By T.J. Buffenbarger:
Essexville, MI — (07/26/2001) — Last week at Eldora as Mark Kinser passed cars high and low after Karl Kinser tweaked his car during a red flag, some of the sports talk consuming the rest of the country suddenly hit me, can Mark Kinser win what I consider the ‘Grand Slam’ of sprint car racing? After Mark’s Lernerville victory this question can be asked more frequently.
You might ask what could be considered the “Grand Slam” of sprint car racing. So I put together this short list of the major races that are a tradition on the Pennzoil World of Outlaws circuit today.
Mark Kinser is King, won the Silver Cup, and leads the Pennzoil World of Outlaws points standings. Now can he hold onto the points lead and complete the Grand Slam? -Mike Campbell Photo
The Kings Royal: Kicks off the “Month of Money” with a single day show for $50,000 to win! Sitting on the throne is the first step to winning ‘the Grand Slam’.
The Silver Cup: Lernerville Speedway’s memorial to Don Martin pays for $34,000 to win. The 4/10 mile oval has hosted the Outlaws for many years with a reputation of being extra helpful to all racers that compete there.
The Historical Big One: $100,000 to win at Eldora the week before the Nationals. This is the only event in the Grand Slam that is not sanctioned by the Pennzoil World of Outlaws. 40-laps around the half mile at Earl’s for the second time during the season is worthy of being part of the Grand Slam.
The Amoco Ultimate Knoxville Nationals: The Grand Daddy of them all! Four days of sprint car bliss in Knoxville, Iowa. $150,000 to win the A-Main on Saturday night gives a team the biggest win of the year, but does not complete the grand slam.
The Gold Cup Race of Champions: Probably the most unique of all the Grand Slam events as it is competed on the tight ¼-mile oval at Silver Dollar Speedway. This California classic with a split field Thursday and Friday with the features on Saturday makes for some wild racing.
The Williams Grove Natonal Open: The road to completing the “Grand Slam” goes through the Pennsylvania Posse at Williams Grove for the National Open. The finale of the Open features the strongest home court advantage for local drivers in the world.
Finally, the Grand Slam in complete by winning the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Points Championship. Winning all of the above events would be a huge step in claiming the title.
I’m sure other people could add or subtract a few events on this list, but all of the races mentioned above are mainstays on the Sprint Car scene. Can Mark Kinser win all of these events? I think it is very possible Mark could win through Knoxville, but his downfall could be at the Gold Cup, as an upset winner is very likely in the tight ¼-mile. With Karl Kinser turning the wrenches though, nothing is impossible with this team.
This season could be the last real chance for someone to accomplish this in one season. Not since the days of Steve, Sammy, and Wolfgang dominance could this combination of wins seem possible. By winning the Kings Royal and the Silver Cup, Mark Kinser has put himself in the position to do so.
Agree, disagree? Let us hear about it via e-mail at webmaster@tjslideways.com and also in the comments section back on the front page where you probably read about this column.