Kemenah Beats Rest of The Posse At Grandview
By: Joe Burrage
 
Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania (June 30, 2009) - Coming off an excellent second place finish last night at the Bedford Speedway, Chad Kemenah decided to up the ante on more position tonight at Grandview Speedway.  Kemenah aboard the eye catching blue No.35 sprinter owned by Charlie and Dawn Sorokach, took advantage of a restart on lap six to take the lead away from Keith Kauffman and not look back en route to his first PA Speedweek win of 2009.
 
Kemenah's night started off in qualifying as he circled the high banked 1/3 mile oval in 11.749 seconds, good enough for fifth quick overall.  After qualifying, Kemenah, AJ Havens, and the Sorokach crew went to work trying to dial in the No.35 sprinter for the upcoming heat race where Kemenah was starting in the fifth position.  When heat two got underway Kemenah drove a smart race keeping the JEI No.35 glued to the cushion where he would finish in the fourth position giving himself an excellent starting spot in the 35-lap A-Main later in the evening.
 
With rain on the way the track officials put things into high gear just giving Sorokach crew enough time to make some adjustments to the car and off Kemenah went for A-Main action.  When the green lights flashed around the Grandview Speedway, Kemenah got a great jump along the cushion but things came to a very quick stop as a red flag hit the speedway for a scary accident involving Mike Erdley.  While the track crew was cleaning up the accident the rain decided to come down delaying the start of the feature event for over an hour.
 
The very dedicated fans at Grandview Speedway hung around as the rain stopped, and the track was worked into racing condition.  Once the A-Main got back underway Keith Kauffman took the point with Kemenah running a solid second place slowly gaining on the leader.  On lap six a yellow flag came out slowing things down and this put Kemenah right behind the leader Keith Kauffman. 
 
On the restart Kemenah got the jump on Kauffman and took the lead on lap seven and the No.35 was starting to pull away from the rest of field.  Kemenah entered traffic a few laps later and used the cushion to keep his momentum going until a huge accident happened on lap-13 collecting over half the field, this would bring out the second red flag of the night.  Once things were cleaned up, Kemenah had a clear track ahead of him on the restart and he used this to his advantage as he ran away from the rest field to claim his first Pennsylvania Speedweek win of 2009 worth $5,000.

Kemenah Finishes Second At Bedford Speedway in PA
By: Joe Burrage
 
Bedford, Pennsylvania (June 28, 2009) - Chad Kemenah did not have the Ohio Speedweek he was looking for.  When things did go right they quickly turned into little problems that cost him top five and top ten finishes.  That quickly was forgotten Sunday night aboard the Charlie and Dawn Sorokach owned No.35.  Kemenah and trustworthy crew member AJ Havens made the long trip to Bedford Speedway in Bedford, Pennsylvania looking to turn things around and he did just that.
 
Running in the always tough Pennsylvania circuit is nothing new to the Findlay, Ohio driver as he's been there and done that numerous times in his stellar career.  This time around the circumstances were different.  Kemenah had never driven the Sorokach No.35 before but was confident in the equipment they had and it showed right away in the feature event.
 
Kemenah and the blue Sorokach No.35 would take charge of the field when the green flag came out.  Kemenah would stretch his lead out quickly before he hit traffic on the sixth lap.  While working traffic Kemenah had the No.35 sprinter working really well along the bottom of the track that enabled him to keep some distance between himself and second place running Chad Layton.
 
While Kemenah was leading and doing everything he possibly can to bring home the Sorokach No.35 in first place, Stevie Smith was starting to heat up.  Hitting his marks on the perfectly prepared track Kemenah continued to lead until 13-laps to go.  Kemenah and second place running Stevie Smith began to battle, Kemenah stayed on the bottom with Smith on the cushion.  Two laps later Smith would take the lead away from Kemenah and instantly put some distance between them both.  Kemenah would finish in the second position in his first race in the very tough PA Speedweek.

Ohio Speedweek Haunting Kemenah With Bad Luck:
By: Joe Burrage
 
Findlay, Ohio (June 25, 2009) - Going into the Ohio Speedweek the CK Racing Team were confident they could run up front and maybe even steal a win or two.  Unfortunately that has not happened, and the CK Racing Team has not had the week they were looking for.
 
Eldora Speedway
 
With the Speedweek opener at Attica Raceway Park rained out, Kemenah and his Hampshire Powered Maxim No.63 were off to one of his favorite tracks, Eldora Speedway.  Things did not go right from the start, Kemenah and the team were chasing the set-up all night long and the CK Racing No.63 did not qualify for the A-Main.  Kemenah was very disappointed with the performance, he's always had a good showing at Eldora in the past.
 
Millstream Speedway
 
The CK Racing Team were back in action the following night at the very physical Millstream Speedway.  Things quickly got going for Kemenah as he would win his heat race and lock himself in the 30-lap A-Main later in the evening.  Starting 19th in the feature Kemenah used his patience and experience to finish ninth when the 30-lap war was complete. "The car was good, I thought we could have moved up a few more positions but we will take it and move onto the next race." said Kemenah
 
Hilltop Speedway
 
Tuesday night was a new night for the CK Racing Team, Kemenah and the crew knew they had what it took to move forward and things were looking great after the 12th quick qualifying effort.  Kemenah then focused in on his very important heat race looking not only transfer to the A-Main but to keep his night going in the right direction.  He accomplished both of those tasks by finishing in the third position. 
 
Things were looking good for the CK Racing No.63 for the 40-lap feature event.  Kemenah and his crew made some changes to the car and it was up to Kemenah to bring home a victory.  Things quickly got underway in the feature as the white No.63 would hold onto the sixth position for awhile until all of the sudden Kemenah disappeared from the track.  When Kemenah pulled in he quickly pointed out the throttle linkage was sticking, causing the motor to rev wide open. "I had no choice but to pull in, I can't hurt another motor," said Kemenah.  "We had a top five car tonight, hopefully tomorrow at Waynesfield we can get things figured out and run up front where we belong." 
 
