By Richard Day
EAGLE, NE (June 28) – Steve Kinser survived an early collision that would have sent other, less Hulk-like drivers into the retaining wall, then dominated Saturday’s “A” Feature to complete his sweep of the 20th Annual Eagle Nationals at Husker Auto Group Eagle Raceway.
“The King of the Outlaws” made it two-for-two in his #11 Quaker State Maxim with the special Hulk movie paint scheme, leading all 40 laps for his 13th main event victory and third double-feature sweep of the season. The $15,000 victory was the 484th of his career.
“We were only going to run this (Hulk) car one week, but as good as it ran we might just have to run it next week, too,” Kinser said after successfully defending his Eagle Nationals title. “We had a good car all weekend. Scott Gerkin and all my guys have been working hard all year long. I did almost lose it on the first lap. Someone (outside pole-sitter Jason Meyers) ran into me – I don’t know what that was all about – but I knew I ran it in hard enough to stick on the bottom. We’re not really worried about getting 500 wins this year. We’re just trying to run hard and win races one night at a time.”
Kinser, who closed to within 13 points of O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series points leader Danny Lasoski with the victory, earned the privilege of starting the “A” Feature on the pole by winning his 16th Dash Race of the year.
The defending and 17-time series champion raced wheel-to-wheel with Meyers into the first corner as the green flag fell in the main event. Kinser almost spun when he and Meyers collided, but managed to maintain the lead. Joey Saldana raced past Meyers on the back straightaway. Lasoski and Kinser’s son, Kraig, exchanged fourth place during the first two laps.
The leaders were approaching lapped traffic when Brian Paulus and the #28 Verdelli Farms Maxim spun in turn four late in the fourth lap.
Tim Shaffer, who started inside the seventh row, raced three-abreast with Danny Wood and Jason Sides through the third corner two laps later. Shaffer took over eighth place, followed by Sides and Wood, who was driving Donny Schatz’s #115 Parker Stores J&J.
“The King of the Outlaws” was nine car-lengths ahead of Saldana when he entered lapped traffic during the ninth lap. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year narrowed the gap to two car-lengths within three laps, however. Kinser increased his advantage to 15 car-lengths by lap 14, only to have Saldana catch him four laps later.
Fast qualifier Johnny Herrera took the leaders out of lapped traffic midway through the race when NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief Billy Wilburn’s #2W Heintz Brothers Maxim spun in the fourth corner. Meyers collided with a lapped car and spun in turn three as the green flag replaced the yellow. Karavan Motorsports’ #7 VMAC Maxim suffered a broken front axle in the crash, so Meyers was unable to restart. Herrera stopped again as the race resumed, this time with a flat right rear tire.
Kraig Kinser rode the rim through the second corner to pass Lasoski for third place as the race resumed. Steve Kinser controlled the restart, and opened a 15-car-length advantage within three laps.
Brandon Wimmer took the leaders out of lapped traffic when he stopped in turn four late in the 29th lap. “The Dude” challenged Kraig Kinser for two laps after the restart, and passed him for third place deep in the second corner.
“The King of the Outlaws” was a straightaway ahead of Saldana when he caught the back-markers with 6 ½ laps remaining. Lasoski challenged Saldana for the runner-up spot with a high move through the first and second corners early in lap 37, but was unable to surge ahead. Saldana was racing through turn four when Kinser took the checkered flag. Kraig Kinser followed Lasoski across the finish line.
The nine-time Eagle Nationals champion was pleased with his son’s fourth-place run.
“Kraig’s been getting better each night out,” Steve said. “He’s been a good qualifier right from the start, but these young guys need to go out and learn how to race in a heat race, then run a 30- or 40-lap feature.”
“We’re getting some better finishes,” Kraig said. “I was able to get around Danny there for a few laps, but we were both really tight getting off the corner. I just ran it in too hard and drifted up and he was able to get back around me. I’m just trying to learn something every night, and hopefully I’ll be up there racing with my dad every night.”
