By Richard Day
KNOXVILLE, IA (April 26) – Danny Lasoski loves Knoxville Raceway, so winning there is extra special.
The seven-time Knoxville Raceway champion completed his sweep of the Spring Classic Saturday, leading all 30 laps from the pole. The victory increased his O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series points lead to 60 points over defending and 17-time champion Steve Kinser.
"The first thing I want to do is thank all the people from J.D. Byrider who are here tonight supporting our team,” Lasoski said following his 80th victory at Knoxville. “I owe this whole weekend to Jimmy Carr. He's the greatest crew chief in the world. I let him down here last August, and I promised him if I was healthy that would never happen again. Jimmy and Todd Splain work their tails off and never complain, even though I mess up sometimes and make mistakes.
“J.D. Byrider, Home Depot, Mopar, American Compressed Steel, Eagle Chassis, Kistler Engines and Hoosier Tires all do a great job for us, and I just have the lucky job of driving this car. This place is the sprint car capital of the world, and as far as I'm concerned, it will always be home to me, so winning here is always pretty special."
Lasoski, who also won Friday’s Preliminary Feature, earned the privilege of starting the 30-lap main event on the pole by winning his fourth Dash Race of the season. He drove NASCAR Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart’s #20 J.D. Byrider Eagle into the lead as flagman Doug Clark waved the green flag and was never challenged.
“B” Feature winner Joey Saldana, Second Heat Race winner Craig Dollansky and 19th-starting Tyler Walker passed Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year candidate Jason Sides during the first five laps. Walker, whose crew replaced the engine in the #35 C&W Motorsports Maxim following the hot-lap session, missed his turn in the qualifying order and took one lap at the end.
“The Dude” was two seconds ahead of front row starter Donny Schatz when he entered lapped traffic seven laps into the race.
Kinser and Schatz exchanged the runner-up spot during laps nine and 14. “The King of the Outlaws” drove his #11 Quaker State Maxim past Schatz in the low groove between turns three and four, only to have the 1997 Rookie of the Year come back with an inside move in the second corner. Schatz’s #15 Parker Stores J&J was within 1.2 seconds of Lasoski in dense lapped traffic during the race’s middle stages.
Terry McCarl, who has won the Knoxville Raceway championship the last three years, took the low line into turn four to pass Lasoski’s nephew, Brian Brown, for seventh place late in lap 16. Walker passed Brown for eighth place with a similar move the next time around.
Mark Kinser and Daryn Pittman passed Tim Shaffer for fourth and fifth place during the 18th and 21st laps. Walker and McCarl exchanged seventh place the next time around.
Brian Paulus and Fourth Heat Race winner Chris Walraven collided in turn four early in lap 23. Paulus kept P and P Motorsports’ #28 Verdeilli Farms Maxim under control, but Walraven stopped, bringing out the caution flag.
Shaffer steered the #83 Beef Packers Eagle deep in the fourth corner to pass Mark Kinser and Pittman to claim fourth place within seconds after the green flag replaced the yellow. Kinser passed Shaffer in the low groove between turns one and two with 5 2/3 laps remaining.
Lasoski controlled the final restart, and was 6.1 seconds ahead of Schatz when he took the checkered flag. Steve Kinser finished in third place, ahead of cousin Mark Kinser, Shaffer, Pittman, McCarl, Walker, Saldana and 17th-starting Jeff Shepard. Skip Jackson, who won Knoxville Raceway championships in 1997 and 1998, raced into 14th place from outside the 12th row.
Mark Kinser was the fastest qualifier for the third time this season, pacing time trials with a 119.8-M.P.H. lap around the legendary half-mile oval. The three-time Knoxville Nationals champion also won the First Heat Race.
