Kinser Hits World of Outlaws Jackpot in Exciting Las Vegas Duel with Saldana

Kinser Hits World of Outlaws Jackpot in Exciting Las Vegas Duel with Saldana

Tony Stewart Racing star holds off hard-chargers to earn his fourth victory of the season

 LAS VEGAS – March 3, 2011 – Steve Kinser survived two double-file restarts in the final three laps on Thursday night in the finale of the Las Vegas Nationals Presented by J.D. Byrider to win his fourth World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event this season.

For 27 laps, Kinser had positioned his #11 Bass Pro Shops/J.D Byrider/Chevrolet Maxim almost perfectly on the track to weave through traffic and hold off longtime rival Sammy Swindell. Then a spin by Kraig Kinser with three to go was followed by Paul McMahan’s flip as Steve Kinser was coming to the white flag and set up a furious battle to the checkered flag with Joey Saldana .

Kinser opted to restart on the top side, hoping to pin Saldana’s Kasey Kahne Racing Red Bull Maxim under him. The two went into the first corner with Kinser blasting around the cushion and Saldana cutting to the bottom and sliding up in front of Kinser in Turn 2. Kinser’s momentum shot him by Saldana down the backstretch and they would repeat the maneuver again on the next lap. Kinser then cut to the bottom in Turns 3 and 4 on the final lap and shot down the frontstretch to the checkered flag.

Kinser’s TSR teammate Donny Schatz wound up third followed by pole-sitter Swindell and Saldana’s teammate, Cody Darrah.

“I wasn’t sure how well our car was going to hold up there on the last restart,” said an exhausted Kinser, the Bloomington, Ind., legend who is chasing his 21^st World of Outlaws championship this season. “I knew Joey had a really strong car and I thought he had me beat.”

Saldana, who won his first World of Outlaws race at Las Vegas on Wednesday night, was aiming to complete the Las Vegas Nationals sweep in dramatic fashion but was still pleased with his runner-up finish on Thursday.

“This is traditionally not one of my best race tracks,” said Saldana, of Pittsboro, Ind., who moved into second-place in the standings behind Kinser with his strong Las Vegas run. “To come out of here with a win and second-place finish is huge for us and gives us a lot of momentum heading into the California races that begin next week.”

Schatz was seeking his seventh victory at Las Vegas in the STP/Armor All/Chevrolet J&J, and was in the mix until the end when Saldana shot past him and Swindell on the restart with three-to-go.

“This was just all around great racing tonight,” remarked Schatz, a four-time World of Outlaws champion from Fargo, N.D. “I hope the fans got a real treat tonight because it was a lot of fun for all of us.”

As the evening wore on, the high line became the preferred way around the half-mile oval for many drivers. Coming to the green on the initial start, a pile up in Turn 4 ended the nights of Ben Gregg and Terry McCarl, who was on the pole a night earlier. Kraig Kinser also sustained damage but his Casey’s General Stores team was able to get him back into the event, where raced to a 13^th-place finish.

The Outlaws continue to march on their West Coast Spring Break, where they’ll invade California through April 2 with upcoming events on March 12 atSilver Dollar Speedway in Chico, March 18 atGiant Kings Speedway in Hanford, March 19 atThunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, April 1 atMerced Speedway and April 2 at Calistoga Speedway.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway Notebook

Quick Timer - Steve Kinser was the night’s fastest qualifier by turning a lap around the half-mile oval in 15.119 seconds, earning five more championship points. Jac Haudenschild, Paul McMahan, Cody Darrah and Sammy Swindell also earned qualifying points.

 

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