Mark Kinser finished in fifth place, ahead of Shaffer, Sides, Brooke Tatnell, Second Heat Race winner Paul McMahan and Daryn Pittman.
Donny Schatz won the Fourth Heat Race and passed five cars to finish 11th. Stevie Smith raced into 14th place from inside the 11th row.
The O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series will race at Sedalia’s State Fair Speedway Wednesday, then sanction the NAPA Classic at Knoxville Raceway Friday and Saturday. WoO
2003 O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series
20th Annual Eagle Nationals
Husker Auto Group Eagle Raceway, Eagle NE
Saturday, June 28, Feature Program #34
Qualifying: 1. Johnny Herrera, Wilburn 2W, 11.581; 2. Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20, 11.588; 3. Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 11.623; 4. Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 11.678; 5. Brooke Tatnell, Grandstaff 66, 11.699; 6. Daryn Pittman, Sher-Don Motorsports 21, 11.726; 7. Randy Hannagan, TH Racing 1X, 11.736; 8. Danny Wood, Schatz 115, 11.751; 9. Tim Shaffer, Roth 83, 11.779; 10. Paul McMahan, Helm 11H, 11.792; 11. Brian Paulus, P and P Motorsports 28, 11.812; 12. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 11.827; 13. Bob Bennett, Acme Trailers 3, 11.832; 14. Brandon Wimmer, Two Winners Racing 7TW, 11.868; 15. Blake Feese, Forbrook 5, 11.882; 16. Jeremy Campbell, Campbell 10C, 11.953; 17. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 11.995; 18. Gregg Bakker, Bakker 11X, 12.018; 19. Collin Northway, Northway 60, 12.033; 20. Brian Carlson, Carlson 18, 12.047; 21. Marty Perovich, Roebuck 12, 12.061; 22. Seth Brahmer, Brahmer 13, 12.083; 23. Rich Bubak, Bubak 9X, 12.147; 24. Rick Ideus, Ideus 5B, 12.163; 25. Sean Walden, Walden 97, 12.359; 26. Tim Newman, Newman 18N, 12.537; 27. Regan Kitchen, Kitchen 21K, 12.566; 28. Bruce Divis, Divis 24W, 12.757; 29. Toby Chapman, Droud 19X, 12.770; 30. Marvin Fuller, Fuller 94, 12.884; 31. J.R. Topper, Topper 92J, 13.046; 32. Tige Jensen, Jensen 7R, 13.174; 33. Rob Lipker, Lipker 7L, 13.227; 34. Kevin Danley, Danley 7X, 13.252; 35. Tim Fricke, Fricke 62, 13.730.
Finishing 1-4 in Friday’s Preliminary Feature qualified Steve Kinser, Kinser 11; Jason Meyers, Karavan Motorsports 7; Joey Saldana, Saldana 17; and Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M; for the first four starting positions in the Dash Race.
