When James Kirby has been able to finish the Champion Racing Association Street Stocks feature at Anderson Speedway it normally means a top five finish.
Kirby, 23, has been racing for a decade and over the years has competed in Sportsman Late Models, Street Stocks and Thunder Cars on the high-banked oval.
“I like the Street Stocks the best,” he said. “The competition is the toughest in the big races. “The Street Stocks are harder to drive and a real handful,” Kirby said. “They’re heavier cars and not much tire.”
Kirby won the 150-lap feature at Anderson Speedway in 2023 and also recorded a second place finish in another CRA race.
“It was a tough race,” he said. “I had a good car. I’ve had a lot of good luck in those races and when I finish it’s in the top five.”
Kirby set fast time in a CRA event in 2019, finished second that year in a 200-lap feature and came home fifth in another race. In 2021 he drove to a fourth place finish and in 2022 followed that up with a third and fifth place run.
“There are really two strategies,” he said of the longer distance races. “If you start on the front row you want to stay our front. “If you’re in the pack you have to try to move up and save tires at the same time,” Kirby said.
Kirby said one of his toughest competitors is his father, Jimmy.
“My dad is tough,” he laughed. “He gets in the way.”
Both Kirby’s were making repairs on their Street Stocks after last weekends Vore’s Welding & Steel event. James Kirby’s car experienced a transmission problem and Jimmy Kirby was involved in a tangle.
“Lots of repairs,” Kirby said. “We’ll be there on Saturday.”
Kirby recently became a father for the first time to a seven-month old daughter.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s my new favorite thing.”
Kirby said his daughter has had pictures taken in the Riley & Sons Victory Lane with both her father and grandfather.
