Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla.
(January 11, 2006) Missouris Danny Lasoski scored a wire-to-wire
victory as the 20th Annual O'Reilly Chili Bowl Midget Nationals kicked off with Wednesday
night's 25-lap Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Night main event at Tulsa Expo Raceway.
Lasoski fought off the battling duo of Steve Kinser and Jerry Coons, Jr., to snare the
win, with Tim McCreadie making a last lap pass of 15-year-old Brady Bacon to snare the
fourth and final transfer position to Saturday's championship main event.Piloting Jerry
Russells Esslinger-powered American Compressed Steel No. 33d Eagle, the victory
marked the second trip to victory lane in Chili Bowl qualifying action for the three-time
event runner-up and Sprint Car standout.
I
didnt have any idea if anyone was close to me or not, all I knew was that I wasnt
getting off the bottom of the track in turns three and four, Lasoski commented at
the post-race press conference.
Lasoski
earned the pole position for the feature by accumulating the most passing points among
Wednesday nights 87 competitors by virtue of a charge from fifth to first in his
heat race and a sixth to second run in his qualifying race.
Just two
weeks shy of his sixteenth birthday, Broken Arrow, OK, shoe Bacon gridded on Lasoskis
outside shoulder, with Kinser and Johnny Rodriguez in the second row. Lasoski gunned into the lead at the drop of the
green flag, with Kinser taking second from Bacon in the opening two corners.
Lasoski
paced the field in front of Kinser, Bacon and Coons, surviving a pair of cautions in the
opening seven rounds including Stan Yockeys hard turn one flip with seven laps in
the books. Yockey, one of three drivers
(along with Michele Miller and Donnie Lehmann) to climb from Last Chance racing action to
the main event, emerged shaken but otherwise uninjured.
Lasoski and
Kinser continued to lead the way, with Coons disposing of Bacon for third on twelfth
circuit. A lap later, ARDC Midget kingpin Ray
Bull charged past Bacon for fourth, just moments before Craig Careys turn one tumble
on the 14th lap.
Back under
way, Bacon regained fourth on the 17th circuit following a turn one Bull
bobble, with McCreadie advancing to fifth.
Following
the races final caution after 17 laps for a turn one tangle involving Danny Stratton
and Paul White, Kinser took to the top side in turns three and four to try to mount a
challenge on Lasoski.
I
started working the top because Ive raced with Danny way too long and I knew he
wouldnt leave the bottom, Kinser commented afterward.
But as
Kinser nearly reeled Lasoski in, 2005 Belleville Midget Nationals champion Coons threw his
hat into the mix, dicing with Kinser for second. With
Kinser and Coons dicing for second, Lasoski slipped away in the final rounds to secure the
victory.
Piloting
the Keith Kunz Motorsports Fontana-powered No. 67k Advanced Racing/Kwik Change
Bullet-chassis, Kinser held Coons off for second. Coons
took the show position in Karl Warnkes No. 23 Stealth.
Late Model
and DIRT Modified ace McCreadie battled wheel-to-wheel with Bacon over the final two
rounds before getting the advantage in the final corner aboard Steve Smiths
Hawk-powered No. 1a Spike-chassis.
I
look at the three guys that finished ahead of me and all that theyve accomplished, Im
just thrilled to be a part of the game, McCreadie commented after just his second
outing in a Midget. It was great just
making the show last year, and now being locked into Saturdays feature is just
awesome.
Bacon
settled for fifth, with Don Droud, Jr., advancing from 11th to claim sixth. Rodriguez snared seventh, with 17th-starter
Bud Kaeding, Bull and Davey Ray completing the top ten.
Heat race
victories were claimed by Kinser, Aaron Fike, Droud, Bacon, Rodriguez, Lasoski, R.J.
Johnson, Joey Montgomery, Carey and Tony Elliott.
Yockey,
Wayne Johnson, Kyle Rayburn and Lehmann each scored Last Chance Race wins, with Coons,
Kinser, Ray and McCreadie victorious in Qualifying Race action.
In addition
to the feature tumblers, other flip victims for the night included Jasiel Randolph, Robert
Marfia, Tyler Brown, Sparky Howard, Billy Alley, Ashley Swanson, Ryan Kaplan, Scott Milan
and Seth Wilson. There were no injuries.
Tony
Stewart scratched from the night after a wild flip in hot laps. Uninjured, Stewart has
been rescheduled for Friday night's Warren CAT qualifying action.
