Tennessee: Race report

'The King' Takes Tennessee Motor Speedway Feature

BAXTER, TN (October 4) -- Randy Hannagan appeared to be on his way to the second "A" Feature victory of his career Saturday at Tennessee Motor Speedway. Unfortunately for him, Steve Kinser has a knack for winning the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' inaugural visit to a racing facility.

Kinser passed Hannagan late in the 18th lap and held off World of Outlaws Gumout Series champion Tyler Walker to win his 17th main event of the season. Fifty of Kinser's 468 career victories have come when the series was visiting a track for the first time.

"I didn't know Tyler was that close to me until I saw him there in turn four (with 1 ¼ laps remaining)," Kinser said. "I just went to the top in (turns) one and two. I got by Johnny (Herrera) and I didn't know if he (Walker) was good enough to get me on the top in three and four. If he was, then we were going to run second. But we got here, and that's all that matters. We actually put too hard a tire on, and we blistered it.

"It seems like we've had pretty good luck coming to a race track the first time and winning. We seem to be able to adapt pretty well when we come to a new place."

Hannagan, who was recovering from a broken leg a year ago, raced with a heavy heart Saturday. William Luck -- the father of Chris Luck, the team's director of new business development -- passed away September 29th.

Hannagan earned the right to start the 30-lap "A" Feature on the pole by winning his first O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash of the year. Kinser, who won his 16th dash, started next to the 1995 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year on the front row.

Kinser and Hannagan raced wheel-to-wheel down the front straightaway as the green flag fell in the series' 62nd "A" Feature of the season. "The King of the Outlaws" surged ahead in turn one, but a collision involving fast qualifier Danny Lasoski an Jeff Swindell sent Lasoski spinning into the infield. The caution flag fell, nullifying the original start.

Hannagan drove Terry Hannagan Racing's #1x K&C Drywall Eagle into the lead for the first time this season when the green flag replaced the yellow. Hannagan was 15 car-lengths ahead of Kinser when he entered lapped traffic five laps into the race.

Jac Haudenschild lost 10th place three laps later when he spun in the fourth corner. A flat right rear tire on the #83 Beef Packers Eagle forced Tim Shaffer to surrender fourth place.

Donny Schatz and Walker passed Stevie Smith during the 10th and 13th laps, taking over third and fourth place, respectively.

Hannagan had a seven-car-length advantage when he caught the back-markers a second time, only to have "The King of the Outlaws" catch him early in lap 17. Kinser steered his #11 Quaker State Maxim deep in the fourth corner to pass Hannagan for the lead the next time around.

Walker, who won the "A" Feature at State Fair Motor Speedway May 10th, drove C&W Motorsports' #35 Maxim past Schatz and Hannagan during the 23rd and 24th laps, then caught Kinser four laps later. Walker raced through turn four with "The King of the Outlaws" late in lap 29, but was unable to surge ahead. Kinser gained some breathing room with a high move around Herrera between turns the first and second corners and claimed the $10,000 first prize with four car-lengths to spare.

Hannagan's third-place finish was his seventh in the top five this year. Schatz, who started inside the sixth row, finished fourth, ahead of Smith, Joey Saldana, Mark Kinser, Craig Dollansky, Third Heat Race winner Danny Wood and Daryn Pittman.

Lasoski set quick time for the 13th time this season, driving NASCAR Winston Cup star Tony Stewart's #20 J.D. Byrider Eagle around the high-banked, ½-mile oval in 12.955 seconds, an average speed of 138.942 M.P.H.

-WoO