Waynesfield Raceway Park
 
Looking for some revenge from last night at Hilltop Speedway, Kemenah and the team were ready for some really intense bullring action at Waynesfield.  After qualifying was completed Kemenah found himself sitting 33rd quick overall.  The crew went to work trying to find some speed out of the Hampshire Powered Maxim No.63 for the important heat race ahead.  Kemenah's goal was to transfer and try and save his night, but things didn't work out that way as he was forced to run the 12-lap B-Main.  Again Kemenah and the crew went to work trying to find anything they could to move forward and transfer into the A-Main.  In the end it was not enough as the CK Racing No.63 would finish tenth in the B-Main ending this very frustrating night.
 
Attica Raceway Park
 
Tonight the CK Racing Team is back in action at Attica where Kemenah won last Friday night with the F.A.S.T. (Fremont/Attica/Sprint/Title) Series.  So far the Ohio Speedweek has not been to kind to Kemenah but hopefully tonight the team can get things going in the right direction to finish off the Speedweek with some positive results.
 
 
The Sponsors:  Hampshire Racing Engines, Maxim Chassis, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels, All-Star Performance, Ebay ED, KSE Racing Products, Inc. 

Chad Kemenah Ready For The Tough Ohio Speedweek
By: Joe Burrage
 
 Findlay, Ohio (June 17, 2009) - Coming off an excellent win last Friday night at Attica Raceway Park in F.A.S.T. (Fremont/Attica/Sprint/Title) competition, Chad Kemenah and his CK Racing Team are feeling pretty good.  Kemenah finally broke into the win column in the very familiar white No. 63.  The win was not easy as Kemenah and Mark Keegan put on a show for the fans at Attica last Friday night.  This Friday, June 19th the CK Racing Team is back in action at Attica Raceway Park with the very competitive All Stars Circuit Of Champions to kick off the very tough and entertaining Ohio Speedweek.
 
Chad Kemenah is no stranger to the Ohio Speedweek, as a matter of fact the Findlay, Ohio ace already has one Speedweek Title to his name back in 2002 driving the very potent Harble Motorsports No. 15k.  Kemenah also has finished in second place during the Ohio Speedweek four separate times, throw in a third place in 2001 and a ninth place finish in 1999 and you have a very impressive resume for some of the toughest 410 sprint car racing in the country for eight straight days.
 
This time around Kemenah is running his own operation, and the CK Racing Team No. 63 has been very tough in the state of Ohio and with the World Of Outlaws.  With the help of legendary car owner/crew chief Bob Hampshire and the always reliable crew members AJ Havens and Adam Brough, the CK Racing No. 63 will be well prepared and ready to challenge for the Ohio Speedweek Championship.

Chad Kemenah Back In Victory Lane At Attica Raceway Park
By: Joe Burrage
 
Attica, Ohio (June 12, 2009) - The CK Racing Team has had it's fair share of up's and down's so far in 2009, but last night at Attica Raceway Park it was Chad Kemenah who got the winning hand to give him his 20th career victory at Attica, and first career victory as car owner of the CK Racing No. 63.
 
"Mark (Keegan) went down to block me on that restart, I would have done the same thing. Leading is the worst place to be on a deal like that." said Kemenah.  Beside his white Hampshire Engines, Maxim Race Cars backed No. 63 machine.
 
Kemenah started in the sixth position for the 30-lap A-Main, and knew he had plenty of laps to work with.  When the green lights came on around Attica Raceway Park it didn't take long for Kemenah to move forward.  Using the bottom groove Kemenah, driving the familiar white No. 63 took over third place by lap-4.  From there Kemenah continued to use the lower line around the high banks of Attica to move up into the second position by lap-9.  The only car in front of Kemenah was Mark Keegan who was about to hit traffic giving Kemenah a chance to run him down.
 
The CK Racing No. 63 was on the move in traffic using the entire track to reel in the leader and on lap-13 Kemenah got some help with a yellow flag.  On the restart Keegan shot out to the lead with Kemenah a close second but in striking distance if Keegan were to make a mistake.  Another yellow flag came out on lap-17 giving Kemenah another crack at Keegan.
 
On the lap-17 restart, Kemenah executed a perfect slide-job on Mark Keegan to take over the lead and stretch the lead out.  The Findlay, Ohio pilot would continue to stretch his lead until he hit traffic on lap-25, but that didn't last long as a very late yellow flag came out on lap-26 giving the white No. 63 a clear track ahead of him.  On the restart Kemenah would hold off hard charging Dean Jacobs for the win.
 
"I have to thank my wife (Tracy) and my father-in-law (Bob Hampshire) for believing in me and keeping me out here. It seems every time I get a good ride it's taken out from under me. This is really special to put that #63 back in victory lane...it knows how to get here. I have to thank Fisher Performance and Chuck Merrill at Maxim Race Cars," said Kemenah. 
 
 
The Sponsors:  Hampshire Racing Engines, Maxim Chassis, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels, All-Star Performance, Ebay ED, KSE Racing Products, Inc. 

CK Racing Has A Tough Run At Lawrenceburg
By: Joe Burrage
 
Chad Kemenah and the rest of the World Of Outlaws rolled into Lawrenceburg Speedway with some mixed emotions.  Kemenah and the World Of Outlaws didn't know what to expect from the new racing surface.
 
Friday night the CK Racing Team were hoping to have a good showing and make up for the very unfortunate deal that happened last weekend at Attica Raceway Park.  Kemenah and fellow crew member AJ Havens made sure everything on the car was 100% ready to go and it showed instant results in qualifying, Kemenah timed in 12th overall giving him a front row starting position in Heat Four.
 
