ANTIOCH, California — It was only fitting that the driver who is a living legend in World of Outlaws Sprint Car Racing would win Antioch Speedway’s inaugural race. Indiana’s Steve Kinser was the champion of the traveling show’s first season in 1978.
"It’s something to run this good at a first time track."— Steve Kinser
Kinser’s Monday night win at Antioch Speedway was his eighth this year and his 569th since the inception of the World of Outlaws.
“It’s something to run this good at a first time track,” Kinser said in victory lane. “I can’t complain about anything - I won the race.”
Kinser was locked in a battle with Craig Dollansky when a much needed caution - turned red flag - moved him to the front. It was Dollansky who went high in turn one and rolled his sprinter with four laps to go.
“I squared off on the bottom of Craig (Dollansky) and just got ahead of him when the red flag came out,” Kinser explained. “It was a racer’s dream. You hope for lapped traffic or a caution when you are behind the leader. Then you hope for a wide-open track the rest of the way. I got both.”
Kinser kissed his newborn grand daughter, Hailee Kuemper, in victory lane prior to accepting the four-foot Lumpy’s Diner trophy. Second place Kyle Larson, who won a World of Outlaws event two nights earlier, congratulated the veteran.
“The track was better than ever,” Elk Grove’s Larson said. “You could run high or run low. It made for great racing. I almost had Steve (Kinser) when the red came out. If there were two or three more laps I might had had something for him.”
Kinser, second in points, was asked about the prospect of scoring another championship.
“With bad finishes and mid season crashes, we fell off the lead,” Kinser said. “We’re running good now, but there are not many races left.”
Third place Tim Kaeding of San Jose made a spectacular comeback after flipping in the trophy dash.
“A top three finish is all that matters right now,” Kaeding said. “We gave away a lot when we flipped. My guys and Kasey Kahne’s crew busted their butts to get me back into the race. We lost a tank and destroyed the wing. The crew guys made it happen for us.”
Official results from the World of Outlaws were not available at press time.
