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 TERRE
HAUTE, IN (May 12) -- The O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series was able to
race one night on what was to have been three consecutive nights of
racing in the series. But rain forced two dates to be rescheduled and
one race to be shortened when the sky opened up in Terre Haute, IN on
Friday. The race was declared complete after 20 laps of what was to
have been a 30-lap feature. Danny Lasoski led all 20 laps en route to
the win followed by Mark Kinser and Craig Dollansky in second and
third. The 1-2-3 finish by Team-Hoosier was the 15th
consecutive time the Hoosier brand has swept the podium in the
series. Both Thursday's race at Farmer City Raceway and Saturday's
race at Tri-City Speedway had to be rescheduled due to persistent
rains that has plagued the Midwest for nearly two weeks.
Thirty-two cars were on hand Friday night with 28 of
them selecting the Hoosier brand when making their qualifying runs.
The other four drivers were split evenly among the other two competing
tire manufacturers. Danny Lasoski set fast time of the night as the
six fastest times were recorded by drivers on Hoosier tires. Lasoski
circled the 1/2-mile track in 16.527 seconds (108.913 mph). Joey
Saldana was second followed by Sammy Swindell, Steve Kinser, Paul
McMahan and Kelly Kinser.
In heat race action, all four heat race winners rode
on Hoosier tires. Nick Nabor nabbed the first heat, while Jason Sides,
Jimmy Stinson and Brian Brown won the remaining heats.
In the two Dash races contested, Danny Lasoski
captured the first Dash with Mark Kinser taking the final Dash.
Lasoski's win came at a price however when the engine to his Tony
Stewart sponsored #20 expired as the 2001 series champion crossed the
finish line. The power plant was quickly replaced and Lasoski was
ready to take the green flag for the start of the scheduled 30-lap
feature.
In the feature, 20 of the 24 starters rode on Hoosier
tires. When the green flag waved, Danny Lasoski and his new engine
immediately jumped into the race lead over fellow front-row starter
Mark Kinser. Lasoski, using a Hoosier D10/D12 (LR/RR) compound
combination, led all 20 laps before the rains came causing the race to
be ended ten laps short of its scheduled distance. Lasoski earned
$10,000 for the win, while Mark Kinser (RD12/D12) and Craig Dollansky
(D12/D12) wound up settling for second and third, respectively.
Kinser's take was $5,500 while Dollansky collected $3,200.
All told, Hoosier tires were on the top 14 drivers in
the night's feature race. Daryn Pittman, Steve Kinser, Joey Saldana,
Sammy Swindell, Randy Hannagan, Dale Blaney, and Jason Sides finished fourth
through tenth, respectively. Paul McMahan, Kelly Kinser, Danny Smith
and Kraig Kinser rounded the list of top-14 finishers on the Hoosier
brand.
Hoosier Open Wheel Dirt Product Manager Neil Cowman
traveled south to attend Thursday's rained-out race in Illinois and
Friday's race in Terre Haute had this to say about the win,
"Although the rain shortened the race, it was a great event for
the fans and it gave me a chance to talk with most of the teams
competing in the circuit to answer their questions and update them on
new products, as well as, future testing we currently have
planned."
Danny Lasoski extended his lead in the World of
Outlaws Series over Steve Kinser to 57 markers, while Craig Dollansky
remains in third place.
Weather permitting, the series will resume racing
Tuesday night, May 13th, at Delaware International Speedway before
locking horns with the Pennsylvania Posse on four consecutive nights
at three different facilities beginning this Thursday at Williams
Grove Speedway.
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