By Parsons Motorsports PR
Granger, IA—February 15, 2011–In Sprint Car Racing, new chapters are written all the time, whether it’s a new team, new driver, new crew chief or even a new paint scheme. Kraig Kinser couldn’t wait for the 2011 chapter of his career to begin, as he began his first season driving for longtime car owner Lonnie Parsons and the Parsons Motorsports team based out of Granger, Iowa.
The third generation driver is piloting the familiar No. 6 Casey’s General Store Maxim with Kistler Engines under the hood, paired back up with veteran crew chief Mike Cool, with whom he had worked with in the past on a couple of occasions. The pair has won a number of races together, including the 2005 Knoxville Nationals, with Lester Groves and Mark Angerette Jr. assisting.
The 2011 campaign began for Kinser with the 40th Annual DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park in Florida last Wednesday. First on the docket was a pair of races with the All Star Circuit of Champions, to help shake the car down and work out any bugs before the World of Outlaws season kicked off.
Kraig charged out of the box on opening night at the blazing fast half-mile, turning the fourth quickest lap with a stout field in attendance. Following a fourth-place finish in his heat race, he would line up second for the dash. He would finish in that same position. After lining up on the outside of the front row, Kinser shot to the lead over Sam Hafertepe Jr. at the start of the 30-lap contest and paced the first seven laps before Sammy Swindell got around him. He continued to run strong, holding down the second spot until the 23rd lap when a mechanical failure ended his night.
Kinser rebounded the next night, turning the sixth quickest lap in time trials, with a fourth-place finish in the heat race earning him another spot in the dash. The main event saw the native of Bloomington, Indiana line up sixth and run in that position in the early going. He charged by veteran Dale Blaney on the 12th lap to move into the Top-Five and ended up fifth to score his first Top-Five finish of the new season.
The World of Outlaws season began last Friday night, with Kinser turning in a consistent run to come from the 22nd starting spot to finish 14th, with another stellar field signed into to do battle.
Kinser had a very solid night on Saturday, again earning a spot in the dash and winning the dash for the first time in 2011 to earn a pole position. The start of the race saw Craig Dollansky jump out to a lead over Kraig, who ran second for the first 20 laps. With just four laps remaining he found himself in third, when Dollansky lost an engine while leading and second-place Cody Darrah shredded a tire, putting Kinser into the top spot on a double file restart with his father, 20-time World of Outlaws champion, Steve Kinser lining up next to him on the outside. Steve powered to the lead on the high side of the track. Kraig would end up fifth for the second time in three nights, which vaulted him to sixth in the World of Outlaws points heading into the finale of the DIRTcar Nationals.
The weekend finale saw Kinser climb from the 26th starting spot to a 20th-place finish in a race that saw 24 of the 27 starts finish on the lead lap to wrap up the five consecutive nights of racing to open the 2011 campaign.
Following a weekend off the World of Outlaws return to action on Friday, February 25 at Pike County Speedway in Mississippi, followed by a stop at Royal Purple Raceway near Houston, Texas on Saturday, February 26.
Kraig on the start to the season:
“It was a consistent start to the year. We had a little trouble the first night out and learned from that. We always enjoy going to Florida and had a couple of good runs and certainly have some momentum to build on and a few things that we learned and are looking forward to trying down the road.”
Kraig on the Parsons Motorsports team:
“It’s great to be part of the Parsons Motorsports team. I can’t thank Lonnie (Parsons) enough for the opportunity. Having Cooley (Mike Cool) back is a big plus. We have always worked very well together and Lester (Grove) and Mark (Angerette Jr.) did a great job too. I can’t wait for Pike County and Houston.”
Volusia Speedway Park Results
Date
Qualify
Heat
Start
Heat Finish
Dash Start
Dash Finish
Feature Start
Feature Finish
Points
Feb. 9
4
6
4
2
2
2
21
N/A
Feb. 10
6
5
3
4
6
6
5
N/A
Feb. 11
24
6
5
–
–
22
14
14th
Feb. 12
11
2
2
2
1
1
5
6th
Feb. 13
28
7
7
–
–
26
20
12th
Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park
1-Pole Position earned by winning the dash
2- Top-Five finishes at Volusia Speedway Park
3-Appearances in the dash; Top-Five finishes in his career with the World of Outlaws at Volusia
4- Qualifying spot in the opener of the five nights of racing
5- Races competed in at Volusia with the World of Outlaws & All Star Circuit of Champions
6- Career Top-10 finishes for Kinser at Volusia Speedway Park with the World of Outlaws
11.4-Average starting spot in the five races during the DIRTcar Nationals
12- Position in points after the first three races of the 2011 season
13.2-Average finish in the five races at Volusia Speedway Park
372- Points earned in the first three World of Outlaws races of the season
4350-Dollars earned in the first three World of Outlaws races of the season
Up Next: February 25: Pike County Speedway, Magnolia, MS
February 26: Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, TX