MAX COOKSON WINS 2023 KULWICKI CUP CHAMPIONSHIP

Maine’s 20-Year-Old Racing Phenom Becomes First KDDP Titlist From New England

CONCORD, N.C. (November 28, 2023) – Max Cookson, a promising young multitalented racer from Palmyra, Maine, has won the 2023 Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) Kulwicki Cup Championship. The dynamic 20-year-old Super Late Model driver led the program’s point standings all season long and becomes the first KDDP titlist hailing from the Northeast.

“Max enjoyed a spectacular history-making season in 2023 while representing Alan and our program,” said KDDP Executive Director Tom Roberts. “He turned heads for all the right reasons during the entire seven months of chasing the Kulwicki Cup and our voting panel certainly rewarded him for his efforts.”

Perhaps this commentary from one of the seven balloters best exemplified the panel’s overall view:

“What an incredible year that Max had in one of the toughest racing areas in the country,” the voter noted. “Oxford Plains Champ, PASS North Champ, PASS National Champ…can’t say enough about this 20-year-old kid. He did it all and was so active with his community and charity work. He used social media to document his season and presented it so well. He exemplifies what the KDDP is all about. There are big things ahead for Max and he will represent Alan and the KDDP very well.”

Cookson put his name in the racing chronicles forever by being the first competitor ever to capture the three points titles, while scoring five wins and 15 top-five finishes in 31 races during the KDDP competition. With the “handicap system” in his races which saw race winners having to start from the rear in regular 30-car starting fields, Cookson passed more than 250 cars while carrying the Kulwicki colors.

“During our Zoom call presentations by the drivers, Max produced an impressive graphic which illustrated how competitive his races were along with the ‘cars passed’ figures,” Roberts said. “That made a huge impact on our voters and reinforced his other striking statistics.

“The community service work that Max did was extraordinary and very touching, especially his season-long work with the Maine Autism Society,” added Roberts. “He was so effective in supporting and reinforcing all of his off-track activities with excellent social media skills.”

Cookson finished the 2023 Kulwicki Cup points battle atop the standings with 1,137 points. Spokane, Washington’s rising racing star Haeden Plybon finished as the runner-up with 843 points. Franklin, Tennessee’s Jackson Boone was third (728 points) and was followed by Stoughton, Wisconsin’s Riley Stenjem (633 points); Coopersville, Michigan’s Evan Shotko (621 points); Elon, North Carolina’s Jacob Borst (521 points); and Merrill, Wisconsin’s Levon Van Der Geest (282 points).

After the third evaluation of the drivers, here are the final 2023 KDDP Kulwicki Cup point standings:

“While Max accumulated the second-most total points in program history, his 77 bonus points tally (given by voters for ‘exceptional contributions’ to the program) was the most ever and would equate to an additional first-place judging vote,” Roberts noted. “That was a true statement for how powerful Max’s season appeared to our voters.

“We had a program history-making squad this year in that for the first time ever all seven drivers were race winners,” Roberts offered. “During the seven months of competition, they combined to score an eye-catching 27 victories, 86 top-five finishes and 95 top-10s.

At the conclusion of the seven-month Kulwicki Cup competition on November 15, here’s how the on-track competition points looked (points/wins/top-5s/top-10s/number of races & breakdown based on their top 15 races):

* * *

 2023 KDDP On-Track Competition Points

Total Points, Wins, Top-5s, Top-10s & Total Races

(FINAL – TOP 15 RACES FROM 4/15/23 THROUGH 11/15/23)

