Kraig Kinser Gets Out of Dodge with Boot Hill Showdown Victory
[media-credit name=”World of Outlaws” align=”alignright” width=”211″]
[/media-credit]DODGE CITY, Kan. – June 23, 2012 – The hottest driver on the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series picked up yet another victory at the hottest race of the season.
Kraig Kinser beat the heat and the rest of the Outlaws on an extremely windy and hot Saturday at Dodge City Raceway Park for Night 2 of the Boot Hill Showdown.
Kinser led all 30 laps and held off his father, 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser, to record his third win in the past seven events on a day when the temperature climbed into the mid-100s and wind gusts of more than 40 miles per hour bombarded the 3/8-mile track.
“I knew the bottom was going to be tough to beat early,” Kraig Kinser said. “It’s hard sometimes (when) you lead the race. You don’t know whether to get off the bottom and move to the top or move around a little bit. I got lucky lapped cars pushed me up a little bit to get around them and got trucking around the middle there.”
It was his third victory in the past 19 days, which ties the number of Outlaws wins Kinser amassed since 2005 – when he won a career-high seven features. The win was also his 14th career World of Outlaws feature victory, which ties him for 20th all time.
As neat as the statistics are, Kinser is more pleased in whom he beat – his father and car owner.
“The one-two finishes are real nice, especially when I’m in front,” Kraig Kinser said. “This little swing we’ve had has been great with the exception of last night. The car has been there every step of the way.”
As Kraig shot to the lead from his pole position on lap one, Steve Kinser charged from his fifth starting position to the runner-up spot on the opening lap. He maintained second position the entire race, but only closed within a car length shortly after the duo entered traffic on lap eight.
“If someone’s gotta outrun me I’d assume it’d be Kraig,” Steve Kinser said. “Toward the end there wasn’t no place to go, the bottom sort of locked down a little bit. It was hard to pass anybody out in the middle the last six or seven laps.”
Traffic began to play a role in the closing laps as Kraig Kinser lapped up to 12th place, where there was a three-way battle for a top-10 position. Kinser was caught behind the trio sliding each other, which allowed his father to close the gap to within a handful of car lengths. However, it was too little too late.
The win pulled Kraig Kinser to within 107 points of his father, who moved back into the World of Outlaws championship standings lead.
Craig Dollansky drove from seventh to third in the first eight laps and maintained the podium finish to record his 14th top five of the season.
“I definitely felt like we were with them,” said Dollansky, who is only 57 points behind Steve Kinser in the championship standings. “It just took me too long to get into third place.”
Joey Saldana was fourth and Cody Darrah ended fifth. Jason Sides placed sixth, Kerry Madsen seventh, Donny Schatz eighth, Bill Rose ninth and Lucas Wolfe rounded out the top 10.
Sammy Swindell, who set quick time with a lap of 13.462 seconds, brought out the initial caution of the race on the opening lap after contact with Madsen entering turn three. Swindell, who started third, fixed a flat left rear tire and restarted 23rd. He finished 12th and was the last car on the lead lap.
Sixth-starting Chad Kemenah was part of the final caution – also on the first lap – when he spun in turn one to avoid contact with another driver. Steven Richardson slid into Kemenah and flipped, ending both of their races.
After the two quick cautions, the feature went green to checkered with Kraig Kinser in front.
Steve Kinser, Jason Sides and Darrah each won a heat race, and Wolfe picked up the Last Chance Showdown victory. Patrick Stasa was the KSE Hard Charger after driving from 22nd to 14th.
Night 2 of the Boot Hill Showdown Notebook
NOTES – Sammy Swindell set quick time for a series-best sixth race this season. … Steve Kinser won his sixth heat race, while Jason Sides and Cody Darrah each claimed their third of the season. … Kraig Kinser picked up his second dash victory of the year. … Lucas Wolfe became the 25th different driver to win a Last Chance Showdown in 31 races this year.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS – Penske Shocks ($100 certificate): Bill Rose; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Kraig Kinser; Comp Cams ($50 certificate): Kraig Kinser; Armor All (case of product): Jason Sides; STP ($50 cash): Steve Kinser; UNOH ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; Gravely Tractors ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; VP Racing Fuel ($50 cash): Bill Rose; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Lucas Wolfe; JE Pistons (set of rings): Sammy Swindell; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; Wix Filters ($50 cash): Josh Hodges; Superflow ($50 cash): Patrick Stasa; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Josh Baughman; JE Pistons (set of rings): Brian Herbert; MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Chad Kemenah; Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash): Kevin Swindell.
