By Kraig Kinser Racing PR
Bloomington, Ind.—July 10, 2012— The “Month of Money.” A four week stretch that features a number of high profile and high dollar races for the World of Outlaws. Kraig Kinser is very familiar with the “Month of Money.” After all, he won sprint car racing’s biggest event, the Knoxville Nationals in 2005, which is the predominant and culminating event of the “Month of Money.” The 2012 edition of the biggest month in sprint car racing kicks off this week with a trio of races in Ohio.
Kinser heads into the “Month of Money” fresh off his fourth win of the season last Saturday night at Beaver Dam Raceway in Wisconsin. He climbs back aboard the Hendrickcars.com Maxim on Wednesday, July 11, in the Ohio Logistics 24th Annual Brad Doty Classic Presented by Racing Optics at Limaland Motorsports Park. The native of Bloomington, Ind., then makes the trek to the famed Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, for the Knight Before the Kings Royal on Friday, July 13, and the $50,000 to-win Kings Royal on Saturday, July 14.
“We’re definitely running up to our potential right now,” said Kinser. “Hopefully we can keep that going. We have a few things we are working on right now to try and get a little better if we can. We’re just enjoying the ride we are on right now.”
The third-generation driver took to the track at Limaland Motorsports Park for the first time with the World of Outlaws in 2008. He finished fourth in the Brad Doty Classic in both 2009 and 2010 at the high-banked quarter-mile bullring. He did not qualify for the feature at the track last season.
“I really enjoy Brad’s race,” shared Kinser. “I like Brad a lot, and he is a great guy and has done so much for the sport. We’ve run really well on the quarter-mile tracks this year and the car just suits my driving style on them.”
Kinser made his debut at Eldora in 2001, and has earned 10 Top-10 finishes at the legendary half-mile during his career, including a career-best third-place performance in 2005. He has made a pair of starts at the track this season, finishing ninth on May 4, and 16th on May 5, in the finale of the two-night event.
“We struggled a little bit at Eldora earlier this season, so hopefully we can carry the momentum we are riding right now into this weekend,” stated the 2004 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year. “Every time you touch the track at Eldora you have to be on your game to be in contention. The game plan is always the same no matter what race it is, and that is to make the car as fast as we can each time we hit the track.”
Kinser qualified for the main event during the Kings Royal for the first time in 2002, finishing 13th. He has raced his way into the legendary 40-lap contest four times in his career, earning a best finish of sixth in 2005. He also earned a Top-10 finish in 2009, coming home ninth. He did not qualify for the main event last season.
“The Kings Royal is one of the races that every sprint car driver wants to win,” said Kinser. “To win the Kings Royal would be amazing, and I can’t even put into words what it would mean. It’s one of those races that you would give up a lot of other wins to get a win there. It’s that big.”
Kinser enters this week sixth in the World of Outlaws championship standings just eight points out of fifth and 71 markers out of the lead. He has four wins, which is tied for second-best in the series, along with 26 Top-10, which is also tied for second-most and 13 Top-Five finishes.
Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: Limaland Motorsports Park and Eldora Speedway
0.25- Miles around Limaland Motorsports Park
0.5- Miles around Eldora Speedway
2- Top-10 finishes in the Kings Royal
3- Main event starts at Limaland Motorsports Park with the World of Outlaws
4- Main event starts in the Kings Royal; A-Feature wins this season
6- Best finishing position in the Kings Royal, coming in 2005
8.7- Average finish in three main events starts in the Brad Doty Classic
10- Career Top-10 finishes at Eldora Speedway with the World of Outlaws
10.763- Track record at Limaland Motorsports Park
12.707- Qualifying record at Eldora Speedway
13- Average finish in four Kings Royal main event starts
13.9- Average finish in 37 main event starts with the World of Outlaws at Eldora Speedway dating back to 2001, including preliminary features
15- A-Feature events contested on half-mile tracks this season by the World of Outlaws
26- Top-10 finishes this season
37- Main event starts at Eldora Speedway dating back to 2001, including preliminary features
40- Laps in the main event of the Kings Royal; Laps in the Brad Doty Classic
59- Miles from Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio where the World of Outlaws compete on July 11 to Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio
101- Laps led in main events this season
2002- Year of first start in the Kings Royal
2008- First start in the Brad Doty Classic at Limaland Motorsports Park
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