The O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series will sanction the Omaha Dodge Dealers Great Plains Shootout Friday and Saturday. WoO
2003 O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series
Spring Classic, Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, IA
Saturday, April 26, Feature Program #15
Qualifying: 1. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 15.025; 2. Daryn Pittman, Sher-Don Motorsports 21, 15.140; 3. Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 15.188; 4. Kevin Frey, Frey 2K, 15.255; 5. P.J. Chesson, Chesson 76, 15.307; 6. Joey Saldana, Saldana 17, 15.354; 7. Brian Brown, Parsons 6, 15.397; 8. Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 15.431; 9. Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 15.446; 10. Craig Dollansky, Karavan Racing 7, 15.451; 11. Kerry Madsen, Madsen/Gunder 82, 15.461; 12. Chris Walraven, Muddy Lush Racing 56, 15.529; 13. Jonathan Allard, Wright 35W, 15.554; 14. Jeff Shepard, Helm 11H, 15.558; 15. Travis Cram, Cram 92, 15.565; 16. Calvin Landis, Landis 70, 15.590; 17. Tyler Walker, C&W Motorsports 35, 15.587 (scored 17th after missing his position in the qualifying order); 18. Johnny Herrera, Wilburn 2W, 15.606; 19. Tim St.Arnold, Kinney 7ST, 15.623; 20. Randy Hannagan, TH Racing 1X, 15.624; 21. Jaymie Moyle, Vanderecken 10, 15.668; 22. Jac Haudenschild, Forbrook 5, 15.683; 23. Brooke Tatnell, Grandstaff 66, 15.684; 24. Collin Northway, Northway 60, 15.704; 25. Jeff Mitrisin, Mitisin 5J, 15.713; 26. Mike Moore, Moore 69, 15.721; 27. Brian Paulus, P and P Motorsports 28, 15.729; 28. Justin Henderson, Carnahan R19, 15.731; 29. Blake Feese, Ritchart 3, 15.748; 30. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 15.767; 31. Ricky Logan, Gifford 17G, 15.768; 32. Wayne Johnson, Vielhauer 12X, 15.771; 33. Jeff Hodgson, Hodgson V8, 15.806; 34. Jeff Johnson, Johnson 11J, 15.831; 35. Derek Beckman, Cox 50D, 15.845; 36. Skip Jackson, Robinson 21X, 15.875; 37. Larry Ball, Jr., Stroud 1S, 15.887; 38. Brent Antill, Jordan 1, 15.916; 39. Eric Vanderploeg, Vanderploeg 57A, 15.922; 40. Randy Martin, Diamond Racing 14, 15.936; 41. Adam West, Trostle 20A, 15.955; 42. Don Droud, Jr., Vermeer 55, 16.037; 43. Jon Agan, Agan 4, 16.154; 44. Clint Garner, Sonner 47, 16.171; 45. Eddie Leavitt, Jr., Arends 1A, 16.397; 46. Tony Menard, Karavan 7M, 16.744; 47. Greg Jones, Jones 35J, 16.864; 48. Lynton Jeffrey, McCarl 4K, 17.175; 49. Robert Bell, Bell 71X, 17.258; 50. Tyler Houseman, Houseman 50, 24.720; 51. Kurt Winker, Roebuck 12, no time.
Finishing 1-4 in Friday’s Preliminary Feature qualified Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20; Donny Schatz, Schatz 15; Steve Kinser, Kinser 11; and Tim Shaffer, Roth 83 for the first four starting positions in the Dash Race.
First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Mark Kinser, 2. Kraig Kinser, 3. Jason Sides, 4. Tyler Walker, 5. Larry Ball, Jr., 6. Calvin Landis, 7. Jeff Mitrisin, 8. Blake Feese, 9. Jaymie Moyle, 10. Jeff Hodgson, 11. Eddie Leavitt, Jr., 12. Adam West, 13. Robert Bell. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Craig Dollansky, 2. Travis Cram, 3. Jac Haudenschild, 4. Daryn Pittman, 5. Brian Brown, 6. Stevie Smith, 7. Johnny Herrera, 8. Jeff Johnson, 9. Mike Moore, 10. Don Droud, Jr. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Kerry Madsen, 2. Jeff Shepard, 3. Brooke Tatnell, 4. Terry McCarl, 5. Ricky Logan, 6. Brian Paulus, 7. Joey Saldana, 8. Tim St. Arnold, 9. Derek Beckman, 10. Jon Agan, 11. Eric Vanderploeg. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Fourth Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Chris Walraven, 2. Jonathan Allard, 3. P.J. Chesson, 4. Skip Jackson, 5. Justin Henderson, 6. Collin Northway, 7. Randy Hannagan, 8. Randy Martin, 9. Kevin Frey, 10. Clint Garner. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
C Feature (10 laps): 1. Randy Martin, 2. Larry Ball, Jr., 3. Don Droud, Jr. ($125); 4. Jeff Johnson ($100); 5. Derek Beckman ($80); 6. Eric Vanderploeg ($70); 7. Jon Agan ($60); 8. Adam West ($50); 9. Clint Garner ($40); 10. Eddie Leavitt, Jr. ($30); 11. Robert Bell ($30); 12. Tyler Houseman ($30). (first two qualified for the “B” Feature)
