Kinser Begins New Year with Win in Australia

Concord, NC— January 1, 2008--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director

Steve Kinser began the New Year in a place that he is very familiar with, and that's Victory Lane. The 20-time Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion won 10 times with the series in 2007 and on Tuesday night, he captured his first win of the International sprint car season with a very strong field in attendance at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway in Australia.

After finishing second in the last two events at the track, the native of Bloomington, Indiana took the top spot in the 30-lap event over two-time defending Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series champion Donny Schatz.

Kerry Madsen, the reigning World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year led the first 11 laps on Tuesday night after starting on the pole. Kinser took the lead on the 12^th lap, while Madsen spun as he tried to regain the top spot. After restarting at the rear of the field, the native of St. Mary's, NSW, Australia charged to a 10^th-place finish.

Kinser endured a couple of cautions after taking the lead and used a strong restart with less that 10 laps to go, to maintain his lead over Schatz, en route to picking up his first win of the International sprint car season. He used both the cushion and low side of the track in setting the pace.

Schatz turned the fastest lap in time trials of the 40 cars that took a lap, with Kinser second and Madsen fifth.

In preliminary action on Tuesday night, Madsen finished third in the first heat race, with Schatz one spot behind him, while Kinser won the second heat race. The first dash went to Madsen to earn him the pole position for the 30-lap A-Feature, while Kinser won the second dash to earn the outside front row starting spot. Schatz was third in the first heat.

Kinser, Schatz and Madsen will all return to action on Friday at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway for the first night of the $50,000 Sprint Car International.

The 30^th anniversary Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series season begins on February 8, 2008 with the 37^th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.