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 KNOXVILLE,
IA (May 1) -- Mark Kinser became the sixth different main event
feature winner of 2004 in the World of Outlaws Series when he captured
the 25-lap feature at famous Knoxville Raceway on Saturday. With rain
washing out Friday's preliminary, this year's Spring Classic event
turned into a one-race program. When the checkered flag dropped
Saturday night, Kinser had led all 25 laps en route to collecting the
$10,000 winner's check. All three sprint tire manufacturers were
present in Knoxville as 65 sprint cars jammed the pits at the famous
1/2-mile track which also serves as home to the National Sprint Car
Hall of Fame Museum. When the field had been whittled to 28 for the
feature race, only the Hoosier brand remained among the three
competing tire brands.
Sixty-five cars were on hand Saturday for qualifying
with 55 drivers trusting the Hoosier brand. The remaining ten drivers
were split (7-3) among the two other race tire manufacturers. Chad
Kemenah, using Hoosier's softest compound option (D10), earned fast
qualifier honors with his lap of 15.832 seconds (113.694 mph) around
the newly reconfigured track. Jeremy Campbell was second followed by
Tim Kaeding, Joey Saldana, Craig Dollansky and Mark Kinser in third
through sixth, respectively. All told, Team Hoosier captured 14 of the
15 fastest times in qualifying.
The 48 fastest qualifiers (including 42 members of
Team Hoosier) competed in four preliminary 8-lap heat races--all four
of which were won by Hoosier-shod drivers. Danny Lasoski, Randy
Hannagan, Wayne Johnson and Paul McMahan were the four heat race
winners. Each of the winners used a Hoosier D10 right rear tire en
route to their respective first place finish.
Mark Kinser won the first Dash, while Jason Johnson
won the final Dash keeping Team-Hoosier's record perfect on the night.
Both drivers also opted to run the 5-lap races using a Hoosier D10
tire as their right rear selection.
In the 25-lap feature, all 28 combatants rode on
Hoosier tires. Mark Kinser took advantage of his front row starting
position by powering into the race lead at the drop of the green flag
over fellow front-row starter Jason Johnson. From there, Kinser led
every lap of the race using a Hoosier RD12/D12 (LR/RR) combination.
Kinser earned $10,000 for the top finish. Seventh starting Chad
Kemenah took second place earning $5,500. Kemenah made his charge
using a pair of Hoosier D12's as did third place finisher Danny
Lasoski after starting eighth.
Tim Shaffer took fourth place after starting back in
the 21st position. Shaffer made his amazing run to the front using a
pair of RD12's. Tim Kaeding rounded out the list of top five finishers
with Craig Dollansky, Donny Schatz, Jason Meyers, Steve Kinser and
Jason Sides rounding out the top ten.
Hoosier Open Wheel Dirt Product Manager Neil Cowman
attended the event as did former World of Outlaws Track Service
Manager and new Hoosier Kart and Quarter Midget Product Manager Todd
Seitz. Dave Campbell, Hoosier's new World of Outlaws Track Service
Manager, who travels with the circuit, was also in attendance. All
three provided details used in this report.
Danny Lasoski narrowed the distance between himself
and World of Outlaws Series points leader Steve Kinser to just 53
points after the Knoxville race. Tim Shaffer holds a slim 1-point lead
over Donny Schatz for third place with Daryn Pittman rounding out the
top five in the standings. Currently, the top ten drivers in the
series standings compete on Hoosier racing tires.
The Hoosier brand has now won 17 of the 18 races
contested in the World of Outlaws Series this season and been the
exclusive choice of the last four champions in the series.
Coincidentally, Hoosier President and CEO Bob Newton
has been voted Manufacturer of the Year four years in a row by the
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Museum located on the grounds at
Knoxville Raceway.
The World of Outlaws Series is back in action this
Thursday at Lawrenceburg (IN) Speedway for a one-night show before
traveling to Kentucky for another one-night program at Kentucky Lake
Motor Speedway on Saturday.
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