Kyle Keen Gaining Experience Through Challenges

For any new driver, there is nothing more valuable than seat time.  It’s a simple equation; seat time equals laps, and laps equals learning plus experience.

As a rookie in the 358 sprint car pits, Kyle Keen can attest to that.  Every time he unloads his car and hits the track, the notebook on the car expands and the driver’s own mental notebook grows as well.

Keen’s plan last weekend was to get two more nights under his belt, but unfortunately Mother Nature took away one of the two opportunities Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway.  Saturday, it was off to Lincoln Speedway under clear skies.

July 30:  Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA

     [31 cars, Heat 6th (6), B-main 3rd (4th), A-main 18th (23)]

Keen lined up 6th for his heat race, the result of an unfriendly pill draw.  The opening lap didn’t go his way and he slipped back to 7th, but the Carlisle, PA native recovered and found his groove.  By the completion of the second lap, Keen was in 5th and looking for more.

When the dust settled, Keen came home 6th, missing the transfer to the A-main by one spot in the Fine Line Auto Body / Keen Parts / Doubling Gap Ranch / Shetron Auction & Equipment, LLC. / Wicked Dog Grille / Heishman Racing Fuels / Wicked Cushion / DL Lehman Construction, LLC. / GearHead Coffee / Jeremy Zarfos Photography / Coyle’s Lawn Maintenance / One Nine Design, Kyle Keen Motorsports No.17k.

“The car was good enough to run 5th or maybe even 4th, but I missed a couple corners and slipped backed to 6th.  I learned what I need to work on there.“, Keen shared.

Keen lined up outside row two for the B-main, his last shot to make the show.  The top four finishers would transfer to the night’s 20-lap finale.  He held the final transfer spot firmly for the first eight laps, then with two laps remaining secured some insurance by grabbing the 3rd spot away from Tylar Rutherford.

Not all learning occurs on the track.  Between the consolation event and the main event, Keen and his team discussed a lot of information and made their setup decisions for the last twenty laps of the night.  Sometimes teams learn their decisions were right, sometimes they learn their decisions were wrong…but they always learn.  That’s the important part.

From his 23rd starting spot in the A-main, Keen invested all twenty laps in determining what he and his team would learn on this night.  The end result after slow and steady forward progress was an 18th place finish that came with a lot of positives.

“The finish may not show it, but I made big, big gains understanding my foot work in the car on entry, and my crew went to work and got the car to stick harder. It was certainly a good night even though the results don’t show it.  A lot of what we learned tonight will help us at Williams Grove too.  It was a confidence booster night, and we are looking forward to next weekend!”, an energized Keen commented.

“I can’t thank my crew enough for all the dedication and hard work!  Big thanks to my dad, Shawn Keen, for always giving my race team 110% every week.  You won’t find anyone more committed!“

Up Next

Kyle Keen Motorsports will roll into Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night, August 5th, for a first-of-its-kind Match Race for the 358 sprint cars, offering a total purse of over $20,000.  Per Williams Grove’s website, the much anticipated Match Race, including matched sponsorship funds from the speedway, will go 25-laps in distance while paying $2,021 to win and $696 to start.

Season Stats

13 races, 0 wins, 0 top 5’s, 2 top 10’s, 3 top 15’s