5/4/2017
RacinBoys
Open-wheel owner Kunz brings young talent to Wheatland
By Lyndal Scranton (Wheatland, MO) -- Ask Keith Kunz how he goes about identifying young racing talent and one of the most successful owners in motorsports pauses before attempting an answer.
"You know, that's something that I can't really describe," said Kunz, the veteran owner of Keith Kunz Motorsports. "It's just something that you see. i guess that if it was that easy, everybody could do it."
Kunz, who partners with Curb-Agajanian Motorsports to form a powerhouse in open-wheel short-track racing, has a proven record in launching careers of young stars. Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Cole Whitt, Rico Abreu and the late Bryan Clauson? All developed by Kunz.
Which is why fans attending Saturday's 6th annual Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps Open Wheel Showdown at Lucas Oil Speedway should pay close attention to Kunz's driver roster. You never know which one of his five drivers scheduled to race in Saturday's POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series might be the next big thing.
While Tanner Thorson, who won for Kunz last spring at Lucas is off and running a Super Late Model Stock Car on pavement in North Carolina this weekend, Kunz plans to bring Spencer Bayston, Ryan Robinson, Tanner Carrick, Jodie Robinson and Holly Shelton to Wheatland.
"We're have a real good year so far," Kunz said earlier this week in a telephone interview from his Columbus, Indiana race shop. "We're coming off the win at the Chili Bowl and so far we've won nine races. It's been a good start.
"We look forward to coming (to Lucas Oil Speedway). It's one of the nicest facilities we go to. It's a great track and good racing. That's the whole key. You can go there and open it up in different racing grooves. It's big and fast and you can kind of air it out and go. Everybody really likes that place."
Kunz, a Springfield, Illinois native, grew up around the sport and ran a team with his brother, Rusty, in the early 1990s before becoming a hired mechanic and wrenching on cars around the country. He eventually opened Keith Kunz Motorsports with partner Pete Willoughby around 2000.
Ask Kunz to compare drivers past and present and he's hesitant. It's sort of like picking a favorite child. The 20-year-old Thorson, for instance, is probably as talented as any driver he's had, but Kunz won't go much further in singling the Minden, Nevada native out.
"They're all different in different ways," Kunz said. "It's just hard to compare them to each other."
One common thread in identifying driver talent? It goes beyond driver talent. Communication skills and charisma are a key. Some might simply call it the "it" factor.
"It's a combination of everything," Kunz said. "It's the personality. You have to meet them and understand the personality and how they're going to mesh with everybody. The public relations and so forth ... it takes the whole package.
"There's a lot of kids out there who are good. They just don't get the chance to do it. For a lot of them, it's just a matter of giving them a chance to showcase their talent, just putting them in good cars and in the right situation."
Much like a proud parent, Kunz smiles at the success many of his drivers have gone on to enjoy. Larson currently leads the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup standings, driving for Chip Ganassi Racing. Bell is rapidly climbing the NASCAR ladder, with Kyle Busch Motorsports where he's a frontrunner in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Just recently, Bell signed on with Joe Gibbs Motorsports to drive a Toyota in seven NASCAR Xfinity Series races.
But once those young guns leave the Kunz stable, they often return for occasional visits. Bell won the Chili Bowl in a Kunz midget car earlier this year (Kunz's sixth Chili Bowl win) and posted two ASCS wins in Oklahoma during March.
"It's always neat to see those guys do good and keep moving on up," Kunz said. "It gives us a lot of notoriety because of that. Everybody here is proud of them - and it's a lot of fun when those guys get to come back and run our stuff. They try to come back as often as they can. Kyle Larson will be back during Indiana Midget Week and run a couple of those races. Christopher has another race scheduled with us near the end of the year.
"They get to that level, they have to get permission (from team owners) to run with us. There are so many commitments and sponsors and stuff to work it all out. But we're always glad to have them back."
Kunz said the current state of open-wheel racing is strong.
"It's real good," he said. "We run somewhere between 50 and 60 races a year. There are plenty of races and the car counts, for the most part, are good. The competition is as tough as it's ever been. There's some good teams out there, running more (often) and more cars."
Saturday night's Open Wheel Showdown at Lucas Oil Speedway will be a big tripleheader. Included will be the Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region Winged Sprint Cars Presented by Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps along with the American Bank of Oklahoma ASCS Red River Region Winged Sprint Cars; the Lucas Oil POWRi Wingless Auto Racing Sprint Cars and the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series.
In addition to the racing action, the first 300 youngsters through the main gates will receive free checkered flags, courtesy Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps.
Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:35. A limited number of suites are available. Contact admissions director Nichole McMillan (417) 282-5984 by via email Nichole@Lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.
For more information, including complete schedules and points for the Lucas Oil POWRi Midgets and Lucas Oil POWRi Sprints, visit POWRi.com. For additional information on the Speedway Motors ASCS Warrior Region Winged Sprint Series Presented by Impact Signs Awnings and Wraps and American Bank of Oklahoma Red River Winged Sprint Cars, go to http://www.ASCSracing.com.
Ticket prices:
Adults (16 and up) $20
Seniors (62 and up)/Military $17
Youth (ages 6-15) $10
Kids (5-and-under) FREE
Family pass $40
Pit pass $40
Camping:
Reserved with Electric and Water- $35/Night (Limited Availability)
Reserved Dry Spots- $20/Night (Limited Availability)
Dry Camping- $10/Night
Impact Signs Awnings Wraps is a proud supporter of racing. In addition to its support of Lucas Oil Speedway and the ASCS Warrior Series, Impact Signs Awnings and Wraps also are fantastic supporters of area sports teams, non-profit groups and various kids activities. Contact Impact for all of your signs, banners, awnings, vehicle wraps and decal needs. Visit http://www.Impact4800.com or call (660) 829-4800.
For complete Lucas Oil Speedway event information, archived stories, ticket info and the 2017 racing schedule, visit http://www.LucasOilSpeedway.com. Three-day passes for the 25th annual Show-Me 100 Presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com are now on sale. Only a limited number of the three-day passes remain. Call admission director Nichole McMillan at (417) 282-5984 or email Nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more information.
Lucas Oil Speedway is located at Highways 83 and 54 in Wheatland, Missouri. A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With it's entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the Diamond of Dirt Tracks.
Click http://www.LucasOilSpeedway.com for more information and detailed directions to the speedway or call the Track Hotline at (417) 282-5984.
In addition, fans can get social with Lucas Oil Speedway by following @LucasSpeedway on Twitter, clicking "Like" at http://www.facebook.com/LucasOilSpeedway and on http://www.youtube.com/LucasOilSpeedway.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
