WOO: Mark Kinser Extends Winning Streak at 'The PAS'

LAKE PERRIS, CA - Mark Kinser's seventh straight victory at Perris Auto Speedway Saturday kept him alive - albeit barely - in the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series championship race.

Kinser would win his second title in three years by one point if he sweeps the season-ending Channellock Fall Classic races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Tuesday and Wednesday while cousin Steve Kinser fails to qualify for the features.

"It's pretty amazing," Mark said. "I've never had so much luck in one place in my life. They should build a casino here. I guess they already have one (the Santa Anita horse track off-track wagering parlor on the Perris Fairgrounds). Maybe I should try my luck over there."

There has been a little luck involved in Mark's streak at "The PAS." He was awarded a Preliminary Feature victory on February 14, 1997, when Dave Blaney was disqualified for having a broken muffler.

"I have a great crew, and they've kept at it all year," Mark said. "Steve's been playing it a bit conservative here lately, but he knows what it takes to get the job done. That's why he's the champion he is.

"Finishing the season strong means everything to me, because you carry your momentum all through the off-season. It keeps you from dragging your feet across the floor of the shop all winter."

Mark's father, car owner and crew chief, was equally elated, saying, "We've won every World of Outlaws race they've had here, so we like Perris."

Mark, who was seventh-quick in the time trial session, was fortunate to have Jeff Shepard and Terry McCarl - the two fastest qualifiers - finish out of the top five in their respective Racing Champions Heat Races. Instead of starting the Channellock Dash inside the fourth row, Mark started outside the front row. Winning his 12th Channellock Dash of the season gave him the pole in the "A" Feature.

Perennial Northern Auto Racing Club champion Brent Kaeding stopped in the fourth corner, delaying the start of the 30-lap main event. Despite attempts by Andy Hillenburg to pass him, Mark drove the #5M Wirtgen Maxim into the lead as the green flag replaced the yellow.

Mark was six car-lengths ahead of Hillenburg when they entered lapped traffic during the sixth lap. Stevie Smith started battling Hillenburg for second place during the race's middle stages. They exchanged the position twice before Blake Robertson and P.J. Chesson collided between turns one and two early in the 21st lap. Steve Kinser surrendered sixth place when his #11 Quaker State Maxim suffered a flat right rear tire during the caution period. Seven lapped cars

separating him from Smith allowed Mark to start rebuilding his advantage immediately after the race resumed. Defending Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series champion Sammy Swindell drove his #1 Channellock Stealth into the low groove in the third corner to pass Hillenburg late in lap 23, then took the runner-up spot from Smith with an inside move between the turns one and two four laps later.

Hillenburg challenged Smith for third place during 28th and 29th laps before executing a daring turn-four pass as they headed for the checkered flag. Mark claimed his 11th "A" Feature victory of the year as Swindell raced into the third corner.

"Bubby Jones and his crew did a great job with the track," Mark said. "With all the bad weather we've had, the tracks haven't exactly been great, but to come here and have a track like this is remarkable."

Shepard finished the "A" Feature in fifth place, ahead of Jac Haudenschild, Peter Murphy, Dale Blaney, 16th-starting Randy Hannagan and Steve Kinser.

Johnny Herrera was one position from qualifying for the main event in the First Racing Champions Heat Race and the "B" Feature. He used his second provisional and passed seven cars to finish 18th.

Shepard received his first Vivarin Fast-Time Award of the year for pacing the 37-car qualifying session with a 14.584-second, 123.423- m.p.h., lap around the semi-banked, 1/2-mile oval.

1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series
Perris Auto Speedway, Lake Perris, CA
  Saturday, October 31, Feature Program #64