Wednesdays
OReilly Chili Bowl Midget Nationals Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Night Results:
Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 67S Steve Kinser, Bloomington,
IN; 2. 17T Rob Russell, Fremont, CA; 3. 17S Greg Schaefer, Fort Lupton, CO; 4. 25X Jerome
Rodela, El Monte, CA; 5. 7S Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 6. Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ;
7. 12J Jay Mounce, Downs, IL; 8. 27C Sparky Howard, Santa Rosa, CA; 9. 10W Chris D'Arcy,
San Jose, CA
Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 32 Aaron Fike, Galesburg, IL;
2. Tim McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 3. 91 Ryan Durst, Lincoln, NE; 4. 71BG Mike Leslie
Litchfield Park, AZ; 5. 37B Zac Osborn, Muncie, IN; 6. 4W Edwin Wilson, Tuttle, OK; 7. 81
Shane Carson, Yukon, OK; 8. 29L Leroy Holler, Springfield, MO; 9. 5K Kevin Burgess,
Stott's City, MO
Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 44D Don Droud Jr., Lincoln, NE;
2. 5 Davey Ray, Davenport, IA; 3. 61 Bugs Norbury, Prescott Valley, AZ; 4. 3G Rickie
Gaunt, Torrance, CA; 5. 45X Shain Matthews, Marysville, CA; 6. 79 Frank Pedregon, Fontana,
CA; 7. 45H Matt Sargent, San Jose, CA; 8. 20C Carey Becker, Reading, PA; 9. 5B Bob Brewer,
Salt Lake City, UT
Heat 4 (10 Laps): 1. 99B Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow,
OK; 2. 22J Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 3. 43X Bryan Stanfill, Bakersfield, CA; 4. 4M Scott
Milan, Fort Collins, CO; 5. 33A Steve Arnold, Seymour, IN; 6. 38TX Matt DeWitt, Houston,
TX; 7. 34 Tyler Brown, Norco, CA; 8. 72 Kathy Kurtz, Robesonia, PA; 9. 05X Ashley Swanson,
Wildomar, CA
Heat 5 (10 Laps): 1. 7R Johnny Rodriguez, Galt, CA;
2. 1W Paul White, Temple, TX; 3. 1C Chad McDaniel, Concordia, KS; 4. 73S Seth Wilson, San
Clemente, CA; 5. 1P Conner Pullen, Amarillo, TX; 6. 11AZ C.J. Sarna, Sedona, AZ; 7. 71P
Cruz Pedregon, Santa Rosa Valley, CA; 8. 17 Kenny Brown, Millstadt, IL; 9. 94 Alex Coonan,
Ransom, IL
Heat 6 (10 Laps): 1. 33D Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO;
2. Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK: 3. 85X Brent Beauchamp, Fairland, IN: 4. 63 Paul Perkins,
Bristol, WI; 5. 85J Matt Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK; 6. 6M Robert Marfia, Rio Rancho, NM:
7. 49J Jimmy Light, Indianapolis, IN; 8. 22X Dex Eaton, Owasso, OK; 9. F5 Wayne Johnson,
Oklahoma City, OK
Heat 7 (10 Laps): 1. 51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ;
2. 8K Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA; 3. 21 Ryan Kaplan, Chico, CA; 4. 61A Toby Brown,
Carthage, MO; 5. 2M Mark Bush, Cumming, GA; 6. 01 Greg Lueckert, Kansas City, MO; 7. 26
Glenn Carson, Newark, CA; 8. 0 Johnny Murdock, Kaufman, TX.
Heat 8 (10 Laps): 1. 5C Joey Montgomery,
Fredericktown, MO; 2. 23 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 3. 49 Billy Pauch, Jr., Frenchtown,
NJ; 4. 47D Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA; 5. 63N Rex Norris III, Knightstown, IN; 6. 19X Tadd
Holliman, Beaver Lake, NE; 7. 0X Billy Alley, Lincoln, NE; 8. 51N Mike Nigh, Brownsburg,
IN; 9. 4P Will Pierce, Lee's Summit, MO
Heat 9 (10 Laps): 1. 5X Craig Carey, Mattoon, IL; 2.
