New track layout appeals to Lasoski, Outlaws

Danny Lasoski

... fighting bad luck

World of Outlaws

When: Tonight (Hot laps begin at 6), Friday and Saturday

Where: Heartland Park

Who: World of Outlaws sprint car series

By RICK PETERSON

The Capital-Journal

Danny Lasoski longs for the good old days, which for him were only a couple of months ago.

Lasoski, who finished second to Mark Kinser in last season's Pennzoil World of Outlaws points race, opened this season in blazing fashion, posting six early-season wins.

But the season has gone wrong since then, a trend that Lasoski is determined to change when the Outlaws come to Heartland Park Topeka for their three-day run today through Saturday.

"I tell you what, you name it, it's happened," Lasoski said from his home in Dover, Mo. "People say 'Hey, you're in kind of a slump;' we're more like in a ditch.

"Anything and everything has happened to us. but we're definitely not giving up. We've just had a run of bad luck and we're just going to keep plugging away because it's still a long year yet."

The Outlaws will start their three-day run tonight, with hot laps getting underway at 6 o'clock, time trials at 6:30 and the first heat race at 7:30. The "A" feature is scheduled for 10:15 p.m.

Lasoski is currently sitting fifth in the points race, which is the bad news. The good news is that there's still plenty of time for a comeback.

"We think we're getting things straightened out; we sure hope so," Lasoski said.

Lasoski would settle for something even closely similar to his early-season success.

"That's just how this season goes," Lasoski said. "We could do no wrong at the first of the year and it's all caught up with us."

Although Lasoski didn't see the new and improved Martin Cat Power Speedway until Wednesday evening, the reports that he's heard are good.

"I tell you what, Heartland Park, I think, is going to be the raciest, driver's race track that we run all year long," Lasoski said. "We all owe Jay Lendrum (HPT owner) and everyone out at Heartland Park Topeka for the growth of the World of Outlaws

"If you look back, when Jay Lendrum stuck his neck out last year and made a race track on the drag strip, all of those other guys at major tracks saw the writing on the wall and they all jumped on the band wagon. Jay Lendrum and everybody at Heartland Park Topeka needs a big pat on the back because they're what got the World of Outlaws rolling."

Last year, in the inaugural event at HPT, the track was marked by extremely long straightaways and tight turns, but the layout was widened considerably this year.

"It's no paperclip any more, that's for sure." Lasoski said. "He made a speedway out of it and he definitely made it a driver's race track."

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