First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Tim Shaffer, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Stevie Smith, 4. Jeremy Campbell, 5. Danny Wood, 6. Marty Perovich, 7. Sean Walden, 8. Toby Chapman, 9. Rob Lipker. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Paul McMahan, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Randy Hannagan, 4. Blake Feese, 5. Gregg Bakker, 6. Seth Brahmer, 7. Tim Newman, 8. Marvin Fuller, 9. Kevin Danley. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Kraig Kinser, 2. Brian Paulus, 3. Daryn Pittman, 4. Collin Northway, 5. Brandon Wimmer, 6. Rich Bubak, 7. J.R. Topper, 8. Tim Fricke, 9. Regan Kitchen. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Fourth Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Brooke Tatnell, 3. Jason Sides, 4. Brian Carlson, 5. Rick Ideus, 6. Bob Bennett, 7. Bruce Divis, 8. Tige Jensen. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Dash Race (seven laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Jason Meyers, 3. Joey Saldana, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Kraig Kinser, 6. Mark Kinser, 7. Johnny Herrera, 8. Jason Sides. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the “A” Feature)
B Feature (12 laps): 1. Danny Wood, 2. Brandon Wimmer, 3. Bob Bennett, 4. Rick Ideus, 5. Gregg Bakker ($350); 6. Seth Brahmer ($350); 7. Rich Bubak ($350); 8. Bruce Divis ($350); 9. Toby Chapman ($350); 10. Marvin Fuller ($350); 11. Sean Walden ($350); 12. Tim Newman ($350); 13. Marty Perovich ($350); 14. Rob Lipker ($350); 15. Tim Fricke ($350); 16. J.R. Topper ($350); 17. Regan Kitchen ($350); 18. Kevin Danley ($350); 19. Tige Jensen ($350). (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
A Feature (40 laps): 1. Steve Kinser [1] ($15,000); 2. Joey Saldana [3] ($7,000); 3. Danny Lasoski [4] ($4,250); 4. Kraig Kinser [5] ($4,000); 5. Mark Kinser [6] ($3,500); 6. Tim Shaffer [13] ($3,250); 7. Jason Sides [8] ($3,100); 8. Brooke Tatnell [9] ($2,750); 9. Paul McMahan [14] ($2,400); 10. Daryn Pittman [10] ($2,250); 11. Donny Schatz [16] ($2,150); 12. Danny Wood [12] ($1,770); 13. Johnny Herrera [7] ($1,600); 14. Stevie Smith [21] ($1,500); 15. Randy Hannagan [11] ($1,500); 16. Blake Feese [19] ($1,500); 17. Jeremy Campbell [20] ($1,500); 18. Brandon Wimmer [18] ($1,520); 19. Collin Northway [22] ($1,500); 20. Brian Paulus [15] ($1,500); 21. Jason Meyers [2] ($1,500); 22. Rick Ideus [24] ($1,520); 23. Bob Bennett [17] ($1,520); 24. Brian Carlson [23] ($1,500).
Lap leaders: Steve Kinser 1-40
EAGLE, NE (June 28) – Steve Kinser survived an early collision that would have sent other, less Hulk-like drivers into the retaining wall, then dominated Saturday’s “A” Feature to complete his sweep of the 20th Annual Eagle Nationals at Husker Auto Group Eagle Raceway.
“The King of the Outlaws” made it two-for-two in his #11 Quaker State Maxim with the special Hulk movie paint scheme, leading all 40 laps for his 13th main event victory and third double-feature sweep of the season. The $15,000 victory was the 484th of his career.
“We were only going to run this (Hulk) car one week, but as good as it ran we might just have to run it next week, too,” Kinser said after successfully defending his Eagle Nationals title. “We had a good car all weekend. Scott Gerkin and all my guys have been working hard all year long. I did almost lose it on the first lap. Someone (outside pole-sitter Jason Meyers) ran into me – I don’t know what that was all about – but I knew I ran it in hard enough to stick on the bottom. We’re not really worried about getting 500 wins this year. We’re just trying to run hard and win races one night at a time.”
Kinser, who closed to within 13 points of O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series points leader Danny Lasoski with the victory, earned the privilege of starting the “A” Feature on the pole by winning his 16th Dash Race of the year.
The defending and 17-time series champion raced wheel-to-wheel with Meyers into the first corner as the green flag fell in the main event. Kinser almost spun when he and Meyers collided, but managed to maintain the lead. Joey Saldana raced past Meyers on the back straightaway. Lasoski and Kinser’s son, Kraig, exchanged fourth place during the first two laps.
The leaders were approaching lapped traffic when Brian Paulus and the #28 Verdelli Farms Maxim spun in turn four late in the fourth lap.
Tim Shaffer, who started inside the seventh row, raced three-abreast with Danny Wood and Jason Sides through the third corner two laps later. Shaffer took over eighth place, followed by Sides and Wood, who was driving Donny Schatz’s #115 Parker Stores J&J.
