car won't start until I release the key from the cranking position.

Correct. The situation described is the opposite of a bad ballast resistor condition.

actually that is right ....now that I think back ....when it was a ballast resistor it wanted to start while in the cranking position and when I let go of the key it wanted to die out. so I am thinking backwards and the OP is opposite problem.

when I had the problem with the wire being cooked then it was like the OP ......wanted to start in the run position but was no go while cranking