WINNERS – Sammy Swindell – 5 (Red River Valley Speedway on June 16, Eldora Speedway on May 5, Knoxville Raceway on April 28, Missouri State Fair Speedway on April 20 and Merced Speedway on March 30); Craig Dollansky – 4 (I-96 Speedway on June 2, Hagerstown Speedway on May 20, Tri-State Speedway on April 21 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Kraig Kinser – 3 (Dodge City Raceway Park on June 23, River Cities Speedway on June 15 and Kokomo Speedway on June 5); Steve Kinser – 3 (Dodge City Raceway Park on June 22, Orange County Fair Speedway on May 19 and Williams Grove Speedway on May 12); Joey Saldana – 3 (The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 25, Paducah International Raceway on April 13 and Perris Auto Speedway on March 10); Donny Schatz – 3 (Farmer City Raceway on April 25, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 23 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Tim Kaeding – 2 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 16 and The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8); Chad Kemenah – 2 (Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 28 and Eldora Speedway on May 4); Danny Dietrich – 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 10); Danny Lasoski – 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 18); Kerry Madsen – 1 (Knoxville Raceway on June 9); Paul McMahan – 1 (Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on May 16); Fred Rahmer – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 11); Brad Sweet – 1 (Clay County Fairgrounds on June 8).
TIME TRIALS – Sammy Swindell was the fastest qualifier around the 3/8-mile oval with a time of 13.462 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Kerry Madsen (4 points), Kraig Kinser (3), Joey Saldana (2) and Craig Dollansky (1).
WE’RE ONLINE – Make sure to check out WorldofOutlaws.com for the latest news and results, plus exclusive driver interviews, video and pictures. Also listen to every event live at DIRTVision.com .
Night 2 of the Boot Hill Showdown Statistical Report; Dodge City Raceway Park; Dodge City, Kan.; June 23, 2012
A-Main – (30 Laps) – 1. 11K-Kraig Kinser [1] [$10,000]; 2. 11-Steve Kinser [5] [$5,000]; 3. 7-Craig Dollansky [7] [$3,000]; 4. 9-Joey Saldana [2] [$2,700]; 5. 4-Cody Darrah [8] [$2,500]; 6. 7S-Jason Sides [9] [$2,200]; 7. 29-Kerry Madsen [4] [$2,000]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz [14] [$1,800]; 9. 6-Bill Rose [10] [$1,600]; 10. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [12] [$1,450]; 11. 83-Tim Kaeding [11] [$1,300]; 12. 1-Sammy Swindell [3] [$1,200]; 13. 74X-Josh Hodges [15] [$1,100]; 14. 11S-Patrick Stasa [22] [$1,000]; 15. 17-Josh Baughman [21] [$950]; 16. 91-Jeff Stasa [19] [$900]; 17. 1X-Kevin Swindell [13] [$850]; 18. 1W-Jordan Weaver [24] [$750]; 19. 72-Ray Seeman [23] [$725]; 20. 1T-Ty Williams [16] [$700]; 21. 97-Brian Herbert [17] [$700]; 22. 2J-Zach Blurton [20] [$700]; 23. 63-Chad Kemenah [6] [$700]; 24. O-Steven Richardson [18] [$700]. Lap Leaders: Kraig Kinser 1-30. KSE Hard Charger Award: 11S-Patrick Stasa [+8].
