Keen’s Solid Night Derailed Again; Balance of Season in Jeopardy

Kyle Keen certainly has shown potential in his first year in 358 sprint car competition in his 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.

He has been searching for a way to break through and turn the potential into tangible results, but that has been a hurdle that seems to keep getting taller the closer he gets to it.  Keen has experienced a frustrating pattern of race nights that start strong but end with something short of reasonable expectations, usually as a result of things he can’t control.

Saturday night Keen and his team unloaded at Lincoln Speedway simply looking to head back home later that night credited with the kind of finish they were truly capable of.

August 20:  Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA

     [29 cars, Heat 3rd (1), A-main 21st (10)]

Heat lineups for the 29 cars on hand for Lincoln’s Barry Skelly Memorial race, a Summer Series event for the 358 sprint cars, were set by pill draw.  The top six finishers from each of the three 8-lap qualifying races would transfer directly to the A-main, with the top four finishers making the redraw.

Keen’s night started with a bit of luck when his pill draw landed him on the pole of the third heat.  Cody Fletcher was able to grab the lead at the drop of the green, with Keen falling in line behind him in second.

Keen held the runner-up spot to the halfway point of the race when Wyatt Hinkle worked his way past the Carlisle, Pennsylvania driver, dropping him to third.

Keen pulled the number ten in the redraw, and started outside row five in the 25-lap main event.  He was just looking to put his equipment in the trailer in one piece at the end of the night, hopefully after a top ten finish.  The night was on track to be just that when the race reached the halfway point.  

Keen had just turned his quickest lap of the event when a midrace caution slowed the field.  Just after the ensuing restart, the night derailed.  He lost power and coasted to a stop on the front straight.  He was officially credited with a 21st place finish.

“Not the night I was hoping for.  I felt an extreme vibration just after the restart and the motor started losing power.  Thought we had our third top ten at Lincoln for sure, but it wasn’t meant to be.  I’m hoping whatever happened isn’t too severe.  That’s the only bullet we have right now.“, Keen commented

Unfortunately for Keen, a closer examination back at the shop the following day revealed the internal engine damage was severe.  

Up Next

Given the significant engine damage and the fact there are only five races remaining on his schedule, it appears the 2022 season has likely come to an end for Keen.  That is, barring someone stepping forward to offer him assistance in the form of an engine or a ride.

Stay tuned to Kyle Keen Motorsports and Addicted2Dirt PR via the outlets listed below for updates.  Anyone interested in helping or becoming a part of Keen’s program can contact him through his website or any of his social media accounts.

Season Stats

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