95J Rik Forbes, Omaha, NE; 3. 22 Ray Bull, Bloomsburg, PA; 4. 3Z Joe Zierolf, Houma, LA;
5. 4B Ronnie Burke, Jr., Antioch, IL; 6. 51 Mike Hess, Petersburg, IL: 7. 19N Nick O'Neal,
Wagoner, OK; 8. 50X Tom Everhart, El Cajon, CA
Heat 10 (10 Laps): 1. 6D Tony Elliott, Warsaw, IN;
2. 2 Danny Stratton, Riverside, CA; 3. 11A Brett Anderson, Belleville, IL; 4. 99 Kyle
Rayburn, Pueblo West, CO; 5. 4 Michele Miller, Reading, PA; 6. 31 Donnie Lehmann,
Springfield, IL; 7. 2A Charles Davis Jr., Buckeye, AZ; 8. 11D Doug DeWitt, Sunnyvale, CA
Last Chance 1 (Top 2 to back of Qualifier No. 1 - 10
Laps): 1. 47D Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA; 2. 71P Cruz Pedregon, Santa Rosa Valley, CA; 3. 33A
Steve Arnold, Seymour, IN; 4. 19N Nick O'Neal, Wagoner, OK; 5. 45H Matt Sargent, San Jose,
CA; 6. 20C Carey Becker, Reading, PA; 7. 94 Alex Coonan, Ransom, IL; 8. 2M Mark Bush,
Cumming, GA; 9. 79 Frank Pedregon, Fontana, CA; 10. 6M Robert Marfia, Rio Rancho, NM; 11.
0 Johnny Murdock, Kaufman, TX. DNS - 10W Chris D'Arcy, San Jose, CA
Last Chance 2 (Top 2 to back of Qualifier No. 2 - 10
Laps): 1. F5 Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK; 2. 37B Zac Osborn, Muncie, IN; 3. 4W Edwin
Wilson, Tuttle, OK; 4. 01 Greg Lueckert, Kansas City, MO; 5. 4B Ronnie Burke Jr., Antioch,
IL; 6. 49J Jimmy Light, Indianapolis, IN; 7. 51N Mike Nigh, Brownsburg, IN; 8. 3Z Joe
Zierolf, Houma, LA; 9. 72 Kathy Kurtz, Robesonia, PA; 10. 34 Tyler Brown, Norco, CA; 11.
2A Charles Davis Jr., Buckeye, AZ. DNS - 5K Kevin Burgess, Stott's City, MO
Last Chance 3 (Top 2 to back of Qualifier No. 3 - 10
Laps): 1. 99 Kyle Rayburn, Pueblo West, CO; 2. 4 Michele Miller, Reading, PA; 3. 19X Tadd
Holliman, Beaver Lake, NE; 4. 26 Glenn Carson, Newark, CA; 5. 17 Kenny Brown, Millstadt,
IL; 6. 4P Will Pierce, Lee's Summit, MO; 7. 27C Sparky Howard, Santa Rosa, CA; 8. 45X
Shain Matthews, Marysville, CA; 9. 12J Jay Mounce, Downs, IL; 10. 5B Bob Brewer, Salt Lake
City, UT; 11. 50X Tom Everhart, El Cajon, CA. DNS - 38TX Matt DeWitt, Houston, TX.
Last Chance 4 (Top 2 to back of Qualifier No. 4 - 10
Laps): 1. 31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL; 2. 30 Chad Boat, Phoenix, AZ; 3. 22X Dex
Eaton, Owasso, OK; 4. 1P Conner Pullen, Amarillo, TX; 5. 11AZ C.J. Sarna, Sedona, AZ; 6.
81 Shane Carson, Yukon, OK; 7. 51 Mike Hess, Petersburg, IL; 8. 05X Ashley Swanson,
Wildomar, CA; 9. 11D Doug DeWitt, Sunnyvale, CA; 10. 0X Billy Alley, Lincoln, NE; 11. 29L
Leroy Holler, Independence, MO
A Qualifier 1 (10 Laps): 1. 23 Jerry Coons Jr.,
Tucson, AZ; 2. 22 Ray Bull, Bloomsburg, PA; 3. 2 Danny Stratton, Riverside, CA; 4. 99B
Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 5. 8K Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA; 6. 1C Chad McDaniel,
Concordia, KS; 7. 63 Paul Perkins, Bristol, WI; 8. 96 Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK; 9. 47D
Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA; 10. 71BG Mike Leslie, Litchfield Park, AZ; 11. 71p Cruz Pedregon,
Santa Rosa Valley, CA; 12. 63N Rex Norris III, Knightstown, IN
A Qualifier 2 (10 Laps): 1. 67S Steve Kinser,
Bloomington, IN; 2. 32 Aaron Fike, Galesburg, IL; 3. 11A Brett Anderson, Belleville, IL;
4. 7R Johnny Rodriguez, Galt, CA; 5. F5 Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK; 6. 85X Brent
Beauchamp, Fairland, IN; 7. 6D Tony Elliott, Warsaw, IN; 8. 49 Billy Pauch, Jr.,
Frenchtown, NJ; 9. 37B Zac Osborn, Muncie, IN; 10. 17S Greg Schaefer, Ft. Lupton, CO; 11.
