WORLD OF OUTLAWS (INDIANAPOLIS, IN.) - Tony Stewart Racing Ready to Begin New Chapter

At World of Outlaws Sprint Series Opener

New beginnings is the theme for Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series No. 20 Bass Pro Shops team as it prepares to begin the 2008 racing season at Volusia Speedway Park (VSP) in Barberville, Fla. With a new driver, chassis manufacturer and new challenges ahead, the TSR team is set to begin the journey toward a second series championship.

The 37th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals will feature six nights of racing action for recently signed driver Kraig Kinser and the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/Maxim team. The All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) Series will kick off the week Tuesday through Thursday, followed by the WoO Sprint Series opener Friday through Sunday.

Kinser, who will return for a full season of WoO Sprint Series racing for the first time in two years, won his last appearance in an ASCoC event at VSP on Feb. 10, 2005. In his last two appearances at the facility in WoO Sprint Series competition on Feb. 11 and 13, 2005, Kinser earned finishes of eighth and fifth.

The No. 20 Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/Maxim team is led by crew chief and team manager Jimmy Carr, who helped TSR win the WoO Sprint Series championship in 2001. Veteran crew members Steve Swenson and Mike Kuemper will also return for the 2008 season and will be joined by the newest team member, Evan Funk, who joined TSR in early January.

TSR will also enter its second season utilizing Chevy powerplants this week as Kistler Engines will continue to build engines for the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Maxim.

Fans unable to attend the event-filled week at Volusia can catch all the action on the DIRTVision Cybercast. For $29.99, fans can purchase the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals Racepass and watch live streaming video of all 12 nights of racing action. Log on to www.dirtvision.com for more information.

Pit gates for Friday through Sunday’s WoO Sprint Series event open each day at 2 p.m. EDT, and the main grandstands will open at 4 p.m. Hot laps are set to begin at approximately 5:45 p.m. The official track Web site is www.volusiaspeedwaypark. Tickets can be purchased by calling (386) 985-4402.

Quotes from Kraig Kinser, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/Maxim:

It’s been three years since you last competed at Volusia Speedway Park in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series season opener. Looking back, what do you remember as your favorite part of the DIRTcar Nationals?

“Just getting to race so many days in a row is what really makes running at Volusia a lot of fun. I’m ready to head to Florida and get the new season started with the Tony Stewart Racing team. I’m really looking forward to working with Jimmy Carr, Steve Swenson, Mikey Kuemper and Evan Funk this season. Getting to race five or six nights in a row will definitely help us to get a feel for each other as a team and I think that running so many events early in the season really starts the year right, not only for the teams but for the fans, as well.”

You’ve been away from the World of Outlaws Sprint Series tour for a few years, having competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Nationwide Series for the last two seasons. Do you think it will be a challenge to get back into the daily grind that the WoO Sprint Series presents?

“I grew up traveling on the tour with my family and I know what it takes to win at this level of racing. My crew chief, Jimmy Carr, also knows how to win with the Outlaws and I think that getting a feel for being back in the car and meshing with the TSR team will be our biggest task. Having three All Star races at Volusia to tune up for the WoO opener later this week will help us truly get ready and to get a feel for things before we jump into the WoO Sprint Series schedule. Realistically, it may take a few races past Volusia to get back into the swing of things. I hope that’s not the case and I know that we’re going to work really hard to get up to speed very quickly.”

Are you looking forward to being a part of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Chevy/J.D. Byrider/Maxim team this season?

“I’m excited about joining forces with such an established team. Tony Stewart Racing has a proven track record with the World of Outlaws, and I’m looking forward to making a return to the series with a team of this caliber. I’m also looking forward to working with such a great group of sponsors, as Bass Pro Shops, Chevy and J.D. Byrider have provided us a lot of support heading into the season.”

Are you looking forward to competing against your father, Steve Kinser, at every race again this year?

“I’m definitely looking forward to racing against my dad again this year. But with the level of competition that the World of Outlaws Sprint Series presents, I’m also looking forward to getting to race against all of the drivers in the series night after night. This series is made up of the best racers in the country and it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a lot of fun to get to race against the people I grew up around and people who I have a lot of respect for. I’m confident that we’re going to have a good year, though, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

For complete results from the 37th Annual Alltel DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, log on to www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com or www.theworldofoutlaws.com. For information regarding TSR, Chevy or Kinser, log on to www.tonystewartracing.com, www.chevy.com or www.kraigkinser.com.