LAKE ODESSA, Mich. — Steve Kinser began and ended Friday on top, as he first set a track record in time trials at I-96 Speedway and wrapped up the night in victory lane, after claiming his fourth Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series triumph of the season.
The win was the fourth of Kinser’s career at I-96 Speedway with the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. He took home $10,000 for the triumph, which was the 547th of his career.
“We had a good car all night,” said Kinser. “We’ve always run good here and you can’t complain about that. I do enjoy coming here to race.”
Kinser started on the pole of the 30-lap feature at the half-mile oval aboard the Q Oil Maxim and quickly shot to the lead at the green flag, with Craig Dollansky chasing him.
On the 13th lap, Dollansky dove under Kinser exiting the third and fourth turns and won a drag race down the frontstretch to be officially credited with leading the lap.
As the pair charged into the first and second turns on the 14th lap, Chad Blonde got sideways right in front of Dollansky, collecting him, while Kinser took evasive action.
“I stuck on the bottom too long and I knew I was getting loose down there and not carrying enough steam,” Kinser noted. “I probably should have moved up about four, five or six laps earlier, or maybe even before that. I waited a little too long and Craig (Dollansky) got by us just before the (No.) 5 car got sideways in front of him. I don’t know if I would have been able to have reeled him back in or not, but I should never have let him get by me anyway.”
Dollansky went to the pits with a flat right-rear tire while Kinser reclaimed the lead.
“It was real close, but I had enough room to dive off the end of the track,” Kinser explained. “I gathered everything back up.”
While Kinser cut the path through lapped traffic, Donny Schatz made his way to second spot and was in a position to challenge when the final yellow flag of the night waved with four laps remaining.
Schatz made a strong run at the leader, pulling even, but Kinser used the high groove to prevail.
“I didn’t really want to come around the top and have anyone get a run on me in (turn) one, since I wasn’t getting into one very good up high,” Kinser said. “I ran in there about three-quarters of the way and pretty good up in there.”
Schatz, the series point leader, lined up seventh and finished second.
“We had a decent car,” said Schatz. “That last yellow gave us a shot at Steve (Kinser). I had every bit as good of a car, and I just pushed myself a little bit too far. I needed to slow down to go faster and I pushed myself to go faster. That’s the way it goes. You win some and you lose some. This is a very tough place to race and we overcame some of the problems we have had here in the past. At least we were up there racing for a win anyway.”
Jason Meyers raced from 10th to finish third with Joey Saldana and Chad Kemenah rounding out the top five.