MATT KEMP
AGE
25
MARRIED
Married my amazing wife on October 15, 2023.
HOMETOWN
Sawyer, MI
EDUCATION
AAS, Lake Michigan College
BBA, Sienna Heights University
FAVORITE FAST FOOD
See: Taco Bell Tradition
FIRST YEAR RACING
2012
25
MARRIED
Married my amazing wife on October 15, 2023.
HOMETOWN
Sawyer, MI
EDUCATION
AAS, Lake Michigan College
BBA, Sienna Heights University
FAVORITE FAST FOOD
See: Taco Bell Tradition
FIRST YEAR RACING
2012
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Other Activities
In addition to driving race cars, I work a full-time job that pays the bills, and on Friday nights I work at my local dirt track!
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Statistics
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REGIONAL TRAVELING DWARF CAR SERIES STATISTICS
Starts |
Wins |
Poles |
T5 |
Avg Fin |
Championships |
77 |
26 |
36 |
65 |
3.3 |
2022, 2023 |
Extended stats available HERE
TRACK RECORDS
FOUR (4) STANDING TRACK RECORDS
FOUR (4) STANDING TRACK RECORDS
12.032 | 9/19/2020
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16.648 | 6/09/2023
16.721 | 5/13/2022 |
15.423 | 7/08/2023
15.731 | 6/10/2023 |
13.568 | 9/16/2023
13.621 | 10/01/2022 13.843 | 7/02/2022 |
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ARCA MENARDS SERIES EAST STATISTICS
Starts |
Wins |
Poles |
T5 |
T10 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
ARCA MENARDS SERIES NATIONAL TOUR STATISTICS
Starts |
Wins |
Poles |
T5 |
T10 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Extended stats available HERE
My Story
2023
The 2023 Season was unique. This was my first season running my own operation completely on my own. In past seasons, my dad and I had at least done the traveling together. I still decided any changes to the setup, but I always had a helping hand when it came to doing maintenance at the shop, loading and unloading, tightening my belts, etc...
Early in the year, my dad moved out of the state, and if I wanted to race, it was time for me to do it alone. When the schedule was released, I realized that the number of races and their locations would have me traveling nearly 2000 miles more than I had done with my dad in 2022. In addition, funding was tight, and even though I still wanted to race a full-season, it was looking like I was only going to get about half way there on my own.
Fortunately, with my business and marketing degrees, as well as the constant work that I've put into my marketing decks, research, and communication skills over the past 7+ years- I was able to present my position to some amazing partners who came on board to support me. Additionally, I received help from numerous people - some I hadn't even met before the season, others I have known for years - even my closest competitors helped to keep me in the fight all year long. Many times I didn't even ask for the help, it just happened to be there when I needed it. As proud as I am of the accomplishments I have this year, none of it is possible without all of these folks, and it's not lost on me how blessed I've been to have the help. With their help, we not only made it through the season - we picked up right where we left off in 2022 - even exceeding our 2022 stats in some ways. We're back-to-back CHAMPS!
Early in the year, my dad moved out of the state, and if I wanted to race, it was time for me to do it alone. When the schedule was released, I realized that the number of races and their locations would have me traveling nearly 2000 miles more than I had done with my dad in 2022. In addition, funding was tight, and even though I still wanted to race a full-season, it was looking like I was only going to get about half way there on my own.
Fortunately, with my business and marketing degrees, as well as the constant work that I've put into my marketing decks, research, and communication skills over the past 7+ years- I was able to present my position to some amazing partners who came on board to support me. Additionally, I received help from numerous people - some I hadn't even met before the season, others I have known for years - even my closest competitors helped to keep me in the fight all year long. Many times I didn't even ask for the help, it just happened to be there when I needed it. As proud as I am of the accomplishments I have this year, none of it is possible without all of these folks, and it's not lost on me how blessed I've been to have the help. With their help, we not only made it through the season - we picked up right where we left off in 2022 - even exceeding our 2022 stats in some ways. We're back-to-back CHAMPS!
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I mentioned my marketing degrees and the work I've been putting in over the past 7 years... well, since I started racing and realized that I might not be all too bad at it, I decided that I wanted to chase the dream. For years, I've wanted nothing more than to be a professional stock car driver.
With Flat Rock Speedway being my best and favorite race track, and seeing the race on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series Schedule, I got to work in August 2022. I worked for months to find the funding, and things came together - the week of the race, May, 2023. It was too late to make anything happen for Flat Rock, but I still attended the race and got to know some of the team members. Andy proposed that we make something happen for Berlin - a track I had never raced before. I worked with multiple different partners and things fell into place - and one of my biggest dreams came true, and it still doesn't feel real to this day. We had some mechanical issues which knocked us out of the race early, but I was able to show that I could do it - and that I could do it well! We had great pace and were over a second faster than expected - even faster than all 3 other team cars in practice! The opportunity I received to race at Berlin opened doors for another opportunity to race at Iowa, and then to come help the team to run a few laps in Kansas. It was an incredible experience, and more than I ever expected. The work hasn't stopped, but there are no guarantees going forward.
Regardless, it's another incredible addition to my 2023 season... and I can't thank everyone enough who played a part!
With Flat Rock Speedway being my best and favorite race track, and seeing the race on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series Schedule, I got to work in August 2022. I worked for months to find the funding, and things came together - the week of the race, May, 2023. It was too late to make anything happen for Flat Rock, but I still attended the race and got to know some of the team members. Andy proposed that we make something happen for Berlin - a track I had never raced before. I worked with multiple different partners and things fell into place - and one of my biggest dreams came true, and it still doesn't feel real to this day. We had some mechanical issues which knocked us out of the race early, but I was able to show that I could do it - and that I could do it well! We had great pace and were over a second faster than expected - even faster than all 3 other team cars in practice! The opportunity I received to race at Berlin opened doors for another opportunity to race at Iowa, and then to come help the team to run a few laps in Kansas. It was an incredible experience, and more than I ever expected. The work hasn't stopped, but there are no guarantees going forward.
