1/11/2006
Chili Bowl Nationals
Lasoski Wires Field in Creek Nation Casino Qualifier
Lonnie Wheatley, TULSA, Okla. (January 11, 2006) – Missouri’s 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 Russell’s 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 didn’t have any idea if anyone was close to me or not, all I knew was that I wasn’t 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 night’s 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 Lasoski’s 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 Yockey’s 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 Carey’s 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 race’s 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 I’ve raced with Danny way too long and I knew he wouldn’t 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 Warnke’s 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 Smith’s Hawk-powered No. 1a Spike-chassis.
“I look at the three guys that finished ahead of me and all that they’ve accomplished, I’m 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 Saturday’s 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.
Wednesday’s O’Reilly 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
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