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WoO season review: Jac Haudenschild -11/20/2009, 10:05 AM

Swindell and Coons, capture wins in Western World opener -11/20/2009, 10:05 AM

Western World Championships, the time is here -11/19/2009, 10:05 AM

WoO season review: Brian Ellenberger -11/18/2009, 11:19 AM

ASCS season wraps up in style with Western World Championships -11/17/2009, 11:19 AM

WoO season review: Craig Dollansky -11/16/2009, 11:35 AM

Western World Championships one week away -11/13/2009, 10:20 AM

WoO: 2009 season by the numbers -11/12/2009, 2:34 PM

Dodge City, Beckley named 2009 WoO promoter of year -11/11/2009, 2:34 PM

WoO: World Finals wrap-up -11/10/2009, 10:06 AM

WoO: Night of Champions wraps up 2009 World of Outlaws season -11/9/2009, 2:04 PM

Alternative Pest Management joins MDLMS for cash dashes -11/9/2009, 2:04 PM

Bruce goes back-to-back in Short Track Nationals -11/9/2009, 2:04 PM

WoO: World Finals continues to get bigger -11/5/2009, 11:04 AM

Short Track Nationals approaching -11/4/2009, 11:49 AM

WoO preview: Third annual World Finals -11/4/2009, 11:49 AM

WoO: Countdown to the World Finals: 1 day -11/4/2009, 11:49 AM

WoO: Countdown to the World Finals: 2 days -11/3/2009, 10:19 AM

Lucas Oil ASCS Patriots awards banquet scheduled for Nov. 14 -11/2/2009, 4:34 PM

The wait is about over for Short Track Nationals -11/2/2009, 4:34 PM

WoO at a glance: World Finals -11/2/2009, 10:35 AM

WoO: Countdown to the World Finals: 3 days -11/2/2009, 10:35 AM

WoO: Countdown to World Finals: 7 days -10/29/2009, 10:35 AM

WoO: Countdown to the World Finals: 8 days -10/28/2009, 10:19 AM

Short Track Nationals postponed to Nov. 5-7 -10/27/2009, 11:34 AM

Wells Racing Engines offers Dart engine block at STN -10/27/2009, 11:34 AM

WoO: Countdown to the World Finals: 10 days -10/27/2009, 11:34 AM

WoO: Countdown to the World Finals: 9 days -10/27/2009, 11:34 AM

Herrera hustles up another ASCS Southwest win -10/26/2009, 11:05 AM

WoO: Just 19 points separate Schatz, Meyers -10/26/2009, 11:05 AM

WoO: Countdown to the World Finals: 11 days -10/26/2009, 11:05 AM

WoO: Saldana wins again at Lone Star Speedway -10/26/2009, 11:05 AM

ASCS Rocky Mountain awards banquet set for Nov. 7 -10/22/2009, 11:05 AM

WoO: Title fight heats up -10/22/2009, 11:05 AM

Short Track Nationals entry list continues to grow -10/22/2009, 11:05 AM

WoO preview: WoO Fest at Lone Star Speedway -10/21/2009, 11:05 AM

WaKeeney hosts George 'Pappy' Parsons Fall Nationals -10/21/2009, 11:05 AM

Murray, Daniels, Dauer claim big payouts at Hays -10/20/2009, 11:49 AM

Murray pockets $5,000 at RPM -10/20/2009, 11:49 AM

Martin cruises to URSS win at WaKeeney -10/19/2009, 9:49 PM

Lucas Oil Sprint Cars pushed back a day at Devil's Bowl -10/16/2009, 10:34 AM

STN pre-entry discount deadline of Oct. 17 approaches -10/14/2009, 11:36 AM

Lucas Oil Sprint Cars set for Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals -10/14/2009, 11:36 AM

$5,000 on the line this weekend -10/13/2009, 2:50 PM

WoO wrap-up: New Yorker 25 at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park -10/12/2009, 3:20 PM

WoO: Schatz extends lead in standings -10/12/2009, 10:21 AM

Tony Bruce Jr. tops ASCS Cowtown Sprint Nationals prelim -10/12/2009, 10:21 AM

Mother Nature finishes off Cowtown Sprint Nationals -10/12/2009, 10:21 AM

R.J. Johnson rolls to ASCS Canyon Region Hall of Fame Classic triumph -10/12/2009, 10:21 AM

WoO: Shaffer victoriius at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park -10/12/2009, 10:21 AM

King of the Mile at Syracuse falls to rain -10/9/2009, 2:19 PM

ASCS Cowtown Sprint Nationals pushed back one day by weather -10/8/2009, 4:34 PM

WoO preview: New Yorker 25 at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park -10/8/2009, 10:37 AM

Fundraiser aids injured racer -10/8/2009, 8:35 AM

Lucas Oil sprint cars on deck at Devil's Bowl Winter Nationals -10/7/2009, 11:04 AM

WoO at a glance: Rolling Wheels Raceway Park -10/6/2009, 10:34 AM

ASCS Canyon Region ready for Hall of Fame Classic -10/6/2009, 10:34 AM

Three ASCS champions to be crowned at Cowtown this weekend -10/6/2009, 10:34 AM

Goodyear becoming official tire of WoO -10/5/2009, 2:50 PM

WoO wrap-up: National Open and Summer Nationals -10/5/2009, 10:49 AM

WoO: Hodnett wins first career National Open -10/5/2009, 10:49 AM

Shed Road Auto Parts sponsors STN's Josh Howard Determination Award -10/1/2009, 5:04 PM

