By Aaron Fiedler
SPENCER, Iowa – Sept. 12, 2014 – With the lights of the Ferris wheel shining in the distance and the sounds of midway games just beyond the grand stand, Kraig Kinser scored his first World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win of the season at the Clay County Fair Speedway’s Arnold Motor Supply Shootout on Friday night.
Kinser got the break he needed as the Outlaws turned lap 13 at the 3/8 mile track. Brad Sweet, who had led every lap up to that point, was battling a loose racecar and it nearly got the best of him coming off of turn four. Sweet got sideways and dove to the bottom of the track as he fought to save his car.
“I saw him crossed up,” Kinser said. “I was trying to check up, check up because I saw him come across the track. I saw him loose there – I kind of thought he was going to come up and get us.”
Sweet recovered but not before slipping back to fourth place. In the meantime, Kinser, Kerry Madsen and Joey Saldana all got around him.
“I know Brad’s probably feeling pretty bad, but I’ll take it any way I can get it,” Kinser said in victory lane.
After struggling through the early and mid-portion of the 2014 season, Kinser said he was happy to score the win for his Steve Kinser Racing, Mesilla Valley Transportation team.
“We’ve been good since right before Knoxville,” Kinser said. “We’ve been pretty quick, just unfortunate west coast swing – a victim of circumstances a little bit. It felt good after Knoxville to have a top-ten and keep the momentum rolling. We just struggled in the beginning of the year and through the middle part it got pretty tough there for a while. To hit one this late in the year, I’ll take it.”
Kinser’s win makes him the 22nd different winner of the 2014 season. It is also his 16th career World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series win.
Sweet took the green flag of the A main on the pole with Kinser to his outside. As the Outlaws completed lap one, Kinser slipped back to third after Madsen got around him right away. Madsen and Kinser battled through the first ten laps. As the two cars hit lapped traffic, Kinser found his way around Madsen.
“I got by Kraig and kind of sailed in behind Brad to deal with Brad later and then Kraig drove back around me in one and two,” Madsen said. “All the while I thought I was going to be able to battle back. I just couldn’t get through the lapped traffic and Kraig did a great job getting around Steve and building a nice, comfortable gap.”
With Sweet’s slide back, Madsen looked for an opportunity to get around Kinser in his American Racing Custom Wheels car and take over the lead. Behind him though, Saldana inched closer.
“In the last five laps we were just racing there,” Madsen said. “Joey actually showed his nose to me off of two so I thought it is what it is and if the opportunity presents itself.”
At one point, as Madsen and Saldana battled through the closing laps of the feature, which was caution free, Saldana got around, briefly taking over the second spot. The move was short lived.
As Saldana stood in victory lane following his third place finish in the 30-lap feature, a green puddle of coolant formed underneath his Motter Equipment car.
“We’ve actually had some bad luck here lately. Some flat tires and a fuel line coming loose. Tonight something went through the radiator,” Saldana said. “I’m just happy we finished and finished on the podium. That’s a good solid run for us. It was good for us all tonight. Hopefully we can continue this tomorrow and on to the rest of the season.”
In the race for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series championship, Donny Schatz extended his lead over second place Daryn Pittman to 206 points. Paul McMahan remains in third, 312 points out of the lead.
Schatz was the recipient of the KSE Hard Charger Award Friday night after advancing five positions to finish in sixth. It was his 13th Hard Charger Award of the season, the most of any driver.
The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series next returns to action on Saturday night at the ASGROW/DEKALB Clash at the Creek at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn. The Outlaws then head east to take on Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway on Sept. 16 and the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track on Sept. 17.
Follow the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws
CLAY COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY NOTES: Kraig Kinser’s first win of the season made him the 22nd difference driver of the season to win… Logan Schuchart scored his first quick time of the season at Clay County Fair Speedway… Donny Schatz was the KSE Hard Charger Award recipient for the night after advancing five positions in the A main to finish in sixth. This was his 13th hard charger award of the season… Brad Sweet, Tim Kaeding, David Gravel and Kraig Kinser all won their Heat races tonight.
