6/26/09
US36 Raceway
Osborn, MO
WoO
28 cars
Jac Haudenschild (7th car out to time) set the standard on the high-banked 1/3 mile at 10.887 seconds on a slicker track than the norm at US36 (the water truck broke down between 4 and 6. Tim Kaeding (4th car out) was second quick, followed by Lucas Wolfe (8th), Jason Sides (12th), Joey Saldana (10th), Johnny Herrera (3rd), Sam Hafertepe Jr. (13th), Terry McCarl (20th), Donny Schatz (22nd) and Kraig Kinser (19th). It was an advantage going out earlier in qualifying as the track slicked off, a unique situation for US36. The car count was a bit disappointing but a charge of $40 for a pit pass is tough for a lot of Knoxville local drivers. One was charged $40 by SLS and US36 for his two year old to be admitted. Not a way to win the racers over. Hopefully, we will report later that the situation was rectified.
Heat one (started): 1. Kraig Kinser 20 (1) 2. Jac Haudenschild R19 (4) 3. Jason Sides 7s (3) 4. Sam Hafertepe Jr. 15H (2) 5. Travis Rilat 2 (5) 6. Sammy Swindell 10 (7) / 7. Wayne Johnson 14AJ (9) 8. Bronson Maeschen 96 (8) 9. Tim Newman 18V (10) 10. Kim Kennedy 1K (6)
Kennedy flipped his sharp looking mount on the first try at green. K. Kinser led from flag to flag after that running the high side. Haudenschild followed, while Sides was strong on the low side in third.
Heat two (started): 1. Saldana 9 (3) 2. McCarl 24 (2) 3. Jason Johnson 41 (1) 4. Kaeding 83 (4) 5. Tony Bruce Jr. 18 (5) 6. Danny Lasoski 6 (6) / 7. Gary Brazier 1AU (7) 8. Brooke Tatnell 21AU (8) 9. Brant O'Banion 30 (9)
After ASCS regular J. Johnson was sent to the second row for a supposed jump from the pole, Saldana assumed the point and led all 10 laps. A spin by Tatnell before a lap could be completed, and spoiled a row four, "battle for Australia" that would have ended with both being in the B anyway.
Heat three (started): 1. Steve Kinser 11 (1) 2. Jason Meyers 14 (7) 3. Schatz 15 (2) 4. Herrera 2w (3) 5. Craig Dollansky 19 (6) 6. Wolfe 5w (4) / 7. Brian Ellenberger 22 (8) 8. Kerry Madsen 55 (5) 9. Bob Weuve 19w (9)
S. Kinser led throughout, but this heat made up for the lack of action in the first two. Meyers was clearly had the best setup in this field and knifed through traffic. Dollansky, Wolfe, Herrera and Madsen were in a battle for the final transfer for much of the race. Madsen performed a slider on Dollansky for the sixth spot, but spun in the process on lap seven. That put S. Kinser ahead of Schatz, Meyers, Wolfe, Herrera and Dollansky. Meyers disposed of Schatz in the last three laps, but the battle was on for the final transfer. Ellenberger entered the mix after restarting seventh. He passed both Dollansky and Wolfe at one time, but ended up .15 seconds out of the final transfer at the checkers. After the checkers fell, Weuve broke a right rear wheel hub, sending him into the wall. It would have been much worse if not on a bullring, and he plans to have things back together for Knoxville.
Dash (started): 1. McCarl (1) 2. Herrera (2) 3. Meyers (6) 4. Saldana (3) 5. Haudenschild (9) 6. Wolfe (4) 7. K. Kinser (8) 8. Kaeding (7) 9. S. Kinser (5) 10. Sides (10)
Meyers proved he had the car to beat after the dash by surging forward. A Meyers fly-by of S. Kinser on lap one surprised the King and he checked up sideways, losing several spots. McCarl led the 8-lap distance, though he had a scare from Herrera with three to go. Haudenschild also moved up well.
B main (started): 1. Brazier (3) 2. Tatnell (5) 3. Madsen (1) 4. Ellenberger (4) 5. W. Johnson (7) 6. Maeschen (2) / 7. O'Banion (6) 8. Newman (8) DNS - Kennedy, Weuve
Madsen led the 10-lapper early, but Brazier and Tatnell were on the move. Brazier slid under Madsen on lap three, and Tatnell followed suit shortly thereafter, setting up the finishing order for the Aussie trio.
A main (started): 1. Saldana (4) 2. Herrera (2) 3. K. Kinser (7) 4. Schatz (12) 5. Haudenschild (5) 6. McCarl (1) 7. S. Kinser (9) 8. Sides (10) 9. Meyers (3) 10. Bruce Jr. (15) 11. J. Johnson (13) 12. Lasoski (17) 13. Swindell (19) 14. Tatnell (21) 15. Ellenberger (22) 16. Kaeding (8) 17. Brazier (20) 18. Dollansky (18) 19. Maeschen (24) 20. Madsen (16) 21. Rilat (14) 22. Hafertepe Jr. (11) 23. W. Johnson (23) 24. Wolfe (6)
This was one of the classics. After the initial start (led by McCarl) was called back for a spun Hafertepe Jr., Herrera took the point in the 40-lapper. Wolfe and S. Kinser were involved in a lap two incident, and Hafertepe stopped again. Wolfe headed pitside. The restart with one lap down, saw Herrera leading McCarl, Saldana, Meyers and K. Kinser. Herrera continued to lead, while Saldana and Meyers disposed of McCarl to move into second and third. Kaeding spun on lap eight, bringing another caution. His spin collected Dollansky, who tipped over, but returned with a mangled racer after making repairs. The restart saw Herrera ahead of Saldana, Meyers, McCarl and K. Kinser. Once Herrera got to lapped traffic a battle for the lead ensued. Shortly thereafter, contact to Herrera's car caused the nose wing to dislodge forward. Saldana over took the lead on lap 16, Herrera was back in front on lap 18, and Saldana retook the point on lap 19, as the pair exchanged sliders. Schatz was up to fifth, and K. Kinser to third by the time Maeschen came to a stop on lap 27. The restart saw Saldana ahead of Herrera, K. Kinser, Meyers and Schatz. Herrera dipped to the low side and took the lead away from Saldana on the restart. He masterfully worked traffic until a lap 34 red flag for Madsen, who flipped in turn two. No one was injured. Haudenschild had moved into the top five, but all eyes were up front in the six lap showdown for the win. Herrera continued to lead after taking the white flag, but he encountered the crippled car of Dollansky and had to make a move. Saldana pounced on the low side of turn one and slid in for the lead. Herrera made a last gasp try in turn four, only to come up short in the thriller.