Kemenah and the team were more than confident they could get into the Crane Cams Dash with a top two finish.  Coming down to take the green flag Jac Haudenschild got the jump on Kemenah going into turn two and all of the sudden the CK Racing #63 got over the cushion and out of shape, by the time Kemenah would regroup he found himself running in the sixth position.  "I missed the cushion and it really upset the car," said Kemenah. 
 
The unfortunate deal in the heat race forced Kemenah to run the B-Main, things were not all that bad for the CK Racing Team with a front row starting position.  When the green lights came on around the track Kemenah quickly found himself running in the second position.  Kemenah used the entire track looking a good racing lane and just couldn't find it.  In the end the CK Racing #63 finished in the second position with a transfer to the A-Main.
 
Running second in the B-Main helped out Kemenah a little bit.  Kemenah and Havens went to work making some adjustments to the car hoping to at least grab a top ten finish on the very difficult racing surface.  Starting 15th in the A-Main, Kemenah tried everything he possibly could to move forward but the car just was not cooperating with him.  The CK Racing #63 would finish in the 14th position.  "I tried to run everywhere on the track and we couldn't make up any ground," said Kemenah.  "We will back tomorrow and hopefully we will have some better results." 
 
Night Two At Lawrenceburg
 
Not happy with the results on Friday night, Kemenah and AJ Havens went to work on the sleek looking #63.  Things however would not go the way Kemenah wanted them to.  When qualifying was completed the CK Racing #63 was 20th quick on the very slick high banked surface. 
 
With qualifying out of the way Kemenah knew he had some serious work to do just to make the A-Main out of his heat race.  The crew made some adjustments to the car but things just were not clicking for him.  Kemenah would finish seventh in his heat race missing the transfer spot by one position.
 
For the second night in a row Kemenah found himself in the B-Main.  More changes were made to the CK Racing #63 but the car just was not responding.  With the very fast and slick racing conditions passing was at premium price and Kemenah knew all he had to do was hold his line and he would transfer to the A-Main.  Kemenah would hold onto finish in the third position and grab the 20th starting spot in the A-Main.
 
Looking to make charge forward in the A-Main, Kemenah and the crew tried a new set-up and went out to run the 35-lap A-Main.  When the green came out the car was starting to respond well to the changes and the CK Racing #63 was on the move.  Kemenah used the bottom of the track to make most of his moves but the car was also very good on the top of the track.  When the checkered flag came out over the field Kemenah would finish in the 14th position for the second straight night.
 
"The car felt a lot better tonight, we really struggled this weekend," said Kemenah.  "We will get things figured out and turn this thing around."
 
The Sponsors:  Hampshire Racing Engines, Maxim Chassis, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels, AllStar Performance, Ebay ED, KSE Racing Products, Inc. 

Bad Luck At Attica
By: Joe Burrage
 
The CK Racing Team is back home on a track they know very well, Attica Raceway Park.  Kemenah and the crew had the famous white #63 ready for World Of Outlaws action Friday night. 
 
Kemenah has been excellent at Attica Raceway Park this season with the newly formed F.A.S.T. Series.  The CK Racing Team also had some extra incentive, the F.A.S.T. Series put up an extra $2,000 for any of their top ten drivers to beat the World Of Outlaws on their home track.  Kemenah would come out flying in qualifying and set quick time with a very impressive 12.105 second lap around the high banked Attica Raceway Park.
 
Setting quick time put the CK Racing Team #63 in the fourth starting position in heat one.  Kemenah again flexed his muscle showing the packed grandstands his quick-time was no fluke as he finished second in his heat race, and got that always important dash draw.  "The car was excellent in the heat race, we will make a few changes and we should be better in the dash," said Kemenah.
 
The next event on the night for Kemenah was the Crane Cams Dash, lining up sixth was decent but not bad for the team.  Kemenah again showed his CK Racing #63 was going to be a factor later in the feature as he finished third in the Crane Cams Dash.  The solid finish put Kemenah on the inside of row two for the feature.
 
With all the hard work put into his race team it was now time for Kemenah to grab World Of Outlaws win number two for 2009, and he had the car to make it happen.  Kemenah came out of turn four to take the green flag and the car was hooked up from the start.  Kemenah quickly found himself running in the third position in a very intense battle with Dale Blaney, while Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers were in front of him slightly pulling away. 
 
Things were looking good for Kemenah in the feature, his car was good on the top and the bottom and unfortunately his night took a turn for the worse.  While running in the third position a rock would destroy half of a spark plug ending Kemenah's night.  "We had a top five car tonight," said Kemenah.  "We will take care of the problem and be back tomorrow night at I-96 Speedway."
 
 
The Sponsors:  Hampshire Racing Engines, Maxim Chassis, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels, AllStar Performance, Ebay ED, KSE Racing Products, Inc. 

Kemenah Getting Closer To Victory Lane
By: Joe Burrage
 
Chad Kemenah and the CK Racing Team were back in action Friday night with the very competitive F.A.S.T. Series at Attica Raceway Park.  Kemenah has been consistent in every F.A.S.T. Series event he has raced in so far in 2009 and this night would be no different. 
 
The CK Racing #63 was ready for war with the World of Outlaws caliber field on hand for the night.  Kemenah, along with AJ Havens, Adam Brough and expert wrench man Bob Hampshire had the CK Racing #63 in top notch form for Heat Two, where Kemenah finished in the third position with a transfer to the A-Main.
 
Kemenah knew he had a good car for the A-Main, so after the heat race was over the team went to work and tighten up the #63 sprinter for the upcoming feature event.  Starting in the tenth position with some very tough competition ahead of him Kemenah made sure he got the start he wanted, and the race was on.
 
