean Michael, 2. Mark Kinser, 3. Lance Blevins, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Joe Gaerte, 6. Danny Lasoski, 7. P.J. Chesson, 8. Todd Gracey, 9. Brian Ellenberger, 10. Dave Haight, 11. Len Thompson, 12. Ned Powers. 2:26.38 (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Stevie Smith, 2. Jac Haudenschild, 3. Todd Shaffer, 4. Kevin Gobrecht, 5. Donny Schatz, 6. James Chesson, 7. Shawn Keen, 8. Craig Dollansky, 9. Jesse Wentz, 10. Jimmy Burns, 11. Mark Coldren, 12. Todd Hestor. 2:27.88 (first five qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Mark Kinser, 2. Kevin Gobrecht, 3. Greg Hodnett, 4. Cris Eash, 5. Jac Haudenschild, 6. Jeff Shepard, 7. Tyler Walker, 8. Lance Dewease. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the Preliminary Feature)

C Feature (10 laps): 1. Brian Gobrecht, 2. Jesse Wentz, 3. Rod George, 4. Mike Wagner ($100); 5. Brian Ellenberger ($80); 6. Jeff Rohrbaugh ($60); 7. Len Thompson ($50); 8. Ed Lynch, Jr. ($40); 9. Jimmy Burns ($30); 10. Mark Coldren ($25); 11. Ned Powers ($25); 12. William Kiley ($25). 3:09.65 (first three qualified for the "B" Feature)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Steve Kinser, 3. Tim Shaffer, 4. Billy Pauch, 5. P.J. Chesson ($150); 6. Todd Gracey ($125); 7. Don Kreitz, Jr. ($100); 8. James Chesson ($75); 9. Paul McMahan ($60); 10. Brian Paulus ($50); 11. Shawn Keen ($40); 12. Johnny Mackison ($40); 13. Rod George ($60); 14. Craig Dollansky ($40); 15. Brook Weibley ($40); 16. Jesse Wentz ($60); 17. Brian Gobrecht ($60); 18. Dave Haight ($40); 19. Todd Hestor ($40). 3:48.95 (first four qualified for the Preliminary Feature)

Preliminary Feature (20 laps): 1. Mark Kinser ($4,500); 2. Greg Hodnett ($2,500); 3. Danny Lasoski ($1,720); 4. Cris Eash ($1,500); 5. Tyler Walker ($1,350); 6. Jeff Shepard ($1,250); 7. Steve Kinser ($1,220); 8. Tim Shaffer ($1,120); 9. Billy Pauch ($1,095); 10. Johnny Herrera ($1,050); 11. Fred Rahmer ($1,000); 12. Andy Hillenburg ($800); 13. Dale Blaney ($700); 14. Jeff Swindell ($630); 15. Stevie Smith ($400); 16. Jac Haudenschild ($400); 17. Donny Schatz ($300); 18. Sean Michael ($300); 19. Todd Shaffer ($300); 20. Lance Blevins ($300); 21. Lance Dewease ($300); 22. Sammy Swindell ($300); 23. Joe Gaerte ($300); 24. Kevin Gobrecht ($300).

Lap leaders: Kevin Gobrecht 1-2, Mark Kinser 3-20

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Tyler Walker