LOWELL, Ind. — Drag racing legend Kenny Hirata died April 13. He was 98.
Hirata was a Sergeant in the Army and a Korean War Veteran. He and his wife Chiyo moved to Lowell from Ohio in 1956, and a year later opened Lowell Body Shop. He retired from operating the business in 1990, took up golf and continued to work daily.
Kenny had a love for going fast. He was a member of the National Hot Rod Association, and began drag racing on the streets in Ohio before entering into sanctioned drag racing. He won both the 1963 and ’65 U.S. Nationals and the 1966 Bakersfield Fuel and Gas Championship. He was well known as an accomplished engine builder and tuner.
Hirata stepped away from drag racing in the early 1970s, only to return in 1997 with his son David behind the wheel. He again experienced great success over the next two decades, tuning the Hirata Motorsports A/Fuel dragster to several National and Regional event wins, as well as two Region Championships. He was the recipient of the 1973 NHRA North Central Division 3 Old Timers Club Award, NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award, and was inducted into both the North Central Division 3 Hall of Fame and the Don Garlits International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
Hirata was also involved in local stock car racing, building engines for a number of frontrunners including Earl J. Hubert – a winner at both Chicagoland’s Santa Fe Speedway and at the Kankakee Fairgrounds Speedway.
Hirata was a member of the Lowell Moose Lodge and a Lifetime member of Lowell’s VFW and American Legion.
Hirata is survived by his wife of 75 years, Chiyo; children, Mimi (Dave Meyers) of CA, JoAnn (Gary Dolick) of Indianapolis, and David (Molly Tucker) of Lowell. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ataye and Fusa; sisters, Yoshiko Inouye and Mineko Hirata.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 2 from 2-6 at Sheets Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Lowell.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial Contributions may be given to the Lowell American Legion, Post 101.