SEASON WINNERS: Donny Schatz – 20 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 15, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 19, Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 27, I-96 Speedway on May 31, River Cities Speedway on June 20, 34 Raceway on June 27, Cedar Lake Speedway on June 29, Lernerville Speedway on July 15, Autodrome Drummond on July 26, Cornwall Motor Speedway on July 27, Ohsweken Speedway on July 29, Knoxville Raceway on Aug. 9, Junction Motor Speedway on Aug. 12, Nodak Speedway on Aug. 17, Castrol Raceway on Aug. 22 and Aug. 23, Skagit Speedway on Aug. 29 and Aug. 30 and Grays Harbor Raceway on Sept. 1); Daryn Pittman – 13(Thunderbowl Raceway on March 14, Calistoga Speedway on April 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 19, Williams Grove Speedway on May 16 and May 17, Orange County Fair Speedway, May 18, New Egypt Speedway, May 20, Dodge City Raceway Park on July 4 and 5, Lincoln Speedway on July 17, Fulton Speedway on July 23, River Cities Speedway on Aug. 15 and Southern Oregon Speedway on Sept. 3); Kerry Madsen – 6(Stockton Dirt track on March 22, El Paso Speedway Park on April 15, Lakeside Speedway on June 7, Eldora Speedway on July 12 and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 3 and Antioch Speedway on Sept. 8); Joey Saldana – 5 (Perris Auto Speedway on April 12, Salina Highbanks on April 25, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 23, I-80 Speedway on June 6 and Jackson Speedway on June 13); Brad Sweet – 5 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Tucson International Raceway on March 8, Calistoga Speedway on April 5, Knoxville Raceway on June 14 and Beaver Dam Raceway on June 28); David Gravel – 4(Merced Speedway on March 28, Eldora Speedway on May 3, Wilmot Raceway on May 9 and Lebanon Valley Speedway on July 20); Paul McMahan – 4 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 5, Tri-State Speedway on May 10, Limaland Motorsports Park on July 9 and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 1); Cody Darrah – 2(Kings Speedway on April 11 and Lernerville Speedway on July 15);Shane Stewart – 2(Eldora Speedway on May 2 and Willamette Speedway on Sept. 2); Sammy Swindell – 2 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on April 26 and Eldora Speedway on July 11); Rico Abreu – 1 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 15); Jonathan Allard – 1 (Silver Dollar Speedway, Sept. 6); Christopher Bell – 1(Jacksonville Speedway on May 7); Dale Blaney – 1 (Attica Raceway Park on May 30); Roger Crockett – 1(I-94 Speedway on June 21); Lance Dewease – 1 (July 20 at Williams Grove Speedway); Greg Hodnett- 1 (July 18 at Williams Grove Speedway); Mark Dobmeier – 1 (Huset’s Speedway on July 2);Kraig Kinser – 1 (Clay County Fair Speedway on Sept. 12); Steve Kinser – 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 16); Carson Macedo – 1 (Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 5); Stevie Smith – 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 14).
World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Clay County Fair Speedway; Spencer, Iowa; Sept. 12, 2014
A-Main – (30 Laps) – 1. 11K-Kraig Kinser [2] [$10,000]; 2. 29-Kerry Madsen [3] [$5,500]; 3. 71M-Joey Saldana [6] [$3,200]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet [1] [$2,800]; 5. 21-Brian Brown [4] [$2,500]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz [11] [$2,300]; 7. 59-Tim Kaeding [8] [$2,200]; 8. 83-David Gravel [7] [$2,100]; 9. 51-Paul McMahan [10] [$2,050]; 10. 7-Craig Dollansky [12] [$2,000]; 11. 9-Daryn Pittman [13] [$1,500]; 12. 24-Terry McCarl [14] [$1,200]; 13. 4-Cody Darrah [5] [$1,100]; 14. 13-Mark Dobmeier [16] [$1,050]; 15. 1s-Logan Schuchart [9] [$1,000]; 16. 7S-Jason Sides [17] [$900]; 17. 18-Ian Madsen [18] [$800]; 18. 11-Steve Kinser [21] [$800]; 19. O9-Matt Juhl [20] [$800]; 20. 35-Skylar Prochaska [15] [$800]; 21. 71A-R.J. Johnson [23] [$800]; 22. 17-Ryan Bickett [22] [$800]; 23. 19-Ryan Wilson [19] [$800]; 24. 14-Jody Rosenboom [24] [$800]. Lap Leaders: Brad Sweet 1-12, Kraig Kinser 13-30. KSE Hard Charger Award: 15-Donny Schatz [+5]
