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 EAGLE,
NE (June 27-28) -- Steve Kinser continues his push to take over the
lead in the O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series winning both features
over the weekend in Eagle, NE. Kinser used a Hoosier RD12/D12
combination both nights in capturing a pair of wins at Eagle Raceway.
It was the defending series champion's 17th feature win of the season
in 43 nights of action. Kinser has now narrowed the gap between himself
and current points leader Danny Lasoski to just 13 points. Both nights
also ended in Hoosier-shod cars capturing the top 12 spots in the
feature race giving Team-Hoosier its 34th consecutive 1-2-3 finish of
the season. In past seasons, the Hoosier brand's best streak had been
11 races in a row, that was last season when the Hoosier brand posted
its best record in its history going 90-6 in the series. Hoosier-shod
cars have now won an amazing 41 of the 43 races contested to date in
the series.
PRELIMINARY NIGHT
EAGLE, NE (June 27) -- Thirty-five cars were entered in qualifying
with 28 of them using Hoosier tires. The remaining seven drivers were
split among the other two competing tire brands. Australia's Brooke
Tatnell was the fastest qualifier after circling the 1/3-mile track in
11.802 seconds. Tatnell was followed by Jason Meyers, Kraig Kinser,
Paul McMahan, Joey Saldana and Steve Kinser giving Hoosier claim to
the six fastest times in qualifying.
Three of four preliminary heat races were also won by
drivers using Hoosier tires. Ricky Logan won the first heat, while
Steve Kinser won the third heat and Terry McCarl won the final heat.
In Dash competition, Brooke Tatnell won the first Dash
with Jason Meyers taking the win in the second and final Dash.
In the 30-lap feature, 19 of the 24 starters rode on
Hoosier tires with only one other tire brand having drivers make it
into the race. At the drop of the green flag, outside pole-sitter
Jason Meyers immediately jumped into the lead. Meyers was using a pair
of RD12's as his rear drive tire compound choice. Meyers led until lap
five, when third starting Steve Kinser moved into the lead. Kinser,
using a Hoosier RD12/D12 (LR/RR) combination, led the remainder of the
way to capture the $5,000 preliminary win.
Jason Meyers settled for second place and $3,000,
while Joey Saldana took home the final podium spot and the $2,500
prize. Saldana also opted to run the 30-lap feature using a pair of
RD12's.
At the finish line, Team-Hoosier dominated the opener
at Eagle Raceway collecting the top twelve spots in the night's final
race. Mark Kinser, Paul McMahan, Tim Shaffer, Daryn Pittman, Brooke
Tatnell, Danny Lasoski, Jason Sides, Kraig Kinser and Terry McCarl
finished fourth through twelfth, respectively.
FINALE
EAGLE, NE (June 28) -- Thirty-nine drivers were on hand Saturday for
the completion of the two-night Eagle Nationals. The top four
finishing drivers (S. Kinser/Jason Meyers/Joey Saldana/Mark Kinser) on
the opening night of competition were awarded the first four starting
positions in the Dash race leaving 35 drivers to post times in qualifying.
Also of note, Stevie Smith was one of 30 drivers to qualify on
Hoosiers. Smith switched to the Hoosier brand for the finale after
racing the first portion of the season on another tire brand. Danny
Lasoski was the fastest Hoosier equipped qualifier with a lap of
11.588 seconds as Team-Hoosier drivers claimed nine of the top ten
times in qualifying.
In heat race action, Team-Hoosier claimed wins in all
four races. Tim Shaffer won the first heat, while Paul McMahan, Kraig
Kinser and Donny Schatz won the remaining heats.
In the one Dash race contested, Steve Kinser took the
win followed by Jason Meyers, Joey Saldana, Danny Lasoski, Kraig
Kinser and Mark Kinser making Hoosier the only tire brand represented
in the first three rows of the 40-lap feature.
In the feature, 20 of the 24 starters rode on Hoosier
tires with the remaining four slots filled by drivers using one of the
other two competing tire brands. When it was all over, Steve Kinser
had led wire-to-wire to capture the $15,000 win. Kinser used the same
RD12/D12 combination he used the night before to claim both feature
wins. Kinser's two victories were worth $20,000 to the defending
series champ.
Following Kinser to the finish line was Joey Saldana
(RD12/RD12). Saldana won $7,000 for the runner-up finish, while Danny
Lasoski settled for third and a $4,250 payout. All told, the Hoosier
brand was on the first twelve drivers to cross the finish line in the
Eagle Nationals finale. Kraig Kinser, Mark Kinser, Tim Shaffer, Jason
Sides, Brooke Tatnell, Paul McMahan, Daryn Pittman, Donny Schatz and
Danny Wood finished fourth through twelfth, respectively. Also of
note, Stevie Smith charged from 21st to finish 14th on his first night
using USA-made Hoosier tires.
Danny Lasoski continues to lead the series standings
with 5177 points followed by Steve Kinser with 5164 points. Joey
Saldana, Daryn Pittman, Donny Schatz, Jason Sides, and Mark Kinser
round out the all-Hoosier top seven in the standings.
The series resumes racing this Wednesday, July 2, at Missouri's
State Fair Speedway for a single night of racing before traveling to
Knoxville, IA for a two-night program starting July 4th.
Special thanks to Hoosier's World of Outlaws Track
Service Manager Todd Seitz for providing the details for this
report.
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