Dash Race (five laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Donny Schatz, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Tim Shaffer, 5. Daryn Pittman, 6. Mark Kinser, 7. Terry McCarl, 8. P.J. Chesson. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the “A” Feature)
B Feature (12 laps): 1. Joey Saldana, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Brian Brown, 4. Brian Paulus, 5. Jaymie Moyle ($200); 6. Jeff Mitrisin ($175); 7. Kevin Frey ($150); 8. Justin Henderson ($100); 9. Ricky Logan ($90); 10. Tim St. Arnold ($80); 11. Collin Northway ($60); 12. Blake Feese ($50); 13. Randy Martin ($70); 14. Jeff Hodgson ($50); 15. Calvin Landis ($50); 16. Randy Hannagan ($50); 17. Stevie Smith ($50); 18. Larry Ball, Jr. ($70); 19. Mike Moore ($50). (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
A Feature (30 laps): 1. Danny Lasoski [1] ($12,000); 2. Donny Schatz [2] ($6,000); 3. Steve Kinser [3] ($4,000); 4. Mark Kinser [6] ($3,500); 5. Tim Shaffer [4] ($3,300); 6. Daryn Pittman [5] ($3,100); 7. Terry McCarl [7] ($3,000); 8. Tyler Walker [19] ($2,500); 9. Joey Saldana [9] ($2,120); 10. Jeff Shepard [17] ($2,050); 11. Brian Brown [10] ($2,020); 12 .Craig Dollansky [13] ($1,600); 13. Jason Sides [12] ($1,500); 14. Skip Jackson [24] ($1,200); 15. Jac Haudenschild [21] ($1,100); 16. Jonathan Allard [16] ($1,000); 17. Kraig Kinser [11] ($900); 18. Johnny Herrera [20] ($820); 19. Brian Paulus [23] ($820); 20. Chris Walraven [15] ($800); 21. Brooke Tatnell [22] ($800); 22. Kerry Madsen [14] ($800); 23. Travis Cram [18] ($800); 24. P.J. Chesson [8] ($800).
Lap leader: Danny Lasoski 1-30
KNOXVILLE, IA (April 26) – Danny Lasoski loves Knoxville Raceway, so winning there is extra special.
The seven-time Knoxville Raceway champion completed his sweep of the Spring Classic Saturday, leading all 30 laps from the pole. The victory increased his O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series points lead to 60 points over defending and 17-time champion Steve Kinser.
"The first thing I want to do is thank all the people from J.D. Byrider who are here tonight supporting our team,” Lasoski said following his 80th victory at Knoxville. “I owe this whole weekend to Jimmy Carr. He's the greatest crew chief in the world. I let him down here last August, and I promised him if I was healthy that would never happen again. Jimmy and Todd Splain work their tails off and never complain, even though I mess up sometimes and make mistakes.
“J.D. Byrider, Home Depot, Mopar, American Compressed Steel, Eagle Chassis, Kistler Engines and Hoosier Tires all do a great job for us, and I just have the lucky job of driving this car. This place is the sprint car capital of the world, and as far as I'm concerned, it will always be home to me, so winning here is always pretty special."
Lasoski, who also won Friday’s Preliminary Feature, earned the privilege of starting the 30-lap main event on the pole by winning his fourth Dash Race of the season. He drove NASCAR Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart’s #20 J.D. Byrider Eagle into the lead as flagman Doug Clark waved the green flag and was never challenged.
“B” Feature winner Joey Saldana, Second Heat Race winner Craig Dollansky and 19th-starting Tyler Walker passed Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year candidate Jason Sides during the first five laps. Walker, whose crew replaced the engine in the #35 C&W Motorsports Maxim following the hot-lap session, missed his turn in the qualifying order and took one lap at the end.
“The Dude” was two seconds ahead of front row starter Donny Schatz when he entered lapped traffic seven laps into the race.
Kinser and Schatz exchanged the runner-up spot during laps nine and 14. “The King of the Outlaws” drove his #11 Quaker State Maxim past Schatz in the low groove between turns three and four, only to have the 1997 Rookie of the Year come back with an inside move in the second corner. Schatz’s #15 Parker Stores J&J was within 1.2 seconds of Lasoski in dense lapped traffic during the race’s middle stages.