1.         Haeden Plybon – 114 points 6 wins, 18 top-5s, 19 top-10s 22 races

2.         Max Cookson – 110 points 5 wins, 17 top-5s, 26 top-10s 31 races

3.         Jackson Boone – 106 points 6 wins, 12 top-5s, 14 top-10s 17 races

4.         Riley Stenjem – 98 points 2 wins, 16 top-5s, 20 top-10s 29 races

5.         Jacob Borst – 94 points 1 win, 16 top-5s, 19 top-10s 22 races

6.         Evan Shotko – 86 points 6 wins, 9 top-5s, 10 top-10s 14 races

7.         Levon Van Der Geest -- 63 points 1 win, 5 top-5s, 11 top-10s 20 races

* * *

“This was the most talented and competitive team of drivers in our program’s history and the statistics certainly back that assessment up,” Roberts said. “With all the drivers participating in the Zoom call presentations to our board members, it was quite fascinating and so heartwarming to witness the camaraderie that grew within this group throughout the season.

“For the first time ever, we had Kulwicki Cup finalists who united in working together on special fund-raising projects,” noted Roberts. “There were some ground-breaking and innovative efforts from this team of drivers that we think will lead to more thinking outside the box by our future classes.

“Our 2023 KDDP team members are all looking forward to attending our banquet in Charlotte next month and getting to know each other even better,” Roberts said. “We’ll have two days of fun and excitement scheduled for them, with kart racing, a NASCAR Cup shop tour, a special function hosted by the W.S. Lee College of Engineering at UNC Charlotte and a visit to the Ford Performance Technical Center all on the itinerary.”

Cookson and the six other drivers representing the 2023 KDDP Class will be recognized during the organization’s annual awards banquet set for Thursday, December 14, in The Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway. On what would have been Alan Kulwicki’s 69th birthday, Cookson will be presented the coveted Kulwicki Cup Trophy and the champion’s check for $54,439. The evening will also feature a special “roundtable” discussion by members of the 1992 AK Racing/Hooters Championship Team and legendary racer Geoff Bodine, who acquired the team after Kulwicki’s untimely passing. RacingAmerica.TV will offer a live broadcast of the event.

The KDDP urges you to keep up with all of its news and activities by regularly visiting RacingAmerica.com, the organization’s official media partner.

# # #

MAX COOKSON BROADENS LEAD IN BATTLE FOR 2023 KULWICKI CUP

Maine’s 20-Year-Old Rising Racing Star Tops Point Standings With Six Weeks Remaining

CONCORD, N.C. (October 24, 2023) – Heading into the final six weeks of competition in the battle for the 2023 Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) Kulwicki Cup Championship, Max Cookson, a 20-year-old rising racing star from Palmyra, Maine, continues to lead the point standings. Cookson, who claimed the 2023 Oxford Plains Speedway Super Late Model track championship last month, broadened his lead since the first standings report in late July.

Through the most recent judging period which ended on September 30, Cookson leads 19-year-old Spokane, Washington, driver Haeden Plybon by 330 points (1,112 points for Cookson to Plybon’s 782). The competition for top finishing spots has heated up considerably over the last two months, with Franklin, Tennessee’s Jackson Boone climbing to third in the standings with 645 points. He’s followed closely by Riley Stenjem (Utica, Wisconsin) with 639 points. Jacob Borst (Elon, North Carolina) is fifth with 599 points, followed by Evan Shotko (Coopersville, Michigan) with 574 and Levon Van Der Geest (Merrill, Wisconsin) with 328.

“While Max was able to extend his lead in in the standings, it truly is a situation of it never being over till it’s over,” said KDDP Executive Director Tom Roberts. “With our unique points system, the battle for the Kulwicki Cup Championship remains intense down to the wire because our final balloting carries so much significance. The first two voting results are averaged, with the final vote added. It’s certainly a case for emphasizing the importance for all the drivers to keep the competitive fire burning till the very end.

“Max continued to have an amazing season during our second judging period that went through September 30,” said Roberts. “He added two more wins to his total for the year and wrapped up the Oxford Plains Speedway Super Late Model track championship. Max maintained a high level of community service activities and reinforced them well with his social media support. He garnered tremendous exposure and earned immeasurable respect within the racing industry when short-track legend Bubba Pollard drove Max’s backup car in the Oxford 250 on August 27.