“The King of the Outlaws” was nine car-lengths ahead of Saldana when he entered lapped traffic during the ninth lap. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year narrowed the gap to two car-lengths within three laps, however. Kinser increased his advantage to 15 car-lengths by lap 14, only to have Saldana catch him four laps later.
Fast qualifier Johnny Herrera took the leaders out of lapped traffic midway through the race when NASCAR Winston Cup crew chief Billy Wilburn’s #2W Heintz Brothers Maxim spun in the fourth corner. Meyers collided with a lapped car and spun in turn three as the green flag replaced the yellow. Karavan Motorsports’ #7 VMAC Maxim suffered a broken front axle in the crash, so Meyers was unable to restart. Herrera stopped again as the race resumed, this time with a flat right rear tire.
Kraig Kinser rode the rim through the second corner to pass Lasoski for third place as the race resumed. Steve Kinser controlled the restart, and opened a 15-car-length advantage within three laps.
Brandon Wimmer took the leaders out of lapped traffic when he stopped in turn four late in the 29th lap. “The Dude” challenged Kraig Kinser for two laps after the restart, and passed him for third place deep in the second corner.
“The King of the Outlaws” was a straightaway ahead of Saldana when he caught the back-markers with 6 ½ laps remaining. Lasoski challenged Saldana for the runner-up spot with a high move through the first and second corners early in lap 37, but was unable to surge ahead. Saldana was racing through turn four when Kinser took the checkered flag. Kraig Kinser followed Lasoski across the finish line.
The nine-time Eagle Nationals champion was pleased with his son’s fourth-place run.
“Kraig’s been getting better each night out,” Steve said. “He’s been a good qualifier right from the start, but these young guys need to go out and learn how to race in a heat race, then run a 30- or 40-lap feature.”
“We’re getting some better finishes,” Kraig said. “I was able to get around Danny there for a few laps, but we were both really tight getting off the corner. I just ran it in too hard and drifted up and he was able to get back around me. I’m just trying to learn something every night, and hopefully I’ll be up there racing with my dad every night.”
Mark Kinser finished in fifth place, ahead of Shaffer, Sides, Brooke Tatnell, Second Heat Race winner Paul McMahan and Daryn Pittman.
Donny Schatz won the Fourth Heat Race and passed five cars to finish 11th. Stevie Smith raced into 14th place from inside the 11th row.
The O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series will race at Sedalia’s State Fair Speedway Wednesday, then sanction the NAPA Classic at Knoxville Raceway Friday and Saturday. WoO
2003 O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series
20th Annual Eagle Nationals
Husker Auto Group Eagle Raceway, Eagle NE
Saturday, June 28, Feature Program #34
Qualifying: 1. Johnny Herrera, Wilburn 2W, 11.581; 2. Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20, 11.588; 3. Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 11.623; 4. Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 11.678; 5. Brooke Tatnell, Grandstaff 66, 11.699; 6. Daryn Pittman, Sher-Don Motorsports 21, 11.726; 7. Randy Hannagan, TH Racing 1X, 11.736; 8. Danny Wood, Schatz 115, 11.751; 9. Tim Shaffer, Roth 83, 11.779; 10. Paul McMahan, Helm 11H, 11.792; 11. Brian Paulus, P and P Motorsports 28, 11.812; 12. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 11.827; 13. Bob Bennett, Acme Trailers 3, 11.832; 14. Brandon Wimmer, Two Winners Racing 7TW, 11.868; 15. Blake Feese, Forbrook 5, 11.882; 16. Jeremy Campbell, Campbell 10C, 11.953; 17. Stevie Smith, Smith 19, 11.995; 18. Gregg Bakker, Bakker 11X, 12.018; 19. Collin Northway, Northway 60, 12.033; 20. Brian Carlson, Carlson 18, 12.047; 21. Marty Perovich, Roebuck 12, 12.061; 22. Seth Brahmer, Brahmer 13, 12.083; 23. Rich Bubak, Bubak 9X, 12.147; 24. Rick Ideus, Ideus 5B, 12.163; 25. Sean Walden, Walden 97, 12.359; 26. Tim Newman, Newman 18N, 12.537; 27. Regan Kitchen, Kitchen 21K, 12.566; 28. Bruce Divis, Divis 24W, 12.757; 29. Toby Chapman, Droud 19X, 12.770; 30. Marvin Fuller, Fuller 94, 12.884; 31. J.R. Topper, Topper 92J, 13.046; 32. Tige Jensen, Jensen 7R, 13.174; 33. Rob Lipker, Lipker 7L, 13.227; 34. Kevin Danley, Danley 7X, 13.252; 35. Tim Fricke, Fricke 62, 13.730.
