By Parsons Motorsports PR
Granger, IA—May 5, 2011—Kraig Kinser is no stranger to Victory Lane at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio. He visited the hallowed ground on the front straightaway for the first time when he was just a boy, congratulating and celebrating with his father during many of Steve’s numerous victories at the half-mile. The third generation driver would like nothing more than to return to the winner’s circle at Eldora as the victor of a World of Outlaws event, to add his name to the list of drivers that have conquered the legendary high banks.
The third generation driver will have two opportunities to tackle Eldora this weekend aboard the Casey’s General Store Maxim for Parsons Motorsports, as the World of Outlaws make their first of three separate visits this season to the half-mile for the two-night Outlaw Thunder Presented By Goodyear on Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7.
Kinser raced with the World of Outlaws at Eldora for the first time in 2001, when he was just 16 years old. He has made a total of 32 starts with the series at the track, picking up seven Top-10 finishes along the way including three Top-Five performances. Kraig scored a career-best third-place finish at Eldora in 2005, the same year he won the Knoxville Nationals. The native of Bloomington, Ind. finished 12th last fall in his most recent start at the track.
Kinser heads to Eldora after making a stop at Salina Highbanks Speedway in Oklahoma on Tuesday night for an event which was postponed by rain in April 23.
Kraig rebounded from contact on the first lap of the second heat with Tony Stewart at Salina to race his way into the main event by winning The Last Chance Showdown. Kinser lined up 18th for the main event and ran near that same sport for most of the 30-lap race. He gained four spots over the last four laps following a double file restart which saw him line up 20th to come home 16th. That helped him move into the Top-10 in the series standings for the third time this season.
Kinser enters the two-night Outlaw Thunder Presented By Goodyear at Eldora Speedway with five Top-10 and two Top-Five finishes in World of Outlaws action, including a season-best fourth-place performance last Saturday night at Tri-State Speedway in his home state of Indiana.
Salina Highbanks Speedway Results
Date
Time
Trials
Heat
Start
Heat Finish
Dash Start
Dash Finish
Feature Start
Feature Finish
Points
May 3
18th
6th
8th
–
–
17th
16th
10th
Kraig on Eldora Speedway:
“I always enjoy going to Eldora, but no matter how many times you go there, it’s still a very challenging track and can be intimidating. You learn something new every time you race there and that is certainly a place where having laps and experience comes into play. I’ve had some good runs there in the past and it’s a place I definitely want to win at. We’ll go in there and give it everything we have. My crew on the Casey’s General Store machine is working hard and we are looking forward to getting two nights of racing in.”
Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: Eldora Speedway:
0.5-Miles around Eldora Speedway
1- Podium finish with the World of Outlaws at the half-mile
2- Top-Five finishes this season
3- Top-Five finishes with the series at Eldora
5- Top-10 finishes this season; Nights of racing at Eldora Speedway this season for the series
7- Top-10 finishes in World of Outlaws events at Eldora
8- Nights of racing in the state of Ohio this season for the series
10- Position in points entering this weekend’s pair of races
12.707- Track record at Eldora Speedway
13- World of Outlaws events completed this season
14.3- Average finish in 32 starts with the World of Outlaws at the half-mile
16- Age when making first start with the series at Eldora
32- Career starts with the World of Outlaws at the half-mile
726- Miles from Salina Highbanks Speedway in Oklahoma where the series competed on May 3 to Eldora Speedway in Ohio
1629- Points earned this season through May 3
2001- Year of first World of Outlaws start at Eldora Speedway
18,360-Dollars earned through May 3
Keep up with all the action: Follow Kraig Kinser on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kraigkinser6 and receive live updates from the track each and every race night. Also keep up with Kraig online at the recently redesigned www.KraigKinser.com.
Tune in: Listen live to each and every World of Outlaws event on DIRTVision.com with “The Voice of the Outlaws” Johnny Gibson on the call. Visit www.DIRTVision.com for live audio of each and every World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event.