4M Scott Milan, Ft. Collins, CO; 12. 73S Seth Wilson, San Clemente, CA
A Qualifier 3 (10 Laps): 1. 5 Davey Ray, Davenport,
IA; 2. 44D Don Droud, Jr., Lincoln, NE; 3. 5X Craig Carey, Mattoon, IL; 4. 91 Ryan Durst,
Lincoln, NE; 5. 1W Paul White, Temple, TX; 6. 4 Michele Miller, Reading, PA; 7. 25X Jerome
Rodela, El Monte, CA; 8. 85J Matt Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK; 9. 99 Kyle Rayburn, Pueblo
West, CO; 10. 17T Rob Russell, Fremont, CA; 11. 21 Ryan Kaplan, Chico, CA; 12. 61 Bugs
Norbury, Prescott Valley, AZ
A Qualifier 4 (10 Laps): 1. 1A Tim McCreadie,
Watertown, NY: 2. 33D Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO; 3. 5C Joey Montgomery, Fredericktown, MO;
4. 95J Rik Forbes, Omaha, NE; 5. 31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL; 6. 22J Jasiel
Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 7. 3G Rickie Gaunt, Torrance, CA; 8. 61A Toby Brown, Carthage, MO; 9.
51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 10. 43X Bryan Stanfill, Bakersfield, CA; 11. 30 Chad Boat,
Phoenix, AZ; 12. 7S Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA
B Main 1 (15 Laps): 1. 8K Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA;
2. 1C Chad McDaniel, Concordia, KS; 3. 47D Stan Yockey, Fresno, CA; 4. 4 Michele Miller,
Reading, PA; 5. 63N Rex Norris III, Knightstown, IN; 6. 17S Greg Schaefer, Ft. Lupton, CO;
7. 7S Shannon McQueen, Bakersfield, CA; 8. 63 Paul Perkins, Bristol, WI; 9. 30 Chad Boat,
Phoenix, AZ; 10. 85J Matt Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK; 11. 4M Scott Milan, Ft. Collins, CO;
12. 6D Tony Elliott, Warsaw, IN; 13. 49 Billy Pauch Jr., Frenchtown, NJ; 14. F5 Wayne
Johnson, Oklahoma City, OK; 15. 17T Rob Russell, Fremont, CA; 16. 3G Rickie Gaunt,
Torrance, CA
B Main 2 (15 Laps): 1. 85X Brent Beauchamp,
Fairland, IN; 2. 31 Donnie Lehmann, Springfield, IL; 3. 21 Ryan Kaplan, Chico, CA; 4. 91
Ryan Durst, Lincoln, NE; 5. 51J R.J. Johnson, Phoenix, AZ; 6. 96 Cody Brewer, Choctaw, OK;
7. 61A Toby Brown, Carthage, MO; 8. 25X Jerome Rodela, El Monte, CA; 9. 99 Kyle Rayburn,
Pueblo West, CO; 10. 22J Jasiel Randolph, Tulsa, OK; 11. 61 Bugs Norbury, Prescott Valley,
AZ; 12. 71BG Mike Leslie, Litchfield Park, AZ; 13. 37B Zac Osborn, Muncie, IN; 14. 43X
Bryan Stanfill, Bakersfield, CA; 15. 73S Seth Wilson, San Clemente, CA. DNS - 71P Cruz
Pedregon, Santa Rosa Valley, CA
A Main (25 Laps): 1. 33D Danny Lasoski, Dover, MO;
2. 67S Steve Kinser, Bloomington, IN; 3. 23 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, AZ; 4. 1A Tim
McCreadie, Watertown, NY; 5. 99B Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, OK; 6. 44D Don Droud Jr.,
Lincoln, NE; 7. 7R Johnny Rodriguez, Galt, CA; 8. 8K Bud Kaeding, Campbell, CA; 9. 22 Ray
Bull, Bloomsburg, PA; 10. 5 Davey Ray, Davenport, IL; 11. 85X Brent Beauchamp, Fairland,
IN; 12. 21 Ryan Kaplan, Chico, CA; 13. 11A Brett Anderson, Belleville, IL; 14. 5C Joey
Montgomery, Fredericktown, MO; 15. 1C Chad McDaniel, Concordia, KS; 16. 31 Donnie Lehmann,
Springfield, IL; 17. 1W Paul White, Temple, TX; 18. 4 Michele Miller, Reading, PA; 19. 2
Danny Stratton, Riverside, CA; 20. 32 Aaron Fike, Galesburg, IL; 21. 5X Craig Carey,
Mattoon, IL; 22. 91 Ryan Durst, Lincoln, NE; 23. 95J Rik Forbes, Omaha, NE; 24. 47D Stan
Yockey, Fresno, CA |