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ROSSBURG — Lap by lap, Lee Stark is getting dialed in at Eldora Speedway. Now he's ready for a run to phone home about.

Stark, a 1999 Sidney High School graduate, hopes that comes today, July 13, in the rain-delayed Kings Royal. The 25th running was a wash on Saturday as rain left the front stretch more suited for ducks than drivers.

The 40-lap, $50,000-to-win winged sprint car event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. today with hot laps. Racing is at 6:30 p.m. (check eldoraspeedway.com for updates).

Stark's first-ever hot lap at Eldora in 2006 was 15.051 seconds. He dropped it to 14.378 a few weeks later. On Friday, in qualifying for the Knight Before the Kings Royal, Stark turned a 14.062. Kenny Jacobs topped Friday qualifying with a 13.523, while the middle of the pack drivers were at 13.8.

"It would be amazing for me to make the race, let alone win it. I think we're capable of doing that," Stark said. "This is my Knoxville Nationals. This is bigger than that. The people out in Iowa don't know anything about this."

He'd like to make a name for himself today. And with legendary sprint car driver Jack Hewitt providing pointers, he's on the right track. Stark also runs the All-Star Circuit of Champions series and holds a 20-point lead over Eaton's Ryan Myers in rookie points.

King's decree

Steve Kinser, tabbed the King of Outlaws, has a record six Kings Royal titles. Given the power, which nonwinner would he pick as a champion?

"Kenny Jacobs would probably be one of my picks," Kinser said. "I'd like to see (my son) Kraig win one, for sure. Other than that, I'd just assume it would be me."

Jacobs has 20 K.R. feature appearances. He finished second in 1991 and has six top-10 finishes.

I like Steve Kinser today," Jacobs said after hearing Kinser's pick. "All my career and all his career we've raced against each other. I just appreciate him saying that."

Shoebox greetings

Payouts from the Kings Royal have come in different forms. Kinser received his in a shoebox in 1984. Jason Sides' came in a mozzarella cheese box. He said the money is long gone. The cheese box? "I've got the cheese box sitting on top of the trophy kind of like the crown."