Chad Kemenah

header_bio

Birthday: October 21, 1971

Resides: Findlay, Ohio

Wife: Tracy

Children: Daughter – Mackenzie; Son – Creed

Parents: Jackie and Harold Kemenah

Brother: Brian Kemenah

Sisters: Laurie Havens; Amy Steinbrick

Racing Heroes: Jack Hewitt, Fred Linder, and Kenny Jacobs

Favorite Track: Eldora Speedway

Toughest Competitor: Steve Kinser

Hobbies: Golfing

Music: Kid Rock

Race He Would Most Like To Win: Knoxville Nationals

Worst Crash: Knoxville Raceway 2007

If Not A Racer What Would You Be: Truck Driver

Favorite Race You’ve Been A Part Of : Knoxville Nationals 2004

Favorite NASCAR Driver: Dale Jarrett

Pick One: Steve or Sammy: Steve

2009

Entering the 2009 season Chad Kemenah and the Hard 8 Racing Team felt they could improve on their 2008 campaign and car owner Jon Kantor gave Kemenah the green light to hire an excellent crew chief in Dean Bruns. The team got everything together in the shop and started the year off early against the All Stars in Florida. Kemenah and the team would cap off the long Florida trip with a solid third place run and from there Kemenah and team got things going. The Hard 8 Team made the trip out west to Las Vegas, Nevada where the car ran out fuel in the closing stages of the feature event and that cost Kemenah a top five finish and the team was very upset and took out its frustrations the following weekends at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California and the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California. Kemenah and the team left the Golden State with a sixth place finish and towed to the Manzanita Speedway for the final time. From start to finish everything just seemed to click for Kemenah and the team. The No.8K mount started on the pole of the feature and held off a pesky Sammy Swindell to win the feature event. The win gave Chad Kemenah his third career World of Outlaws victory and the very first victory for car owner Jon Kantor. The celebration was short lived as car owner Jon Kantor informed Kemenah a few days later that he was ceasing operations of the Hard 8 Racing Team immediately and Kemenah was left with out a ride after a dozen races into the season. The announcement shocked Chad Kemenah and the team as they made their way back to Ohio to regroup and try to line something up quickly. The following weekend Kemenah was behind the wheel of the Courtad No.91X at the Attica Raceway Park where mechanical troubles again would cost Kemenah a top ten finish. A few days later Ron Hammons would reach out to Kemenah and the familiar blue No.6 was in action and the team found success right away with a sixth place finish with the All Stars. The following weekend Kemenah made the trip to Paducah International Raceway to run with the World of Outlaws and Kemenah charged from the 16th starting position to finish fifth when the checkered flag came out. The following weekend saw the return of a very familiar car in Ohio area, the famous white and red CK Racing No.63. Chad Kemenah would be a car owner again with the help of a lot of great people, Maxim Chassis, Bob Hampshire, Tracy Kemenah, EBay ED, Media Camping Center and Banshee Graphics. Kemenah would run with the newly formed F.A.S.T. Series for a couple of weeks to get things ironed out and the results were excellent, two second place finishes and a fifth place finish before towing out to Lowes Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina where Kemenah finished seventh with the World of Outlaws. Shortly after the New York swing Tom and Fran Chiappelli of Golden Flavor Sesame Sticks approached Kemenah about sponsorship and Kemenah accepted. With the added help from Tom and Fran Chiappelli, Kemenah really wanted to get them a win on the World of Outlaws tour. Kemenah and crew member AJ Havens continued to fight and Kemenah got his first win as a car owner at Attica Raceway Park. As the season progressed Kemenah landed in Pennsylvania for the tough Central Pennsylvania Speedweek and Kemenah did not let the Ohio fans down as he posted a victory at the Grandview Speedway and another one at the Jan Opperman Memorial Race at Selinsgrove Speedway. Kemenah continued to run with various sanctions and posted numerous top fives and top tens before the Knoxville Nationals. The later part of the 2009 season is where Kemenah really got things going in the right direction as he consistently finished in the top ten. The last 12 races of the year Kemenah finished inside the top five, four times including a win at the Fremont Speedway, and the rest of the finishes were inside the top ten. The 2010 season is just around the corner and Chad Kemenah will be back with the World of Outlaws with a whole new look and attitude.