Qualifying – 1. 1-Sammy Swindell, 13.462; 2. 29-Kerry Madsen, 13.499; 3. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.507; 4. 9-Joey Saldana, 13.520; 5. 7-Craig Dollansky, 13.562; 6. 83-Tim Kaeding, 13.702; 7. 11-Steve Kinser, 13.708; 8. 7S-Jason Sides, 13.726; 9. 4-Cody Darrah, 13.737; 10. 5W-Lucas Wolfe, 13.799; 11. 6-Bill Rose, 13.836; 12. 63-Chad Kemenah, 13.840; 13. 1X-Kevin Swindell, 13.841; 14. 15-Donny Schatz, 13.956; 15. 74X-Josh Hodges, 14.658; 16. 1T-Ty Williams, 14.663; 17. 97-Brian Herbert, 14.778; 18. O-Steven Richardson, 14.799; 19. 91-Jeff Stasa, 14.856; 20. 2J-Zach Blurton, 14.898; 21. 17-Josh Baughman, 14.910; 22. 72-Ray Seeman, 14.959; 23. 11S-Patrick Stasa, 15.031; 24. 16K-Kaden Taylor, 15.111; 25. 33-Kris Miller, 15.141; 26. 21-Wes Wofford, 15.236; 27. 1W-Jordan Weaver, 15.262; 28. 11X-Tyler Knight, 15.612; 29. 77W-Michael Williams, 16.357.
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 11-Steve Kinser [2]; 2. 9-Joey Saldana [3]; 3. 1X-Kevin Swindell [5]; 4. 1-Sammy Swindell [4]; 5. 1T-Ty Williams [6]; 6. 91-Jeff Stasa [7]; 7. 72-Ray Seeman [8]; 8. 33-Kris Miller [9]; 9. 11X-Tyler Knight [10]; 10. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [1].
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 7S-Jason Sides [2]; 2. 6-Bill Rose [1]; 3. 29-Kerry Madsen [4]; 4. 7-Craig Dollansky [3]; 5. 15-Donny Schatz [5]; 6. 97-Brian Herbert [6]; 7. 11S-Patrick Stasa [8]; 8. 2J-Zach Blurton [7]; 9. 21-Wes Wofford [9]; 10. 77W-Michael Williams [10].
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 4-Cody Darrah [2]; 2. 63-Chad Kemenah [1]; 3. 83-Tim Kaeding [3]; 4. 11K-Kraig Kinser [4]; 5. 74X-Josh Hodges [5]; 6. O-Steven Richardson [6]; 7. 17-Josh Baughman [7]; 8. 1W-Jordan Weaver [9]; 9. 16K-Kaden Taylor [8].
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature) – 1. 11K-Kraig Kinser [2]; 2. 9-Joey Saldana [1]; 3. 1-Sammy Swindell [4]; 4. 29-Kerry Madsen [3]; 5. 11-Steve Kinser [6]; 6. 63-Chad Kemenah [10]; 7. 7-Craig Dollansky [5]; 8. 4-Cody Darrah [8]; 9. 7S-Jason Sides [7]; 10. 6-Bill Rose [9].
B-Main – (12 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [1] [-]; 2. 17-Josh Baughman [3] [-]; 3. 11S-Patrick Stasa [5] [-]; 4. 2J-Zach Blurton [2] [-]; 5. 72-Ray Seeman [4] [-]; 6. 1W-Jordan Weaver [9] [-]; 7. 33-Kris Miller [7] [$200]; 8. 21-Wes Wofford [8] [$180]; 9. 77W-Michael Williams [11] [$175]; 10. 16K-Kaden Taylor [6] [$160]; 11. 11X-Tyler Knight [10] [$150].