The very familiar white #63 was on the move from the start, Kemenah made a few excellent passes on the first lap to almost crack the top five!  As the field started to settle in the first red flag came out of the night stopping the rhythm Chad had going.  On the following restart Kemenah and Caleb Griffith would tangle and bring out another red flag with CK Racing #63 running in the third position.  Kemenah would hold his position for the restart.
 
On the following restart leader Brooke Tatnell drove away from the field leaving Greg Wilson and Kemenah to battle for second place.  Kemenah and Wilson put on a good show for the fans at Attica Raceway Park, Kemenah eventually got by Wilson for second but had a long ways to go to catch Tatnell who built up a huge lead.  With Kemenah running a solid second place only a yellow flag would give Kemenah a chance at Tatnell for the lead, and he got it on lap 16.
 
Tatnell with Kemenah right behind him came down for the restart and both drivers got the starts they wanted and Kemenah tried to make a bid for the lead but Tatnell held him off.  Kemenah would try to make another pass on Tatnell a few laps later but just didn't have enough for Tatnell tonight.  The CK Racing #63 would finish in second place.
 
"We are getting close, Hamp's (Bob Hampshire) was with us tonight and he's got us going better on the smaller tracks around home so it helps when he can come racing with us," said Kemenah. 
 
 
The Sponsors:  Hampshire Racing Engines, Maxim Chassis, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels, AllStar Performance, Ebay ED, KSE Racing Products, Inc. 

Kemenah Ready For Action At Eldora This Weekend
by: Joe Burrage
 
The last time Chad Kemenah raced with the World of Outlaws he earned the KSE Hard Charger Award at Paducah International Speedway in Paducah Kentucky.  Starting 16th in the A-Main, Chad powered the Chad Kemenah Racing #6k to excellent 5th place finish.  This Friday and Saturday night Chad Kemenah will be on very familiar ground, a track he knows very well, a place he knows he can be successful at, the always entertaining Eldora Speedway.  Chad has always considered Eldora Speedway to be one of his favorite places to race at and it will be up to Chad, along with the help from legendary car owner Bob Hampshire and crew member AJ Havens to defend there home turf against the always hungry World of Outlaws.  The Kemenah Racing #63 is always up for a challenge against the World of Outlaws and this weekend could be a perfect time for Chad and this newly formed team to steal a win from the Outlaws and make things interesting.   

KEMENAH MAKES DEBUT IN FAMILIAR #63 CAR
4/24/09
 
Well he might be down but he's not out yet.  Chad Kemenah has managed to put his own car back together to keep himself racing in the eyes of many on-lookers with the hopes of landing some sponsorship.  With just enough money in his pocket to buy a race car & running a borrowed motor, he's back in competition in the old familiar #63 sprinter.  The number was retired in July 2005 when father-in-law Bob Hampshire quit racing after 26 1/2 years in the sport. Kemenah stated "its an honor to run his number; that #63 has accomplished alot over the years".  He also noted that it was time to change his luck and no better way of trying that but to bring the number out of retirement.  So far it looks as though that was the right thing to do.  Chad raced at Attica Raceway Park on Friday evening, a track close to home, where he lead most of the feature up to a caution with 6 laps to go and was passed on the restart.  He would end up second; disappointed to lose the win, but happy to bring things home in one piece.  Chad will be back in action Saturday night at Fremont Speedway, a track also close to home & one that he's very familiar with from his early days of racing.  Thus far his plans are to run as many World of Outlaw events as possible within driving range, also pick up some All Star races, and the rest will be filled in with local races.  

Kemenah Earns Hard Charger Award At Paducah 
Posted: Saturday 4/18/09  By: Joe Burrage
 
Chad Kemenah made a surprise visit to the Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, Kentucky on Friday night.  Kemenah has not raced with The World of Outlaws since his March 28th win at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix, Arizona.  With some very tough competition in the pit area, Chad was very anxious and excited for the racing festivities to begin.
 
It was a perfect evening for racing, Chad knew he had to qualify inside the inversion to give himself a solid starting position in the Heat race, and he did just that.  Chad came out and timed in 16th fast with a time of 13.585 seconds around the high banks of Paducah.  The qualifying effort put the Chad Kemenah Racing #6k on the front row of Heat #4.
 
Heat #4 would be one of the toughest heats of the evening, Kemenah was confident he could get a direct transfer to the A-Main and a chance of running in the Dash later in the evening.  When Heat race action was finished Chad brought home the #6k sprinter in 3rd place, one spot short of the Dash but an automatic transfer to the A-Main.
 
With all the preliminary racing completed it was Main Event time at Paducah!  Starting 16th in the feature Chad knew he had to drive a smart race and stay out of trouble.  The crew made some changes to the #6k Maxim for the feature and Chad was confident they could get into the top 10.  When the green came out Chad was on the move, and it did not take long to crack the top 10.  The car was getting was faster and faster as the feature moved along.  With an open red flag just passed the half-way point of the race, Chad's crew made sure the #6k Maxim was in tip-top shape for the remainder of the race.  On the restart Chad continued his charge to the front where he would run out of laps and finish in the 5th position.  The excellent driving effort landed Chad Kemenah the KSE Hard Charger Award for the evening.   

Chad Kemenah Wins Final Outlaw Show At Manzanita Speedway
Posted Saturday, March 28, 2009 by: Joe Burrage
 
Chad Kemenah has not had much luck at the Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix Arizona over the years.  On Saturday March 28, 2009 in front of a standing room only crowd on hand to witness the World Of Outlaws final appearance ever at the famed half mile, Kemenah's luck would change.  Chad would lead all 30 laps in the feature on his way to claiming his third  World Of Outlaws win and first for car owner Jon Kantor.
 