Qualifying – 1. 1s-Logan Schuchart, 13.175; 2. 71M-Joey Saldana, 13.259; 3. 4-Cody Darrah, 13.289; 4. 21-Brian Brown, 13.299; 5. 29-Kerry Madsen, 13.301; 6. 51-Paul McMahan, 13.377; 7. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.398; 8. 7-Craig Dollansky, 13.409; 9. 9-Daryn Pittman, 13.419; 10. 17B-Bill Balog, 13.478; 11. 24-Terry McCarl, 13.491; 12. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.497; 13. 49-Brad Sweet, 13.516; 14. 59-Tim Kaeding, 13.536; 15. 83-David Gravel, 13.539; 16. 35-Skylar Prochaska, 13.585; 17. 13-Mark Dobmeier, 13.629; 18. 7S-Jason Sides, 13.710; 19. 18-Ian Madsen, 13.729; 20. 82-Dusty Zomer, 13.755; 21. 19-Ryan Wilson, 13.775; 22. O9-Matt Juhl, 13.802; 23. 7TAZ-Tasker Phillips, 13.853; 24. 11-Steve Kinser, 13.872; 25. 93-Derrick Lusk, 13.932; 26. 17-Ryan Bickett, 14.007; 27. 71A-R.J. Johnson, 14.018; 28. 1A-Jacob Allen, 14.137; 29. 14-Jody Rosenboom, 14.144; 30. 101-Chuck McGillivray, 14.630; 31. 2K-Kevin Ingle, 14.703; 32. O-Branden Stevenson, 15.704
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 49-Brad Sweet [1]; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [2]; 3. 29-Kerry Madsen [3]; 4. 13-Mark Dobmeier [5]; 5. 14-Jody Rosenboom [8]; 6. 19-Ryan Wilson [6]; 7. 93-Derrick Lusk [7]; 8. 1s-Logan Schuchart [4]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 59-Tim Kaeding [1]; 2. 51-Paul McMahan [3]; 3. 71M-Joey Saldana [4]; 4. O9-Matt Juhl [6]; 5. 7S-Jason Sides [5]; 6. 17-Ryan Bickett [7]; 7. 101-Chuck McGillivray [8]; 8. 17B-Bill Balog [2]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 83-David Gravel [1]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [3]; 3. 24-Terry McCarl [2]; 4. 4-Cody Darrah [4]; 5. 18-Ian Madsen [5]; 6. 71A-R.J. Johnson [7]; 7. 7TAZ-Tasker Phillips [6]; 8. 2K-Kevin Ingle [8]
Heat 4 – (8 Laps – Top 5 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 11K-Kraig Kinser [2]; 2. 7-Craig Dollansky [3]; 3. 35-Skylar Prochaska [1]; 4. 11-Steve Kinser [6]; 5. 21-Brian Brown [4]; 6. 1A-Jacob Allen [7]; 7. O-Branden Stevenson [8]; 8. 82-Dusty Zomer [5]
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 8 starting positions of A-feature) – 1. 49-Brad Sweet [1]; 2. 11K-Kraig Kinser [2]; 3. 29-Kerry Madsen [3]; 4. 21-Brian Brown [4]; 5. 4-Cody Darrah [5]; 6. 71M-Joey Saldana [6]; 7. 83-David Gravel [8]; 8. 59-Tim Kaeding [7]
Last Chance Showdown – (12 Laps – Top 4 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 1s-Logan Schuchart [1] [-]; 2. 71A-R.J. Johnson [8] [-]; 3. 17-Ryan Bickett [7] [-]; 4. 19-Ryan Wilson [4] [-]; 5. 2K-Kevin Ingle [11] [$200]; 6. 1A-Jacob Allen [9] [$180]; 7. 93-Derrick Lusk [6] [$175]; 8. 101-Chuck McGillivray [10] [$160]; 9. O-Branden Stevenson [12] [$150]; 10. 17B-Bill Balog [2] [$150]; 11. 82-Dusty Zomer [3] [$150]; 12. 7TAZ-Tasker Phillips [5] [$150]
World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series Championship Standings
| Pos. |
Car |
Driver |
Total |
Diff |
Wins |
Top 5’s |
Top 10’s |
QT |
| 1 |
15 |
Donny Schatz |
10512 |
0 |
20 |
53 |
68 |
7 |
| 2 |
9 |
Daryn Pittman |
10306 |
-206 |
13 |
41 |
65 |
4 |
| 3 |
51 |
Paul McMahan |
10200 |
-312 |
4 |
40 |
66 |
10 |
| 4 |
29 |
Kerry Madsen |
10041 |
-471 |
6 |
37 |
60 |
6 |
| 5 |
71M |
Joey Saldana |
10038 |
-474 |
5 |
33 |
53 |
22 |
| 6 |
49 |
Brad Sweet |
9805 |
-707 |
5 |
26 |
51 |
2 |
| 7 |
4 |
Cody Darrah |
9448 |
-1064 |
2 |
16 |
39 |
3 |
| 8 |
11 |
Steve Kinser |
9286 |
-1226 |
1 |
10 |
36 |
0 |
| 9 |
11k |
Kraig Kinser |
9029 |
-1483 |
1 |
7 |
28 |
0 |
| 10 |
83 |
David Gravel |
8864 |
-1648 |
4 |
19 |
44 |
9 |
| 11 |
7s |
Jason Sides |
8480 |
-2032 |
0 |
2 |
19 |
0 |
| 12 |
1S |
Logan Schuchart |
7909 |
-2603 |
0 |
5 |
14 |
1 |
| 13 |
1A |
Jacob Allen |
6823 |
-3689 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 14 |
1 |
Sammy Swindell |
5990 |
-4522 |
2 |
11 |
19 |
1 |
| 15 |
2 |
Shane Stewart |
3785 |
-6727 |
2 |
9 |
18 |
4 |
| 16 |
83SA |
Tim Kaeding |
3766 |
-6746 |
0 |
3 |
14 |
0 |
| 17 |
5W |
Lucas Wolfe |
3442 |
-7070 |
0 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
| 18 |
21 |
Brian Brown |
2920 |
-7592 |
0 |
4 |
10 |
0 |
| 19 |
77X |
Wayne Johnson |
2614 |
-7898 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 20 |
W20 |
Greg Wils |