Steve Kinser is the king of Eldora Speedway!

[OhioDTR.com]

ELDORA SPEEDWAY

13929 SR 118 New Weston, OH 45348

(937) 338-3815

www.eldoraspeedway.commail@eldoraspeedway.com

FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE contact: Larry Boos

ROSSBURG, Ohio (July 15 & 16) -- Make no mistake about it - Steve Kinser is the king of Eldora Speedway!

The seemingly ageless 51 year-old-veteran from Bloomington, Indiana swept the Kings Royal weekend of activity on the one-half mile clay oval with victories Friday and Saturday night. His $50,000 payoff in Saturday’s 22nd annual Kings Royal marked the sixth time Kinser has perched himself on the fabled throne. Tim Allison was able to match Kinser’s fete as he notched back-to-back wins in the National Racing Alliance (NRA) Sprint Invader program that completed the doubleheader each night.

Going into the weekend, Kinser was in a mild ‘slump’ by his standards; having been winless since mid-June. However, Eldora has been known to bring out the best in him and you could sense the confidence as he strutted the pits Friday afternoon.

That confidence was uplifted with Friday’s dominating win and as the massive crowd swelled the Eldora grandstands on Saturday, Kinser was up to the challenge.

Under the unique Kings Royal format (run as a World of Outlaws sanction, but with Eldora Speedway race configuration) strong runs and a sense of strategy are needed throughout the night.

A strong time trial run is important, as it is the determining factor in race line-ups for each race. Kinser clocked in at fifth quick, with a time of 13.445, just a click off of Chad Kemenah’s quick time of 13.319. The pressure began to mount, because that clocking was in Kinser’s favor. With three cars advancing into the lucrative Kings Royal from each of the six qualifying heat races and getting their ‘times’ back for a six car invert, that could have put Kinser on the outside front row - the favored starting position by all teams at Eldora.

He needed strong runs by each of the four drivers that bested him in time trials. Kemenah advanced out his heat race with a runner-up finish, while second quick timer Terry McCarl (13.337) just missed the advancement in his heat with a fourth place finish. Jac Haudenschild was third quick on the night (13.426) and, as expected, he handily won his heat race. Young Brock Mayes was next in the qualifying line, fourth at 13.436, but he stumbled in his heat race and failed to move forward.

That put Kinser fourth in the starting line-up for the Kings Royal, with Joey Saldana, Tim Kaeding and Tim Shaffer in front of him.

After Shaffer’s impressive run on Friday night where he charged forward to third from his 26th starting slot, Kinser admitted to being apprehensive.

But, when the green flag unfurled, it was Saldana holding off the field with a blast of speed. Saldana, like Kinser, an Indiana native, was running a bit gun-shy after recovering from injuries received in a violet race crash along the WoO trail. However, the $50,000 paycheck loomed in front of him and was running strong, as Kaeding held off Kisner. Shaffer stumbled at the start and fell back to 8th by the completion of the first lap.

Saldana opened up nearly a full straight-away lead as Kaeding had his hands full holding back Kinser. Kinser has the uncanny ability to read lapped traffic and his ‘no-fear’ style of racing plays into his hands during that scenario.

Lap five provided the first opportunity for that, but Kaeding prevailed and held back Kinser for nine laps before surrounding the runner-up position. Four laps later, Kaeding, in an effort to reclaim the position, spun to a stop in turn two, to bring out the first caution of the event.

Three laps later, Greg Wilson’s right side panel exploded when hit from debris, and he coasted to a stop in turn one. As the medics tended to Wilson, the field was brought to a stop, allowing the pit crews to make adjustments to the cars during the red-flag period.

Wilson retired from the event with a severely bruised and painful right arm, and as the race resumed, Saldana, who was quick on the restart, again held command.

Kinser wasn’t able to get maximum speed on the restart and had to built up momentum before able to mount a challenge. Then, with ten laps to go in the event, he set up Saldana and one lap later took the lead he was to hold to the finish.

A rash of caution flags in the waning laps of the main event threatened to change the complexion, but none were able to do that, as Kinser finished 1.225 seconds ahead of Saldana for the ability to be crowned King one more time. Danny Lasoski turned him one of his better Eldora performances to charge to third at the finish, with Haudenschild and Shaffer completing the top five.

On Friday night Shaffer missed the cut and had to accept a WoO provisional spot to make the starting line-up. He started last on the grid, but was undaunted. Lap after lap, he marched forward, much to the delight of the huge crowd.

No one in WoO history had staged a performance like that, as he even threatened to take the lead in the late stages, but had to settle for third, the best-ever finish for a WoO provisional starter.

