Wacky weather, Dude at Terre Haute. World of Outlaws sprint cars, May 9, 2003

‘Dude’ Wins Rain-Shortened Feature at Terre Haute By Richard Day TERRE HAUTE, IN (May 9) – Danny Lasoski was leading the “A” Feature Friday when rain hit the Terre Haute Action Track, and was declared the winner when O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series officials determined the track was unsafe for racing. “The Dude,” who led all 20 laps of the rain-shortened race, increased his points lead to 57 points over defending and 17-time series champion Steve Kinser with his fifth main event victory of the season. The $10,000 victory was Lasoski’s third straight at Terre Haute’s semi-banked, ½-mile oval.

“The Dude” dominated the event, pacing the qualifying session, winning the First Dash Race and winning the “A” Feature from the pole. Lasoski duplicated the feat February 22nd at Perris Auto Speedway. The engine in NASCAR Winston Cup champion Tony Stewart’s #20 J.D. Byrider Eagle lost power as Lasoski crossed the finish line in the First Dash Race. The new Mopar engine built by Paul Kistler gave “The Dude” the power he needed to pass front-row starter Mark Kinser in the low groove between turns one and two just seconds after the green flag fell in the main event. First Heat Race winner Nick Naber stopped in the first corner early the next time around.

Steve Kinser, who started outside the fourth row, raced past Sammy Swindell deep in the first corner to take over sixth place as the green flag replaced the yellow. Jac Haudenschild passed the three-time series champion in the low groove between turns one and two the next time around. Lasoski was a half-straightaway ahead of Mark Kinser when he entered lapped traffic five laps into the race.

Paul McMahan, who won Tuesday’s main event at Lawrenceburg Speedway in only his third race with the Vivarin team, raced past six cars during the first eight laps Friday. He won the “B” Feature and drove the #11H Vivarin Maxim past Randy Hannagan in the low groove between the first and second corners to take over 10th place early in the ninth lap of the main event. Donny Schatz stopped in turn one with a blown engine two laps later.

Paul May, who replaced Tim Shaffer in the “A” Feature lineup when the engine in the #83 Beef Packers Eagle lost power late in the First Dash Race, stopped on the back stretch with a blown engine during the caution period. Brandon Wimmer stopped in the fourth corner as the race resumed.

Steve Kinser drove his #11 Quaker State Maxim past Joey Saldana in the low groove between turns one and two for fifth place as the green flag replaced the yellow. McMahan surrendered 10th place late in lap 14 when a fuel line problem forced him to stop on the back straightaway. He raced back into 11th place during the final six laps. Craig Dollansky, whose engine lost power during the hot-lap session, steered Karavan Racing’s #7 VMAC Maxim into the high groove in the fourth corner to pass Daryn Pittman for third place late in lap 16.

“The Dude” was half a straightaway ahead of Mark Kinser – a five-time winner at Terre Haute – when he caught the back-markers midway through the 19th lap. Haudenschild lost eighth place when a broken torsion stop forced him to stop the #5 MPD Hand Controls/Wirtgen America Maxim in the turn four one lap later. Officials threw the red flag so the cars could refuel, but the rain hit before the cars lined up to complete the scheduled 30-lap race. Mark Kinser finished in second place, ahead of Dollansky, Pittman, Steve Kinser, Saldana, Swindell, Hannagan, Dale Blaney and Second Heat Race winner Jason Sides.

Lasoski paced the qualifying session for the eighth time this season, circling the semi-banked, ½-mile oval in 16.527 seconds, an average speed of 108.913 M.P.H.

The O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series will open its tour of the northeast Tuesday at Delaware International Speedway. The fire-breathing, mudslinging sprint cars will also race at Williams Grove Speedway Thursday and Friday, Hagerstown Speedway Saturday and Grandview Speedway Sunday, May 18th.

2003 O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series Terre Haute Action Track, Terre Haute, IN Friday, May 9, Feature Program #18

