Kelly Kovski

Last updated
Kelly Kovski
Born (1981-06-16) June 16, 1981 (age 43)
Springfield, Illinois
ARCA Menards Series career
37 races run over 20 years
ARCA no., teamNo. 16 (Kelly Kovski Racing)
Best finish37th (2013)
First race 2004 Southern Illinois 100 (DuQuoin)
Last race 2024 Southern Illinois 100 (DuQuoin)
WinsTop tens Poles
0250
Statistics current as of September 5, 2024.

Kelly Kovski (born June 16, 1981) is an American professional racing driver and crew chief. He has competed in the ARCA Menards Series for twenty years, primarily racing at the Illinois State Fairgrounds and DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. He has also competed in and won at various dirt track events alongside his starts in ARCA competition. [1]

Contents

Racing career

Kovski would make his ARCA Re/Max Series debut in 2004 driving for Fast Track Racing at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack in the No. 10 Chevrolet, where he would finish 15th, a lap down behind race winner Frank Kimmel.

From 2005 to 2011, Kovski would primarily run the dirt races with his own team in collaboration with Roulo Brothers Racing in the No. 39 Chevrolet. In 2005, he would finish in the top-15 in both dirt events, and in 2006, he would finish 11th at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack. In the following year, he would earn his first top-10 at Springfield, finishing in sixth place, and in the following year, he would finish in the top-10 in both events, finishing in ninth and seventh at Springfield and DuQuoin respectively. In 2009, would get a best finish of 12th at Springfield, before he would finish in the top-10 in both events again in the following year, running in the No. 17 that year. He would finish sixth at Springfield in 2011, and would go on to earn his first top-5 in ARCA competition, finishing fourth at DuQuoin.

In 2012, Kovski switched to Allgaier Motorsports, a team that had won the series championship with Justin Allgaier in 2008. He would start off his tenure with the team by finishing fourth at Springfield in their first race together in the No. 99 Chevrolet. For 2013, he would make his first asphalt race at Toledo Speedway, where he would start 26th, and finish ninth. He would also finish tenth at Berlin Raceway before returning to the dirt events, where he would finish 13th at Springfield and eighth at DuQuoin. In 2014, he would delve into a career as a crew chief, working with Team BCR and No. 90 Ford for Grant Enfinger. [2] He would also make starts at the dirt tracks, finishing sixth at Springfield, and finishing 26th due to an engine issue at DuQuoin. He would move with Enfinger to GMS Racing midway through 2014, and would move to the No. 23 Chevrolet in 2015, a year year Enfinger would win the championship. Kovski would finish third at Springfield. In 2016, he would earn his best finish of second place behind Tom Hessert III at DuQuoin.

In 2017, Kovski would suffer an accident at a sprint car race at Volusia County Speedway, where he would be struck in the pits by a flipping sprint car. [3] His injuries were significant enough that he would skip both the ARCA dirt races as a driver. He would serve as the crew chief for Enfinger in the No. 16 Chevrolet at Springfield, a race where Enfinger would win. [4]

Kovski would return to driving duties the following year in 2018, and would finish eighth and seventh at Springfield and DuQuoin respectively. In 2019, he would get his first top-5 since 2016, finishing fifth at DuQuoin, and in his only race of 2020, he would finish fifth at Springfield. In the following year at DuQuoin, Kovski would not start the race and would be classified in 16th position. [5] In 2022, he would finish 15th at Springfield due to an engine failure, and tenth at DuQuoin due to suspension issues. In 2023, Kovski's results improved, finishing 4th at Springfield and 6th at DuQoin.

