Steve paused, almost thoughtfully, then answered.
“I’d just assume win it myself,” Steve said with a devilish grin and eliciting laughs from the crowd.
The lighthearted moment came during a Q&A with Tony Stewart Racing teammates Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz on Saturday afternoon. Kraig Kinser, who drives for his dad, also participated. As Kraig’s car owner, Steve said he’d get a piece of that $50,000-to-win check whether he won or Kraig won, so it might as well be the elder Kinser rolling into victory lane late Saturday night.
“If he said he’d rather see me win it I’d call him a liar,” Kraig playfully responded. “He’d probably wreck me coming out of Turn 4.”
That’s the power of the Kings Royal.
The $50,000 check is nice, but what helps set the Kings Royal apart from other winged sprint car races is the pomp. A golden crown is placed atop the winner’s head, a royal red robe draped over his shoulders and a golden scepter placed in his hand. Then there’s a three-step climb to sit on that fabled throne that weighs 287 pounds and stands 7 feet, 8 inches tall. Engine builder and former driver Charlie Fisher serves as the royal sovereign to crown this year’s winner.
It’s the same throne Steve Kinser sat atop after winning the inaugural Kings Royal in 1984. It’s also the throne Eldora founder Earl Baltes finally agreed to after two others were rejected for being too small.
“It might not be the highest-paying race,” Steve Kinser said, “but to me it’s the biggest race.”
About the Author