“Haeden currently has a 137-point advantage over Jackson in third, but only 71 points separate third from sixth,” Roberts said. “Our 2023 team of drivers is composed of the most competitive young racers out there. They all will stay after it, focusing on finishing as high up in the standings as possible.

“While Alan’s 2023 squad has been one of the most competitive groups ever for our program, they have also exhibited such a great level of camaraderie. The Zoom meetings we’ve had with our board members and all the drivers have not only been useful as for our voting process, they’ve also worked to help solidify a special bond between the drivers. They are all looking forward to spending time with each other at our Charlotte awards banquet in December.”

After the recent evaluation of the drivers, here’s how the point standings look heading into the final six weeks of the 2023 competition (through September 30, 2023):

* * *

“Over the 10 weeks since our last points update, five of our seven drivers have added wins with our team accounting for nine additional victories,” said Roberts. “The group competed in 53 additional races and the stats for our 2023 team boasts a total of 26 wins, 83 top-five finishes and 90 top-10s.”

As of this period’s cutoff date (September 30), the number of races that each driver competed in varied from only 11 events up to 27. The current 2023 KDDP competition (on-track) points look like this (points/wins/top-5s/top-10s/number of races & breakdown):

* * *

2023 KDDP On-Track Competition Points

Total Points, Wins, Top-5s, Top-10s & Breakdown

(Through 9/30/23)

20230930 Image

* * *

Here are “competition briefs” for each driver through the September 30 cutoff point:

MAX COOKSON: If the racing world was ranked by passing points, Maine's Max Cookson would be #1 by a long shot, having passed nearly 250 cars in 2023. Due to the handicap that race winners face at his home track, Oxford Plains Speedway, Cookson started deep in the field on numerous occasions. He picked up the track championship at Oxford Plains in September and was leading in both the Pro All Stars Series (PASS) National and North points heading into the season finale.

HAEDEN PLYBON: Continued his winning ways in the second half of the season, scoring a victory in the prestigious Idaho 208 at Meridian Speedway in August. He picked up the Northwest Super Late Model Series championship, clinching in the last race despite a season worst 17th-place finish. Before that, he scored four wins in the series and never finished worse than sixth. 

JACKSON BOONE: Has proven himself to be one to beat in both Super and Pro Late Model competition throughout the Southeast. Currently the points leader at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway with four wins, Boone also owns two wins in the Allen Turner Pro Late Model Series at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola. He found consistency late in the year, scoring seven top-three finishes in both Pros and Supers between July 1 and September 30. 

RILEY STENJEM: Showed speed all season long, running an Alan Kulwicki look-alike #28 in Pro Late Model competition around the state, and his #77 Super on the ASA Midwest Tour. In Super competition, Stenjem made his presence felt, earning consecutive runner-up finishes at Hawkeye Downs and Madison and a fourth at Norway. He ran well at the Wisconsin State Championships at Jefferson, scoring a second PLM feature for the season.

JACOB BORST: Posted a remarkable 16 top-five finishes in 21 races during his 2023 season. Borst scored a win at South Boston Speedway in mid-July, and picked up three additional top-fives before the end of the season. Borst showed great speed all season long, but suffered some mechanical issues once the calendar turned to August, cutting his South Boston season short.

EVAN SHOTKO: The two-time KDDP finalist cut back on his racing schedule in 2023, but the wins still kept coming in bunches. He scored his second consecutive Motor Mountain Masters 150 at Jennerstown Speedway in August and closed out the Berlin Raceway season sweeping the final two 75-lap features of the year.

LEVON VAN DER GEEST: The UW-Milwaukee engineering student was fast all season but faced multiple mechanical issues while running near the front. Late-season highlights included a strong runner-up finish to Steve Apel in the Alan Kulwicki Memorial at Slinger Speedway and podium finishes in ASA Midwest Tour competition at Wausau and Hawkeye Downs. 