Regardless, it's another incredible addition to my 2023 season... and I can't thank everyone enough who played a part!
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2022
The 2022 Season was a record setting season! After setting 2 new track records, grabbing 7 feature wins, and ultimately ending with a 2.09 Average Finish - we finally won a championship!
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2021
The 2021 season saw the return of the 5 car. I was nearly able to double my lifetime feature win count this season alone. In 11 events, I was able to capture 5 fast-qualifier awards, 4 feature wins, and 2 heat wins. After a hard-fought championship battle, I ended up second in the final standings for the second year in a row.
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2020
Even though the majority of the season got cancelled, we were fortunate to get six races in for the 2020 season. Up to this point, I had never in my life set a fast time in qualifying. Though, leading up to the second race of 2020, I had qualified 2nd 7-times with MCR. We were running late to the track, so our good buddy Triston Francis took the car out for hot laps and discovered an issue. They were able to fix the issue by time I arrived just before qualifying, and I was able to pull off quick time in my first 2 laps on track that day!
Qualifying continued to be a story of the season, in race 5 of the season, I not only got my 3rd ever fast-qualifier award, but I set a NEW TRACK RECORD at South Bend Motor Speedway!
In 2020, I was able to capture a heat race win, 2 feature wins (both at South Bend), three fast qualifier awards, a TRACK RECORD, and a 2nd place championship result!
Qualifying continued to be a story of the season, in race 5 of the season, I not only got my 3rd ever fast-qualifier award, but I set a NEW TRACK RECORD at South Bend Motor Speedway!
In 2020, I was able to capture a heat race win, 2 feature wins (both at South Bend), three fast qualifier awards, a TRACK RECORD, and a 2nd place championship result!
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2019
The 2019 season was really the start of something great. I was fortunate to be able to drive the 1A car full-time as our car still wasn't back together (It was a big, big project). Our performance really started to come alive this season, as I started the season out with 6-straight top-4 finishes, three of which being second-place finishes. After a mechanical failure at Springport, and missing out on a gambler win earlier in the season, I was looking for redemption at South Bend - and I was finally able to get it. I picked up the heat race win and my first ever MCR feature win! With that win, I was able to finish out the season with just one finish outside the top-5 and bring home a 3rd place championship result.
2018
The 2018 season started with a bang. In just my second start in my own car, I had nowhere to go and had the biggest wreck I've ever gone through in a race car. Hitting the wall upside-down and head on simultaneously doesn't end too well for the chassis! Believe it or not, I consider this wreck to be the best thing that ever happened to me. With that, I was back in a rental car.
The following week, I was able to pick up a heat race win, which couldn't have come at a better time. The rest of the 2018 season saw multiple mechanical failures and tough days, but I was able to hang on to a 4th place championship result and Rookie of the Year!
The following week, I was able to pick up a heat race win, which couldn't have come at a better time. The rest of the 2018 season saw multiple mechanical failures and tough days, but I was able to hang on to a 4th place championship result and Rookie of the Year!
The HM Outlaw Chassis guys did an incredible job turning this back into a race-winning car. See: 2021!
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In 2018, I worked all summer long while attending college full-time and saved money to test a late model with Lee Faulk Racing. The test went extremely well but I lacked funding to continue further with the team.
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2017
After almost exactly a year removed from testing the dwarf car, I got a call from Eric Hoffman with an opportunity to come drive one of his rental cars. In my debut, I was able to bring home a podium result! Without this opportunity made possible by both Eric and Kyle, I don't know that I would have had any more opportunities in racing.
After the rush of getting to race a dwarf car, I knew I had to be a part of it. After much discussion between myself and my dad, we decided to buy a car. I started 3 more races in rental cars at different tracks throughout the rest of the season. I was able to pick up 2 heat race wins and finished 4th, 5th, and 3rd in the feature events. By the end of the season, we had our own car, and we were able to pull off a sixth place result at the same track I first ran a rental car at.
After the rush of getting to race a dwarf car, I knew I had to be a part of it. After much discussion between myself and my dad, we decided to buy a car. I started 3 more races in rental cars at different tracks throughout the rest of the season. I was able to pick up 2 heat race wins and finished 4th, 5th, and 3rd in the feature events. By the end of the season, we had our own car, and we were able to pull off a sixth place result at the same track I first ran a rental car at.
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2016
The 2016 racing season started in January at the Midwest Indoor Racing Series Cereal City Showdown. After finishing 2nd, 3rd, and 4th nearly every race for the past few seasons, I was able to make a late race pass to finally pick up a win! After the win, I only ran a handful of races before getting an opportunity to drive a dwarf car for my teammate Kyle Trinklein as he was looking at buying one. After the few laps I made, I was hooked. So, I posted the mini cup for sale and started looking into different racing divisions.
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2014-2015
We managed most of the races in 2014, and we were able to run almost a full-season in 2015, only missing the last race of the season due to unforeseen circumstances. That year was the first time I had led the championship standings, albeit without ever winning a points race with the series. Some unfortunate mechanical failures ultimately ended our bid for a championship in 2015, but we still ended up 3rd in the final standings!
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2013
The 2013 Season was my first full-time racing season, and also home to my first ever wins! I was fortunate to pick up 2 heat race wins and a feature win in my first handful of races!
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2012
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Got our first car in late 2011, painted and prepared for the 2012 season!
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First time driving anything with 4 wheels in 2011.
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