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Top 20 Championship Standings
| Pos. | Driver |
Total |
Diff |
Wins |
T5 |
T10 |
QT |
| 1 | Steve Kinser |
4224 |
0 |
3 |
15 |
22 |
0 |
| 2 | Donny Schatz |
4218 |
-6 |
3 |
12 |
25 |
0 |
| 3 | Sammy Swindell |
4199 |
-25 |
5 |
13 |
21 |
6 |
| 4 | Craig Dollansky |
4167 |
-57 |
4 |
14 |
21 |
3 |
| 5 | Joey Saldana |
4156 |
-68 |
3 |
10 |
22 |
5 |
| 6 | Kraig Kinser |
4117 |
-107 |
3 |
11 |
21 |
3 |
| 7 | Chad Kemenah |
3913 |
-311 |
2 |
7 |
14 |
2 |
| 8 | Kerry Madsen |
3815 |
-409 |
1 |
4 |
12 |
1 |
| 9 | Cody Darrah |
3814 |
-410 |
0 |
6 |
12 |
2 |
| 10 | Lucas Wolfe |
3663 |
-561 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
0 |
| 11 | Jason Sides |
3344 |
-880 |
0 |
9 |
16 |
0 |
| 12 | Bill Rose |
3157 |
-1067 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| 13 | Danny Lasoski |
1860 |
-2364 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
| 14 | Austen Wheatley |
1818 |
-2406 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| 15 | Paul McMahan |
1810 |
-2414 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| 16 | Daryn Pittman |
1785 |
-2439 |
0 |
5 |
9 |
1 |
| 17 | Jac Haudenschild |
1655 |
-2569 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 18 | David Gravel |
1544 |
-2680 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
| 19 | Terry McCarl |
1474 |
-2750 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
| 20 | Sam Hafertepe Jr. |
1408 |
-2816 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
‘The King’ picks up career Outlaws win No. 573 at Dodge City Raceway Park
[media-credit name=”World of Outlaws” align=”alignright” width=”184″]
[/media-credit]DODGE CITY, Kan. – June 22, 2012 – The spin seemed like it was in slow motion.
Polesitter Jason Sides, who led the first 12 laps on a gusty Night 1 of the Boot Hill Showdown on Friday at Dodge City Raceway Park, looped it in turn one just prior to the midway point. As Sides kept his car under power, Steve Kinser dodged the melee to capture the lead and eventually the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series victory, which was career No. 573.
“I was pretty sure we were going to drive by him,” said a grinning Kinser, who also won the first-ever Outlaws event at Dodge City Raceway Park in 2004. “He did get a little sideways. It made it a little bit easier.”
For Sides, it was the latest heartbreak during a season when he has started on the pole of a World of Outlaws feature a series-best four times.
“We ran in behind a lapped car going into turn one there and I ran in way faster than I thought he was running,” he said after finishing third. “I had to pitch it sideways to keep from running over him. I thought I was going to be able to save it, but once it started to come around I just had to stand on it and keep it going and hope for the best.”
However, the race was anything but over following the spin. One lap later the fourth-and-final caution bunched the field up for a shootout during the second half of the 30-lap feature.
Kinser choose the outside lane on the double-file restart with Sammy Swindell and Lucas Wolfe between himself and Sides. Kinser got a solid jump with Swindell tucking into second and Sides sliding by Wolfe for third place on the restart.
Kinser sailed into a big lead with Swindell dramatically cutting into it once they reached traffic with 10 laps remaining. Swindell’s best opportunity to win came in the closing laps as he reeled Kinser within a car length.
As the duo entering turn three coming to the white flag Swindell nearly pulled to the inside of Kinser, but traffic slowed his momentum and Kinser utilized the preferred line to cruise to the victory.
“Just too much traffic and it didn’t work out for us,” Swindell said after finishing second. “We were just as quick as he was. He had the line and I had to kinda go somewhere else. That’s just the way it is sometimes.”
Wolfe was fourth and Donny Schatz earned the KSE Hard Charger Award after driving from 13th to fifth. Chad Kemenah ended sixth, Joey Saldana seventh, Kerry Madsen eighth, Tim Kaeding ninth and Craig Dollansky rounded out the top 10.
Kraig Kinser was the quickest in qualifying with a lap of 13.481 seconds, but was caught up in an opening-lap crash during his heat race. Kinser failed to finish and was relegated to the Last Chance Showdown, which he dominated for the second time this year.
Kaeding, Kemenah and Rose each picked up a heat race win.
The final night of the Boot Hill Showdown is tonight – Saturday – with the front gate opening at 5 p.m.
Night 1 of the Boot Hill Showdown Notebook
NOTES – Kraig Kinser set quick time for the third race this season. … Tim Kaeding earned his second heat race win of the season, Chad Kemenah claimed his sixth and Bill Rose won his first. … Jason Sides picked up his series-best fourth dash win. … Kinser lapped up to fourth place when he won the Last Chance Showdown for the second time this season.