* * *

The KDDP points system is based on a combination of judging input from members of the advisory board and the drivers’ on-track performance. Voters are asked to rank the drivers from first to seventh in their job of representing the organization and points (from 70 for first to 10 for seventh) are awarded for those rankings. Each voter is given 10 discretionary “bonus” points to award the drivers for “exceptional contributions” to the program.  Community engagement, program representation and social media activities account for much of those points. The remainder of the points come from actual racing statistics (based on each driver’s best 15 race finishes). Race wins award 10 points, with 2nd-5th-place finishes getting 6 points, 6th-10th 4 points, 11th-15th 2 points and 15th-plus 1 point.

During the annual competition, two regular season rounds of judging points are averaged (however, bonus points continue to accrue) and added to a final round of voters’ judging points. The overall competition points (maximum 150 points for 15 wins) are applied and the driver with the largest points total will be the Kulwicki Cup Champion.

The 2023 season marked the eighth fully-functioning year for the KDDP, which was established in 2014 by the Kulwicki estate for the purpose of helping worthy drivers toward reaching their dreams while at the same time keeping Alan’s memory and legacy alive.

The seven drivers of the 2023 KDDP class each received a one-time stipend of $7,777 to cover operational expenses. The organization also provided the drivers assistance in important aspects such as publicity, marketing, sponsorship development and industry networking during the season as they competed for the annual grand prize “Kulwicki Cup.”  

When the KDDP voting board members reconvene next month, they will cast their final votes which will award one of the 2023 finalists a check for $54,439 (7 X $7,777) and the unique and prestigious Kulwicki Cup champion’s trophy that goes with it. The winner will join the illustrious list of KDDP champions which includes Ty Majeski (inaugural 2015 season), Alex Prunty (2016), Cody Haskins (2017), Brett Yackey (2018), Jeremy Doss (2019), Luke Fenhaus (2021) and Dylan Zampa (2022). There was no 2020 program due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

* * *

The KDDP has a proven track record, assisting a total of 38 different promising young drivers (representing 17 states & two Canadian provinces) entering the 2023 season. The Kulwicki estate has provided $762,146 in combined stipend and championship award funding in addition to all of the immeasurable off-track support provided by the organization. Through 2022 (seven seasons), those 38 KDDP drivers have competed in a total of 1,105 races; recording 178 wins, 554 top-five finishes and 797 top-10 finishes.

“While our organization is currently financially solid, our funding is depleting and we are launching a full-scale effort to unite with a major presenting marketing partner for the future,” Roberts said. “We’re confident that with the foundation we’ve laid over the years, our program can be an extremely effective marketing tool for a corporate partner to utilize.”

* * *

The 2023 KDDP “Kulwicki Cup Champion” is expected to be announced on Tuesday, November 21, exclusively on RacingAmerica.com. The champion and all the other competitors will be honored at the organization’s annual awards banquet, scheduled for Thursday, December 14, in The Speedway Club at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The celebration will occur on what would have been Alan Kulwicki’s 69th birthday and will feature a live RacingAmerica.TV broadcast.

The KDDP urges you to keep up with all of its news and activities by regularly visiting RacingAmerica.com, the organization’s official media partner.

# # #

MAX COOKSON IS EARLY LEADER IN BATTLE FOR 2023 KULWICKI CUP

Maine’s 20-Year-Old Rising Racing Star

Tops Point Standings Through First Three Months

CONCORD, N.C. (August 1, 2023) – Max Cookson, a 20-year-old rising racing star from Palmyra, Maine, has taken the early lead in the 2023 Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) “Kulwicki Cup” point standings. With four months remaining to determine this year’s champion, Cookson leads 19-year-old Spokane, Washington, hotshot Haeden Plybon by 154 points (577 for Cookson to Plybon’s 423). Jacob Borst, a promising 19-year-old racer from Elon, North Carolina, is a close third, trailing Plybon by only seven points. Riley Stenjem (Utica, Wisconsin) is fourth with 374 points; Evan Shotko (Coopersville, Michigan) is fifth with 265 points; Jackson Boone (Franklin, Tennessee) is sixth with 260 points; and Levon Van Der Geest (Merrill, Wisconsin) is seventh with 171 points.

