Dollansky Dominates Eldora Speedway Event By Richard Day ROSSBURG, OH (April 13) - With nine straight top-10 finishes, Craig Dollansky has been the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' most consistent racer lately. Until Saturday, however, the 2000 World of Outlaws Gumout Series champion was unable to put the #7 V-Mac/Polydome Maxim in victory lane. Friday's rainout did nothing to dampen Dollansky's spirits as he set Eldora Speedway's single-lap record and led the final 3 3/4 laps to win his first "A" Feature of the season.
"This is awesome!" yelled to the capacity crowd. "This Charlie Garrett motor and the Hoosier tires were flawless all night long. Getting the track record and winning here is something special. "My guys have been working so hard. D.J. Lindsey's my crew chief and my brother Troy's been tuning the engines really well. We added Brad Rash a couple of weeks ago and he's been working really hard for us. We've been pretty fast lately and we've run second a couple of times where I thought maybe we could have won. I have two of the best car owners out here in Scott and Mike Boyd with Karavan Racing. V-Mac Industries came on as a primary sponsor this year and, along with Dick Johanic and everyone at Polydome, they've given us everything we need to go out here and win races."
The $10,000 victory was the fourth of Dollansky's Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series career. Dollansky opened the 12th event of the year by slicing .083 seconds off the single-lap record Mark Kinser set at "The World's Fastest Half-Mile" on June 5, 1999. Dollansky, the fastest of six drivers beating the previous qualifying standard, averaged 141.654 m.p.h. around the high-banked oval. Dollansky, who finished sixth in the First Heat Race, earned the right to start the 35-lap main event inside the second row by following Tim Shaffer across the finish line in the First O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash.
Shaffer and Second O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash winner Jac Haudenschild raced wheel-to-wheel down the front straightaway as the green flag fell in the "A" Feature. Shaffer surged into the lead deep in the second corner to take the early lead, and was two car-lengths ahead when he entered lapped traffic eight laps later. Haudenschild, a four-time winner at Eldora Speedway, steered the #5 Wirtgen Maxim into the low groove in turn three and slid in front of Shaffer in the fourth corner to take the lead late in lap 10. Shaffer, whose first two Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series "A" Feature victories came at Eldora, regained the lead five laps later with a high move around "The Wild Child" between turns three and four.
Haudenschild's engine started smoking heavily, forcing him to coast into the infield midway through the race. Dollansky challenged Paul McMahan for second place for five laps before passing him with an inside move between the first and second corners early in lap 23. Randy Hannagan stopped in turn three with a flat right rear tire five laps later, bringing out the caution flag and tightening the 24-car field. Kinser, the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series points leader, steered the #5M Mopar Maxim around Chad Kemenah and McMahan in the high groove between turns one and two as the green flag replaced the yellow to take over third place. Brian Paulus, who started inside the sixth row, drove the #28 Verdelli Farms Maxim into fourth place early in the 30th lap, racing past McMahan whose right front tire was losing air pressure.
First Heat Race winner Kraig Kinser collided with Jeff Shepard and flipped into the catch fence in turn four the next time around, bringing out the red flag and setting up a five-lap dash to the checkered flag. Dollansky challenged Shaffer for the lead as the race resumed and was only inches behind at the finish line as they completed the 31st lap. Dollansky took the low line into turn one to pass Shaffer for the lead several seconds later and was a straightaway ahead when he took the checkered flag.
"I told my guys on the red that it was up to me to get the job done, and I knew I'd have to try something on that first lap after we went back green," Dollansky said. "I want to thank Earl Baltes and his whole crew. They did an awesome job, not only to get this track back in shape after all the rain we got here yesterday, but they made it to where we could really go out and race on it. I love this place!"
Mark Kinser finished in third place, ahead of Paulus, Steve Kinser, McMahan, Shane Stewart, Second Heat Race winner Joey Saldana, Kemenah and Hannagan. Engine problems in the #20 J.D. Byrider Eagle kept Danny Lasoski from taking a qualifying lap. "The Dude" started inside the 11th row in the main event and passed five cars to finish 16th. Danny Wood and Stevie Smith collided and flipped in the first corner early in the Second O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash. Both cars were destroyed, forcing them to use back-up cars in the "A" Feature. Wood completed one lap, coasted into the pits and was transported to Coldwater Hospital for a possible concussion and shoulder injury. Smith finished 22nd in the main event.
The Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series will sanction a $112,145 event at the Talladega Short Track Friday and Saturday.
