Story By: A2DPR / KYLE KEEN MOTORSPORTS – YORK HAVEN, PA – Kyle Keen had a stellar season debut going just over a week ago in his 358 sprint car until a small mistake cost him a win. Unfortunately, it also cost him a few weeks of being able to race that particular frame.
Given the team’s situation and the upcoming schedule options, Kyle Keen Motorsports decided to jump into the 410 sprint car earlier than expected. They rolled into Williams Grove Speedway last Friday night ready and willing to get their collective rookie season started in the division.
IT’S A PROCESS
Keen’s first night out in the 410 was a learning experience on a hammer-down surface at ‘The Grove’.
There were no unrealistic expectations in his pit. The family and team have been around racing long enough to understand Keen’s development in a 410 sprint car will take some time, especially given he only has a handful of seasons in the seat at any level of sprint car racing. The learning curve might get accelerated quicker than expected as the laps accumulate, but whatever the timetable, the result will be worth it.
Keen started near the back of both his heat and B-main, just looking to make laps and get comfortable in the car. At the end of the night, he shared some mental notes he had made during the night.
“Dirty air and how it plays with the car was a new experience. There is a massive amount of dirty air when starting in the back of the field and it definitely plays with the balance of the car. Throttle control also took a few laps to get figured out.”, Keen commented.
“With as hard as you can drive these cars, I felt like I have to somewhat re-learn how to enter the corners, which is something I sort of expected. You carry lots of speed and can really drive in (to the corner) pretty deep.”
“Now it’s just a matter of getting laps. I felt extremely comfortable in the car and with the speed, but there are nuances with these cars that will just take some time to learn. Laps laps laps. That’s the only answer. Thank you to everyone who came out last night to my very first 410 race. I appreciate all of the support!”
UP NEXT
With his 358 sprint car in the midst of some minor frame repairs, Keen will focus on his 410 program for the next few weeks. Next up will be another trip to Williams Grove Speedway on Friday, April 5th.