“Simply put, after the first three months in the battle for the 2023 Kulwicki Cup, it was Max Cookson who checked all the boxes the best of our seven finalists,” said KDDP Executive Director Tom Roberts. “Not only has he been ultracompetitive on the race track, Max has done an outstanding job with his community service aspect of the competition. He’s reinforced everything this season with excellent social media skills.

“We were able to introduce video conferencing into our judging and voting process this season and it certainly added an important new dynamic for everyone. All seven finalists participated and reviewed presentations of their seasons so far with our voting panel. The drivers were even allowed to ask each other questions. We all felt that not only was the Zoom meeting beneficial with our balloting, it also worked to enhance the overall sense of comradery between all involved.”

After the evaluation of the drivers, dialogue between members of the panel and the voting process concluded, here’s how the point standings look of the end of the first reporting period (from April 15 through July 15):

            1st      -           Max Cookson                  -           577

            2nd     -           Haeden Plybon               -           423

            3rd      -           Jacob Borst                     -           416

            4th      -           Riley Stenjem                  -           374

            5th      -           Evan Shotko                    -           265

            6th      -           Jackson Boone              -           260

            7th      -           Levon Van Der Geest    -           171

* * *

“During the first 14 weeks of the 2022 KDDP competition, five of our drivers had scored victories and there were 11 total wins. For the first time in the program’s eight-season history, all seven 2023 finalists have posted wins at this point and there have been a total of 17 victory lane visits.

“While the weather has impacted this year’s edition of our program with rainouts hitting every driver, we’ve still seen the most completed races since 2019,” offered Roberts. “During our first three months of the 2023 season, our drivers have recorded 80 finishes. We realize that some have benefitted from ‘twin feature nights,’ but it’s still impressive when you compare that number to only 42 events at this point during the 2022 season and 65 in 2021.”

As of this period’s cutoff date (July 15), the number of races that each driver competed in varied from only six events up to 17. The current 2023 KDDP competition (on-track) points look like this: (points/wins/top-5s/top-10s/Total Races)

* * *

2023 KDDP COMPETITION POINTS

(Current through July 15, 2023)

(Position, Driver, Points, Wins, Top-5s, Top-10s & Total Races)

1          Max Cookson                       92        3          11        14        15

2          Jacob Borst                           92        1          14        15        17

3          Haeden Plybon                     90        5          11        12        12

4          Riley Stenjem                       74        1          9         11        13

5          Jackson Boone                     43        3          4         5         7

6          Evan Shotko                         39        3          4         4         6

7          Levon Van Der Geest          36        1          2         5         10

* * *

“While Max is out front in the early going, I wouldn’t count anyone out just yet, especially considering how competitive all of these drivers are,” said Roberts. “You also have to consider that three times we’ve had drivers at the bottom of our initial standings bounce back to be podium contenders at the end of our seven months of competition.

“With our unique points system awarding the competitors for both on-track and off-track activities, it will certainly be interesting and intriguing to follow all seven of these promising young racers and cheer them on the remainder of the season.

“We’re so proud of all of these outstanding young racers,” Roberts said. “They come from diverse backgrounds and represent several divisions of short track racing all across the country. The big qualities they all share are grit and determination. It’s apparent to all of our voting panel members that they thoroughly understand what our program is about. They want to represent Alan to the best of their abilities, both on and off the track.”

