2/15/2012
All Star Circuit of Champions
Danny Lasoski wins Night 1 at the 41st Annual UNOH DIRTCar Nationals
Barberville, FL (2-16-12)By Brian Liskai – There’s just something about Volusia Speedway Park that brings out the best in Danny “The Dude” Lasoski. The Dover, Missouri driver passed Craig Kinser on lap 19 and went on to score his 18th career win at the track during the University of Northwestern Ohio All Star Circuit of Champions event during the 41st Annual UNOH DIRTCar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment.
Lasoski, a former World of Outlaws champion and many time Knoxville Raceway and Knoxville Nationals champion, is fielding his own team in Florida before joining the Chiappelli/Grubb Motorsports #98 to compete in Pennsylvania and other select shows throughout 2012.
“I got one guy from Pennsylvania who came down here to help me. This is huge to get a win down here. I have to thank Triple X Chassis, Klein Motors and RVs, Paul Kistler and Kistler Engines and Creason Motorsports,” said Lasoski of his 34th career All Star win.
Kinser, piloting his father, Steve’s #11k with sponsorship from Mesilla Valley Transportation, said a deflating left rear tire ended his bid for the win.
“I don’t like going backwards, but Danny was just better than us on the bottom. I abused my tires bad trying to get through lapped traffic. And on that last red flag I had a left rear going down. But, we’ll take a second our first night out,” said Kinser.
Three time and defending UNOH All Star champion Tim Shaffer would drive from his 10th starting spot to a third place finish.
“I have to thank my owners Aaron Call and Janet Holbrook. Aaron is doing a lot of the work on this car along with James and John…we have some new guys involved this year and they are working hard,” said Shaffer. “I have to thank Kistler Engines, VRP Shocks and J&J Chassis.”
Son and father, Kraig and Steve Kinser, would pace the field to the green. Kraig Kinser would grab the lead while Steve Kinser and Daryn Pittman, who opened the UNOH All Star season with a win last week in Georgia, battling for second with Lasoski, Dale Blaney and David Gravel in tow. Jack Haudenschild would stop with brake problems on lap four to bring out the caution with the running order Kraig Kinser, Steve Kinser, Pittman, Lasoski, Blaney, Gravel and Jason Sides (up from 12th). The car on the move was the #14 of two time and defending World of Outlaws champion Jason Meyers, who had moved from last to 15th.
On the restart, Lasoski would drive around Pittman into third. With seven laps in, Kraig Kinser held a two second lead over Steve Kinser with Lasoski and Pittman in tow. Meanwhile, Meyers had driven up to 11th.
Kraig Kinser would hit lapped traffic on the ninth circuit, and as he struggled to put Dave Blaney a down a lap, Steve Kinser quickly closed for the lead. With 10 laps in the books, son and father battled for the lead, with Lasoski now closing. At the half-way point the running order was Kraig Kinser, Steve Kinser, Lasoski, Pittman and Dale Blaney. On lap 18, Lasoski would drive under Steve Kinser into the runner-up spot, and would drive into the lead a lap later.
With 10 laps to go, Lasoski began to pull away while Kraig Kinser ran second and Dale Blaney moved into third. On lap 23, Lasoski was now having problems picking his way through traffic, and Kraig Kinser closed while smoke began billowing from Blaney’s mount. Blaney would exit the track on lap 26 as Shaffer moved into third.
The action would grind to a halt on lap 28 as Sam Hafertepe Jr. got upside down. The running order on the restart would be Lasoski, the lapped car of Tony Stewart, Kraig Kinser, Shaffer, Steve Kinser, who had a left rear tire going flat, Sides, Gravel, Pittman, Joey Saldana, Craig Dollansky and Meyers. Steve Kinser would spin in turn one on the restart, setting up another green-white-checkered finish.
Lasoski would pull away the final two circuits for the win over Kraig Kinser, Shaffer, Gravel and Sides.