Kinser won Friday’s race after earning a front-row starting position in his dash race. Jason Meyers finished runner-up with Shaffer, Haudenschild and Chad Kemenah completing the top five.

Allison has racked up several 360 Sprint wins at Eldora, but the Kings Royal weekend has not always been kind to him. Things changed this year; however, as the Cridersville, Ohio vet was simply dominant.

Friday’s win, dedicated to the memory of Jimmy Johnson, who had lost his lift in a 2002 Eldora racing accident, came at the expense of Mike Brecht, Caleb Griffith, Tim Hunter and Matt Alloway. On Saturday, Hunter, Brecht, Alloway and Griffith followed him across the line, but with Alloway failing to appear at the scales, that moved Mike Miller into the top five.

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Saturday-July 16

World of Outlaw Sprints - 51 cars

Fast Time: 13.319 - Chad Kemanah

Heat 1: Brooke Tatnell, Chad Kemanah, Mark Smith, Jim Nier, Cody Geldart, Mike Brecht, Stevie Smith, Jason Dukes, Barry Ruble

Heat 2: Daryn Pittman, Sammy Swindell, Tim Kaeding, Terry McCarl, Jason Meyers, Brian Paulus, Dean Jacobs, Kevin Huntley, Adam Zabonick

Heat 3: Jac Haudenschild, Butch Schroeder, Joey Saldana, Shane Stewart, Jeff Shepard, Dale Blaney, Jeff Rankin, Paul McMahan

Heat 4: Phil Gressman, Randy Hannagan, Danny Lasoski, Danny Smith, Brandon Wimmer, Brock Mayes, Chad Blonde, Ryan Myers

Heat 5: Kraig Kinser, Greg Wilson, Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz, Jimmy Stinson, Ryan Coniam, Jason Sides, Keith Baxter

Heat 6: Jason Solwold, Kenny Jacobs, Tim Shaffer, Rob Chaney, Craig Dollansky, Jeremy Campbell, Ed Neumesiter

C Main: Stevie Smith, Paul McMahan, Jason Sides, Keith Baxter, Kevin Huntley, Ed Neumeister, Barry Ruble, Ryan

Myers, Jason Dukes, Jeff Rankin, Adam Zabonick

B Main: Donny Schatz, Jeremy Campbell, Jimmy Stinson, Jason Meyers, Rob Chaney, Brian Paulus, Craig Dollansky,

Brandon Wimmer, Danny Lasoski, Dale Blaney, Keith Baxter, Stevie Smith, Kevin Huntley, Paul McMahan, Jim Nier, Cody Geldart, Jason Sides, Chad Blonde, Shane Stewart, Ryan Coniam, Danny Smith, Dean Jacobs

A Main: 1) Steve Kinser 2) Joey Saldana 3) Danny Lasoski 4) Jac Haudenschild 5) Tim Shaffer 6) Kraig Kinser 7) Chad Kemanah 8) Daryn Pittman 9) Terry McCarl 10) Jason Solwold 11) Jason Myers 12) Tim Kaeding 13) Donny Schatz 14) Randy Hannagan 15) Mark Smith 16) Phil Gressman 17) Jeremy Campbell 18) Kenny Jacobs 19) Sammy Swindell 20) Brock Mayes 21) Brooke Tatnell 22) Greg Wilson 23) Jimmy Stinson 24) Butch Schroeder

NRA Sprint Invaders - 31 cars

Fast Time: 14.526 - Kent Wolters

Heat 1: Kent Wolters, Tim Allison, Sean Robinson, Dwain Leiber, Jack Pillom, Ron Blair, Mike Dunlap, Brad Keckler, Jeremy Keegan, Jeff Williams

Heat 2: Mike Brecht, Tim Hunter, Caleb Griffith, Adam West, Brandon Daniels, J.R. Stewart, Eddie Rhine, Daryl Turford, Dennis Ward Jr., Bob Gehr

Heat 3: Darren Long, Matt Alloway, Marty Ling, Mike Miller, Mike Dussel, Dennis Yoakam, Casey Luedeke, Bobby Carman, Jarrod Potter, Dustin Keegan

B Main: Jeremy Keegan, J.R. Stewart, Dennis Yoakam, Ron Blair, Mike Dunlap, Eddie Rhine, Bobby Carman, Brad Keckler, Jarrod, Potter, Bob Gehr, Dustin Keegan, Casey Luedeke, Dennis Ward Jr., Daryl Turford