*03/28/2009 – Manzanita Speedway – Phoenix, Arizona – (World of Outlaws)*

06/12/2009 – Attica Raceway Park – Attica, Ohio

06/30/2009 – Grandview Speedway – Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania

07/05/2009 – Selinsgrove Speedway – Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

09/26/2009 – Fremont Speedway – Fremont, Ohio

2008

After the 2007 season was completed Chad Kemenah and new car owner Jon Kantor got everything in place for the 2008 World of Outlaws season. Kemenah and the Hard 8 Racing Team kicked things off in Florida, and on opening night of the season Kemenah drove the No. 8K sprinter to a solid eighth place finish. From there Kemenah and the team worked as hard as they could to find that winning combination and things started to pay off in the month of May where Kemenah picked up his first top three of the year at the Lernerville Speedway in Sarver, Pennsylvania. After placing third at Lernerville the Hard 8 Racing Team was feeling very confident but the results were really good one night and off the next night but the team kept fighting for every inch and the extra effort paid off. Returning home to Ohio was a brief homecoming for Kemenah as he raced to a fourth place finish at the Attica Raceway Park and from there things started to tilt in their direction. As the weather started to heat up so did Kemenah as the Hard 8 Team was racing at the Huset’s Speedway where Kemenah would finish in the fifth position and follow it up with a fourth place run at Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas. With the teams confidence level still very high Kemenah continued to push forward even more by finishing inside the top ten for six straight races with the “Month of Money” just days away. Kings Royal weekend is always fun for Kemenah with lots of family in friends in the grandstands the Hard 8 Team again flexed their muscles with a very impressive third place finish at the always coveted Kings Royal. A few days later Kemenah finished in the sixth position at the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup and he followed that run off the run with a third place finish at the always demanding Williams Grove Speedway. At the Knoxville Nationals the Hard 8 Racing Team treated the fans to one of the best looking cars to ever hit the famous Knoxville Raceway and the team was rewarded with best looking car of the 2008 Knoxville Nationals. After the Knoxville Nationals were completed Kemenah made his way to Castrol Raceway where he tried everything he possibly could to secure his third World of Outlaws victory but came up one spot short in the end. As the western swing continued Kemenah raced to three more top ten finishes including a tenth place finish at the Gold Cup Race Of Champions in Chico, California. With the season slowly starting to come to an end Kemenah and the Hard 8 Racing Team went on another six race terror by finishing inside the top ten, not an easy task by no means. With only a handful of races left on the schedule Kemenah cracked the top five once more at the Heartland Park Speedway in Topeka, Kansas. The 2008 season was full of ups and downs but Chad Kemenah and the team kept fighting and never gave up which allowed Kemenah to finish ninth in the 2008 World of Outlaws point standings.

2007

The 2007 season saw many changes for Chad. It was the end of an era and the start of a new one. No longer were fans seeing Chad’s familiar #15k on the track, but instead the #70 of Pete Grove’s Premier Motorsports sprinter. As the year started out, Chad and brother Brian continued their venture with the World of Outlaws until the team came to an abrupt end after racing only 16 times. After returning home from Manzanita in March, they were informed by the owner that the team would cease operations due to lack of funds. It was a turning point in Chad’s once dominating career. He was now ride searching with no luck, and Brian was left with finding a new job. Chad and wife Tracy (along with the help of his father-in-law, Chuck Merrill with Maxim, and Media Camping Center) decided to become car owners and out came the old familiar #3x. Chad and nephew AJ continued racing with the Outlaws thru the beginning of July at Huset’s Speedway. He had 1 top five finish and 6 top ten finishes with his 3x car. It was then that he was approached by the Hard 8 Racing team to fill in for injured driver Zach Chappell. And so another new opportunity started for Chad as he filled the seat at Pevely, Missouri on July 7th for Jon Kantor, owner of Hard 8 Racing. At season’s end, Chad had 2 top five finishes and 5 top ten finishes with the 8k sprinter. After a long and trying season, Chad is looking forward to continuing his seat time in the #8k sprinter for 2008. They will open the season at Volusia Speedway Park in February, and will follow the World of Outlaws schedule for the year. Look for Chad to make a come back and get on top of his game again.

2006

The Chad Kemenah Racing #15K team hit the road with the World of Outlaws in 2006. With an opening night win at Volusia Speedway Park, 10 top 5’s, and 27 top 10’s Chad was named the World of Outlaw’s Rookie of the Year, adding his name to an impressive list of Kevin Gobrecht award winners including current Outlaw standout Joey Saldana and 2006 champion Donny Schatz. The crew battled seeing several tracks for the first time and overcame a mid-season string of bad luck to finish strong with a 7th place finish in the final points standings.

