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Lasoski wins Night 1 of UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit

The winningest driver in Volusia Speedway Park adds another victory amid traffic

BARBERVILLE, Fla. - Feb. 15, 2012 - For more than 20 straight laps on Wednesday, Volusia Speedway Park was littered with a traffic jam.

The intense jumble of lapped cars on the fast, half-mile dirt oval in Barberville, Fla., created dynamic racing at the 41st annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment. Danny Lasoski, the winningest driver in track history, worked his way through the clutter the best en route to claiming the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions victory.

"It's a momentum booster for sure," he said after picking up his 18th career sprint car win at Volusia Speedway Park.

Lasoski, who was also the fastest qualifier with a top lap of 13.167 seconds, stands atop the standings after the first of five consecutive nights of sprint car racing that will determine the overall champion for the week.

However, the former World of Outlaws driver and recent inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, didn't get the start he wanted. Lasoski, who started third after a third-place finish in the dash, fell to fourth in the opening laps. He regained third place from Daryn Pittman on a lap-five restart and capitalized in lapped traffic that began to plague the leaders around lap 10.

Kraig Kinser, who led all six laps of the dash to earn the pole position for the 30-lap feature, pulled to a sizeable lead early. His father, Steve Kinser, chased him down as the duo began to navigate through the lapped traffic.

They were slowed on several occasions, which allowed Lasoski to join the battle near the midpoint of the feature. Lasoski passed Steve Kinser for second place on the bottom in turns one and two on lap 19, and then maneuvered past Kraig Kinser less than a lap later.

"Anytime you run second in traffic you've got an advantage," Lasoski said. "Kraig was going where he had to go to get around traffic.

"The more the fuel load got out of our car the better we were."

Kraig Kinser continued to chase Lasoski in the final dozen laps and closed within a car length several times. A red flag was waved when Sam Hafertepe Jr. flipped in turn one with two laps remaining - ending 24 straight green-flag laps.

"Even after Danny got by me he was struggling with lapped cars just as bad as I was," Kraig Kinser said. "I would have been better if we had stayed in traffic; maybe would have had a better shot. My left rear tire was getting a little low. I knew at that point any shot of going after Danny, especially in open track, was over with."

While Kinser's tire was deflating, his father's went flat during the red flag. Steve Kinser tried to restart, but ended up crashing in turn one to bring out the final caution. He was running fourth at the time and finished 21st.

Tim Shaffer took advantage and was on the heels of Kraig Kinser for the runner-up position, but ultimately settled for third place.

"It was definitely a great night for us," Shaffer said. "To start 10th and get up to third, that's a good night for us.

"At this place, you could be a hero one night and a zero the next night. We'll try to build off what we learned tonight and hopefully we can move on tomorrow with it."

David Gravel finished fourth and Jason Sides, who won the B Main, drove from 12th to round out the top five.

Joey Saldana was sixth, Pittman seventh, Craig Dollansky eighth, Jason Meyers ninth and Chad Kemenah placed 10th. Meyers rebounded from a mechanical issue in qualifying to earn the Hard Charger Award, driving from last - 24th - to score the top 10.

The drivers will return Thursday for another UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions event before the World of Outlaws races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets for the rest of the 41st annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit can be ordered online by clicking WorldofOutlaws.com/tickets, by calling 877-395-8606 or purchased at the track.

WE'RE ONLINE - Make sure to check out WorldofOutlaws.com for the latest news and results, plus exclusive driver interviews, video and pictures. Also listen to every event live at DIRTVision.com .

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