* * *

Here are “competition briefs” for each driver at the July 15 cutoff point:

MAX COOKSON: Maine’s Max Cookson has found success at both the local and touring level, picking up wins at his home track of Oxford Plains Speedway and with the Pro All Stars Series (PASS). Cookson has three wins during the first scoring period and, because of his success at Oxford Plains, has passed a sizable number of cars this season due to the track’s “handicap” system of determining each week’s starting lineup.

Cole Butcher, two-time program finalist and lone recipient of the prestigious “KDDP Wheelman Award,” has been impressed with what he has seen this season from Cookson. “What Max is doing is quite amazing,” Butcher offered. “Not only is he leading in the track points at Oxford Plains, he’s also the leader in PASS National and PASS North points. That’s incredible. I hear that he’s going after all three championships. As tough as the competition is and with him never being able to start races up front, it would be remarkable if he can pull it off.”

HAEDEN PLYBON: Finishing no worse than sixth this season, Washington’s Haeden Plybon is building upon a great 2022 with an even better 2023. Scoring five victories in both Pro and Super Late Model competition, the two-time Kulwicki finalist currently leads the Northwest Super Late Model Series point standings. He picked up the win at the prestigious Leonard Evans Memorial at the Wenatchee Valley Super Oval in April.

JACOB BORST: Consistency has been the name of the game for Virginia’s Jacob Borst this season. During the first scoring period for the Kulwicki program, Borst scored an incredible fourteen top-five finishes, and only two outside of the top-10. The lone Late Model Stock Car campaigner of this KDDP class picked up his first victory of the year at South Boston Speedway on July 15.

RILEY STENJEM: Last season as a Kulwicki program finalist, Wisconsin’s Riley Stenjem fought as many battles against mechanical gremlins as he did against his competition on the track. However, in 2023 Stenjem has been one of the most consistent Pro Late Model runners in Southern Wisconsin and has scored multiple top-fives on the ultra-competitive Midwest Tour Super Late Model series. Stenjem picked up his first win of the season at Madison in June. 

EVAN SHOTKO: The 2022 Kulwicki program runner-up, Michigan’s Evan Shotko has spent much of the summer establishing his driver development and technical support program to expand his family-owned operation. When he has been on the track, he continues to pile up the victories, scoring three dominating wins at Berlin Raceway, his home track.

JACKSON BOONE: Two-time KDDP finalist Tennessean Jackson Boone continues to be the driver to beat at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, his home track. In his last five races at the legendary oval, Boone has three wins and a second-place finish. He was leading the Southern Super Series race there with less than 10 laps to go when he suffered a parts failure. He continues to chase -- and get ever closer to -- his first Super Late Model victory.

LEVON VAN DER GEEST: A UW-Milwaukee engineering student, Levon Van Der Geest scored his first Super Late Model win of the season at Golden Sands Speedway back in June. Against the best short track drivers in the nation, Levon finished fifth at the ASA STARS National Tour season-opener at Madison in May. He ran in the top five all night at the Slinger Nationals before fading to ninth with a flat tire late in the going. With his consistency, Levon remains in the hunt for the 2023 Midwest Tour championship.

* * *

The KDDP points system is based on a combination of judging input from members of the advisory board and the drivers’ on-track performance.  Voters are asked to rank the drivers from first to seventh in their job of representing the organization and points (from 70 for first to 10 for seventh) are awarded for those rankings.  Each voter is given 10 discretionary “bonus” points to award the drivers for “exceptional contributions” to the program.  Community engagement, program representation and social media activities account for much of those points. The remainder of the points come from actual racing statistics (based on each driver’s best 15 race finishes. Race wins award 10 points, with 2nd-5th-place finishes getting 6 points, 6th-10th 4 points, 11th-15th 2 points and 15th-plus 1 point.

During the annual competition, two regular season rounds of judging points are averaged (however, bonus points continue to accrue) and added to a final round of voters’ judging points. The overall competition points (maximum 150 points for 15 wins) are applied and the driver with the largest points total will be the Kulwicki Cup Champion.

