Story By: TYLER ALTMEYER / TKS MOTORSPORTS – MITCHELLVILLE, IA – As the 2023 season officially comes to a close, Troy and Tammy Renfro’s TKS Motorsports has much to celebrate, not only concluding their recent campaign with a multitude of noteworthy results, but highlighting all accomplishments with an appearance in Knoxville Raceway’s “big dance.”
The Mitchellville, Iowa-based open wheel team, piloted for much of the season by Waco’s own Chase Randall, concluded their 2023 schedule with ten top-ten and five top-five finishes, and when one considers the company they were with, their stat sheet is more than respectable.
“It was a great year for this team and I’m proud of what we accomplished. Chase [Randall] stepped into our program with big goals and a lot of ambition, and he really helped turn our program around,” Troy Renfro stated. “I want to thank all of our partners for their endless support. A sprint car team requires a lot of moving parts, and not just what’s on the race car. We have a great network who believes in us and believes in this team. I’m confident big things are ahead in the future.”
As stated, the highlight of the season occurred in August when Chase Randall and TKS Motorsports powered their way to a starting position in the 2023 Knoxville Nationals. Randall’s qualifying night effort set the tone, racing on to finish second on Wednesday, August 9, which solidified a starting position in Saturday’s coveted 50-lapper. The young Texan would go on to finish 13th.
Other major results for Randall and TKS Motorsports include a podium run in Knoxville Raceway’s Border Battle on June 14, followed by another podium performance at the Sprint Car Capital of the World on July 15. In fact, Randall’s debut with TKS Motorsports, a substitution for the injured Ian Madsen on May 6, also resulted in a podium performance, finishing third in Knoxville Raceway’s season opener.
Although TKS Motorsports had originally planned to join the World of Outlaws at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas, on October 14, the plan was ultimately altered, leaving their two-day visit to Shelby County Fairgrounds on September 8-9 as their final starts of the year. Despite Randall having prior commitments, Sioux Falls, South Dakota’s Kaleb Johnson filled the seat and performed consistently, eventually capping the Cyclone Classic with a double top-ten achievement.
“I think the goal for any team, especially those located in the Midwest, is to qualify for the Knoxville Nationals A-Main, and to accomplish that again in 2023 is really special, especially with a driver still relatively new to 410 competition,” Renfro added. “We still have some things to work out for next year, but it’s all looking really good. We hope to make an announcement soon.”