Bloomington, Ind. — May 30, 2012 — As the weather warms up, the World of Outlaws schedule begins to pick up, and big races loom on the horizon. That’s the time of the year that drivers want to hit their stride. After a strong start to the season, Kraig Kinser appears to be close to hitting his stride, as he carries a streak of three straight Top-Five finishes into a pair of races this weekend.
Kinser opens the weekend in the Hendrickcars.com Maxim on Friday, June 1 at Attica Raceway Park in Ohio, as the World of Outlaws make their lone visit of the season to the high-banked third-mile for the Kistler Engines Classic. The series then heads north to I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich., on Saturday, June 2 to compete on the reconfigured three-eighths-mile at the facility for the first time in the NAPA Rumble.
“We’ve been working very hard the last few weeks and have found a few things that have really been helping,” said Kinser. “This weekend will be a good test going to a smaller track and then a three-eighths-mile. Hopefully we can build on the last few races, run up front and be in contention.”
Kinser has competed with the World of Outlaws at Attica Raceway Park four times, picking up a career-best ninth-place finish in 2009. He raced with the series for the first time in at the track in 2005. The native of Bloomington, Ind., has also competed at the bullring with the UNOH All Star Circuit of Champions.
“Attica always has some of the toughest competition we face,” noted Kinser. “The local drivers there are strong and know that track very well. Just like every other night, you need to have a good lap in time trials and put yourself in a good position and make it into the dash to start up front in the feature.”
Kinser took to the former half-mile at I-96 Speedway for the first time with the World of Outlaws in 2004. The third-generation driver has made six starts in his career at the track, earning three Top-10 finishes, with two of those being Top-Five performances. He finished a career-best third at I-96 in 2009, following a ninth-place effort in 2008 and a fourth-place showing in 2005. Last season Kinser finished 15th at the venue. The reconfigured three-eighths-mile combines the former half-mile with the inner quarter-mile that was present.
“It will be interesting to see the smaller track at I-96,” shared Kinser. “I always ran pretty well on the half-mile there on. Hot laps will be pretty important as everyone feels out the new layout. You kind of have to treat it like going to a track for the first time.”
Kinser enters the pair of races this weekend sixth in the World of Outlaws championship standings on the strength of 15 Top-10 finishes, with seven of those being Top-Five performances. He has set fast time twice this season and has raced his way into the dash 14 times to earn Top-10 starting spots in A-Feature events, including in each of the last four races.
“We keep getting closer and closer to our first win of the year and it would be great to get it this weekend,” said Kinser. “If you run up front enough, you eventually turn those Top-Fives into Top-Three and then into wins.”
Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: Attica Raceway Park & I-96 Speedway
0.333- Miles around Attica Raceway Park
0.375- Miles around I-96 Speedway
0.5- Miles around the former configuration at I-96 that the World of Outlaws competed on
1- Race in the state of Michigan this season for the World of Outlaws
2- Career Top-Five finishes at I-96
3- Career Top-10 finishes at I-96
4- Career starts with the World of Outlaws at Attica Raceway Park
6- Career starts at I-96 Speedway with the World of Outlaws
7- Nights of racing in the state of Ohio for the World of Outlaws this season
11.306- Track record at Attica Raceway Park
12- Average finish in six career starts at I-96
14- Appearances in the dash this season
14.834- Track record at I-96 Speedway on the former half-mile
16- Average finish in four World of Outlaws starts at Attica
23- Main events contested by the World of Outlaws through May 28
231- Miles from Attica Raceway Park in Ohio where the World of Outlaws compete on June 1 to I-96 Speedway in Lake Odessa, Mich.
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