WINNERS – Sammy Swindell – 5 (Red River Valley Speedway on June 16, Eldora Speedway on May 5, Knoxville Raceway on April 28, Missouri State Fair Speedway on April 20 and Merced Speedway on March 30); Craig Dollansky – 4 (I-96 Speedway on June 2, Hagerstown Speedway on May 20, Tri-State Speedway on April 21 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Steve Kinser – 3 (Dodge City Raceway Park on June 22, Orange County Fair Speedway on May 19 and Williams Grove Speedway on May 12); Joey Saldana – 3 (The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 25, Paducah International Raceway on April 13 and Perris Auto Speedway on March 10); Donny Schatz – 3 (Farmer City Raceway on April 25, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 23 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Tim Kaeding – 2 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 16 and The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8); Chad Kemenah – 2 (Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 28 and Eldora Speedway on May 4); Kraig Kinser – 2 (River Cities Speedway on June 15 and Kokomo Speedway on June 5); Danny Dietrich – 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 10); Danny Lasoski – 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 18); Kerry Madsen – 1 (Knoxville Raceway on June 9); Paul McMahan – 1 (Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on May 16); Fred Rahmer – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 11); Brad Sweet – 1 (Clay County Fairgrounds on June 8).
TIME TRIALS – Kraig Kinser was the fastest qualifier around the 3/8-mile oval with a time of 13.481 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Joey Saldana (4 points), Steve Kinser (3), Sammy Swindell (2) and Jason Sides (1).
WE’RE ONLINE – Make sure to check out WorldofOutlaws.com for the latest news and results, plus exclusive driver interviews, video and pictures. Also listen to every event live at DIRTVision.com .
Night 1 of the Boot Hill Showdown Statistical Report; Dodge City Raceway Park; Dodge City, Kan.; June 22, 2012
A-Main – (30 Laps) – 1. 11-Steve Kinser [4] [$10,000]; 2. 1-Sammy Swindell [2] [$5,000]; 3. 7S-Jason Sides [1] [$3,000]; 4. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [5] [$2,700]; 5. 15-Donny Schatz [13] [$2,500]; 6. 63-Chad Kemenah [8] [$2,200]; 7. 9-Joey Saldana [3] [$2,000]; 8. 29-Kerry Madsen [12] [$1,800]; 9. 83-Tim Kaeding [6] [$1,600]; 10. 7-Craig Dollansky [9] [$1,450]; 11. 11K-Kraig Kinser [11] [$1,300]; 12. 1X-Kevin Swindell [7] [$1,200]; 13. 6-Bill Rose [10] [$1,100]; 14. 4-Cody Darrah [15] [$1,000]; 15. 11S-Patrick Stasa [21] [$950]; 16. 74X-Josh Hodges [14] [$900]; 17. 1T-Ty Williams [16] [$850]; 18. 72-Ray Seeman [19] [$750]; 19. 1W-Jordan Weaver [24] [$725]; 20. 2J-Zach Blurton [17] [$700]; 21. 33-Kris Miller [22] [$700]; 22. 21-Wes Wofford [23] [$700]; 23. 97-Brian Herbert [18] [$700]; 24. O-Steven Richardson [20] [$700]. Lap Leaders: Jason Sides 1-12, Steve Kinser 13-30. KSE Hard Charger Award: 15-Donny Schatz [+8].
Qualifying – 1. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 13.481; 2. 9-Joey Saldana, 13.485; 3. 11-Steve Kinser, 13.646; 4. 1-Sammy Swindell, 13.698; 5. 7S-Jason Sides, 13.726; 6. 5W-Lucas Wolfe, 13.746; 7. 1X-Kevin Swindell, 13.874; 8. 7-Craig Dollansky, 13.905; 9. 29-Kerry Madsen, 13.924; 10. 83-Tim Kaeding, 13.935; 11. 63-Chad Kemenah, 13.984; 12. 6-Bill Rose, 14.136; 13. 15-Donny Schatz, 14.144; 14. 74X-Josh Hodges, 14.298; 15. 4-Cody Darrah, 14.308; 16. 1T-Ty Williams, 14.749; 17. 2J-Zach Blurton, 14.949; 18. 97-Brian Herbert, 14.997; 19. 72-Ray Seeman, 15.011; 20. O-Steven Richardson, 15.113; 21. 11S-Patrick Stasa, 15.155; 22. 21-Wes Wofford, 15.164; 23. 1W-Jordan Weaver, 15.281; 24. 91-Jeff Stasa, 15.295; 25. 17-Josh Baughman, 15.356; 26. 16K-Kaden Taylor, 15.364; 27. 15K-Kerry McAlister, 15.431; 28. 33-Kris Miller, 15.449; 29. 77W-Michael Williams, 16.624; 30. 76J-Justin Schwien, No Time.
