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Foyt 35, Kinser 34


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#51 RStock

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 14:38

And, he did "cherry pick", too! Apart from his 500+ WoO wins, he has about fifty or more All-Star wins, and won in USAC, CRA and many open competition events. And, most of all, no other driver even remotely approaches the number of "big ones" that Kinser has won, those events where every name driver is present because of the prestige and the money: he holds individual record number of wins not only for the Knoxville Nationals, but also for the Williams Grove National Open, the Gold Cup Race of Champions, the Western World Championships, the King's Royal, the Historical Big One, etc., etc., etc. East, West, North, South, Quartermile, Halfmile,


The best example I can think of Kinser "cherry picking" was when (back in the late '80's I think) USAC offered a $10,000 "bounty" to a regular "Winged sprint" driver who could take the wing off and beat the USAC guys. I don't think the offer had been out for a week when Kinser pulled in, took his wing off and took their money home with him. There was a lot of talk that guys who ran with wings were not as good as the guys who went topless, that kind of hushed that talk up for awhile.

It was interesting that the WOO had a rule where if one of their regular drivers ran with another sanctioning body they could be penalized by WOO, I know Danny Lasoski ran afoul of that once, but it was waived for Kinser's little USAC raid.



even the Syracuse Nationals on the full mile at the New York State Fairgrounds -


I think I would rate a win Steve had at Syracuse (around 92-93?) as perhaps his best race I have ever seen, possibly the best sprint car race I've ever seen. Haudenschild was in the Casey Luna car and he and Kinser waged war the entire race, climbing over each others wheels, bumping, banging and probably pulling more slide jobs than I have ever seen in one race. At the speeds those guys run at that place it was absolutely stunning to watch. I just knew one of them if not both were going to crash hard but they made it through. Kinser eventually won with Haud in 2nd.

I'll never forget after the race the top three all stopped on the front straight for the celebration. Kinser quickly hopped out of his car and rushed back to Haud, after the physicality of the race I thought he was going to give Haud a smack (and from the look on Haud's face he thought so too), but Kinser stuck his hand out to Haud and with a big grin said something like "Hell of a race". I don't think I ever saw Kinser do that before (and not many others either). I think he knew what a great show he and Haud had just put on.

Edited by RStock, 31 August 2012 - 14:39.


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#52 RStock

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 14:42

As talented as Steve is as a driver, I am surprised that it took 49 posts before anyone mentioned the "secret"of many of those wins: Karl Kinser. No one that I have ever seen more gifted as a sprint car tuner than Karl.


True, but it has to also be said of Steve that he was just as good at driving them. He and Karl were a lethal combination. Sprint car superiority just sort of runs in the genes of that family. Get two of them together and everyone else is running for 2nd place.

#53 Michael Ferner

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 16:06

I'm with Robby here: Karl and Steve complemented each other. Both had their fair share of success without the other one, but together they were poison!

#54 Michael Ferner

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 16:15

As talented as Steve is as a driver, I am surprised that it took 49 posts before anyone mentioned the "secret"of many of those wins: Karl Kinser. No one that I have ever seen more gifted as a sprint car tuner than Karl.


Actually, Karl was mentioned in the very first post...  ;)

#55 jjordan

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 18:19

My bad!

#56 jjordan

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 18:45

I was a die-hard road racer when I went to work for Greg Weld in the early 90's. My work there allowed me to work very closely with some of the great crew cheifs/car builders in American oval track racing: Glen Neibel, Bob East, Danny Drinan and others. Karl Kinser was the master at not just reading the dirt surfaces for what they were, but for anticipating what they were going to be at the end of the night. Not to take anything away from Steve, he is a great driver, but I knew a handful of others I would rate along side him, but none of them had Karl. I guess, as several have said, it was the combination of the 2 at made the magic.

#57 Peter Leversedge

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 21:02

Steve & Karl a bit like Jim Clark & Colin Chapman..............

Edited by Peter Leversedge, 31 August 2012 - 21:09.


#58 Peter Leversedge

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Posted 31 August 2012 - 21:07

Being an ex sprint car driver I know how important car set up is to suit the track conditions

Edited by Peter Leversedge, 31 August 2012 - 21:09.