Kinser Victorious on Night 1 of the Boot Hill Showdown
‘The King’ picks up career Outlaws win No. 573 at Dodge City Raceway Park
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.