Kraig Kinser is starting over. And life is very different than it was in 2005 when he won the biggest sprint-car race on the planet — the Knoxville Nationals.
The third-generation Indiana racer, who now calls Mooresville, N.C., home, is married. He has a two-month-old son. He is returning to sprint-car racing after two seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He is driving for a new team, albeit the best funded team in the sport — Tony Stewart Racing. And he is no longer a teammate to his famous father — 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser.
Not only that, but Kinser has raced only four times so far this year thanks to countless weather-related cancellations.
“My kid turned two months old and I have been spending time with him and twiddling my thumbs and trying to get going,” he said. “I have just been anxious wanting to get going. I can’t wait to get started.”

“People come and go over there and I understand that, but that was something that Tony and I talked about before I took this ride, was that if I got another opportunity to drive stock cars, I would like to do that, but if not, hopefully he will have me drive for him in sprint cars for a long time, if not the rest of my career." — Kraig Kinser

And not only does he have to wait, but he lives in North Carolina and the TSR shop is back home in Indiana.
“I’ve never raced for a team where I couldn’t go to the shop,” he said. “I try to call them and keep tabs on what is going on, but I can’t just drive over there. If I decide this is what I’m going to do, I will have to move back to Indiana.”
And Kinser, who was one of the odd men out last summer when the Ginn Racing team for which he was under contract was bought out by Dale Earnhardt, Inc., still has designs on returning to NASCAR racing. In fact, he was planning to go to Martinsville (Va.) this past weekend just to be seen.
“I’m still young enough I could get back in the swing of things,” he says. “People come and go over there and I understand that, but that was something that Tony and I talked about before I took this ride, was that if I got another opportunity to drive stock cars, I would like to do that, but if not, hopefully he will have me drive for him in sprint cars for a long time, if not the rest of my career.
“I never really felt like I got up to speed. I’d get comfortable and then I would have two or three weeks off without being in the car.”
Driving for Tony Stewart would be a difficult task for some drivers, but Kinser is used to being surrounded by drivers who are fan favorites across the land. Afterall, he learned his trade from the best sprint-car driver of all time.
“I never really thought of it as being in the shadow,” he said. “It puts more spotlight on you than if it was just me racing by myself or even when I was racing with my dad. But, I really enjoy talking to the people after the races even when we had a tough night. It is always good to know there are people behind you.”
The 24-year-old Kinser knows he’s benefited immensely from his family ties.
“With my dad’s deal, all the pressure was nothing compared to the benefits I got from being around such a family,” he explained. “My uncles and cousins had always been there and they knew what road to take to take you to the front quicker. I really benefited from the family when I started out and now with Tony Stewart Racing and people like Jimmy Carr, who has been part of this all his life.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have a team where I knew the guys and I have hung out with them all my life. I didn’t have that awkward feeling when you walk into the shop for the first time and are trying to get to know the guys.”
The next step comes April 5 at I-55 Raceway. That is if the weather cooperates.