World of Outlaws

Eagle: Finale race report

'The Dude' Completes Eagle Nationals Sweep EAGLE, NE (June 20) -- Danny Lasoski accomplished another goal Sunday at Eagle Raceway. The 2001 World of Outlaws Sprint Series champion won his first main event at Eagle's high-banked, 1/3-mile oval, ...

Published: Jun 22, 2004, 11:27 PM

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'The Dude' Completes Eagle Nationals Sweep

EAGLE, NE (June 20) -- Danny Lasoski accomplished another goal Sunday at Eagle Raceway.

The 2001 World of Outlaws Sprint Series champion won his first main event at Eagle's high-banked, 1/3-mile oval, completing his sweep of the 21st Annual Eagle Nationals. "The Dude" won his first "A" Feature at Eldora Speedway June 5th.

"I've always wanted one of these (Eagle Nationals trophy)," Lasoski said. "We've come here for a long time, and we were never able to put a win together. It's a shame the track took rubber like that, but I'm sure last night's race made up for it. I just have to thank my guys -- Jimmy Carr and Todd Splain -- for all the hard work they do on this J.D. Byrider Eagle. I called Tony (Stewart, his car owner) last night and told him we won. He told me I could keep my job for at least another day, so I'd better call him again here as soon as I get back to the trailer."

"The Dude" cut Steve Kinser's advantage in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series point standings to 116 points with the flag-to-flag victory. With four "A" Feature victories this season, "The Dude" has 65 in his career, tying him with Stevie Smith for sixth place on the series' all-time list. The $12,000 victory was the 15th of Lasoski's World of Outlaws Sprint Series career at a racetrack one-third of a mile or shorter.

Lasoski, who swept four multi-program events last season, won his seventh Dash Race of the year for the privilege of starting the 40-lap main event on the pole. Sammy Swindell, who set fast time in both Eagle Nationals racing programs, burst into the lead from the outside pole as the green flag fell in the "A" Feature. A first-corner collision involving Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year candidate Jonathan Allard and Bill Rose sent Rose spinning and brought out the caution flag, however, nullifying the start.

"The Dude" beat Swindell into turn one as the green flag replaced the yellow, only to have "B" Feature winner Brandon Wimmer spin in the fourth corner several seconds later. Lasoski took the lead again when the race resumed, but Craig Dollansky collided with Rose, Tim Shaffer, Erin Crocker and Collin Northway and flipped between turns three and four, bringing out the red flag. Lasoski raced into the lead on the ensuing restart by winning a front-straightaway drag race with Swindell.

Terry McCarl drove his #24 Big Game Tree Stands Eagle into seventh place from outside the fifth row during the opening lap. The defending and five-time Knoxville Raceway champion passed Allard high in turn four the next time around.

Mark Kinser and Rose hit the restart cone following early spins by Erin Crocker, and were sent to the rear of the field.

Lasoski controlled the fourth-lap restart, and was 1.2 seconds ahead of Swindell when he entered lapped traffic 10 laps into the race. The track opened ahead of the leaders four laps later when the #6 Casey's General Stores Maxim suffered a flat right rear tire, forcing Shaffer to stop in the fourth corner.

Steve Kinser passed Swindell for second place as Sammy's right rear tire started losing air pressure soon after the green flag replaced the yellow. "Slammin' Sammy" stopped the #12X Beaver Drill & Tool Maxim in turn one with a flat tire early in the 18th lap, but raced back through the field to claim his third top-10 finish in a World of Outlaws Sprint Series main event this season.

"The Dude" raced away from the field as the race resumed, and opened a 2.01-second advantage over Kinser within four laps. Donny Schatz, the defending 1/3-Mile Short Track Nationals champion, lost seventh place when his family's #15 Parker Store J&J suffered a flat right rear tire early in lap 26.

Shaffer, who raced through the field twice, passed Joey Saldana for 12th place with an inside move in turn two as the green flag replaced the yellow. Kerry Madsen, Kraig Kinser and Wimmer passed Jason Sides for positions eight through 10 when the 2003 Rookie of the Year slid out of the inside groove in the second corner early in the 31st lap.

Lasoski was 2.5 seconds ahead of "The King of the Outlaws" when he caught the back-markers two laps later. Kraig Kinser and Mark Kinser surrendered the 10th and 15th positions and took the leaders out of lapped traffic when they stopped with flat tires during lap 35.

"The Dude" raced away from Kinser as the race resumed, and took the checkered flag with 2.35 seconds to spare. Brooke Tatnell, the only Australian driver to win a World of Outlaws Sprint Series main event, finished third in both Eagle Nationals feature races. McCarl finished fourth, ahead of Allard, Daryn Pittman, Madsen, Wimmer, Shaffer and Swindell. Allard and Wimmer recorded career-best finishes by racing into the fifth and eighth positions, respectively.

Engine problems caused Saldana to qualify poorly -- only 22nd-quick among the 28 cars taking time trials. With a new power plant in the #2 Volcano Joe's Coffee Maxim, the 1996 Rookie of the Year raced past 13 cars to finish 11th in the main event.

The World of Outlaws Sprint Series will run a $51,600 event at Dodge City Raceway Park Tuesday, and sanction the NAPA Classic at Knoxville Raceway Friday and Saturday.

-WoO

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