Chad would come out seventh in the qualifying order and time in 11th quick at 16.637 seconds.  The qualifying effort would put the Kantor Oil Maxim on the front row of Heat #2 where he would hold off Steve Kinser for the win and transfer directly to the A-Main and the Dash later in the evening.  "The car was great in the heat race,"  said Kemenah. 
 
Starting on the outside of the front row the Hard 8 Racing Team knew they had a great chance to win the Dash.  Bonzai, AJ and Adam made a few minor adjustments and the Kantor Oil #8k was on the move claiming his first Dash victory of the season.  The win would give Chad the pole for the 30 lap A-Main.
 
With Chad starting on the pole,  Dean "Bonzai" Bruns kept a very close eye on the track conditions.  With turns 1 & 2 having an excellent cushion to work with, turn 3 was starting to get abrasive, and turn 4 having no traction at all, Chad knew he was going to have his hands full for 30 laps.  The green came out, Chad got an excellent start and blocked a huge slide job attempt by Sammy Swindell on the very first lap, the sharp counter move by Kemenah allowed him to open up a slight lead on Swindell.  Kemenah was just starting to stretch out his lead until lap 3 came out when Donny Schatz lost control of the 15 car allowing Swindell to close the gap.  On the restart Chad quickly jumped out to a slight lead but Steve Kinser was on the move and pestering Swindell for the 2nd position which allowed the Kantor Oil Maxim sprinter to open up a one second lead on Steve Kinser.  
 
"The car and the track were so fast," said Kemenah.  "We found the rubber in turns 3 & 4 and I knew I had to be careful in traffic."  "Sammy (Swindell) almost got us there towards the end of the race but we held on."  After Swindell shredded a tire and brought a yellow flag on lap 23 it was smooth sailing for Chad Kemenah as he took home his first World Of Outlaws win in 2009.
 
"This is cool" said Kemenah.  Bonzai has helped us out tremendously, AJ and Adam have worked very hard, my car owner Jon Kantor has given us the best equipment possible and I am happy we were able to give him his first ever Outlaw win as a car owner, my wife Tracy and everyone who is part of this team I can't thank them enough."
 
 
Hard 8 Racing Team Sponsors:  Kantor Oil Company, Maxim Chassis, Hampshire Racing Engines, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels.

Historic Night for Kemenah: Wins World of Outlaws final race at Manzanita

Chad Kemenah put his name in the history books on Saturday night, as he led all 30 laps en route to winning the final World of Outlaws event at the legendary Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix. The victory for the 2006 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, also marked the first World of Outlaws win for his car owner Jon Kantor of Oklahoma.

Kemenah earned $10,000 for the third victory of his World of Outlaws career and the first since 2006. He battled the two winningest drivers in World of Outlaws history for the victory, with Sammy Swindell challenging him early in the race and Steve Kinser in the later going.

“This is really special,” said Kemenah. “I wanted to get the first win for the race team and I wanted to get it for Jon Kantor. He has given me the opportunity to come out here and compete against these guys every night. I told him we would get one and now hopefully we can one after another. That would be very nice. We need to consistently run up front.”

Kemenah added his name to a legendary list of drivers that have won at Manzanita Speedway over the 50-plus years the track located at the corner of 35th and Broadway has been in existence. He became the 12th driver to win an A-Feature with the World of Outlaws at the half-mile, as he piloted the Kantor Oil Company Maxim to a win in the second heat race and a win in the Crane Cams Dash to earn the pole position for the 30-lap main event.

“I went and took some dirt for the kids at home,” shared the native of Findlay, Ohio after celebrating with his crew in Victory Lane. “My wife doesn't get to come out here very often, so I am taking some stuff home for her and the kids. I'm sure they were at home on the internet listening tonight.”

The race began with Kemenah and Swindell drag racing into turn one with Swindell taking the lead, though the first caution of the night came out before the full lap was in the books, leading to a compete restart. The second start saw Kemenah jump to the lead in turns one and two, as Swindell had his hands full with 2001 World of Outlaws champion Danny Lasoski as the duo battled for the second spot. At the same time, Steve Kinser began his march to the front, after gaining a couple of spots on the first lap.

A couple of more cautions before the first 10 laps were in the books, gave Kemenah open track to work with. He used strong restarts each time to pull away from Swindell who looked low in turns one and two each time on the restarts.

The final caution of the night flew with seven laps remaining as second-place running Sammy Swindell had a right rear tire go flat, as the leaders were negotiating lapped traffic. Kemenah used a strong restart to pull away from Kinser and wound up winning by over two seconds.

“I didn't mind seeing the restart,” noted the winner. “When there is some rubber down, you are at the will of the lapped cars and sometimes it's better to run second. It made me happy to see the caution come out and give me some clear race track.”

Kinser, who had 21 career wins at Manzanita Speedway, dating back to 1979, battled his longtime rival Swindell for a number of laps for the second spot a couple of different times over the course of the race. The native of Bloomington, Indiana was running second in the early going and looked to the inside of Kemenah on a lap-8 restart. He kept pace with Kemenah for a number of laps in lapped traffic, en route to a second-place performance, which moved him to within 11 points of three-time and defending series champion Donny Schatz in the standings.

“We were pretty good,” said Kinser. “I got a little loose and with the rubber coming in, I was afraid to burn the tire off, so I went a little conservative.”

Kinser gained a lot of ground on Kemenah on the 16th lap, when a slower machine bottled him up, allowing Swindell to dive under him and for Kemenah to extend his lead. He tried everything he could late in the race aboard the Quaker State Maxim to track Kemenah down, after having a close call with a lapped machine that allowed Swindell to slip by him before he regained that spot late.

“I came up on him pretty quick and had to get out of the gas,” explained the 20-time series champion of his close call in traffic. “I really didn't know what to do with him. It kind of got me messed up.”

