Well initial timing and timing during cranking are two different ball games. You're only cranking at a couple hundred rpms so your not really getting there till the engine actually fires.
Anyways I think I discovered why it was acting up. When I was leaving town last weekend it was cutting out pretty bad and I noticed my throttle position sensor numbers were all bouncing over the place. 0 to 14 to 5 to 3 etc. Went back to Summit...again...and spent $50 on a new one. 5 minute install and it made the trip home(200 miles) without incident. I'm pretty sure that's what was causing the kickback. Must've been dumping weird amounts of fuel just at the wrong time.

BTW. People seem to say you only need 6-10 degrees adv during cranking.