A Main: 1) Tim Allison 2) Tim Hunter 3) Mike Brecht 4) Caleb Griffith 5) Mike Miller 6) Marty Ling 7) Adam West 8) Dennis Yoakam 9) Mike Dussel 10) Dwain Leiber 11) Jack Pillom 12) JR Stewart 13) Brandon Daniels 14) Darren Long 15) Kent Wolters 16) Sean Robinson 17) Ron Blair 18) Jeremy Keegan 19) Mike Dunlap 20) Matt Alloway



Results 7/15/05 “Night Before Kings Royal”

World of Outlaws - 51 cars

Fast Time: 13.137 - Terry McCarl

D Main: Kenny Jacobs, Jeremy Campbell, Nick Naber, Rob Chaney, Keith Baxter, Mark Aldrich, Danny Mumaw, Barry Ruble

Heat 1: Cody Geldart, Shane Stewart, Randy Hannagan, Ryan Coniam, Terry McCarl, Paul McMahan, Mark Smith, Brock Mayes, Chad Blonde, Dale Blaney

Heat 2: Craig Dollansky, Danny Lasoski, Chad Kemanah, Steve Kinser, Stevie Smith, Tim Shaffer, Butch Schroeder, Marty Perovich, Lucas Wolf, Kevin Swindell

Heat 3: Donny Schatz, Brandon Wimmer, Jason Meyers, Brooke Tatnell, Kraig Kinser, Jason Sides, Jason Solwold, Mike Brecht, Jan Howard, Dean Jacobs

Heat 4: Sammy Swindell, Brian Paulus, Jac Haudenschild, Joey Saldana, Tim Kaeding, Daryn Pittman, Greg Wilson, Todd Kane, Jim Nier, Jimmy Stinson

C Main: Tim Shaffer, Jan Howard, Daryn Pittman, Rob Chaney, Paul McMahan, Kenny Jacobs, Mike Brecht, Nick Nabor, Jeremy Campbell, Jm Nier

Dash 1: Steve Kinser, Brooke Tatnell, Joey Saldana, Kraig Kinser, Terry McCarl, Danny Lasoski

Dash2: Jason Meyers, Randy Hannagan, Chad Kemanah, Jac Haudenschild, Craig Dollansky, Tim Kaeding

B Main: Jason Sides, Greg Wilson, Dale Blaney, Mark Smith, Jason Solwold, Chad Blonde, Dean Jacobs, Tim Shaffer, Jan Howard, Lucas Wolf, Marty Perovich, Butch Schroeder, Kevin Swindell, Brock Mayes, Todd Kane

A Main: Steve Kinser, Jason Meyers, Tim Shaffer, Jac Haudenschild, Chad Kemanah, Brooke Tatnell, Danny Lasoski, Craig Dollansky, Tim Kaeding, Donny Schatz, Jason Sides, Dale Blaney, Joey Saldana, Terry McCarl, Paul McMahan, Greg Wilson, Shane Steward, Cody Geldart, Brian Paulus, Stevie Smith, Mark Smith, Brandon Wimmer, Kraig Kinser, Randy Hannagan, Ryan Coniam, Sammy Swindell

NRA Sprint Invaders: 34 cars

Fast Time: 14.324 – Tim Hunter
Heat 1: Jack Pilliom, Tim Hunter, Caleb Griffith, J.R. Steward, Mike Brecht, Jeff Williams, Mike Dussel, Adam West, Clint Reagle, Dustin Keegan, Bobby Carman

Heat 2: Darren Long, Mike Miller, Dwain Leiber, Kent Wolters, Sean Robinson, Eddie Rhine, Cory Seeling, Jeremy Keegan, Dennis Ward Jr., Brad Keckler

Heat 3: Tim Allison, Ron Blair, Dennis Yoakam, Matt Alloway, Marty Ling, Andy Conley, Ryan Myer, Jarrod Potter, Brandon Ferguson, Brandon Daniels, Bob Gehr

B Main: Mike Dussel, Andy Conley, Adam West, Eddie Rhine, Ryan Myers, Cory Seeling, Jeff Williams, Jeremy Keegan, Dustin Keegan, Jarrod Potter, Clint Reagle, Brandon Daniels, Daryl Turford, Brad Keckler, Dennis Ward Jr., Bobby Carman, Bob Gehr

A Main: Tim Allison, Mike Brecht, Caleb Griffith, TimHunter, Matt Alloway, Adam West, Mike Dussel, J R Stewart, Darren Long, Jack Pilliom, Dwain Leiber, Mike Miller, Eddie Rhine, Sean Robinson, Ron Blair, Dennis Yoakam, Ryan Myers, Kent Wolters, Marty Ling, Andy Conley