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 83-Tim Kaeding [1]; 2. 1-Sammy Swindell [3]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz [5]; 4. 1X-Kevin Swindell [2]; 5. 72-Ray Seeman [7]; 6. 33-Kris Miller [10]; 7. 17-Josh Baughman [9]; 8. 21-Wes Wofford [8]; 9. 1T-Ty Williams [6]; 10. 11K-Kraig Kinser [4].
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 63-Chad Kemenah [1]; 2. 7-Craig Dollansky [2]; 3. 9-Joey Saldana [4]; 4. 7S-Jason Sides [3]; 5. 74X-Josh Hodges [5]; 6. 2J-Zach Blurton [6]; 7. 1W-Jordan Weaver [8]; 8. O-Steven Richardson [7]; 9. 16K-Kaden Taylor [9]; 10. 77W-Michael Williams [10].
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 6-Bill Rose [1]; 2. 11-Steve Kinser [4]; 3. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [3]; 4. 29-Kerry Madsen [2]; 5. 4-Cody Darrah [5]; 6. 97-Brian Herbert [6]; 7. 11S-Patrick Stasa [7]; 8. 91-Jeff Stasa [8]; 9. 15K-Kerry McAlister [9]; 10. 76J-Justin Schwien [10].
Dash – (8 Laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature ) – 1. 7S-Jason Sides [1]; 2. 1-Sammy Swindell [2]; 3. 9-Joey Saldana [4]; 4. 11-Steve Kinser [3]; 5. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [5]; 6. 83-Tim Kaeding [8]; 7. 1X-Kevin Swindell [6]; 8. 63-Chad Kemenah [9]; 9. 7-Craig Dollansky [7]; 10. 6-Bill Rose [10].
B-Main – (12 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 11K-Kraig Kinser [1] [-]; 2. 1T-Ty Williams [2] [-]; 3. 11S-Patrick Stasa [4] [-]; 4. O-Steven Richardson [3] [-]; 5. 21-Wes Wofford [5] [-]; 6. 1W-Jordan Weaver [6] [-]; 7. 91-Jeff Stasa [7] [$200]; 8. 17-Josh Baughman [8] [$180]; 9. 15K-Kerry McAlister [10] [$175]; 10. 77W-Michael Williams [11] [$160]; 11. 16K-Kaden Taylor [9] [$150]; 12. 76J-Justin Schwien [12] [$150].
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Top 20 Championship Standings
| Pos. | Driver |
Total |
Diff |
Wins |
T5 |
T10 |
QT |
| 1 | Donny Schatz |
4084 |
0 |
3 |
12 |
24 |
0 |
| 2 | Steve Kinser |
4078 |
-6 |
3 |
14 |
21 |
0 |
| 3 | Sammy Swindell |
4068 |
-16 |
5 |
13 |
21 |
5 |
| 4 | Craig Dollansky |
4022 |
-62 |
4 |
13 |
20 |
3 |
| 5 | Joey Saldana |
4012 |
-72 |
3 |
9 |
21 |
5 |
| 6 | Kraig Kinser |
3964 |
-120 |
2 |
10 |
20 |
3 |
| 7 | Chad Kemenah |
3811 |
-273 |
2 |
7 |
14 |
2 |
| 8 | Kerry Madsen |
3675 |
-409 |
1 |
4 |
11 |
1 |
| 9 | Cody Darrah |
3674 |
-410 |
0 |
5 |
11 |
2 |
| 10 | Lucas Wolfe |
3533 |
-551 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
0 |
| 11 | Jason Sides |
3206 |
-878 |
0 |
9 |
15 |
0 |
| 12 | Bill Rose |
3025 |
-1059 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| 13 | Danny Lasoski |
1860 |
-2224 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
| 14 | Austen Wheatley |
1818 |
-2266 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| 15 | Paul McMahan |
1810 |
-2274 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| 16 | Daryn Pittman |
1785 |
-2299 |
0 |
5 |
9 |
1 |
| 17 | Jac Haudenschild |
1655 |
-2429 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 18 | David Gravel |
1544 |
-2540 |
0 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
| 19 | Terry McCarl |
1474 |
-2610 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
| 20 | Sam Hafertepe Jr. |
1408 |
-2676 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
Kurt Busch: ‘I really wanted to deliver for my guys today’
[media-credit name=”Credit: By Ezra Shaw, Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”242″]
[/media-credit]The last few weeks have been tough on Kurt Busch. From struggles with performance, saying the wrong things and getting suspended, he finally had a nice Sunday drive with no controversy.
