Ben Kennedy (NASCAR)

Last updated

Ben Kennedy
Ben Kennedy Road America 2017.jpg
Kennedy at Road America in 2017
Senior Vice President of Racing Development and Strategy, NASCAR
Assumed office
March 10, 2022
Relatives Bill France Sr. (great grandfather)
Bill France Jr. (grandfather)
Jim France (great uncle)
Brian France (uncle)
Education University of Florida (BA)
Occupation NASCAR executive;
Auto racing driver;
ARCA Menards Series East team owner
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
17 races run over 2 years
2017 position23rd
Best finish23rd (2017)
First race 2016 American Ethanol E15 250 (Iowa)
Last race 2017 Ford EcoBoost 300 (Homestead)
WinsTop tens Poles
030
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
73 races run over 4 years
2016 position7th
Best finish7th (2016)
First race 2013 UNOH 200 (Bristol)
Last race 2016 Ford EcoBoost 200 (Homestead)
First win 2016 UNOH 200 (Bristol)
WinsTop tens Poles
1261

Ben Kennedy fielded a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West team. The team started fielding the No. 96 Chevrolet part-time for Ben Kennedy in the K&N East in 2010. In 2011 and 2012, the team became full-time in the East and part-time in the K&N West, and in the West, the car was a Toyota. In 2013, the team only fielded the K&N East full-time and made two races in Camping World Truck Series with a 15th best team's finish at Iowa. In 2014, with Ben Kennedy moving to compete full-time in the Camping World Truck series for Turner Scott Motorsports, Kenzie Ruston raced full-time in the No. 96 in the K&N East. In 2015, the team moved to Toyota and renumbered the car to No. 3 to Kaz Grala in both K&N Pro Series East and K&N Pro Series West. Ben Kennedy also made one start in K&N West in the old No. 96. In 2016, Grala returned to a part-time schedule in the K&N East. In 2017, the No. 96 returned for Spencer Davis and a second car appeared in the form of the No. 20 for Anthony Sergi.

In 2021, Kennedy fielded the No. 43 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series East for Daniel Dye. However, Dye left for GMS Racing mid-season and another driver did not replace him in the No. 43. Kennedy has not fielded a car in the series since then. However, the team continues to field the No. 43 for Daniel Dye in various late model racing events.

Personal life

Kennedy is the son of Lesa France Kennedy [28] and the late Dr. Bruce Kennedy, [29] who died in a 2007 plane crash. He is the grandson of Bill France Jr. and great-grandson of Bill France Sr., the founder of NASCAR. He is a 2014 graduate of the University of Florida, with a degree in sports management. [13] In 2017, Kennedy participated in an episode of American Ninja Warrior which was filmed at Daytona International Speedway. [25]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233NXSCPtsRef
2016 Richard Childress Racing 2 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC MCH IOW
10
DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 106th01 [30]
2017 DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL
4
IOW
20
DAY
16
NHA
6
IOW
23
GLN MOH
26
ROA
18
KEN
11
DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM
18
23rd326 [31]
GMS Racing 96 Chevy CLT
25
DOV
18
POC MCH
36
KEN
32
IND
18
BRI
19
DAR
12
RCH CHI

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223NCWTCPtsRef
2013 Ben Kennedy Racing 96 Chevy DAY MAR CAR KAN CLT DOV TEX KEN IOW ELD POC MCH BRI
20
MSP IOW
15
33rd135 [32]
Turner Scott Motorsports 30 Chevy CHI
16
LVS TAL MAR
4
TEX PHO HOM
30
2014 31 DAY
15*
MAR
3
KAN
20
CLT
8
DOV
7
TEX
14
GTW
14
KEN
10
IOW
6
ELD
13
POC
13
MCH
19
BRI
21
MSP
16
CHI
7
NHA
13
LVS
7
TAL
28
MAR
16
TEX
15
PHO
11
HOM
17
9th679 [33]
2015 Red Horse Racing 11 Toyota DAY
28
ATL
3
MAR
19
KAN
26
CLT
16
DOV
6
TEX
10
GTW
7
IOW
13
KEN
16
ELD
12
POC
11
MCH
25
BRI
15
MSP
3
CHI
12
NHA
23
LVS
3
TAL
25
MAR
14
TEX
9
PHO
24
HOM
4
9th690 [34]
2016 DAY
23
ATL
15
MAR
11
7th2162 [35]
GMS Racing 33 Chevy KAN
9
CLT
14
TEX
4
IOW
7
GTW
9
KEN
22
ELD
11
POC
7
BRI
1
MCH
11
MSP
8
CHI
26
NHA
11
LVS
4
TAL
5
MAR
18
TEX
13
PHO
9
HOM
14
24 DOV
13

K&N Pro Series East

NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314NKNPSECPtsRef
2010 Ben Kennedy Racing 96 Chevy GRE SBO IOW MAR NHA LRP LEE JFC
24
NHA DOV 60th91 [36]
2011 GRE
11
SBO
14
RCH
27
IOW
15
BGS
3
JFC
11
LGY
18
NHA
32
COL
19
GRE
22
NHA
16
DOV
12
13th1367 [37]
2012 BRI
6
GRE
9
RCH
6
IOW
22
BGS
8
JFC
5
LGY
21
CNB
3
COL
7
IOW
19
NHA
25
DOV
4
GRE
16
CAR
9
9th456 [38]
2013 BRI
10
GRE
17
FIF
1*
RCH
14
BGS
1
IOW
9
LGY
7
COL
9
IOW
11
VIR
4
GRE
10
NHA
26
DOV
12
RAL
6
4th488 [39]
2017 Kevin Manion Motorsports 1 Toyota NSM GRE BRI SBO SBO MEM BLN TMP NHA IOW
7
GLN LGY NJM DOV 45th38 [40]

K&N Pro Series West

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415NKNPSWCPtsRef
2011 Ben Kennedy Racing 96 Chevy PHO AAS MMP IOW LVS SON IRW EVG PIR CNS
8
PHO
15
34th402 [41]
Toyota MRP
8
SPO AAS
2012 PHO
11
LHC MMP S99 IOW BIR LVS SON EVG CNS
9
IOW PIR SMP AAS PHO
10
27th102 [42]
2015 Ben Kennedy Racing 96 Toyota KCR IRW TUS IOW SHA SON SLS IOW EVG CNS MER AAS PHO
25
69th19 [43]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

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References

  1. Crandall, Kelly (January 30, 2018). "Kennedy named Trucks GM in NASCAR personnel moves". Racer . Archived from the original on January 31, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  2. Kennedy, Ben (February 24, 2022). "Ben Kennedy - SVP, Strategy & Innovation - NASCAR | LinkedIn". LinkedIn. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  3. Bianchi, Jordan. "NASCAR's future leader? Meet Ben Kennedy, former driver, current team owner and voice in the sport's future". The Athletic. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  4. "New Voices Under 30: Ben Kennedy". bryandev.sportsbusinessjournal.com. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  5. "Ben Kennedy Driven to Innovate as Young Emerging Executive". Racing America. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  6. "INSIGHT: How Ben Kennedy swapped the cockpit for NASCAR's conference room". RACER. January 12, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  7. "Ben Kennedy's leadership role evolves at NASCAR". Official Site Of NASCAR. October 7, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
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  9. 1 2 3 "NASCAR Home Tracks: Ben Kennedy". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Media Group LLC. February 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
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  25. 1 2 "Eyes on XFINITY: Ben Kennedy Counting Down the Days Until He's Back in a Racecar". Frontstretch. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
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