From Inside Line Promotions
MESQUITE, Texas (Oct. 23) – He smelled the rubber and he felt it coming, but Danny Lasoski stuck to his plan.
“I had to save the tires until the last 10 laps,” he said. “I never pushed the throttle all the way open in the first 20 laps.”
Lasoski maintained a close second and capitalized when leader Sam Hafertepe Jr. slid up the track on the 16th lap of the 30-lap feature last Saturday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas. The veteran shot to the lead off turn four, the track became rubber-down soon after and Lasoski held on for the $10,000 prize as the 38th annual Winter Nationals champion.
“I just kept to my game plan,” he said. “When you get on a rubber-down race track, if you can’t pass a lapped car then there’s no way anyone is going to pass you. I just tried to be a smart racer and run a smart race.”
The Dover, Mo., native started fourth, but was in second on the backstretch of the first lap. He stayed within striking distance of Hafertepe Jr. for the first half of the race before lapped traffic played a role. As rubber began to be laid on the track, passing was at a premium and Hafertepe Jr. slid out of the groove in turn four on lap 16. Lasoski was able to drive into the lead and the duo remained nose-to-tail for much of the final half of the prestigious race.
For Lasoski, it’s his biggest payday of the season and his 11th win of the year. It is also his second victory in the past three races driving for Mark Burch Motorsports.
“Mark puts out a lot of effort,” he said. “That’s what it takes; someone to have the gut desire to do this. It’s an honor driving for him.”
Lasoski won his heat race earlier in the evening after starting fifth, which earned him one of the two positions in the feature redraw with Friday night’s top four finishers. He then pulled the No. 4 to start on the outside of the second row.
That was much better than Friday night, when Lasoski opened the Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals with a 10th-place finish on a hooked-up track.
“The first night wasn’t good for anybody,” he said. “It’s nobody’s fault. We just had too much water on the track. That’s what you get when that happens – one-lane racing. The way the race track ended after the feature is the way we should have started hot lapping. That’s just part of dirt track racing.”
Lasoski will again drive for Mark Burch Motorsports at this weekend’s 24th annual Short Track Nationals at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. His qualifying night will be Friday with Saturday as the $15,000-to-win finale at the ASCS National Tour event.
For live updates of Lasoski and all of the action the entire weekend, visit www.insidelinepromotions.com.
QUICK RESULTS –
Oct. 21 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Heat race: 2 (1); Feature: 10 (14).
Oct. 22 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas – Heat race: 1 (5); Feature: 1 (4).
SEASON STATS –
54 races, 51 features, 11 wins, 34 top fives, 42 top 10s, 46 top 15s, 48 top 20s
UP NEXT –
Friday and Saturday at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., for the 24th annual Short Track Nationals with the ASCS National Tour
FAVORITE NUMBER –
11: Victories this season, including twice in the past three races.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS –
Website: www.dannylasoski.com
ON THE AIR –
Lasoski was a featured guest on the ASCS Show by Racinboys on Oct. 11 after winning an ASCS Warrior Region at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo., on Oct. 7. His interview starts approximately 12:45 into the show.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/general/index.php?liveid=Racinboys&recordid=21834
He was also on the ASCS Show by Racinboys on April 12. Click on the link below to listen to Lasoski’s interview, which begins around the 22-minute mark.
http://www.meridix.com/mbp/general/index.php?liveid=Racinboys&recordid=18548
Check out this video of Lasoski’s victory at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo., on Aug. 19, when he charged from 16th:
Here is video of Lasoski’s 96th career feature victory at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on July 16:
Here are a couple of highlight videos of Lasoski’s win at the inaugural event for the Midwest Open Wheel Association – on April 23 at 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT – Creason Pipeline Services
Creason Pipeline Services is owned by Todd Creason, a longtime friend of Lasoski’s. Located in Carrollton, Mo., and Barnsdall, Okla., Creason Pipeline Services offers a variety of options in the pipeline industry. For more information, visit www.creasonpipeline.com.
“Todd Creason is not a sponsor; he’s my friend,” Lasoski said. “Without him, I couldn’t even run a local race. Todd has let me use his engines and his trailer so I can make it from point A to point B. I really appreciate his support and friendship.”
Lasoski would also like to thank the Michael Ross Foundation, Eagle Motorsports, Hoosier, Wertz Designs, Kistler Engines and Ditzfeld Transfer, Inc. for their continued support.