Brown, Lasoski battle throughout 34 lap main event
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2013) – Danny Lasoski, Dover, Mo., started the night on top by setting fast time in qualifying (12.658, avg. speed 106.652) and ended the night at the top as well, picking up the $4,000 pay day after winning the first night of a two-night show at 34 Raceway, Friday.
The win was Lasoski’s first MOWA victory of the season.
Brian Brown set second quick time and won the dash, which gave him the pole position for the feature event, and Lasoski finished second, which started him on the outside of the front row.
“He (Brown) had the preferred spot to start,” Lasoski said. “We got our car rolling around the top and then took his line.
“After that it was a pretty good race,” he added.
Lasoski was able to out race Brown down the backstretch, after the pair remained side-by-side for the first half of a lap, but used the high line in turns 3 and 4, to take the lead. He went to the bottom in front of Brown in turns 1 and 2, setting the stage for the remainder of the event.
Brown was able to get by Lasoski on lap seven, only to have the eventual race winner get back by him in turn four of lap eight. Jason Johnson, who started 10th, was already up to fifth when the pair battled for the race lead with eight laps down.
A caution with nine laps down, brought out by Jeremy Standridge, who came to a stop at the top of turn two, gave the leaders some clear track for about 6 laps, until they began to battle again in heavy lapped traffic.
Lasoski went high into 1 and 2 try to find his way around a lapped car on lap 20, but Brown snuck under him to lead down the backstretch. Brown slid up in front of Lasoski in turn 3, only to have the veteran driver turn the car down the hill in turn 4 and retake the lead at the stripe.
“When you get into lapped traffic you are being aggressive but not to aggressive,” Lasoski said. “That’s the whole thing about lapped traffic, you don’t want to give up the race.”
The final caution of the event came on lap 27, when Ian Madsen, who had been running third the entire night, went straight off turn one when he missed the cushion. He came harmlessly to a stop about 100 feet past the end of the track.
With 13 cars still on the track on the restart, lapped traffic never became a factor the rest of the way, as Lasoski cruised to the win.
A late race story, however, was Madsen, who recovered from his off track excursion to come through the field back to fourth, after starting at the back of the field with only seven laps remaining. He was forced to pass nine cars in those final laps.
The first night of the two night show at 34 Raceway kicked off the highest paying two-day weekend in series history for MOWA, and continues tonight as the cars race for $5,000 to win. Lasoski will also be racing for an the $1,034 bonus, if he can win tonight’s feature.
“I think this is a fantastic weekend for MOWA and sprint car racing in the Midwest,” Lasoski said. “I just hope we can pack the grandstands (tonight), and we can make this event bigger and better next year.”
Also, as part of tonight’s festivities, Jimmy Hurley and Danny Smith will be signing autographs for fans who come early. The pair, possibly with a couple other surprises, will be signing near the grandstand entrance from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Come meet some of the stars of the MOWA series.
Hot laps are at 6:30 tonight, time trials scheduled to begin immediately following hot laps.
For more information about this event, and others, visit http://www.midwestopenwheel.com/.
Results
Feature: 1. Danny Lasoski, 2. Brian Brown, 3. Jason Johnson, 4. Ian Madsen, 5. Terry McCarl, 6. Paul Nienhiser, 7. Austin McCarl, 8. Josh Schneiderman, 9. Jarrad Schmeiderman, 10. Jerrod Hull, 11. Danny Smith, 12. Jimmy Hurley, 13. Critter Malone, 14. Ben Wagoner, 15. Cole Wood, 16. A.J. Bruns, 17. Jeremy Standridge, 18. Cory Bruns, 19. Jimmy Light, 20. Bobby Mincer.
B-Main: 1. Ben Wagoner, 2. Josh Schneiderman, 3. Jimmy Hurley, 4. Jimmy Light, 5. Cole Wood, 6. Bobby Mincer, 7. Critter Malone, 8. Matt Sutton, 9. Jeremy Standridge, 10. Dave Getchell, 11. Jordan Goldesberry, 12. Robbie Standridge, 13. Jimmy Davies, 14. Tiffany Wyzard (DNS), 15. Ryan Bunton (DNS), 16. Dustin Selvage (DNS), 17. Chris Martin (DNS), 18. Caleb Wankel (DNS).
Dash: 1. Brian Brown, 2. Danny Lasoski, 3. Austin McCarl, 4. Ian Madsen, 5. A.J. Bruns, 6. Danny Smith, 7. Paul Nienhiser, 8. Jerrod Hull (DNS).
Heat 1: 1. Danny Smith, 2. Paul Nienhiser, 3. Danny Lasoski, 4. Terry McCarl, 5. Cole Wood, 6. Jordan Goldesberry, 7. Matt Sutton, 8. Jimmy Davies, 9. Ryan Bunton, 10. Tiffany Wyzard (DNS).
Heat 2: 1. A.J. Bruns, 2. Brian Brown, 3. Jason Johnson, 4. Cory Bruns, 5. Jimmy Light, 6. Critter Malone, 7. Chris Martin, 8. Robbie Standridge, 9. Josh Schneiderman, 10. Dustin Selvage (DNS).
Heat 3: 1. Jerrod Hull, 2. Ian Madsen, 3. Austin McCarl, 4. Jarrod Schneiderman, 5. Ben Wagoner, 6. Jimmy Hurley, 7. Bobby Mincer, 8. Jeremy Standridge, 9. Dave Getchell, 10. Caleb Wankel (DNS).