Danny Lasoski, the 2001 World of Outlaws champion, battled second-year driver Lucas Wolfe for a majority of Saturday night's event, eventually coming home third in the Casey's General Stores JEI to earn his fourth Top-Five finish of the season.

“I have to thank all the folks at Casey's General Store and Don Lamberti,” said Lasoski. “We had to really baby this thing home. When Steve (Kinser) found the rubber before me, I knew we were in trouble. We didn't have nearly a hard enough tire to run.”

Kraig Kinser started ninth and finished fourth in the Bass Pro Shops Maxim He got around Jason Meyers on the opening lap, before working on Terry McCarl and Lucas Wolfe.

“We were pretty good all night, other than in the dash,” he explained. “The driver was somewhere else for the dash, but we recovered well. We had a good car in the feature. We just started too far back.”

Wolfe wound up fifth in the Allebach Racing Maxim to earn his best finish of the season. Jason Meyers was sixth in the GLR Investments KPC, with Terry McCarl seventh in the Big Game Treestands Maxim. Jason Sides was eighth in the Wetherington Tractor Service Maxim, with Johnny Herrera finishing ninth to earn the KSE Race Products Hard Charger Award. Craig Dollansky rounded out the Top-10 in the Direct TV Maxim for Kasey Kahne Racing.

Schatz, who lined up sixth in the Armor All J&J spun on the third lap, restarted at the tail of the field and worked his way back up to 15th to retain his lead in the series championship standings.

The World of Outlaws return to action on Friday, April 10 at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore, Texas followed by a stop at Houston Raceway Park for the Texas Shootout on Saturday, April 11.

MANZANITA SPEEDWAY NOTES

• FAST QUALIFIER: Donny Schatz paced the 21 cars that took time with an AMB i.t. timed lap around the semi-banked 1/2-mile oval at 16.289 seconds at 110.504 mph. For his qualifying effort, Schatz earned five bonus points. The next four fastest qualifiers also earned bonus points, including: Terry McCarl (4), Joey Saldana (3), Jason Meyers (2), and Jason Sides (1).

• QUALIFYING WINNERS: Kraig Kinser, Chad Kemenah and Sammy Swindell won heat races. Chad Kemenah won the Crane Cams Dash.

• FEATURE WINNERS: There has been nine World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature event held in 2009. The winners include: Joey Saldana (Volusia Speedway Park, Silver Dollar Speedway and Thunderbowl Raceway), Donny Schatz (Volusia Speedway Park-twice and The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway), Randy Hannagan (Thunderbowl Raceway), Chad Kemenah (Manzanita Speedway) and Jason Meyers (Silver Dollar Speedway).

• 1/2-MILE WINNERS: Manzanita Speedway is a semi-banked half-mile oval. The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series has raced five times this season on a track that size. The winners include: Donny Schatz (Volusia Speedway Park-twice and The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway), Chad Kemenah (Manzanita Speedway) and Joey Saldana (Volusia Speedway Park).

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Manzanita Speedway; Phoenix, AZ; March 28, 2009

Qualifying

1) 15-Donny Schatz 16.289

2) 24-Terry McCarl 16.373

3) 9-Joey Saldana 16.407

4) 14-Jason Meyers 16.468

5) 7S-Jason Sides 16.530

6) 1X-Randy Hannagan 16.552

7) 6-Danny Lasoski 16.577

8) 11-Steve Kinser 16.616

9) 5W-Lucas Wolfe 16.624

10) 20-Kraig Kinser 16.628

11) 8K-Chad Kemenah 16.637

12) 10-Sammy Swindell 16.651

13) 22-Brian Ellenberger 16.707

14) R19-Jac Haudenschild 16.761

15) 45X-Johnny Herrera 16.785

16) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr. 16.868

17) 19-Craig Dollansky 16.896

18) 22B-Ben Gregg 17.036

19) 55-Kerry Madsen 17.230

20) 4X-Toni Lutar 17.623

21) 5A-Thomas Ogle 18.044

Heat 1 (8 Laps, top 7 finishers transferred to A-feature)

1) 20-Kraig Kinser

2) 6-Danny Lasoski

3) 14-Jason Meyers

4) 15-Donny Schatz

5) 22-Brian Ellenberger

6) 55-Kerry Madsen

7) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.

Heat 2 (8 Laps, top 7 finishers transferred to A-feature)

1) 8K-Chad Kemenah

2) 11-Steve Kinser

3) 19-Craig Dollansky

4) 24-Terry McCarl

5) 7S-Jason Sides

6) R19-Jac Haudenschild

7) 4X-Toni Lutar

Heat 3 (8 Laps, top 7 finishers transferred to A-feature)

1) 10-Sammy Swindell

2) 5W-Lucas Wolfe

3) 9-Joey Saldana

4) 45X-Johnny Herrera

5) 22B-Ben Gregg

6) 5A-Thomas Ogle

7) 1X-Randy Hannagan

Crane Cams Dash (6 laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature)

1) 8K-Chad Kemenah

2) 10-Sammy Swindell

3) 6-Danny Lasoski

4) 5W-Lucas Wolfe

5) 11-Steve Kinser

6) 15-Donny Schatz

7) 9-Joey Saldana

8) 24-Terry McCarl

9) 20-Kraig Kinser

10) 14-Jason Meyers

A-main (30 laps) - Starting Position [#]

1) 8K-Chad Kemenah[1] [$10,000]

2) 11-Steve Kinser[5] [$5,500]

3) 6-Danny Lasoski[3] [$3,200]

4) 20-Kraig Kinser[9] [$2,800]

5) 5W-Lucas Wolfe[4] [$2,500]

6) 14-Jason Meyers[10] [$2,300]

7) 24-Terry McCarl[8] [$2,200]

