Kraig Kinser Finishes Fourth at Williams Grove Speedway in Summer Nationals

Bloomington, Ind. — July 23, 2012 —The famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., is one of the most unique and challenging tracks on the World of Outlaws schedule. It’s a venue that often takes drivers years and years to get comfortable at and figure out. Kraig Kinser raced at the venerable half-mile for the first time in 2003, and the following season in just his fourth feature event start at the track, finished sixth. That finish remained his best for over eight years, as he continued to learn the nuances of the track. He bettered that this past weekend as he came home fourth during the Summer Nationals on Saturday, July 21, which also marked his first-career Top-Five showing at Williams Grove.

Kinser started third in the 30-lap main event and fell back one spot to fourth at the drop of the green. He would battle Gerard McIntyre for third in the early going, taking the position on a double-file restart on the fifth lap. He would run in that spot until lap-19, when Greg Hodnett got around him, just before the final caution flag of the night would fly. The race was slowed a total of seven times by yellow and red flag periods.

“To finish fourth at Williams Grove was great, especially after we struggled there earlier this season,” said Kinser. “The track was so fast with all the rain they had gotten in the couple of days before the race, so you really had to be careful and try not to make too many mistakes. We qualified in the right spot, won our heat and were able to make it in the dash, which always helps at a track like Williams Grove.”

Kinser began the night as the 10th-fastest driver in time trials, and won the second heat race to earn a spot in the dash. He both started and finished third in the dash. The 2004 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award winner now has seven career Top-10 finishes at Williams Grove.

“I think we learned a few things that we’ll be able to use when we go back there in the fall,” he shared. “Knowing you can run up front at a track like that is really important and we have a good baseline to go off when the National Open rolls around.”

The opener of the Summer Nationals on Friday, July 20, was rained out and will not be rescheduled. The World of Outlaws return to Williams Grove Speedway for the Morgan Hughes National Open on September 28-29.

Kinser wrapped up the weekend at Lebanon Valley Speedway in New York, where he finished 12th. He lined up eighth for the 25-lap main event at the ultra high-banked half-mile, after finishing third in the first heat race, which put him in the dash. The third-generation driver opened the night as the 10th-fastest driver in time trials.

Kinser began the second East Coast swing of the season on Tuesday, July 17, at Lernerville Speedway in Pennsylvania in the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30’s, Kinser was leading the B-main, when a lapped car spun in front of him, leaving him nowhere to go. There was too much damage to repair in time for the main event, and though he had a provisional available, Kinser was not able make it out for the feature. He began that night as the 21st-fastest driver in time trials, and finished seventh in the first eight-lap heat race.

Kinser, who is currently sixth in points, returns to action with four races in Canada beginning on Friday, July 27, at Autodrome Granby in Quebec, continuing on Saturday, July 28, at Autodrome Drummond also in Quebec, Sunday, July 29, at Cornwall Motor Speedway in Ontario and wrapping up on Tuesday, July 31, at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario.

Lernerville Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway & Lebanon Valley Speedway Results

 
Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: Lernerville Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway & Lebanon Valley Speedway
0.4- Miles around Lernerville Speedway
0.5- Length in miles of Williams Grove Speedway and Lebanon Valley Speedway
3- Tracks in New York that the World of Outlaws have competed at this season
4- Finishing position at Williams Grove Speedway, which marked a career-best showing the half-mile
7- Career feature event starts at Lebanon Valley Speedway
7.9- Average finishing position this season in main events
8.8- Average starting position in main events this season
13.704- Laps in time trials at Lernerville Speedway
15- Top-Five finishes this season
16.901- Time trials lap at Williams Grove Speedway
17.240- Qualifying lap at Lebanon Valley Speedway
26- Main event starts at Williams Grove dating back to 2003, including preliminary features
29- Top-10 finishes this season
5503- Points earned through July 22
111,060- Dollars earned through July 22
 
Up Next
July 27: Autodrome Granby, Granby, PQ, Canada
July 28: Autodrome Drummond, Drummondville, PQ, Canada
July 29: Cornwall Motor Speedway, Cornwall, Ont., Canada
July 31: Ohsweken Speedway, Ohsweken, Ont., Canada

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