Terry McCarl, who has won the Knoxville Raceway championship the last three years, took the low line into turn four to pass Lasoski’s nephew, Brian Brown, for seventh place late in lap 16. Walker passed Brown for eighth place with a similar move the next time around.
Mark Kinser and Daryn Pittman passed Tim Shaffer for fourth and fifth place during the 18th and 21st laps. Walker and McCarl exchanged seventh place the next time around.
Brian Paulus and Fourth Heat Race winner Chris Walraven collided in turn four early in lap 23. Paulus kept P and P Motorsports’ #28 Verdeilli Farms Maxim under control, but Walraven stopped, bringing out the caution flag.
Shaffer steered the #83 Beef Packers Eagle deep in the fourth corner to pass Mark Kinser and Pittman to claim fourth place within seconds after the green flag replaced the yellow. Kinser passed Shaffer in the low groove between turns one and two with 5 2/3 laps remaining.
Lasoski controlled the final restart, and was 6.1 seconds ahead of Schatz when he took the checkered flag. Steve Kinser finished in third place, ahead of cousin Mark Kinser, Shaffer, Pittman, McCarl, Walker, Saldana and 17th-starting Jeff Shepard. Skip Jackson, who won Knoxville Raceway championships in 1997 and 1998, raced into 14th place from outside the 12th row.
Mark Kinser was the fastest qualifier for the third time this season, pacing time trials with a 119.8-M.P.H. lap around the legendary half-mile oval. The three-time Knoxville Nationals champion also won the First Heat Race.
The O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series will sanction the Omaha Dodge Dealers Great Plains Shootout Friday and Saturday. WoO
2003 O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series
Spring Classic, Knoxville Raceway, Knoxville, IA
Saturday, April 26, Feature Program #15
Qualifying: 1. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 15.025; 2. Daryn Pittman, Sher-Don Motorsports 21, 15.140; 3. Terry McCarl, McCarl 24, 15.188; 4. Kevin Frey, Frey 2K, 15.255; 5. P.J. Chesson, Chesson 76, 15.307; 6. Joey Saldana, Saldana 17, 15.354; 7. Brian Brown, Parsons 6, 15.397; 8. Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 15.431; 9. Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 15.446; 10. Craig Dollansky, Karavan Racing 7, 15.451; 11. Kerry Madsen, Madsen/Gunder 82, 15.461; 12. Chris Walraven, Muddy Lush Racing 56, 15.529; 13. Jonathan Allard, Wright 35W, 15.554; 14. Jeff Shepard, Helm 11H, 15.558; 15. Travis Cram, Cram 92, 15.565; 16. Calvin Landis, Landis 70, 15.590; 17. Tyler Walker, C&W Motorsports 35, 15.587 (scored 17th after missing his position in the qualifying order); 18. Johnny Herrera, Wilburn 2W, 15.606; 19. Tim St.Arnold, Kinney 7ST, 15.623; 20. Randy Hannagan, TH Racing 1X, 15.624; 21. Jaymie Moyle, Vanderecken 10, 15.668; 22. Jac Haudenschild, Forbrook 5, 15.683; 23. Brooke Tatnell, Grandstaff 66, 15.684; 24. Collin Northway, Northway 60, 15.704; 25. Jeff Mitrisin, Mitisin 5J, 15.713; 26. Mike Moore, Moore 69, 15.721; 27. Brian Paulus, P and P Motorsports 28, 15.729; 28. Justin Henderson, Carnahan R19, 15.731; 29. Blake Feese, Ritchart 3, 15.748; 30. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 15.767; 31. Ricky Logan, Gifford 17G, 15.768; 32. Wayne Johnson, Vielhauer 12X, 15.771; 33. Jeff Hodgson, Hodgson V8, 15.806; 34. Jeff Johnson, Johnson 11J, 15.831; 35. Derek Beckman, Cox 50D, 15.845; 36. Skip Jackson, Robinson 21X, 15.875; 37. Larry Ball, Jr., Stroud 1S, 15.887; 38. Brent Antill, Jordan 1, 15.916; 39. Eric Vanderploeg, Vanderploeg 57A, 15.922; 40. Randy Martin, Diamond Racing 14, 15.936; 41. Adam West, Trostle 20A, 15.955; 42. Don Droud, Jr., Vermeer 55, 16.037; 43. Jon Agan, Agan 4, 16.154; 44. Clint Garner, Sonner 47, 16.171; 45. Eddie Leavitt, Jr., Arends 1A, 16.397; 46. Tony Menard, Karavan 7M, 16.744; 47. Greg Jones, Jones 35J, 16.864; 48. Lynton Jeffrey, McCarl 4K, 17.175; 49. Robert Bell, Bell 71X, 17.258; 50. Tyler Houseman, Houseman 50, 24.720; 51. Kurt Winker, Roebuck 12, no time.
