Kenyon Knight Looks to Repeat | 2023 DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock Champion
Kenyon Knight Looks to Repeat | 2023 DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock Champion
In the 47-year history of the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks division, only a select few have ever achieved championships in consecutive seasons. The first instance occurred in 1995 and 1996, when Dan Ford Jr. secured two titles at Flat Rock. He was succeeded by Rick Knowles, who also claimed two championships in 1997 and 1998. Since the beginning of the millennium, only three drivers have managed to clinch the top spot in the street stocks in consecutive seasons: Regan Ford (2004-2005), Dan Ford Jr. (2008-2010), and Greg Studt (2019-2021).
Can 20-year-old Kenyon Knight become the next driver to achieve this feat?
“I was at the race after I was born. I was born, and then the weekend after I was at the racetrack… It's just all I've ever known. I was born into it.”
Knight has spent a lifetime in the Flat Rock garage. A fourth-generation racer, his father, Ken, won the 2001 Street Stock championship at Flat Rock. Kenyon has been racing at Flat Rock in the Enduro (Factory Stock 500 Series) division since 2018 and transitioned to the Street Stocks in 2022. Following an impressive rookie season in 2022, where he earned the DTS Drive Train Specialists Rookie of the Year honors, he entered 2023 facing high expectations for his sophomore season in Street Stocks.
In a nutshell, Kenyon Knight is consistent. The young driver of the #19 car was one of the few drivers to secure a top-ten finish in every race he competed in during 2023, never finishing below ninth. He claimed just one checkered flag, his first-ever feature win at Flat Rock on Dunwell Dry Goods School Bus Figure 8 night in September.
Reflecting on his first win, Kenyon attributed his success to several factors.
“I was able to hold off Johnny . Johnny was fast. He was like lightning. And my car was not handling well, but I managed to keep him at bay. He could have nudged me out of the way, and I give him credit for not doing so because that would have been frustrating [laughs], but he and I have a lot of respect for each other. We're pretty good friends, and it was all about preventing him from getting to my inside because he was much faster than me, I'll admit. It felt great to finally secure that win and break the ice.”
Knight found success in the 50-lap endurance races for the street stock division in 2023, starting up front in both features before sliding down the order in both instances - finishing seventh in June and third in July.
Surprisingly, his favorite race of 2023 wasn’t a win but a comeback. “Even though I won that Bus night race, I still think the 100-lapper was my favorite because I just remember being in last place, thinking ‘what am I going to do?’ How am I going to get up there?”
Knight and Kyle Worley had an incident on lap 52 of the Corrigan Race Fuels 100, leaving Knight with 48 laps to salvage a night that seemed to be going awry in a crucial moment of the championship fight. “I saw the championship slipping away, Jeremy 's in third, and I'm like, oh, what am I going to do?”
Knight drove with confidence, maneuvering through the field to finish in the top five after a grueling evening. “I got lucky and ended up in fifth, finishing the race. That was my favorite moment. I was very happy. It felt almost like a win to come back from last place like that and finish fifth in such a big race. It's almost like a victory after struggling and then finally breaking through. That was my favorite moment.”
His efforts paid off at the end of the season, as he clinched his first DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stock championship. After celebrating at his grandparents' house, he fondly remembers the season-end banquet speech. “The best thing, I think, was the speech. I mean, honestly, the race win was great, but being able to deliver a good speech like that in front of many people I look up to, that was a memorable moment, and I believe I'll cherish it for a long time. Hopefully, I'll get to experience it again this year. Hopefully. But truly, that was probably my favorite part of the whole experience.”
In terms of his support system, Kenyon acknowledges many who have contributed to his success. “I mean, my dad, he's my guy, 100%. Anything I need, I can always rely on him. He's my go-to person. My mother - you know her [laughs]. My brother, he helps out there. He changes my tires, or at least tries to, and then I take over for him [laughs]. My girlfriend Caitlin, she's there. She also helps with tire changes and provides support. My entire family, the Cronenwetts, the Knights - they all come out and support me, and I can't thank them enough for being there. It's wonderful to have fans who are essentially my family, showing up every week, cheering me on regardless of the outcome.”
Knight understands better than anyone the competitiveness of the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks field, and he knows that a strong start this Saturday is crucial to setting up a potential back-to-back championship.
Consistency is key.
You can catch Kenyon Knight this weekend at Flat Rock Speedway for Opening Day on May 4th, along with the rest of the DTS Drive Train Specialists Street Stocks division. A competitive field is expected, along with three other divisions at Flat Rock Speedway: the brand new Factory Stock 500 Series, the Moran Chevrolet Outlaw Super Late Models, and the R&M Recycling Figure 8 division. Click below to learn more about Opening Day at Flat Rock Speedway!