Busch came home third in his No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet. The bare red and white machine battled with the much better funded Michael Waltrip and Tony Stewart Racing teams and held its own. For Busch, it was bittersweet. A well-earned finish but a case of what could have been, too.
“It was just a full weekend of road racing,” said Busch afterwards. “It was a solid day yesterday and even better day today. To have a nice, steady pace and to have smooth pit strategy from my Phoenix Racing guys reminded me a lot of last year and I thought I could deliver for them. We were in contention. We made it all the way to the final restart and today with all those long green flag runs, I thought the race would play into our favor.”
The No. 51 Chevrolet was better suited for the longer runs, which he certainly showed. The defending race winner gave it his best shot as he led two laps and remained firmly in the top five for the second half of the event. Slowly chipping away, making a run at what would have been an improbably victory.
“I just kept thinking, ‘He’s a dirt late model racer from the Midwest; there’s no way he’s going to be able to run the road course,’” Busch said of winner Clint Bowyer. “And he did. He did great. That car and our car, I think we separated ourselves from the pack today.”
Then came the one moment in 112 laps that Busch would love to have back. One moment that took him from contender to third. While making a run on Bowyer for the lead late in the race, Busch hit the inside tire barrier in turn 11.
The contact seemed much harder than in years past. Instead of the tires giving away, they stayed put. Busch’s machine suffered damage in the front and ended up breaking a bar in the rear of the car. Suddenly his 51 was slightly swinging back and forth, right before the final restart of the day.
It ended up being the difference. Busch couldn’t do anything with Bowyer and he lost the spot to Tony Stewart. Afterwards Busch found that the sets of tires that sit on the inside of turn 11 were bolted down, no longer as giving as they had been in the past.
“Today we came home third,” he said. “Chevrolet and Monster Energy and Tag Heuer, our three big brands with us this year – I’m a bit choked up. I just made a little mistake their in turn 11. Those tires have never been bolted down, ever and I clipped a set of tires and it broke the front suspension and the rear panhard bar and I couldn’t compete for the win after that; so a mistake there.
“But if we pulled into Victory Lane with all-red car and no sponsor, here in California, I thought it was team tiger blood with Charlie Sheen around.”
Busch backed up his solid eighth place finish on Saturday in the Nationwide Series race at Road America. Driving for little brother Kyle’s team, Busch flexed his muscle and sharpened his road course skills. Along with his Sonoma win last season Busch won at Watkins Glen in the NNS while subbing for then injured teammate Brad Keselowski.
This time around he nearly did it again. And it would have been a whole bigger for Busch, who was clearly choked up.
“When you show up and you’re a third of the budget and you almost bring it to Victory Lane, you can’t say that one guy does it out here,” Busch said. “It takes a full team effort. But I really want to deliver for my guys today, and being that close and make one mistake, it’s a tough game. That’s why it’s Sprint Cup.”
Not to mention the team that has stuck behind him through the thick and the thin. Sunday’s finish was the first top five for Busch in 2012, they remain 27th in points heading into Kentucky.