2/9/06 Volusia Speedway Park Barberville, Florida

2005

A 4th straight All Star championship saw Kemenah tie boyhood hero and sprint car legend Kenny Jacobs for the most point championships in All Star history. 2005 also saw the Harble Motorsports/UUI #15K team earn a career best 8 All Star victories along with yet another Eldora track championship. In July Chad had a childhood dream come true when he won the World of Outlaws “A” main* at Ken Schrader’s I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri. The team further realized their ability to compete with the best in the business when they recorded their second straight top 5 finish at the Knoxville Nationals in August.

5/20/05 Hartford Speedway Park Hartford, Michigan

5/27/05 Attica Raceway Park Attica, Ohio

6/29/05 Sharon Speedway Hartford, Ohio

6/30/05 Fremont Speedway Fremont, Ohio

7/9/05 I-55 Raceway Pevely, Missouri *

8/16/05 Junction Motor Speedway McCool Junction, Nebraska

9/2/05 Sharon Speedway Hartford, Ohio

9/4/05 Brushcreek Motorsports Complex Peebles, Ohio

9/24/05 Lernerville Speedway Sarver, Pennsylvania

2004

For the third straight year Kemenah and the Harble Motorsports team was named All Star Circuit of Champions points champions. The team also grabbed their 3rd straight Eldora track championship and added 6 more wins to their All Star totals. Kemenah and crew proved to sprint car fans everywhere that they are one of the top teams in the nation by adding podium finishes at two of the most prestigious races the sport offers. The 15K team finished 3rd at the Kings Royal in July, and topped that by finishing 2nd at the Knoxville Nationals in August before a national TV audience.

4/3/04 Saint Francois Co. Speedway Farmington, Missouri

4/16/04 Attica Raceway Park Attica, Ohio

6/13/04 Tri-State Speedway Haubstadt, Indiana

8/1/04 S. Buxton International Raceway S. Buxton, Ontario Canada

8/20/04 81 Speedway Wichita, Kansas

10/15/04 El Paso Speedway Park El Paso, Texas

2003

The #15K team mirrored their 2002 performance by repeating as both All Star and Eldora Speedway track champions. Kemenah and the Harble Motorsports team added 5 more victories to their career totals.

4/11/03 Attica Raceway Park Attica, Ohio

6/20/03 Delta Bowl Speedway Tunica, Mississippi

6/28/03 Eldora Speedway Rossburg, Ohio

6/29/03 Attica Raceway Park Attica, Ohio

9/6/03 Fremont Speedway Fremont, Ohio

2002

Won 2 races and showed the consistency to earn first All Star championship. Won the All Star Circuit of Champions Ohio Speed Week points championship. Was named Eldora Speedway track champion at seasons end.

6/29/02 Eldora Speedway Rossburg, Ohio

8/24/02 K-C Raceway Chillicothe, Ohio

2001

The Harble Motorsports/UUI #15K team added 2 wins and finished 2nd in the year end point standings with the All Star Circuit of Champions

4/7/01 Eldora Speedway Rossburg, Ohio

4/28/01 Fremont Speedway Fremont, Ohio

2000

Ran the entire All Star Circuit of Champions schedule where the Harble Motorsports/UUI #15K team collected 3 wins and finished 3rd in points. Won the Western Pennsylvania Speed Week championship in June. Earned international acclaim by winning a preliminary night of the famed Warnambool Classic in Australia driving the Jim Knight owned #14 sprinter.

6/9/00 Lernerville Speedway Sarver, Pennsylvania

9/1/00 Lernerville Speedway Sarver, Pennsylvania

9/4/00 Attica Raceway Park Attica, Ohio

1999

Won first All Star Circuit of Champions race at the Hoosier Fall Classic in the Harble Motorsports/UUI #15K.

9/18/99 Lawerenceburg Speedway Lawerenceburg, Indiana

1997 – 1998

Was hired in 1997 to drive the Jim Harble owned UUI #15K sprint car. In 1998 the team collected 8 wins and finished the year with the most wins in the state of Ohio that season.

1995 – 1996

Recorded back to back Buckeye Speedway track championships and earned 14 wins in the Chuck Steinbrick owned #92 sprinter.

1992 – 1994

Began racing sprint cars locally in the Burmeister owned #16 before being hired to drive Chuck Steinbrick’s #92 sprinter half way through the 1994 racing season.