Finishing 1-4 in Friday’s Preliminary Feature qualified Steve Kinser, Kinser 11; Jason Meyers, Karavan Motorsports 7; Joey Saldana, Saldana 17; and Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M; for the first four starting positions in the Dash Race.
First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Tim Shaffer, 2. Johnny Herrera, 3. Stevie Smith, 4. Jeremy Campbell, 5. Danny Wood, 6. Marty Perovich, 7. Sean Walden, 8. Toby Chapman, 9. Rob Lipker. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Paul McMahan, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Randy Hannagan, 4. Blake Feese, 5. Gregg Bakker, 6. Seth Brahmer, 7. Tim Newman, 8. Marvin Fuller, 9. Kevin Danley. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Kraig Kinser, 2. Brian Paulus, 3. Daryn Pittman, 4. Collin Northway, 5. Brandon Wimmer, 6. Rich Bubak, 7. J.R. Topper, 8. Tim Fricke, 9. Regan Kitchen. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Fourth Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. Brooke Tatnell, 3. Jason Sides, 4. Brian Carlson, 5. Rick Ideus, 6. Bob Bennett, 7. Bruce Divis, 8. Tige Jensen. (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
Dash Race (seven laps): 1. Steve Kinser, 2. Jason Meyers, 3. Joey Saldana, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Kraig Kinser, 6. Mark Kinser, 7. Johnny Herrera, 8. Jason Sides. (finish determined the first eight starting positions in the “A” Feature)
B Feature (12 laps): 1. Danny Wood, 2. Brandon Wimmer, 3. Bob Bennett, 4. Rick Ideus, 5. Gregg Bakker ($350); 6. Seth Brahmer ($350); 7. Rich Bubak ($350); 8. Bruce Divis ($350); 9. Toby Chapman ($350); 10. Marvin Fuller ($350); 11. Sean Walden ($350); 12. Tim Newman ($350); 13. Marty Perovich ($350); 14. Rob Lipker ($350); 15. Tim Fricke ($350); 16. J.R. Topper ($350); 17. Regan Kitchen ($350); 18. Kevin Danley ($350); 19. Tige Jensen ($350). (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)
A Feature (40 laps): 1. Steve Kinser [1] ($15,000); 2. Joey Saldana [3] ($7,000); 3. Danny Lasoski [4] ($4,250); 4. Kraig Kinser [5] ($4,000); 5. Mark Kinser [6] ($3,500); 6. Tim Shaffer [13] ($3,250); 7. Jason Sides [8] ($3,100); 8. Brooke Tatnell [9] ($2,750); 9. Paul McMahan [14] ($2,400); 10. Daryn Pittman [10] ($2,250); 11. Donny Schatz [16] ($2,150); 12. Danny Wood [12] ($1,770); 13. Johnny Herrera [7] ($1,600); 14. Stevie Smith [21] ($1,500); 15. Randy Hannagan [11] ($1,500); 16. Blake Feese [19] ($1,500); 17. Jeremy Campbell [20] ($1,500); 18. Brandon Wimmer [18] ($1,520); 19. Collin Northway [22] ($1,500); 20. Brian Paulus [15] ($1,500); 21. Jason Meyers [2] ($1,500); 22. Rick Ideus [24] ($1,520); 23. Bob Bennett [17] ($1,520); 24. Brian Carlson [23] ($1,500).
Lap leaders: Steve Kinser 1-40
