Sheldon Kinser

{{short description|American race car driver}} {{onesource|date=February 2021}} [[Image:SheldonKinser.jpg|thumb|right|Sheldon Kinser at a sprint car race in Hagerstown, Maryland in 1986]] '''Sheldon Kinser''' (December 9, 1942 – August 1, 1988), was an American race car driver. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://digital.library.in.gov/Record/IUPUI_IMS-18297 | title=Sheldon Kinser on Track, 1976 | publisher=indiana Memory | accessdate=17 February 2021}}</ref>

Kinser, a Bloomington, Indiana native, died of cancer. He was a three-time USAC Sprint Car Series Champion (1977, 1981, 1982). He also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He competed during the 1975–1981 seasons, with 38 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 each year except 1980, when he failed to qualify. He had 11 top-ten finishes, with a best of third at Texas World Speedway in 1979.

Kinser was the second cousin, 1x removed of Steve Kinser, the 20-time World of Outlaws sprint-car champion, and second cousin, 2x removed of Mark Kinser.

==Award== * He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1992.

===Indianapolis 500 results=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- ! Year ! Chassis ! Engine ! Start ! Finish |- | 1975 | King | Offenhauser | 26th | 12th |- | 1976 | King | Offenhauser | 29th | 19th |- | 1977 | King | Offenhauser | 12th | 32nd |- | 1978 | Watson | Offenhauser | 12th | 32nd |- | 1979 | Watson | Offenhauser | 10th | 28th |- | 1980 | Watson | Cosworth | Failed to Qualify | |- | 1981 | Longhorn | Cosworth | 23rd | 6th |- | 1982 | SEA | Cosworth | Failed to Qualify | |- | 1983 | March | Chevrolet | Failed to Qualify | |}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{Find a Grave|6375952}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinser, Sheldon}} Category:1944 births Category:1988 deaths Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees Category:Sportspeople from Bloomington, Indiana Category:Racing drivers from Indiana Category:World of Outlaws drivers Category:USAC Silver Crown Series drivers Category:20th-century American people