| HANNAGAN MAKES HIS FIRST EAST BAY RACEWAY APPEARANCE WORTH $3,000 | By Jean Lynch
(Tampa, FL 2/1/07) For several years, Randy Hannagan had been trying to get to the Sprint Winternationals at East Bay Raceway Park. Something always seemed to come up to prevent that first appearance, but not this year.
Hannagan, who is the driver of the Penthouse Magazine/Stage 8 Locking Fasteners No. 1X brand new Maxim, family sprint car owned by his brother Terry, admitted, “I’ve had a lot on my mind lately with my Mother fighting cancer, but it sure was nice to be here for the first time and get this win.”
“I’m on my second year with Penthouse Magazine as a sponsor and Brown and Miller, the hose and fitting people, came on board this year,” said Randy who now makes Pittsboro, Indiana his home. He also has help from Sander Engineering, Stage 8 Fasteners and Carbon Kenny.
“This is the first time in a main event I ran a pair of Hoosier 10’s and after talking with my crew, Chris and Steve, I think we will go one step harder for Saturday’s 40-lapper,” revealed the winner.
He proved that he was a quick learner by winning the $3,000 second night preliminary 25-lap feature over a strong field of 46 drivers. After timing eighth, for the second night in a row, two drivers who timed better than Hannagan failed to transfer through their heats, thus starting him on pole with Danny Smith outside.
Danny Lasoski and Paul McMahan made up row two, while Greg Hodnett and fast-timer Lucas Wolfe were in row three. Jason Sides and Alan Krimes timed second and third, but had to go through the B-Main to start in row four.
It was Danny Smith who jumped to an immediate lead and with just one lap in, Mark Smith spun to bring out the only caution just as the field started lap two. In single file formation, Danny Smith continued to lead Hannagan, Lasoski, Wolfe, Hodnett and Tim Shaffer.
While leading, Smith came upon a lapped car on the fifth circuit and jumped the inside curb and got a little sideways, which was just enough for second place Hannagan to power by on the outside and take the lead.
Hannagan never made a mistake and as the race got to the mid-portion, Smith kept the pressure on and was beside the leader several times. Hannagan closed in on the lapped car of Tom Busch, but followed him for several laps because he didn’t see the nose of another car threatening him for the lead.
Finally on lap 20, Hannagan made an inside more on Busch, sending him a lap down. From that point on, Hannagan started to pull away and built a three-second lead over Smith at the finish. Wolfe ran strong third, with Lasoski and Hodnett nailing down the top five spots. Shaffer, McMahan, Sides, Brandon Martin and Krimes rounded out the top ten.
Heats went to Danny Martin, Jr, Chad Kemenah, Jason Solwold and Greg Wilson. The C-Main advanced Kaley Gharst, Robbie Vaughn, Danny Holtgraver and Michael Dehner to the B-Main while the B-Main sent Sides, Jesse Hockett, Krimes and Mark Smith to the A-Main.
Total points from the two Preliminary nights lock in the top six for Saturday night’s $10,000-to-win feature. Those six are Greg Hodnett, Tim Shaffer, Jason Sides, Danny Lasoski, Lucas Wolfe and Craig Dollansky.
NOTE: Randy Hannigan will be a special guest on Real Racin' USA Tuesday 7-9PM Feb 13.
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