HIBBING—Jay Kintner isn’t much into accolades.
He’d rather fly under the radar than be put in the spotlight.
But on Aug. 17, Kintner was squarely in the limelight when he was inducted into the Hibbing Raceway Hall of Fame.
Kintner had just retired from driving just this season, and he was enjoying his time away from the track.
“It’s been 33 years,” Kintner said. “It has been pretty relaxing. I don’t live in the garage. I finally have a wife and a daughter, too. It’s been good. I still have a lot of family and friends that race, so I tinker here and there. I will stay busy.”
Kintner started his driving career in a Hobby Stock for his brother Todd.
That’s all it took for him to get hooked.
His career spanned over three decades.
He built and raced a Hobby Stock in 1990, and he would have won on opening night, but Kintner mistook a white flag for the checkered flag and let off one lap early.
After that faux paux, Kintner took home Rookie of the Year honors, and for the next 33 years, he jumped back-and-forth between Hobby Stocks, Super Stocks, Modifieds and Late Models.
Kintner has won the 1990 Memorial Day Special in Grand Rapids, and the 1991 Labor Day Shootout, both in his Hobby Stock.
In Modifieds, he took home track championships in in Bemidji, Hibbing, and he won the Pabst WISSOTA Qualifier at the Emo Speedway.
In Super Stocks, Kintner earned multiple track championships in Hibbing, Grand Rapids and Bemidji, four Labor Day Shootout titles, along with a Governor’s Cup and a COMO Specials in Hibbing, among other titles.
In Late Models, he won track championships and Labor Day Shootout in Hibbing, and the WISSOTA Classic in Grand Rapids.
He won a total of six Shootouts in three different classes. He’s only one of four racers to win the Labor Day Shootout in more than two divisions.
That’s why it was so hard to give it up, but Kintner saw the younger generation coming up. He thought it was time to give it up.
“I miss driving, but I don’t miss living in that garage,” Kintner said. “If you’re not out there every night doing what you have to do, you’re not going to be competitive. That’s why you do it.
“I’m not going to go out there and half it. It’s 110-percent, otherwise you don’t do it. That’s how I was brought up, how I was taught. That’s how I carried on.”
But getting into the hall of fame so early, Kintner never thought that would happen.
“I never expected it,” Kintner said. “I was surprised. I could have faded off and did what I did, and I would be perfectly fine. This was like my second home. I spent a lot of time here, so it means a lot.
“It’s an honor, it really is. I don’t know if I really deserve it. There’s so many people that probably deserve it more. I’m honored that the Hall of Fame committee thinks that I’m worthy of this award. I had a great career.”
When Kintner accepted the honor, he did get emotional
“I wear my emotions on my sleeve,” Kintner said “It’s more about all of the support that I’ve had. It was tons. I couldn’t name everybody. It’s family, friends and fans.
“It’s a lot and I appreciate each and every one of them. There’s so many people, and they’re all too important to me,” Kintner said.
He was also honored to get inducted with Kelly Estey, Ryan Aho and Lenny Pistilli.
“I never had the pleasure to meet Lenny, but I’ve had quite a few run-ins with the other two,” Kintner said. “We raced hard, but we’re good friends. I’d rather have a friend than win a feature any day.”
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