WoO: Veteran drivers geared up for National Open -10/1/2009, 2:20 PM

WaKeeney Mini Speedway kart races -9/30/2009, 4:05 PM

WoO: National Open at Williams Grove Speedway -9/30/2009, 9:19 AM

WaKeeney Speedway adds 2 races -9/29/2009, 9:19 PM

WoO: Steve Kinser returns to Syracuse for special 'King of the Mile' exhibition -9/28/2009, 3:20 PM

WoO at a glance: National Open at Williams Grove Speedway -9/28/2009, 3:20 PM

URSS win at Decatur County Speedway goes to C.J. Johnson -9/28/2009, 10:49 AM

RPM Speedway set to host annual fall nationals -9/28/2009, 10:49 AM

81 Speedway results (Sept. 26) -9/28/2009, 10:49 AM

URSS adds George 'Pappy' Parson Fall Nationals to schedule -9/28/2009, 10:49 AM

WoO preview: Lernerville Speedway -9/23/2009, 11:35 AM

Norton wraps up 2009 season -9/23/2009, 10:50 AM

Iceman goes into record books with first MDLMS win at Minneapolis -9/23/2009, 10:50 AM

81 Speedway results (Sept. 19) -9/23/2009, 10:50 AM

WoO preview: Eldora Speedway -9/23/2009, 10:35 AM

Cody Salem grads hard-earned URSS win at Holyoke -9/22/2009, 4:49 PM

RPM Speedway crowns track champions -9/22/2009, 4:49 PM

WoO: Saldana remains in top spot in power rankings -9/18/2009, 4:49 PM

Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Cars set for stretch drive -9/17/2009, 3:35 PM

WoO: Meyers wins thriller over Saldana on last lap at Clay County Fair Speedway -9/17/2009, 12:05 PM

WoO: Parsons Motorsports crew wins pit crew challenge -9/17/2009, 12:05 PM

C.J. Johnson grabs win at URSS Colorado Motorsports Park debut -9/17/2009, 12:05 PM

MDLMS readies for Minneapolis Raceway -9/17/2009, 12:05 PM

ASCS Southwest at USA on Saturday -9/16/2009, 11:34 AM

ASCS Sooner Region at Creek County on Saturday night -9/16/2009, 11:34 AM

ASCS Rocky Mountain closes season with Aztec double -9/16/2009, 11:34 AM

ASCS Gulf South set for one last GTRP-HRP double -9/16/2009, 11:34 AM

WoO wrap-up: 56th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions -9/15/2009, 8:04 PM

WoO preview: Clay County Fair Speedway -9/15/2009, 8:04 PM

81 Speedway results (Sept. 12) -9/15/2009, 8:04 PM

Tony Bruce Jr. captures Nebraska cup with ASCS Midwest triumph -9/14/2009, 8:04 PM

Leiker takes win in third annual Jeff Hartell Memorial race -9/10/2009, 5:05 PM

I-30 Speedway's fourth annual 600 Nationals just a week away -9/10/2009, 5:05 PM

Old Tucson Studios to host ASCS awards banquet -9/10/2009, 5:05 PM

WoO: Past winners chase big money and prestige -9/10/2009, 5:05 PM

ASCS Midwest season closes with a bang this weekend -9/9/2009, 1:34 PM

URSS to open Colorado Motorsports Park -9/8/2009, 2:34 PM

Three first-time winners at RPM Speedway -9/8/2009, 2:34 PM


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Kraus back in racing scene with URSS

Published on -7/25/2009, 1:04 PM

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By NICK SCHWIEN

nschwien@dailynews.net

The wheels were turning for the 2010 season.

But they started turning a bit faster during the holidays for Tyler Kraus.

Now, the Ransom native who lives in Olathe is enjoying his rookie season in the United Rebel Sprint Series 305 sprint car class.

"Over the holidays, my grandpa came up to me and said he wished he had a granson still racing," Kraus said.

That made Kraus -- who had sat out the last four racing seasons after finding abundant success in the stock car class before the hiatus -- move up his plans a year.

He had planned to step into the sprint car ranks next summer. But when his grandfather, Frank Offutt, started talking, Kraus hit the fast-forward button.

"I wanted to race again when my grandpa was around," Kraus said about Offutt, who spent many summers racing a sprint car years ago. "He's an old-time racer. That's why I got started racing. I wanted to race a sprint car why he's still around."

Offutt lives north of Utica in Ness County, and Kraus honed his skills on tracks at Jetmore and WaKeeney in the stock car ranks.

"I basically got to the point where if I didn't break down, I could probably win," Kraus said about his stock car success. "When you get to that point, I felt it was time to move up. ... But this thing here, well, I've got a long way to go."

Kraus, who spent the last four years away from racing after getting married and focusing on his career, will get a chance to return to his old stomping grounds Monday night at WaKeeney Speedway for races during the Trego County Fair.

He's already locked into the make-up feature that was rained out May 25, then he'll battle it out in heat races to qualify for Monday's regular feature.

That is, if he's able to make the trip. One of the reasons Kraus was planning on waiting until next year to jump into the URSS was because his wife, Holly, is due to have the couple's first child. The due date is Aug. 4.

"As long as nothing weird is happening, she's OK with it," Kraus said about his wife's approval to travel to northwest Kansas for Monday's races at WaKeeney. "I'll probably come out (today) and miss the Norton races to be able to spend more time with her here."

Kraus, a 2000 graduate of Ransom, is grateful for all the help he has received from his friends and family this year, including his father, Pat.

That's why he's so excited about getting the chance to get back to northwest Kansas on Monday -- if he's not a new proud father by then.

"All I've ever wanted to do is race a sprint car in the big show," he said. "You're a guy out there winning (in the stock car class) and people get to know you and know where you're from and cheer for you. That's a pretty good feeling, especially when family is around."

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