8) 7S-Jason Sides[11] [$2,100]

9) 45X-Johnny Herrera[14] [$2,050]

10) 19-Craig Dollansky[15] [$2,000]

11) 9-Joey Saldana[7] [$1,500]

12) 55-Kerry Madsen[17] [$1,200]

13) 22-Brian Ellenberger[12] [$1,100]

14) 1X-Randy Hannagan[19] [$1,050]

15) 15-Donny Schatz[6] [$1,000]

16) R19-Jac Haudenschild[13] [$900]

17) 4X-Toni Lutar[21] [$800]

18) 5A-Thomas Ogle[18] [$800]

19) 10-Sammy Swindell[2] [$800]

20) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr.[20] [$800]

21) 22B-Ben Gregg[16] [$800]

Lap Leaders: Chad Kemenah 1-30

Penske Power Position: Danny Lasoski

SuperClean Start of the Night Award: Chad Kemenah

KSE Hard Charger Award: Johnny Herrera

Tulare Thunderbowl Recap
Posted: 3/24/09 by: Joe Burrage
 
The Hard 8 Racing Team rolled into the Tulare Thunderbowl raceway on Friday night looking to finish out the California swing on point.  "We are starting to get our cars dialed in." Chad said.  "Bonzai has helped out tremendously with the California tracks and hopefully this weekend we can be near the front." 
 
Night #1
 
With a 21st finish at Chico last Saturday, The Hard 8 Racing Team was eager to get racing at the high banks of Thunderbowl Raceway.  Chad came out late in qualifying and timed in 27th fast at 13.243 seconds.  Not happy at all with the qualifying results, Bonzai, AJ, Adam and Chad got together and decided what had to be changed and the crew went to work, changing shocks, gears, and everything you can think of to make the Kantor Oil Company #8k get to the front.
 
With the qualifying completed Chad was scheduled to start in the 7th position for Heat race #3, which was the toughest heat of the night hands down.  With the track conditions so fast it was very difficult to pass on.  "The car was not cooperating in the heat race" Chad would finish Heat #3 in 7th position and would have to run to the B-Main later on.  Not happy with the results in the Heat race, The Hard 8 Team again went to work trying to find something to make the car faster.  More changes were made and it was going to be hard to transfer in a very stout B-Main with the likes of Steve Kinser, Tim Kaeding, Kerry Madsen and Jonathan Allard all struggling to make it through their heat races Chad and the team had to dig deep and find something to make the 8k good enough for a top four finish in the B-Main.
 
The B-Main was set and the Kantor Oil Maxim was starting in the 6th position. It was time for Chad to take care of business and make sure the he got a transfer spot.  On the start Chad would get pinned by Steve Kinser and Jonathan Allard halting a good start that would have moved him up at least one position.  From there Allard and Kinser broke away from Chad and the B-Main was quickly finished with Chad coming home in the 6th position.  With Steve Kinser and Kraig Kinser both in the B-Main and not transferring to the A-Main, they both ended up taking provisional's leaving Chad and the Hard 8 Racing Team out of the A-Main.  Chad was not happy about the results the crew tried desperately to get the car right, it was just one of those nights where nothing went good for us. 
 
 
Night #2 
 
The Hard 8 Racing Team was motivated and anxious to put Friday night's results behind them with a good showing on Saturday night.  Bonzai, AJ and Adam went over the entire Kantor Oil sprinter to make sure everything was in good shape.  Bonzai and the crew found a few things and made some quick and easy adjustments and it was time for Chad to got out and qualify.  Coming out early in qualifying Chad's first lap was not what they were looking for and after the second lap was completed Chad was 2nd quick of the night with an excellent time of 13.147 seconds around the tacky 1/3 mile.
 
An excellent qualifying effort put the Kantor Oil Company #8k in a great spot not only to transfer to A-Main, but also getting into the always important Dash.  Chad was scheduled to race in a very tough Heat #2.  "Getting a good start is key in heat race action, if we get a good start we should be ok the rest of the heat," Chad said.  With Heat #2 ready to go Chad got a great start but Dollansky and Saldana got a better one since they were on the front row.  Chad was the only car in the heat race using the middle to lower lines on the race track.  The cushion was where everyone else was running but the car was looking good running the middle of the track and Chad was slowly gaining on second place running Craig Dollansky before the heat was completed.  Chad came home in 3rd place with a transfer to the A-Main and a spot in the Dash.
 
With rain starting to make it's way towards the Thunderbowl Raceway, Outlaw officials put the racing program in high gear and the Dash draw was done in the pit area.  Chad drew the 10th starting position in the Dash.  The cars were quickly pushed off for the Dash and Chad was looking to move up a few spots for the A-Main.  On the start Chad kept the car in the middle of the track looking to move under Craig Dollansky, unfortunately the move did not work and Chad was running in the 10th position where he would end up finishing.
 
Bonzai and the rest of the team had kept a close eye on the track conditions and final preparations were made to the Kantor Oil sprinter.  Bonzai, AJ and Adam took to the stands to watch the A-Main and when the green came out Chad got an excellent start and was in 7th place after 2 laps.  From there Chad would have his hands full with Craig Dollansky and Steve Kinser.  Craig broke away from Chad a few laps later and Tim Kaeding was starting to pressure Chad for the 7th position.  This would be one of the best races of the night with TK glued to the cushion and Chad running around the middle of the track.  They would eventually swap positions a number of times in the very intense traffic.  Towards the end of the race Tim got the upper hand and took over the 6th position and Chad would hold onto 7th place with Steve Kinser right behind the Kantor Oil Company #8k. 
 
"What a difference a night makes,"  Chad said.  "I have to thank my crew and Bonzai they worked extremely hard this weekend and we will take a 7th place to Manzanita where hopefully we can improve and stay consistent, a top 5 run or a win would be excellent for us and our car owner Jon Kantor". 
 
