[Pat O'Connor Fan]

USSA 2009-1 November 2, 2009

Don Kenyon, DK Promotions, Form the United States Speed Association to Sanction Open Wheel Short Track Races

(Lebanon, IN) Don Kenyon, President of DK Promotions, has formed a new division of DK Promotions, the United States Speed Association, to sanction and conduct open wheel short track races. Eric Bunn and Norm Shields are joining Kenyon to complete the management team at USSA. For its inaugural season USSA will feature races and crown champions in three divisions, Midgets, Kenyon Cars and Thunder Roadsters. USSA will conduct its first of 15 events at Anderson Speedway on Wednesday, May 26 at Anderson Speedway featuring the Kenyon Car division.

USSA is a tax-paying business dedicated to bringing a fresh and professional outlook to open wheel short track racing by recognizing the needs of its core customer groups; the competitors, the track owners, the sponsors and the fans. “Eric, Norm and I have been promoting and running these races for 4 years now and we have learned a lot,” said Kenyon. He continued, “We’re taking the best of everything we know from all of our years of experience competing in and officiating all types of racing and putting it all into USSA.”

USSA will be bringing several different elements to each event to improve the racing experience for both the fans and competitors. Each USSA event will feature a fan autograph session. All the drivers competing will join the fans in the grandstands following qualifying so that they can meet and get to know their favorite drivers, as well as the pits being opened to the fans following the nights racing. A weekly chapel service prior to the drivers meeting will also be introduced to USSA racing.

“By forming USSA we have taken control of our competition rules and procedures,” said Bunn. “The most important thing is lowering the minimum age of the drivers in the Kenyon Car and Midget divisions to bring in new drivers and teams,” he went on to say.

A probationary competition license will be available to Kenyon Car and Midget drivers if they meet several requirements. 11 year olds may receive a probationary competition license to race Kenyon Cars if they complete a USSA approved racing school and can demonstrate 3 years of prior experience in motorized vehicles. For Midget racing the minimum age is 15; and, 14 year olds can receive a probationary Midget competition license if they have competed for a full season in a DK Promotions division and are approved by USSA. All drivers under the age of 18 must also supply proof of partial emancipation.

In addition to the new minimum age requirements, DK Promotions has a special opportunity for potential Kenyon Car competitors wishing to compete full time in the USSA series. When the driver makes the commitment to compete in all the USSA Kenyon Car events and pays a crash deposit, DK Promotions will supply that team with a race car. The team must purchase their tires and fuel from DK Promotions and pay all the fees. At the end of the season they will receive what remains of their crash deposit back. “It’s the closest thing to a free race car you’ll find,” Kenyon stated. There are five cars available for this program.

Schedule: May 26, KC Anderson Speedway; June 5*, M, TR Grundy County Speedway; June 12*, M, TR Grundy County Speedway; June 16*, M, KC & TR Plymouth Speedway; June 19*, M, KC & TR Grundy County Speedway; July 9, M, KC & TR Anderson Speedway; July 14*, M, KC & TR Illiana Motor Speedway; July 24*, M, KC & TR Anderson Speedway; August 4*, M,KC & TR Illiana Motor Speedway; August 7*, M, KC & TR Plymouth Speedway; August 14, M, KC, & TR Grundy County Speedway; August 20, M, KC & TR Anderson Speedway; September 4*, M,KC & TR Grundy County Speedway; October 2, KC Anderson Speedway.
M = Midget Division, KC = Kenyon Midget division, TR =Thunder Roadster Division.
*Co-sanction with UMARA

For more information contact the United States Speed Association at 765-482-4273 or 317-413-9763.