The next points update for this year’s edition of the KDDP is scheduled for the first week of October.

The 2023 season will mark the eighth fully-functioning year for the KDDP, which was established in 2014 by the Kulwicki estate for the purpose of helping worthy drivers toward reaching their dreams while at the same time keeping Alan’s memory and legacy alive.

The seven drivers of the 2023 KDDP class will each receive a one-time stipend of $7,777 to cover operational expenses. The organization will provide the drivers assistance in important aspects such as publicity, marketing, sponsorship development and industry networking during the season as they compete for the grand prize “Kulwicki Cup.” That award winner will pick up an additional check worth seven times the initial prize ($7,777 x 7 = $54,439) and a special unique trophy.

This year’s Kulwicki Cup competition will go from April 15 through November 15. The contest’s points system is based on a combination of judging input from members of the advisory board and the drivers’ on-track performance. Drivers are given points for both their success in chasing checkered flags and for community engagement, program representation and social media activities.

The KDDP has a proven track record, assisting a total of 38 different promising young drivers (representing 17 states & two Canadian provinces) entering the 2023 season. The Kulwicki estate has provided $762,146 in combined stipend and championship award funding in addition to all of the immeasurable off-track support provided by the organization. Through 2022 (seven seasons), those 38 KDDP drivers have competed in a total of 1,105 races; recording 178 wins, 554 top-five finishes and 797 top-10 finishes.

“While our organization is currently financially solid, our funding is depleting and we are launching a full-scale effort to unite with a major presenting marketing partner for the future,” Roberts said. “We’re confident that with the foundation we’ve laid over the years, our program can be an extremely effective marketing tool for a corporate partner to utilize.”

The 2023 KDDP Kulwicki Cup Champion will join the distinguished group of former titlists that includes Ty Majeski (2015), Alex Prunty (2016), Cody Haskins (2017), Brett Yackey (2018), Jeremy Doss (2019), Luke Fenhaus (2021) and Dylan Zampa (2022).

The KDDP urges you to keep up with all of its news and activities by regularly visiting RacingAmerica.com, the organization’s official media partner.

# # #

2023 KULWICKI DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Team of Seven KDDP Drivers Racing from Coast to Coast in Representing 1992 NASCAR Champ 

CONCORD, N.C. (April 10, 2023) – Officials of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) announced today the seven drivers who will represent the organization during the 2023 racing season. These young racers will be helping keep the memory and legacy of 1992 NASCAR Cup Champion and Hall of Famer Alan Kulwicki alive, while also competing for the rich and prestigious annual Kulwicki Cup Championship.

The drivers range from 18 to 23 years of age and hail from six different states, including Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin (2).

The seven drivers, in alphabetical order with hometown, background and social media information are:

JACKSON BOONE: Franklin, Tennessee – 23 (3/10/2000) – 2019 Nashville Fairgrounds PLM Champion was competitive everywhere he ran in 2022 – Won at Nashville & finished 3rd in 2022 KDDP standings – Plans to run mixture of Pro Late Model & Super Late Model races at Nashville & across Southeast -- Twitter & Instagram: @jacksonboone7

JACOB BORST: Elon, North Carolina – 18 (5/11/2004) – 2022 KDDP Semifinalist --Top rookie & points runner-up at South Boston Speedway in 2021 -- Feature winner & 3rd in 2022 points – Plans on racing NASCAR LMSC events at numerous tracks, plus select CARS Tour LMSC races – Twitter: @borst25 Instagram: @jacobborst25

MAX COOKSON: Palmyra, Maine – 20 (5/5/2003) – 2022 Oxford Plains Speedway Champion won in his SLM debut after much success in modifieds (2021 PASS Modified Champion) – Plans on running the entire Pro All Stars Series, as well as weekly races at Oxford Plains & select GSPSS events – Twitter: @MaxJCookson Instagram: @MaxCookson39

