NASCAR Champ's Son Joins The Jenison Team

Ross Kenseth poses by his Super Late Model at Berlin Raceway.
(Photo courtesy of Tom DeVette)

Ross Kenseth grew up in Wisconsin, so the son of NASCAR Sprint Cup superstar Matt Kenseth has survived a harsh winter or two.

But Kenseth was quick to admit that the one he experienced during his first winter of living in Michigan was especially awful.

“It was probably the worst I’ve seen since I was 5 years old,” Kenseth said during a break in Wednesday afternoon’s test session at the Berlin Raceway.

Kenseth, 20, will be competing in Saturday night’s Super Late Model race at the Berlin half-mile beginning at 6:30 p.m. Kenseth’s father won the 2003 Sprint Cup championship and finished runner-up to Jimmie Johnson a year ago. Kenseth’s ultimate goal is to someday be battling for championships in the NASCAR ranks, too, and his journey has taken him to West Michigan this season.

Kenseth has taken the year off from his studies at Clemson University, and he moved to the Grand Rapids area after signing to drive for the Jenison-based Boyne Machine Racing team. Car owner Mike Blackmer has hired Kenseth to race his No. 77 Enterprise Iron & Metal Ford Fusion template-bodied Late Model in big-dollar races as well as select programs at Berlin – the team’s home track.

Saturday’s race will serve as a tune-up for the ARCA/CRA Super Series Berlin 125 that Berlin will host on May 31. Kenseth said he has been pleased with the progress his team has made in the young season, including a third-place finish at Anderson, Ind., on April 26 in an ARCA/CRA Super Series race.

“It has been going all right,” said Kenseth, who resides in Little Chute, Wis. “It’s always tough having a whole new team and starting from ground zero, but it has been fun. I feel like we have been having some pretty strong runs. We have been real close to winning races, and we have been one or two changes away from breaking through with that. We have had a couple of off days as well, but that has been part of the learning process.”

Kenseth has raced for Blackmer at special events in the past, so when it came time for Blackmer to hire a full-time driver this season, the two hammered out a deal.

“He is up-and-coming, and I think he will eventually be in the NASCAR ranks,” Blackmer said. “I have watched him for the last four or five years, and I think he has talent. I also support Brian Campbell, and I hope to be racing a lot with him. Hopefully, they will be able to feed off of each other.”

In addition, Blackmer hired Kelly Bires to serve as Kenseth’s crew chief. Bires also is from Wisconsin and has raced in NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide ranks, and he made three Sprint Cup starts in 2012.

Bires also has built his own cars in the past, so he is experienced with a wrench, too. He said he is impressed with how quickly the team has come together in recent months.

“We didn’t have any cars or equipment and we were able to build a team within a few months,” Bires said. “We have been able to perform as far as running in the top five and qualifying good. We haven’t won one yet, but we have been knocking on the door and being consistent. That’s where you need to be to have a chance. All things considered, it has gone really well.

“I have worked with Ross the last two years on and off. We are both from Wisconsin, and he has a lot of talent. If I can help him get to the next level and get noticed and do whatever you need to do, that what’s we will do.”

Saturday’s program will include Berlin’s weekly Sportsman, Super Stocks and 4 Cylinder divisions. It will be carload night as well. Admission is $20 for each car, with a limit of eight people per vehicle.

Kenseth has competed at Berlin in the past, including the 2012 Rowdy 251 in which he finished fifth in a race won by Kyle Busch.

“It is definitely a challenging race track,” Kenseth said. “I haven’t run extremely well here. I have had some pretty good finishes here and led a lot of laps here. But I haven’t come through for a win yet. Hopefully, being closer by and getting a lot more laps at the race track, maybe I can figure out what I need to do to win some races here this year.”

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