MADERA, CALIFORNIA (September 1, 2023) – A mother and daughter-owned ARCA Menards Series West team will hit the track in 2024, as Francesca and Harley Kennealy have announced the formation of KKM Driver Development. The team will be anchored by two drivers: 18-year-old 2023 series rookie Kyle Keller of Las Vegas, Nev. and 17-year-old Robbie Kennealy of Madera, Calif.
The teenagers will be involved in the day-to-day management of the team’s race cars while Robbie’s mother Francesca and Robbie’s fraternal twin sister Harley handle the business development for the new program.
KKM Driver Development intends to field as many as four cars in the 2024 ARCA Menards Series West with full-time efforts for Keller and Kennealy along with up to two seats available for drivers looking to break into the series with a grassroots team with a tremendous pedigree of success on the West Coast.
Kennealy and Keller came together as teammates in the Madera Speedway 51FIFTY Jr. Late Model Series and Lunkerdaddy Pro Late Model Series. Kennealy tied for the 2022 Jr. championship while Keller won back-to-back $10,000-to-win Short Track Shootouts and the 2022 Pro Late Model championship.
That experience has translated to instant success for the duo at the ARCA Menards Series West level. Keller opened his 2023 full-time campaign with a fifth-place finish at Phoenix Raceway and has since scored three additional top-tens in the No. 70 Ford.
Robbie Kennealy debuted in July at Irwindale Speedway, driving the No. 1 Ford to an outstanding fifth-place finish.
The combined team will have decades of experience both on and off the track to support the drivers in the program. The team currently fields half a dozen drivers at Madera Speedway and aims for driving talent who will be interested in climbing the full ladder of motorsports development, from Bandoleros to Late Models to ARCA to a burgeoning opportunity in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
The path from Madera Speedway through ARCA and into the national series has been proven by the likes of Jesse Love, Hailie Deegan, Sean Hingorani, Toni Breidinger, and Ryan Vargas in just the last eight years alone.
Crew chiefs will include Brian Kizer and John Keller with additional experienced crew members being recruited for the new program. Andrew Tuttle of Last Chance Racing was instrumental in the launch of the program as well. The team will be based in Las Vegas initially before relocating to Madera.
Four races remain on the 2023 ARCA Menards Series West season with the next round on September 30 at All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif. October 13 will see the series return to Las Vegas Bullring at Keller’s home race track. Madera Speedway welcomes back the ARCA Menards Series West on October 21 for the first time since 2009. The season finale is part of NASCAR Championship Weekend at Phoenix on November 3.
ARCA Menards Series West races are televised live on www.FloRacing.com and delayed on CNBC.
For driver development and sponsorship inquiries, please contact Francesca Kennealy at (925) 437-8425.