“My dad (Hampshire) went with us off and on when Creed started out, but for quite a few years it was just me and my son on the road to Indiana every week,” Tracy Kemenah recalled. “We’ve won races together as the mom-and-son duo and that stuff means so much to me.
“Not to mention the great road talks along the way. He always had me laughing with his racing strategy conversations.”
In 2022, the family decided it was time for Creed Kemenah to get behind the wheel of a 305 sprint car, racing mainly at Attica Raceway Park and Fremont Speedway. He was rookie of the year at Attica.
As a side note, Mackenzie Kemenah was the Fremont Speedway Queen last season.
“We felt it was better to develop good habits of a sprint car earlier rather than later. It also made the most sense logistically with a bunch of tracks being closer to home,” Creed Kemenah explained about his career path.
Toward the end of last season, the youngster ran a few 410 sprint car races and is competing in that division this season.
“I wanted to get to a 410 sprint ASAP to, hopefully, get a head start and make a name for myself,” he said.
In a handful of races this year, he has shown progress in adapting to the speed difference between the 305 sprints to the 410s. He made his first feature with the All Stars at Attica in April and scored a seventh-place finish in a weekly show at Fremont.
“For me, the learning curve hasn’t been horrible. The biggest thing is getting away from the style of momentum racing from the 305s and run the car more aggressively in the 410s,” Creed Kemenah explained
His parents knew racing was the passion Creed would pursue.
“Creed racing loads up a lot of emotions for me,” said his mom. “Yes, I was — and sometimes still am —hesitant about him racing. I’ve been a lot of things in racing up to this point as a car owner’s daughter, driver’s wife and car owner myself. Then, I became the mom of a racer and that just hits different on so many levels.
“As much as I’d like to tell him to do something different, I can’t help but see the huge amount of love and passion he has for racing. So I just keep telling myself everything will be fine,” she continued. “If I’m completely honest, I wouldn’t trade all the memories I already have with my son’s racing.”
“I can’t say I was ever hesitant about him racing because I wouldn’t trade my racing career for anything,” noted Chad Kemenah. “I think it really gives him something to focus on and keeps him out of trouble. The thing I like the most about him driving is seeing him figure things out on the track and watching his expressions when he pulls in after the race.”
In his rookie season of 410 sprint car racing, Creed Kemenah has two main goals — “to grow as a driver/mechanic combo and with my dad, build up the organization in our team, and to win my first sprint car race.”
As for the future, Creed Kemenah points to his dad’s induction into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.
“My end goal in racing is to become a multi-time World of Outlaws champion and reach the pinnacle of success in sprint car racing, being inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame,” he said. “I know it’s cliché, but I really want to be one of, if not the best to ever to do this. If you don’t want that, then I don’t see a point in having a full-time racing career or making a life out of it.”
As Chad Kemenah’s driving career winds down and son Creed’s career ramps up, Chad Kemenah is thankful for all the people who guided him along the way.
“So many people gave me so much,” he said. “I couldn’t have done any of this without people like my parents, my wife, the Burmeister and Steinbrick families, John Bores, Jim Harble, John Kantor, Bob Hampshire, the Garvins and Hunters, A.J. Havens, Adam Brough, Jimmy Havens, Brian Kemenah, Kevin Meyer — and so many more.
“That’s the one thing I know Creed will understand and appreciate for his entire life, the lifelong friendships you develop in racing.”
This story appeared in the June 14, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