 
Hard 8 Racing Team Sponsors:  Kantor Oil Company, Maxim Chassis, Hampshire Racing Engines, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels.
 
 
Upcoming Races:  Chad Kemenah and the Hard 8 Racing Team leave California and move to the famous Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix Arizona on March 28th.  This will be the last time the World of Outlaws will race at the facility, Manzanita is closing it's doors in April.  Be sure to check www.chadkemenah.com for the latest news and results on the Hard 8 Racing Team. 

Mini Gold Cup Summary
Posted: 3/18/09 by:  Joe Burrage
 
The Hard 8 Racing Team rolled into the action packed bullring at the Silver Dollar Speedway this past weekend.  "California has always been a tough place for me to race" Chad says.  But this time around Chad and the Hard 8 Team are confident they can have an excellent weekend.
 
Friday 3/13/09
 
With the World of Outlaws making a rare early season appearance at Silver Dollar Speedway.  Chad and the rest of the Hard 8 Race team wanted to start the weekend off on a good note.  Chad came out in qualifying and timed in 14th at 11.168 seconds which would put the Kantor Oil Maxim on the front row of heat #2.  With 53 cars in the pit area getting a good qualifying lap was crucial for the rest of the evening.  The stage was set for heat #2 with the Kantor Oil #8k on the front row, Chad was confident he could get into the dash.  The green flag came out and Chad did not get the start he wanted, and Kemenah was shuffled back to the 3rd position where Tim Kaeding was starting to pressure Chad for the position.  Chad was not able to hold onto 3rd place and finished in the 4th position which was good enough for a transfer directly to the A-Main.
 
After heat race action was completed, it would be awhile before the Kantor Oil Maxim #8k would hit the track again.  Dean "Bonzai" Bruns and I (Chad) kept a close eye on the track with the night getting cooler and cooler the track was changing and we didn't want to miss the setup."  Bonzai, Adam and AJ went to work and everything was set for the 40 lap A-Main.  With a 13th starting position and 40 laps to work with Chad was confident he could move forward in the feature.  With the A feature underway the car was good for a couple laps at a time, since the early portion of the event was filled with yellow flags it was tough to get any rhythm going, and when we did the set up was going away, and just at the half-way point a red flag came out and the open red flag conditions allowed Bonzai and the crew on the track to make alot of adjustments to the car.  Pushing back off in the 12th position the Kantor Oil Maxim felt alot better coming down for the restart of the A-Main and Chad was on the move in a big way.  The car was getting faster and faster as the night went on, and before we knew it the race was over and we were in the 6th position.  The 6th place finish was good we were happy with the results. 
 
Saturday 3/14/09
 
With a solid 6th place finish on Friday night, The Hard 8 Racing Team was looking for another top five finish.  With a possible threat of rain in the area the race program was put into high gear.  The Kantor Oil machine came out and timed in 17th at 12.093 seconds just missing a front row starting position for the heat races.  Chad would line up in the 5th starting position in Heat #1.  Chad would hold his postion in the very quick heat race transferring to A-Main with a 5th place finish.  "The track was really fast and very difficult to pass on." Chad said.  With heat race action complete The Hard 8 Racing Team had a long night ahead of them, with an 18th starting position we were looking to crack the top 10.  Early in the feature event we were trying to find a racing line where the car felt good, and once we did there was rubber down in the turns forcing us and the rest of the teams to run the bottom of the track.  Slowly moving forward in the feature Chad spun the Kantor Oil #8k out on lap 30. " I was trying to make something happen from the back and unfortunately it didn't work."  "We are looking forward to the weekend at Tulare and hopefully will have some good finishes."  "My crew works really hard to give me a good car, and my car owner Jon Kantor always provides me with great equipment, we really want to make it happen and win some races this season."
 
Hard 8 Racing Team Sponsors:  Kantor Oil Company, Maxim Chassis, Hampshire Racing Engines, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels.
 
Upcoming Races:  The Hard 8 Racing Team and the World of Outlaws will leave the Golden State and make there way to the famed 1/2 mile at Manzanita Speedway in Phoenix Arizona on March 28th.  Be sure to check www.chadkemenah.com for the latest updates on the Hard 8 Racing Team.  Also check out The World of Outlaws website at www.worldofoutlaws.com for more information on the rest of the tour.

Mini Gold Cup Preview
Posted: 3/09/09 by:  Joe Burrage
 
The World of Outlaws season continues this Friday night at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico California.  It's been nearly two weeks since Chad Kemenah and The Hard 8 Racing Team have seen any racing action.  With a short break in the racing season a lot of drivers and crew members take some time off and enjoy life outside of racing.  Chad Kemenah is no different, he has been enjoying the time off at home in Findlay Ohio with his wife Tracy and daughter Mackenzie and son Creed.  Chad is also catching up on some household projects that he's been trying to complete, and right when things are almost finished it's time to go racing again he say's.
 
California tracks have not been too kind to Chad in the past, but this time around he's confident going into the Golden State.  Crew chief Dean "Bonzai" Bruns has the experience and the knowledge to help Chad and the Kantor Oil Maxim #8k to be very competitive this weekend.  California has always had excellent drivers and teams, there is no room for mistakes at the Silver Dollar Speedway, rest assure Chad and The Hard 8 Racing Team will be ready to go on Friday and Saturday night!
 
Hard 8 Racing Team Sponsors:  Kantor Oil Company, Maxim Chassis, Hampshire Racing Engines, Bell, Awesome Racewear, Pro Shocks, Banshee Graphics, SSE Helmet Designs, ButlerBuilt Motorsports Equipment, TP Wings, Winters Performance Products, Media Camping Center, Real Racing Wheels.