“They bring the best out in me,” said Busch of his Phoenix team. “This is a no nonsense group for a bunch of racers. The way this program feels is we are a bunch of boy scouts where we have to support each other and teach each other things and everybody has three jobs on this team.
“Yeah, the closest family atmosphere I’ve ever had to racing with Kyle and my dad. We are not blood brothers or anything and cut fingers and tough and go team tiger blood or anything, but it’s really a neat group. Nick’s [Harrison, crew chief] leadership is just so much fun just to follow him and be a part of.”
Disappointing ending but Patrick made presence known in Road America
[media-credit name=”Dan Sanger” align=”alignright” width=”251″]
[/media-credit]It was right there for the taking for Danica Patrick. Her first top five finish of the season and career tying best finish.
And it was taken – away by someone else. Patrick was running fourth on the last lap of the Sargento 200 at Road America, having passed Max Papis, when Jacques Villeneuve hit her No. 7 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet square on the rear bumper. It was enough contact to send her off into the gravel pit and out of contention.
Instead of the finish she was looking for, and certainly deserved, she was credited with 12th place. On the cool down lap headed back to pit road, Patrick expressed her displeasure not only with Villeneuve but with the day’s racing in general. Things like dive-bombing, the unnecessary roughness and contact from Villeneuve.
Then she told her team on the course of events that took her out, “I could have [chickened] out and finished fifth or tried to pass him. I tried to pass him.”
When she finally saw the replay of what had happened, she was a little more subdued. But not less disappointed in the result.
“I’m going to start off with a positive, I ran top five all day,” she told ESPN. “I took the lead for a brief moment until I learned my lesson down into turn five when you try to get a little bit more out of the brake zone.
“So, that’s the bummer, that we weren’t able to finish that off and finish off with a top five like I feel like we all deserved. The guys in the pits did a great job, they were awesome and Tony Jr. [crew chief] gave me a good car and it just would have been good to get a good result.”
Everyone knew she was there though. According to ESPN statistics, she ran in the top five for 35 of 50 laps, 70 percent of the race. While road racing has never been her greatest strength, it’s not something that she’s terrible at either. In her first NASCAR road race at Montreal last season she ran top 10 before having brake and mechanical failures end her day.
When she ran in the IndyCar Series she was a contender too. She earned a second place finish at Belle Isle near Detroit back in 2007. Saturday was more of the same, when most thought she’d never be in the picture, she hardly left it.
That was until she was moved out of the way. Patrick held back when it came to what happened with Villeneuve, knowing her racing spoke louder than words.
“People sort of say I don’t get good results but today I ran well and I feel like lately we’ve been running much better we just haven’t finished the deal and gotten the results,” said Patrick.
“I don’t know, y’all can make a decision for yourself what you think happened there.”
Villeneuve is no stranger to controversy. He’s made a lot of contact with fellow drivers over the years, including last season at Road America. It’s left a sour taste in many mouths of those in the sport, last year Sprint Cup driver Kevin Harvick tweeted that he hoped Max Papis, who was then driving a KHI car, “punches his dumbass in the mouth.”
Saturday afternoon it was more of the same from around the garage. Even those who are normally critical of Patrick were hoping she and her team were fired up after the race. Eury Jr. was at least, stopping Villeneuve on pit road to give him his two cents. But whatever Eury said, fell on Villeneuve’s deaf ears and different point of view.
“Well we have nothing to do together. When I was behind Danica and [Max] Papis was on the outside, maybe he didn’t know I was there but down the straight he pushed me in the grass just where we hit the brakes,” was Villeneuve’s explanation.
“So when I jumped on the brakes I was in the grass because of that, I wasn’t right next to him. I couldn’t slow down because of that.”
And on what Eury said, “It’s just about that there was contact and I was involved. But it has nothing to do with me so I really don’t care.”
The good news for Patrick is that Villeneuve is not entered in next weekend’s event in Kentucky. The NNS returns to the ovals and Daytona is just around the corner, where Patrick made huge strides last season. She and the No. 7 GoDaddy team continue to make gains, her knowledge expanding and results starting to show.
And even though she didn’t finish where she was looking to on Saturday, she moved back into the top 10 in points. Not bad for a driver who said she didn’t care about the points when she entered the weekend.