Qualifying: 1. Danny Lasoski, Stewart 20, 16.527; 2. Joey Saldana, Saldana 17, 16.550; 3. Sammy Swindell, Roth 1, 16.769; 4. Steve Kinser, Kinser 11, 16.777; 5. Paul McMahan, Helm 11H, 16.810; 6. Kelly Kinser, Kinser 4K, 16.824; 7. Brian Paulus, P and P Motorsports 28, 16.872; 8. Kraig Kinser, Kinser 11K, 16.873; 9. Tim Shaffer, Roth 83, 16.902; 10. Mark Kinser, Kinser 5M, 16.925; 11. Craig Dollansky, Karavan Racing 7, 16.933; 12. Daryn Pittman, Sher-Don Motorsports 21, 16.939; 13. Jac Haudenschild, Forbrook 5, 17.012; 14. Donny Schatz, Schatz 15, 17.041; 15. Jason Sides, Sides Motorsports 7S, 17.106; 16. Dale Blaney, Andrews 72, 17.110; 17. Randy Hannagan, TH Racing 1X, 17.148; 18. Danny Smith, Smith 4, 17.174; 19. Brandon Wimmer, Two Winners Racing 7TW, 17.199; 20. Jeremy Campbell, Campbell 10C, 17.241; 21. Brian Brown, Parsons 6, 17.305; 22. Jimmy Stinson, Stinson 84, 17.312; 23. Bob Bennett, Acme Trailers 3, 17.356; 24. Nick Naber, G&N Racing 6N, 17.387; 25. Paul May, May 71M, 17.390; 26. Brian Carlson, Carlson 18, 17.413; 27. Ricky Logan, Gifford 17G, 17.416; 28. Tom Busch, Busch 4B, 17.513; 29. Tim Engler, Thomas 19, 17.731; 30. Eric Crocker, Woodring 16, 18.160; 31. Curt Trainer, Trainer 36, 18.227; 32. Kenny Carmichael, Carmichael 92, no time.

First Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Nick Naber, 2. Dale Blaney, 3. Randy Hannagan, 4. Danny Lasoski, 5. Tim Shaffer ($200); 6. Paul May, 7. Tim Engler, 8. Kraig Kinser. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)

Second Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Jason Sides, 2. Bob Bennett, 3. Danny Smith, 4. Mark Kinser, 5. Joey Saldana, 6. Brian Paulus, 7. Erin Crocker, 8. Brian Carlson. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)

Third Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Jimmy Stinson, 2. Donny Schatz, 3. Craig Dollansky, 4. Sammy Swindell, 5. Brandon Wimmer, 6. Kelly Kinser, 7. Ricky Logan, 8. Curt Trainer. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)

Fourth Heat Race (eight laps): 1. Brian Brown, 2. Steve Kinser, 3. Jac Haudenschild, 4. Jeremy Campbell, 5. Daryn Pittman, 6. Paul McMahan, 7. Tom Busch, 8. Kenny Carmichael. (first five qualified for the “A” Feature)

First Dash Race (five laps): 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Craig Dollansky, 3. Sammy Swindell, 4. Jac Haudenschild, 5. Jason Sides, 6. Randy Hannagan, 7. Brandon Wimmer, 8. Tim Shaffer. (finish determined the inside starting positions in the first eight rows in the “A” Feature lineup)

Second Dash Race (five laps): 1. Mark Kinser, 2. Daryn Pittman, 3. Joey Saldana, 4. Steve Kinser, 5. Dale Blaney, 6. Donny Schatz, 7. Danny Smith, 8. Jeremy Campbell. (finish determined the outside starting positions in the first eight rows in the “A” Feature lineup)

B Feature (12 laps): 1. Paul McMahan, 2. Brian Paulus, 3. Kraig Kinser, 4. Kelly Kinser, 5. Paul May, 6. Ricky Logan ($180); 7. Tom Busch ($150); 8. Erin Crocker ($120); 9. Brian Carlson ($100); 10. Tim Engler ($90). (first four qualified for the “A” Feature)

A Feature (20 laps): 1. Danny Lasoski [1] ($10,000); 2. Mark Kinser [2] ($5,500); 3. Craig Dollansky [3] ($3,200); 4. Daryn Pittman [4] ($2,800); 5. Steve Kinser [8] ($2,500); 6. Joey Saldana [6] ($2,300); 7. Sammy Swindell [5] ($2,200); 8. Randy Hannagan [11] ($2,100); 9. Dale Blaney [10] ($2,050); 10. Jason Sides [9] ($2,000); 11. Paul McMahan [15] ($1,520); 12. Kelly Kinser [17] ($1,220); 13. Danny Smith [14] ($1,100); 14. Kraig Kinser [19] ($1,070); 15. Jac Haudenschild [7] ($1,000); 16. Brian Paulus [18] ($920); 17. Jeremy Campbell [16] ($800); 18. Brian Brown [20] ($800); 19. Bob Bennett [22] ($800); 20. Brandon Wimmer [13] ($800); 21. Donny Schatz [12] ($800); 22. Paul May [24] ($800); 23. Jimmy Stinson [21] ($800); 24. Nick Naber [23] ($800). DNS: Tim Shaffer; replaced by Paul May

Lap leader: Danny Lasoski 1-20

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