From Kraig Kinser Racing PR
Bloomington, Ind.—August 2, 2012— Racing with the World of Outlaws in the heart of the summer, it’s not very often that a driver gets to go home, let alone race at their home track. Kraig Kinser will get to do both of those this week, as the series pays a visit to Bloomington Speedway in Indiana, for the second straight year, before heading to Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 for the Ironman 55.
Kinser opens the weekend in the Hendrickcars.com Maxim on Friday, August 3, at Bloomington, followed by the Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55 on Saturday, August 4, which is the longest race on the World of Outlaws schedule.
“It’s great to be racing at Bloomington for the second year in-a-row,” said Kinser. “It was an outstanding event last year and should be just as big this year. With how well we have been running on the smaller tracks, I’m really looking forward to it. It would be amazing to win a World of Outlaws event at Bloomington.”
Kinser visited Victory Lane at Bloomington Speedway in 2002 with the former Great Lakes Outlaw Sprint Series. He has four career Top-Five finishes in seven starts at the track, which has seen three generations of his family visit the winner’s circle, as his grandfather Bob and father Steve have both won more than their fair share of races at the high-banked quarter-mile bullring.
Last season in the World of Outlaws return to Bloomington for the first time in well over a decade, Kinser finished 10th, after starting 18th. He opened the night as the 18th-fastest qualifier, with a solid field in attendance. The 27-year-old finished sixth in the third 10-lap heat race to earn a spot in the 40-lap main event.
Kinser has made three starts in his home state with the World of Outlaws this season. He earned his first win of the year on June 5, at Kokomo Speedway, which is also a quarter-mile, while finishing second at Lawrenceburg Speedway, following a thrilling duel for the lead with Chad Kemenah. Kinser also finished eighth at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt back in April.
“We always seem to run pretty well at the track in Indiana,” said Kinser. “Those are the places I grew up on and they seem to really fit my driving style. We get to see a lot of people when we are in Indiana that we only get to see a time or two a year, so hopefully we put on a good show for them.”
Kinser raced with the World of Outlaws for the first time at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in 2001. He was victorious at the high-banked 1/3-mile bullring in 2005. In 15 career starts with the World of Outlaws at Pevely, Kinser has six Top-10 finishes, with three of those being Top-Five performances. He finished sixth last season in the Ironman 55 and was fourth in the finale of that event in 2010, when it was a two-night show. The first scheduled event this season at Pevely in April was postponed by rain and will be made-up in October.
“The Ironman is unlike any other race all year,” said Kinser. “To go 55 laps, you have to make sure everything stays on the car and as a driver you have to be ready for that many laps. It’s usually hot and humid there, so staying hydrated all day and out of the sun is important. I’ve won at Pevely in the past and we seem to have some good notes over there. Things happen in a hurry at there and you just have to try and keep your nose clean and be around at the end of it.”
Kinser is currently sixth in the World of Outlaws championship standings on the strength of four wins, to go along with 32 Top-10 and 17 Top-Five finishes.
Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: Bloomington Speedway & Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55
0.25- Miles around Bloomington Speedway
0.33- Distance around Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in miles
1- Start with the World of Outlaws at Bloomington
3- Generations of the Kinser family that have won at Bloomington (Bob, Steve & Kraig)
4- Career Top-Five finishes at Bloomington Speedway
5- Events thus far in 2012 for the World of Outlaws on quarter-mile tracks
6- Career Top-10 finishes at I-55 with the series
7- Career starts at Bloomington
9.672- Track record at Bloomington Speedway
10.189- Qualifying record at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55
13.2- Average finish in 15 main event starts with the World of Outlaws at Pevely
15- Career feature event starts at Pevely
257- Miles from Bloomington Speedway in Indiana where the World of Outlaws compete on August 3 to Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo.
517- Miles from Ohsweken Speedway in Canada where the World of Outlaws raced on July 31 to Bloomington Speedway in Indiana
2001- Year of first World of Outlaws start at I-55
2005- Year of first win at Federated Auto Pars Raceway at I-55
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