Qualifications: 1. Jeff Shepard, Stewart 4J, 14.584; 2. Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 14.648; 3. Sammy Swindell, Swindell 1, 14.655; 4. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 14.675; 5. Andy Hillenburg, Hillenburg 2, 14.716; 6. Jac Haudenschild, Elden 22, 14.738; 7. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 14.740; 8. Travis Whitney, Whitney 7S, 14.758; 9. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 14.770; 10. Craig Dollansky, Dollansky 7, 14.774; 11. James Chesson, Chesson 22C, 14.794; 12. Peter Murphy, Williams 0, 14.795; 13. Dale Blaney, Hylton/Blaney 93, 14.806; 14. Tyler Walker, Walker 35, 14.832; 15. Danny Lasoski, Roth 83, 14.844; 16. Blake Robertson, BR Motorsports 15R, 14.861; 17. Randy Hannagan, THR 1x, 14.865; 18. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 14.872; 19. Tim Shaffer, Helm 11H, 14.915; 20. Jeff Swindell, Two Winners 104+, 14.932; 21. Joe Gaerte, Holbrook 8H, 14.957; 22. Paul McMahan, Stanton 75, 14.962; 23. P.J. Chesson, Chesson 76, 14.965; 24. Joey Saldana, DOCC Motorsports 1BK, 15.007; 25. Johnny Herrera, Sonner 47, 15.033; 26. Brent Kaeding, M&M Racing 2M, 15.047; 27. Calvin Landis, Landis 70, 15.167; 28. Kasey Kahne, Kahne 23K, 15.178; 29. Dean Jacobs, Holbrook 8, 15.228; 30. Daryn Pittman, Blevins 21, 15.274; 31. Brian Paulus, P&P Motorsports 28, 15.350; 32. Jim Carter, Rudeen 14, 15.417; 33. Duane Bonini, Jr., Bonini 72, 15.590; 34. Greg Decaires, Blackwell 27B, 15.726; 35. Shawn Sander, Sander 48, 15.833; 36. Tony Jones, Cowherd 48J, 15.846; 37. Raymond Shank, Shank 7x, 15.850.

First Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Joe Gaerte, 2. Randy Hannagan, 3. Stevie Smith, 4. Andy Hillenburg, 5. Dale Blaney, 6. Johnny Herrera, 7. Jeff Shepard, 8. Dean Jacobs, 9. Duane Bonini, Jr., 10. Raymond Shank. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Second Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Paul McMahan, 3. Craig Dollansky, 4. Tyler Walker, 5. Jac Haudenschild, 6. Terry McCarl, 7. Brent Kaeding, 8. Daryn Pittman, 9. Greg Decaires. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Third Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Tim Shaffer, 2. P.J. Chesson, 3. Danny Lasoski, 4. Sammy Swindell, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. James Chesson, 7. Brian Paulus, 8. Calvin Landis, 9. Shawn Sander. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Fourth Racing Champions Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Joey Saldana, 2. Jeff Swindell, 3. Peter Murphy, 4. Steve Kinser, 5. Blake Robertson, 6. Travis Whitney, 7. Kasey Kahne, 8. Jim Carter, 9. Tony Jones. (first five qualified for the "A" Feature)

Channellock Dash (five laps): 1. Mark Kinser, 2. Andy Hillenburg, 3. Stevie Smith, 4. Steve Kinser, 5. Jac Haudenschild, 6. Sammy Swindell, 7. Craig Dollansky, 8. Peter Murphy. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the "A" Feature)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Travis Whitney, 2. Brent Kaeding, 3. Jeff Shepard, 4. Terry McCarl, 5. Johnny Herrera, 6. Brian Paulus ($200); 7. Daryn Pittman ($180); 8. Dean Jacobs ($150); 9. Duane Bonini, Jr. ($110); 10. Calvin Landis ($90); 11. Greg Decaires ($80); 12. Kasey Kahne ($60); 13. Raymond Shank ($50); 14. Shawn Sander ($50); 15. James Chesson ($50); 16. Tony Jones ($50); 17. Jim Carter ($50). (first four qualified for the "A" Feature)

A Feature (30 laps): 1. Mark Kinser ($7,000); 2. Sammy Swindell ($4,000); 3. Andy Hillenburg ($3,000); 4. Stevie Smith ($2,500); 5. Jeff Shepard ($2,320); 6. Jac Haudenschild ($2,200); 7. Peter Murphy ($2,100); 8. Dale Blaney ($2,000); 9. Randy Hannagan ($1,700); 10. Steve Kinser ($1,600); 11. Jeff Swindell ($1,200); 12. Danny Lasoski ($1,150); 13. Travis Whitney ($1,120); 14. Terry McCarl ($1,070); 15. Tyler Walker ($1,000); 16. Brent Kaeding ($720); 17. Donny Schatz ($600); 18. Johnny Herrera ($520); 19. Tim Shaffer ($500); 20. Joey Saldana ($500); 21. Paul McMahan ($500); 22. Joe Gaerte ($500); 23. Blake Robertson ($500); 24. P.J. Chesson ($500); 25. Craig Dollansky ($500). Provisional starter - Johnny Herrera

Lap leader: Mark Kinser 1-30

Vivarin Fast-Time Award winner: Jeff Shepard