Kistler Racing Engines Qualifying: 1. Danny Lasoski #33 -13.167; 2. Daryn Pittman #27 – 13.172; 3. Joey Saldana #9 – 13.174; 4. Aaron Ott #77 – 13.205; 5. Dale Blaney #2 – 13.226; 6. Jason Sides #7s – 13.230; 7. Brad Sweet #49 – 13.244; 8. Craig Dollansky #7 – 13.247; 9. Fred Rahmer #51 – 13.255; 10. Chad Kemenah #63 – 13.272; 11. Steve Kinser #11 – 13.274; 12. Kraig Kinser #11k – 13.292; 13. 4. Cody Darrah #4 – 13.301; 14. Jason Meyers #14 – 13.322; 15. David Gravel #89g – 13.336; 16. Jac Haudenschild #5 – 13.351; 17. Tim Shaffer #83 – 13.355; 18. Sammy Swindell #1 – 13.357; 19. Brian Ellenberger #20e – 13.359; 20. Sam Hafertepe Jr. #1z – 13.366; 21. Dave Blaney #59 – 13.407; 22. Bronson Maeschen #96 – 13.448; 23. Lucas Wolfe #5w – 13.480; 24. Tony Stewart #14s – 13.499; 25. Cap Henry #54 –
13.504; 26. Paul McMahan #45 – 13.505; 27. Kerry Madsen #29 – 13.533; 28. Mark Smith #M1 – 13.533; 29. Glenn Styres #0 – 13.575; 30. Pete Miller III #3 – 13.581; 31. Donny Schatz #15 – 13.603; 32. Danny Smith #4s – 13.632; 33. Alan Krimes #87 – 13.635; 34. Greg Hodnett #39 – 13.636; 35. Jack Sodeman Jr. #94 – 13.690; 36. Dustin Morgan #2x – 13.729; 37. Luke Hall #33m – 13.836; 38. Paul May #71m – 13.943; 39. Mark Coldren #07 – 14.067; 40. Terry McCarl #24 – 14.086.
Kear’s Speed Shop Heat 1 (Top 5 transfer to A) : 1. Sammy Swindell #1; 2. Cody Darrah #4; 3. Danny Lasoski #33; 4. Dale Blaney #2; 5. Paul McMahan
#45; 6. Fred Rahmer #51; 7. Alan Krimes #87; 8. Glen Styres #0; 9. Luke Hall #33m; 10. Bronson Maeschen #96 (DNS).
All Pro Clynder Heads Heat 2 (Top 5 transfer to A): 1. Brian Ellenberger #22e; 2. Daryn Pittman #27; 3. Lucas Wolfe #5w; 4. David Gravel #89G; 5. Jason Meyers #14; 6. Jason Sides #7s; 7. Greg Hodnett #39; 8. Chad Kemenah #63; 9. Paul May #71M; 10. Pete Miller III #3
Dragon Race Fuel Heat 3 (Top 5 transfer to A): 1. Tony Stewart #14s; 2. Jac Haudenschild #5; 3. Sam Hafertepe Jr. #1z; 4. Joey Saldana #9; 5. Steve Kinser #11; 6. Brad Sweet #49; 7. Kerry Madsen #29; 8. Donny Schatz #15; 9. Mark Doldren #07; 10. Jack Sodeman Jr. #94.
Kinsler Fuel Injection Heat 4 (Top 5 transfer to A): 1. Dave Blaney #59; 2. Cap Henry #54; 3. Kraig Kinser #11k; 4. Tim Shaffer #83; 5. Aaron Ott #77; 6. Craig Dollansky #7; 7. Mark Smith #M1; 8. Dustin Morgan #2x; 9. Danny Smith #4s; 10. Terry McCarl #24 (DNS)
MSD Ignition B-Main (Top 4 transfer to A): 1. Jason Sides #7s; 2. Brad Sweet #49; 3. Chad Kemenah #63; 4. Craig Dollansky #7; 5. Kerry Madsen #29; 6. Fred Rahmer #51; 7. Danny Smith #4s; 8. Greg Hodnett #39; 9. Donny Schatz #15; 10. Mark Smith #M1; 11. Alan Krimes #87; 12. Pete Miller III #3; 13. Luke Hall #33m; 14. Dustin Morgan #2x; 15. Glen Styres #0; 16. Mark Coldren #07; 17. Paul May #71m; 18. Terry McCarl #24; 19. Bronson Maeschen #96 (DNS); 20. Jack Sodeman Mr. #94 (DNS).
Outerwear’s Performance Products Dash (Finishing order determines A-Main starting position): 1. Craig Kinser #11k; 2. Steve Kinser #11; 3. Danny Lasoski #33; 4. Daryn Pittman #27; 5. Aaron Ott #77; 6. Dale Blaney #2 (DNS).
UNOH A-Main (30 laps, starting position [*}): 1. Danny Lasoski [3]; 2. Kraig Kinser [1]; 3. Tim Shaffer [10]; 4. David Gravel [8]; 5. Jason Sides [12]; 6. Joey Saldana [11]; 7. Daryn Pittman [4]; 8. Craig Dollansky [14]; 9. Jason Meyers [24]; 10. Chad Kemenah [15]; 11. Cody Darrah [7]; 12. Paul McMahan [23]; 13. Lucas Wolfe [9]; 14. Sammy Swindell [16]; 15. Brad Sweet [13]; 16. Aaron Ott [5]; 17. Brian Ellenberger [17]; 18. Tony Stewart [21]; 19. Cap Henry [22]; 20. Dave Blaney [19]; 21. Steve Kinser [2]; 22. Sam Hafertepe Jr. [18]; 23. Dale Blaney [6]; 24. Jac Haudenschild [9].
Article Credit: Brian Liskai
Submitted By: Ross Paulson