Drivers battling for four championships at LVMS

Monday, Nov. 2, 1998 | 10:17 a.m.

Legendary sprint-car driver Steve Kinser is poised to clinch his 15th World of Outlaws championship Wednesday night, but it won't be the only title handed out this week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Three other national championships will be decided as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, NASCAR Winston West Series and NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series also conclude their seasons in Las Vegas.

The Pennzoil World of Outlaws kicks off the championship week with races Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the LVMS half-mile clay oval.

Steve Kinser brings a 108-point lead over his cousin, Mark Kinser, into the season-ending Channellock Fall Classic doubleheader and needs only to qualify for the features to clinch the title.

"I haven't won (a championship) as an owner yet and this is our third shot," Steve Kinser said. "We'd like to win it not only for us but for (sponsor) Quaker State and everybody on the race team."

Steve Kinser is the all-time winningest driver in WoO history with 424 "A" feature victories.

Mark Kinser is the only driver standing in his cousin's way, but is a long shot to capture his second WoO championship; he needs to win both features and Kinser must fail to qualify.

Mark Kinser, who has won 11 "A" features this year and was the 1996 series champion, said his primary goal this week is to finish the season on a positive note.

"I have a great crew and they have kept at it all year," Kinser said. "Steve has been playing it a bit conservative here lately, but he knows what it takes to get the job done -- that's why he's the champion he is.

"Finishing the season strong means everything to me because you carry your momentum all through the off-season. It keeps you from dragging your feet across the floor of the shop all winter."

Mark Kinser is coming off a win at Perris (Calif.) Auto Speedway Saturday night and won both "A" features at the Silver State Shootout at LVMS back in February.

Once the sprint cars depart Las Vegas, NASCAR will move in this weekend to crown champions in three of its national touring divisions.

Ron Hornaday holds a scant 13-point over Jack Sprague going into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season finale, Sunday's Sam's Town 250 on the 1.5-mile superspeedway. It is the closest points battle in the four-year history of the series.

Hornaday has won six times this season and Sprague has four victories. Sprague took a 28-point lead over Hornaday into the last race, at Phoenix, but Hornaday took third while Sprague struggled to a 13th-place showing and Hornaday regained the points lead.

It marked the 10th time this season that the points lead had changed hands between Hornaday and Sprague -- the only two drivers to hold the lead through 26 races.

Even if Sprague wins the 167-lap race, Hornaday needs only to finish second to clinch his second series championship.

"We've got to win, it's that simple," Sprague, the defending NCTS champion, said.

Before the truck champion is crowned, titles also will be decided in the Winston West and Southwest Series divisions.

Kevin Harvick leads Sean Woodside by 63 points in the Winston West standings going into Saturday's Sam's Town 125. Harvick can clinch the title by finishing 13th or better, regardless of how Woodside finishes.

In the Southwest Series, Steve Portenga, Bryan Germone and M.K. Kanke are separated by only 49 points going into Saturday's Sam's Town 90.

Portenga can capture his second series championship by finishing fifth or better; Germone can clinch his second consecutive title by gaining 29 points on Portenga; and Kanke needs to beat Germone by 20 points and Portenga by 50 to win his first series championship.

Sam's Town 250 race week

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Tuesday

6 p.m. - Preliminary races, 1/2-mile clay track.

7 p.m. - Pennzoil World of Outlaws Channellock Fall Classic, 1/2-mile dirt track.

Tickets: $30 adults, $15 children.

Wednesday

6 p.m. - Preliminary races, 1/2-mile clay track.

7 p.m. - Pennzoil World of Outlaws Channellock Fall Classic, 1/2-mile dirt track.

Tickets: $30 adults, $15 children.

Thursday

4 p.m. - Spectator Gates Open, 3/8-mile oval.