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Sprints: Kelly Kinser Claims Bloomington Opener

30 May 1998

BLOOMINGTON, IN (May 29, 1998) - Hometown hero Kelly Kinser nearly pulled off a clean sweep as Bloomington Speedway got the 1998 racing season underway on Friday. Other than finishing second in his heat race, Kinser was perfect as he set fast time and dominated all 25 laps of the Pennzoil Cup winged sprint car feature.

Starting from the front row, Kinser outraced Jeremy Minton through turn two to take a clear lead on the backstretch in the first lap. Minton, Larry Bland, Kevin Huntley, Eric Davis, Randy Kinser and Bob Burkle found themselves fighting for second as the Kinser Lumber Stealth disappeared ahead. The second place squabble became a hardnosed two-car battle, with Bland and Huntley swapping the spot several times. As the event progressed through the mid-stages, Kinser effortlessly knifed his way through the pack. As the white flag flew, Kinser had lapped everyone up to the fourth spot, and was a half-lap in front. But Huntley tried to shove his way under Bland in the second turn, and when there was contact both cars slid sideways. Huntley saved his car, but Bland spun, bringing out the yellow flag.

On the restart, Huntley, Burkle and Bland tangled in the first turn, sending Bland back to the pits. On the next restart, Pete Abel's mount broke as the cars roared down the front straightaway. While sprinters in the pack dodged the slowing Abel, Jonathan Stevens climbed the tire of another car, and barrel-rolled into the first turn. He was uninjured.

Restarting the last lap, Kelly Kinser lead Burkle across the line by a dozen car lengths. Huntley came home third, and Bland fourth. Minton held on to fifth, followed by Randy Kinser, Davis, Dickie Gaines, Levi Jones and Raymond Shank. Burkle and Abel were winners of the heat races.

Bloomington's Perry Bruce claimed his first street stock win at Bloomington, leading the opening event of the WalMart Tire & Lube Express Indiana Street Stocks flag-to-flag. Bruce held off charges by Cory Brown and Greg Kendall during the early laps of the race. He built a straightaway lead by the half-way point, and held it to the checkered flag. Brown was second, followed by Gerald Todd, Don Bush and Al Flick. Trent Niflis, Brown, Kendall and Bruce were heat race victors, and Joe Lucas won the "B Main".

Bloomington's open wheel modified main event featured the third driver of the night to win from the front row, leading every lap. Popular Bloomington chauffeur Ray Humphrey outran Kerry Norris, Brian Campbell, Matt Tiller and Albert Webb for the victory. Heat race winners were Campbell, Norris, John DeMoss and Humphrey. Troy Jarvis claimed the "B Main".

Bloomington Speedway Summary
Winged Sprint Cars, May 29, 1998

Pennzoil Cup Sprint Cars Fast Qualifier: Kelly Kinser (10.719)
Heat 1: Bob Burkle, K. Kinser, Dickie Gaines, Larry Bland
Heat 2: Pete Abel, Mike Bowling, Kevin Huntley, Randy Kinser
Feature: K. Kinser, Burkle, Huntley, Bland, Minton, Randy Kinser, Eric
Davis, Dickie Gaines, Levi Jones, Raymond Shank, Mike Bowling, Paul May,
Abel, Stevens, Fred Boso, Nabor, Scott Hamilton, Brenda Buster, Buddy
Cunningham

WalMart Tire & Lube Express Indiana Street Stocks
Heat 1: Trent Niflis, Al Flick, J.D. Francis, Troy Dishong
Heat 2: Cory Brown, Don Short, Rusty Smiley, Gerald Todd
Heat 3: Greg Kendall, Brandon Short, Steve Hollars, Mel Bigham
Heat 4: Perry Bruce, Greg O'Neill, Lou Catellier, J.D. Roberts
B Main: Joe Lucas, Michael Purtlebaugh, Don Bush, Roy Bruce Jr.
Feature: Cory Bruce, Brown, Todd, Bush, Flick, O'Neill, Roy Bruce Jr.,
Bigham, Brandon Short, Kendall, Hollars, Dishong, Lucas, Francis, Don
Short, Smiley, Niflis, Purtlebaugh, Catellier

Open Wheel Modifieds
Heat 1: Brian Campbell, Mike Bowersox, Rodney Harris Jr., Brad Cummings
Heat 2: Kerry Norris, Matt Tiller, Sonny Richardson, Steve King
Heat 3: John DeMoss, Jack Taylor, Denny Campbell, Jim Reynolds
Heat 4: Ray Humphrey, Albert Webb, Andrew Davis, Larry Lewellen
B Main: Troy Jarvis, Bret Barr, Jake Flagle, Rob Brickert
Feature: Humphrey, Norris, Brian Campbell, Tiller, Webb, Cummings, DeMoss,
Jarvis, King, Barr, Harris, Richardson, Taylor, Bowersox, Lewellan,
Brickert, Denny Campbell, Reynolds, Davis, Flagle