7/22/2025
Bloomington Speedway
The Countdown Begins
August 1st Indiana Sprint Week comes to town for the Sheldon Kinser Memorial. It is the biggest race of the year.
He was one of "our own." Sheldon was your neighbor, someone you worked with, and someone who you watched take his first laps in a stock car on the red clay.
And he made it -- big time
He was born in Bloomington on December 9. 1942 to parents Eathel and Jean. After a hitch in the Navy Sheldon not only competed in a stock car at Bloomington he was a big winner. Then with encouragement from Bob Kinser owner Pete Brewer gave him a chance in a sprint car. He was a natural.
He would get assistance from talented wrench Galen Fox and began making his mark with the United States Auto Club. Titles came in 1977, 1981, & 1982 with owners Dick Hammond and Ben Leyba. All told he scored 37 USAC victories. Between 1973 and 1985 he finished in the top 3 of 1/3 of all races he contested. Sheldon also had success in the what are now known as Silver Crown cars and scored a win in the 1985 Hoosier Hundred. He made six starts in the Indianapolis 500 with a 6th place finish in 1981 his best.
Sheldon Kinser became one of USAC’s most revered Sprint Car champion and was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1992. We lost Sheldon in 1988 but his contributions to racing and the Historic Bloomington Speedway will not be forgotten.
On August 1 it is time to honor his memory and Fill the Hill.
He was one of our greats and a part of the 102 year history of this venerable Speedway.
Be there
Article Credit: Patrick Sullivan
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