As we approach the conclusion of the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West season, the landscape for next season, as far as drivers and organizations set to compete in the series, is becoming more and more clear.
On Friday, Kennealy Keller Motorsports announced the formation of a brand-new development team in the ARCA Menards Series West owned by Francesca and Harley Kennealy, which will begin fielding entries in 2024.
The organization is scheduled to field entries for at least two full-time drivers in 2024, those being perennial ARCA West contender Kyle Keller, and Robbie Kennealy, who made his series debut earlier this year at Irwindale, scoring a top-five result.
According to a team release, both Keller and Kennealy will be running the day-to-day operations of the organization’s shop, while Kennealy’s mother Francesca and his fraternal twin sister Harley will be handling the team’s business operations.
Kennealy Keller Motorsports (KKM) plans to field up to four entries throughout the 2024 ARCA West season, with the team’s third and fourth entries said to be “available for drivers looking to break into the series with a grassroots team with a tremendous pedigree of success on the West Coast.”
Both Keller and Kennealy have a strong resume of racing on the West Coast, with both drivers being teammates in the Madera Speedway 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series and Lunkerdaddy Pro Late Model Series. Keller won back-to-back $10,000-to-win Short Track Shootouts and the 2022 Pro Late Model championship.
The current team fields a half-dozen drivers at Madera Speedway and aims for driving talent who would be interested in climbing the full ladder of motorsports development, including Bandoleros, Late Models, ARCA, and hopefully the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in the future.
Brian Kizer and John Keller will be leading the organization’s two full-time entries in 2024, with additional experienced crew members currently being recruited for the organization’s program.
There are currently four races remaining in the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West season, with the series’ next event at All American Speedway on September 30th. Keller, who drives the No. 70 on a full-time basis, currently sits eighth-place in series standings.