Finishing 1-4 in Friday’s Preliminary Feature qualified Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20; Donny Schatz, Schatz 15; Steve Kinser, Kinser 11; and Tim Shaffer, Roth 83 for the first four starting positions in the Dash Race.
First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Mark Kinser, 2. Kraig Kinser, 3. Jason Sides, 4. Tyler Walker, 5. Larry Ball, Jr., 6. Calvin Landis, 7. Jeff Mitrisin, 8. Blake Feese, 9. Jaymie Moyle, 10. Jeff Hodgson, 11. Eddie Leavitt, Jr., 12. Adam West, 13. Robert Bell. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Craig Dollansky, 2. Travis Cram, 3. Jac Haudenschild, 4. Daryn Pittman, 5. Brian Brown, 6. Stevie Smith, 7. Johnny Herrera, 8. Jeff Johnson, 9. Mike Moore, 10. Don Droud, Jr. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Kerry Madsen, 2. Jeff Shepard, 3. Brooke Tatnell, 4. Terry McCarl, 5. Ricky Logan, 6. Brian Paulus, 7. Joey Saldana, 8. Tim St. Arnold, 9. Derek Beckman, 10. Jon Agan, 11. Eric Vanderploeg. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Fourth Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Chris Walraven, 2. Jonathan Allard, 3. P.J. Chesson, 4. Skip Jackson, 5. Justin Henderson, 6. Collin Northway, 7. Randy Hannagan, 8. Randy Martin, 9. Kevin Frey, 10. Clint Garner. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
C Feature (10 laps): 1. Randy Martin, 2. Larry Ball, Jr., 3. Don Droud, Jr. ($125); 4. Jeff Johnson ($100); 5. Derek Beckman ($80); 6. Eric Vanderploeg ($70); 7. Jon Agan ($60); 8. Adam West ($50); 9. Clint Garner ($40); 10. Eddie Leavitt, Jr. ($30); 11. Robert Bell ($30); 12. Tyler Houseman ($30). (first two qualified for the “B” Feature)
Dash Race (five laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Donny Schatz, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Tim Shaffer, 5. Daryn Pittman, 6. Mark Kinser, 7. Terry McCarl, 8. P.J. Chesson. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the “A” Feature)
B Feature (12 laps): 1. Joey Saldana, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Brian Brown, 4. Brian Paulus, 5. Jaymie Moyle ($200); 6. Jeff Mitrisin ($175); 7. Kevin Frey ($150); 8. Justin Henderson ($100); 9. Ricky Logan ($90); 10. Tim St. Arnold ($80); 11. Collin Northway ($60); 12. Blake Feese ($50); 13. Randy Martin ($70); 14. Jeff Hodgson ($50); 15. Calvin Landis ($50); 16. Randy Hannagan ($50); 17. Stevie Smith ($50); 18. Larry Ball, Jr. ($70); 19. Mike Moore ($50). (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
A Feature (30 laps): 1. Danny Lasoski [1] ($12,000); 2. Donny Schatz [2] ($6,000); 3. Steve Kinser [3] ($4,000); 4. Mark Kinser [6] ($3,500); 5. Tim Shaffer [4] ($3,300); 6. Daryn Pittman [5] ($3,100); 7. Terry McCarl [7] ($3,000); 8. Tyler Walker [19] ($2,500); 9. Joey Saldana [9] ($2,120); 10. Jeff Shepard [17] ($2,050); 11. Brian Brown [10] ($2,020); 12 .Craig Dollansky [13] ($1,600); 13. Jason Sides [12] ($1,500); 14. Skip Jackson [24] ($1,200); 15. Jac Haudenschild [21] ($1,100); 16. Jonathan Allard [16] ($1,000); 17. Kraig Kinser [11] ($900); 18. Johnny Herrera [20] ($820); 19. Brian Paulus [23] ($820); 20. Chris Walraven [15] ($800); 21. Brooke Tatnell [22] ($800); 22. Kerry Madsen [14] ($800); 23. Travis Cram [18] ($800); 24. P.J. Chesson [8] ($800).
Lap leader: Danny Lasoski 1-30
