Kyle Keen Motorsports Tabs Mark Smith As Crew Chief & Mentor For 2025 Season
Story By: A2DPR / KYLE KEEN MOTORSPORTS – CARLISLE, PA – When the 2023 season opened, Kyle Keen’s plan was to race a mixed schedule of 358 and 410 sprint car races to provide himself with the opportunity to begin gaining experience at the higher level while keeping the team’s budget and resources viable.
It didn’t take long for circumstances to change his plans. By April he had revised the plan, and dove into the deep end of the pool, going 410 sprint car racing for the remainder of the season, ultimately making 24 starts in the division.
There was no shortage of learning each night he hit the track but on the highly competitive Central Pennsylvania sprint car circuit a long learning curve can be an expensive proposition for a team.
With that in mind, as Keen prepares to enter his sophomore season in the top winged sprint car class, he has made a move to help himself and his team accelerate the learning curve.
ENTER EXPERIENCE
Mark Smith, a long-time successful sprint car driver with roughly 200 career wins to his credit, has joined Kyle Keen Motorsports (KKM) as crew chief for the 2025 season.
In addition to his crew chief duties, Smith will serve as a top-notch mentor for Keen who has only been behind the wheel for a few years, beginning in 305 sprint cars in 2019. The Carlisle, PA native made the move to 358 sprint cars in 2022, then 410 sprint cars in 2024.
“Mark has a ton of experience behind the wheel, setting up these cars, fabrications, shocks, maintenance and so much more. He knows every aspect of these cars. That knowledge will benefit me behind the wheel and the entire team with understanding these cars.”, Keen said.
“Having Mark will allow me to focus on driving and improving myself behind the wheel. He will make our cars better and he will certainly make me better with his advice on making decisions behind the wheel and my approach to situations I face.”
Smith’s career has spanned many years from his beginnings in go-karts, then Super Sportsman and eventually 360 and 410 sprint cars. He has competed with nearly every high-profile organization, including the World of Outlaws (WoO), United Sprint Car Series (USCS), All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC), United Racing Club (URC), and more.
Smith hasn’t given up strapping into the cockpit himself. He will still compete behind the wheel in 2025 but will set his driving schedule around his new role with KKM.
GOOD FIT
“Mark is a great fit personality wise for our team. We have a relationship that goes back over 20 years to when he drove for my dad with Barry Jackson as crew chief.”, Keen said.
In addition, Keen drove Smith’s Mach 1 Chassis’ when he started in 305 sprint cars. Smith is the owner of Mach 1 Chassis and frequently competes in 360 and 410 sprint car competition with great success in his own brand.
Keen had a goal of adding experience to the team this offseason for a number of reasons on and off the track. Along with the aforementioned racing benefits of adding Smith, Keen and his wife are expecting their first child in the coming months, plus his day job keeps him hustling.
Fans can look for Keen and the Fine Line Auto Body, Hess Bid / Hess Auctioneers, Keen Parts / CorvetteParts.net, Shetron Trailers, Heishman Racing Fuels, DL Lehman Construction, Fuel Ox No.17k to campaign regularly at Port Royal Speedway in 2025, as well as the majority of the BAPS Motor Speedway shows. The team will look to add other events to their schedule as the season unfolds.