Motorsports results

ARCA Menards Series

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

ARCA Menards Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223AMSCPtsRef
2004 Fast Track Racing 10 Chevy DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL CLT KAN POC MCH SBO BLN KEN GTW POC LER NSH ISF TOL DSF
15		 CHI SLM TAL 131st155 [6]
2005 Kelly Kovski Motorsports39 Chevy DAY NSH SLM KEN TOL LAN MIL POC MCH KAN KEN BLN POC GTW LER NSH MCH ISF
14		 TOL DSF
12		 CHI SLM TAL 87th350 [7]
2006 DAY NSH SLM WIN KEN TOL POC MCH KAN KEN BLN POC GTW NSH MCH ISF
11		 MIL TOL DSF
19		 CHI SLM TAL IOW 87th310 [8]
2007 DAY USA NSH SLM KAN WIN KEN TOL IOW POC MCH BLN KEN POC NSH ISF
6		 MIL GTW DSF
16		 CHI SLM TAL TOL 75th350 [9]
2008 DAY SLM IOW KAN CAR KEN TOL POC MCH CAY KEN BLN POC NSH ISF
9		 DSF
7		 CHI SLM NJE TAL TOL 67th380 [10]
2009 DAY SLM CAR TAL KEN TOL POC MCH MFD IOW KEN BLN POC ISF
12		 CHI TOL DSF
29		 NJE SLM KAN CAR 89th255 [11]
2010 17 DAY PBE SLM TEX TAL TOL POC MCH IOW MFD POC BLN NJE ISF
6		 CHI DSF
9		 TOL SLM KAN CAR 59th390 [12]
2011 39 DAY TAL SLM TOL NJE CHI POC MCH WIN BLN IOW IRP POC ISF
6		 MAD DSF
4		 SLM KAN TOL 58th425 [13]
2012 Allgaier Motorsports 99 Chevy DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH WIN NJE IOW CHI IRP POC BLN ISF
4		 MAD SLM DSF KAN 87th220 [14]
2013 16 Dodge DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL
9		 ELK POC MCH ROA WIN CHI NJE POC BLN
10		37th740 [15]
Chevy ISF
13		 MAD DSF
7		 IOW SLM KEN KAN
2014 DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH ELK WIN CHI IRP POC BLN ISF
6		 MAD DSF
26		 SLM KEN KAN 58th300 [16]
2015 DAY MOB NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH CHI WIN IOW IRP POC BLN ISF
3		 DSF
10		 SLM KEN KAN 60th395 [17]
2016 DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH MAD WIN IOW IRP POC BLN ISF
17		 DSF
2		 SLM CHI KEN KAN 65th375 [18]
2018 Allgaier Motorsports 16 Chevy DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL CLT POC MCH MAD GTW CHI IOW ELK POC ISF
8		 BLN DSF
7		 SLM IRP KAN 54th385 [19]
2019 DAY FIF SLM TAL NSH TOL CLT POC MCH MAD GTW CHI ELK IOW POC ISF
6		 DSF
5		 SLM IRP KAN 42nd410 [20]
2020 DAY PHO TAL POC IRP KEN IOW KAN TOL TOL MCH DAY GTW I44 TOL BRI WIN MEM ISF
5		 KAN 54th39 [21]
2021 Roy Kovski Racing DAY PHO TAL KAN TOL CLT MOH POC ELK BLN IOW WIN GLN MCH ISF MLW DSF
16		 BRI SLM KAN 119th3 [22]
2022 Kelly Kovski Racing DAY PHO TAL KAN CLT IOW BLN ELK MOH POC IRP MCH GLN ISF
15		 MLW DSF
10		 KAN BRI SLM TOL 54th63 [23]
2023 DAY PHO TAL KAN CLT BLN ELK MOH IOW POC MCH IRP GLN ISF
4		 MLW DSF
6		 KAN BRI SLM TOL 47th78 [24]
2024 DAY PHO TAL DOV KAN CLT IOW MOH BLN IRP SLM ELK MCH ISF
4		 MLW DSF
5		 GLN BRI KAN TOL 49th79 [25]

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References

  1. ↑ "Kelly Kovski - The Third Turn". The Third Turn. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Making ARCA history". Times-Mail. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  3. ↑ "DIRTCar Nationals crash victims still recovering". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Kelly Kovski To Make ARCA Comeback This Weekend". Speedway Digest. 14 August 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  5. ↑ "ARCA: Kelly Kovski first victim of vicious DuQuoin track". LASTCAR.info. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2004 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2005 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2006 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2010 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2011 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2012 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2015 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2016 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2019 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2020 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2021 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2022 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2023 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Kelly Kovski – 2024 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
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