WoO 2002 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series Eldora Speedway, Rossburg, OH Saturday, April 13, Feature Program #12
Qualifications: 1. Craig Dollansky, Karavan Racing 7, 12.707 (new single-lap record); 2. Stevie Smith, Helm 11H, 12.725; 3. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 12.748; 4. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 12.762; 5. Jim Nier, Nier 00, 12.779; 6. Jac Haudenschild, Forbrook 5, 12.786; 7. Tim Shaffer, Roth 83, 12.799; 8. Paul McMahan, Johnson U2, 12.804; 9. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 12.811; 10. Shane Stewart, Holbrook 8H, 12.822; 11. Danny Wood, Parsons 6, 12.844; 12. Brian Paulus, P and P Motorsports 28, 12.857; 13. Chad Kemenah, Harble 15K, 12.874; 14. P.J. Chesson, Chesson 76, 12.879; 15. Todd Kane, Pullin 29, 12.895; 16. Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 12.895; 17. Randy Hannagan, TH Racing 1X, 12.911; 18. Joey Saldana, Saldana 17, 12.924; 19. Brad Furr, Furr 2, 12.959; 20. Johnny Herrera, Wilburn 2W, 12.973; 21. Greg Wilson, Hampshire 63, 12.981; 22. Jeff Shepard, Ashworth 92, 13.075; 23. Jimmy Stinson, Gresham 6X, 13.167; 24. Danny Smith, Webb 51, 13.207; 25. Kent Wolters, Wolters 12W, 13.319; 26. Dustin Trost, Wood 81, 13.386; 27. Nick Naber, G&N Racing 22, 13.570; 28. Jim Dayton, Dayton 2X, 13.624; 29. Brian Carlson, Carlson 18, 13.824; 30. Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20, no time.
First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Kraig Kinser, 2. Chad Kemenah, 3. Tim Shaffer, 4. Shane Stewart, 5. Mark Kinser, 6. Craig Dollansky, 7. Brad Furr, 8. Jeff Shepard, 9. Jim Dayton, 10. Kent Wolters. (first six qualified for the "A" Feature)
Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Randy Hannagan, 2. Danny Wood, 3. Stevie Smith, 4. Jim Nier, 5. Johnny Herrera, 6. Paul McMahan, 7. Jimmy Stinson, 8. Brian Carlson, 9. Dustin Trost, 10. P.J. Chesson. (first six qualified for the "A" Feature)
Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Joey Saldana, 2. Todd Kane, 3. Jac Haudenschild, 4. Steve Kinser, 5. Brian Paulus, 6. Danny Smith, 7. Donny Schatz, 8. Danny Lasoski, 9. Greg Wilson, 10. Nick Naber. (first six qualified for the "A" Feature)
First O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash (five laps): 1. Tim Shaffer, 2. Craig Dollansky, 3. Steve Kinser, 4. Jim Nier, 5. Shane Stewart, 6. Brian Paulus, 7. Randy Hannagan, 8. Todd Kane. (finish determined the starting positions on the inside of the first eight rows in the "A" Feature)
Second O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash (five laps): 1. Jac Haudenschild, 2. Paul McMahan, 3. Mark Kinser, 4. Chad Kemenah, 5. Joey Saldana, 6. Kraig Kinser, 7. Stevie Smith, 8. Danny Wood. (finish determined the starting positions on the inside of the first eight rows in the "A" Feature)
B Feature (12 laps): 1. Donny Schatz, 2. P.J. Chesson, 3. Greg Wilson, 4. Jeff Shepard, 5. Brad Furr, 6. Danny Lasoski, 7. Jimmy Stinson ($200); 8. Dustin Trost ($180); 9. Nick Naber ($150); 10. Jim Dayton ($120); 11. Brian Carlson ($100); 12. Kent Wolters ($90). (first six qualified for the "A" Feature)
A Feature (35 laps): 1. Craig Dollansky [3] ($10,000); 2. Tim Shaffer [1] ($5,500); 3. Mark Kinser [6] ($3,200); 4. Brian Paulus [11] ($2,800); 5. Steve Kinser [5] ($2,500); 6. Paul McMahan [4] ($2,300); 7. Shane Stewart [9] ($2,200); 8. Joey Saldana [10] ($2,100); 9. Chad Kemenah [8] ($2,050); 10. Randy Hannagan [13] ($2,000); 11. Johnny Herrera [17] ($1,500); 12. Donny Schatz [16] ($1,220); 13. Jeff Shepard [19] ($1,120); 14. Brad Furr [18] ($1,070); 15. Danny Smith [22] ($1,000); 16. Danny Lasoski [21] ($920); 17. Kraig Kinser [12] ($800); 18. Jim Nier [7] ($800); 19. P.J. Chesson [15] ($820); 20. Jac Haudenschild [2] ($800); 21. Todd Kane [14] ($800); 22. Stevie Smith [23] ($800); 23. Greg Wilson [20] ($820); 24. Danny Wood [24] ($800). Lap leaders: Tim Shaffer 1-9, 15-31; Jac Haudenschild 10-14; Craig Dollansky 32-35 WoO
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