HAEDEN PLYBON: Spokane, Washington – 19 (11/15/2003) – Race winner & points runner-up in 2022 Northwest Super Late Model Series – 2022 Idaho 200 Winner – 4th in 2022 KDDP standings – Plans on running entire NWSLMS, plus special events in the Northwest & return trip to Snowball Derby – Twitter: @HaedenPlybon  Instagram: @haeden55

EVAN SHOTKO: Coopersville, Michigan – 19 (7/4/2003) – 2022 Berlin Raceway track champion won the Battle at Berlin 250 & finished as 2022 KDDP runner-up – Plans on running in both PLM & SLM competition with complete schedule to be announced – Twitter: @EvanShotko22  Instagram: @shotko_racing

RILEY STENJEM: Utica, Wisconsin – 23 (12/22/1999) – 2021 TUNDRA Champion & race winner – finished 3rd in 2022 standings – 6th in 2022 KDDP standings -- Mechanical Engineering Degree from Milwaukee School of Engineering – Plans to run entire ASA Midwest Tour, plus selected SLM “big shows” in the Midwest – Twitter & Instagram: @77stenjem77

LEVON VAN DER GEEST: Merrill, Wisconsin – 18 (4/17/04) --Youngest winner ever at Milwaukee Mile (Midwest Trucks at 15) – Made successful transition from trucks to SLM -- Competing in SLM on Midwest Tour and at Slinger – Engineering student at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – Twitter: @LevonVan Instagram: @levon_vdg

* * *

“I think this was the strongest group of semifinalists we’ve had from top to bottom so far,” said KDDP Executive Director Tom Roberts. “After narrowing all the original applications down to a list of 15 drivers, our advisory board had the monumental task of selecting just seven drivers out of that group.  I’m convinced that every one of those candidates would have made exemplary representatives for the KDDP, but unfortunately, we are structured to support only seven drivers per year.

“I applaud our board for being so active in selecting our seven drivers for the 2023 season,” said Roberts. “We introduced video conference interviews into the equation this season and all of the drivers were so impressive. Our advisory team spent many hours evaluating and re-evaluating, asking questions about the drivers’ 2023 schedules, tracks, series, and so much more. 

“I think that the most important aspect of the process in determining our drivers came in the final ‘open topic’ video meeting our group had,” Roberts said. “It came a week after all the driver interviews had been completed, with our voters having the time to review and formulate key criteria. It was evident that dedication and commitment were very important qualities they were looking for. Beyond just on-track results, they placed a strong emphasis on aspects like community engagement, education and potential effectiveness in honoring the legacy of Alan Kulwicki.

“I am thrilled with all the drivers our board has selected for 2023 and we are eager to get the season going and working with them all,” said Roberts. “It was very interesting to see how the voting produced such widespread representation for the program and it occurred without it being intentional. Drivers will be carrying Alan’s colors from coast to coast, with most every region covered. The obvious missing link would be the Southwest and California, but we’re confident that our reigning Kulwicki Cup Champion, Dylan Zampa, will be exemplary in representing Alan in that area.

“We realize that today’s announcement will make our seven special finalists extremely happy and proud, and they certainly should be,” Roberts said. “We urge them to strive to emulate the personal fortitude and dedication that Alan Kulwicki displayed in becoming a NASCAR Champion and Hall of Famer.

“As I said, we had so many worthy candidates who didn’t make our team this year,” offered Roberts. “We hope they realize how much of an accomplishment it was to have been selected as a KDDP Semifinalist. They are definitely on our radar screen for the future. We’ll be cheering for them to continue to show progress both on and off the track this season and urge them to apply again this fall for the 2024 edition of our program.”

The 2023 season will mark the eighth fully-functioning year for the KDDP, which was established in 2014 by the Kulwicki estate for the purpose of helping worthy drivers toward reaching their dreams while at the same time keeping Alan’s memory and legacy alive.

The seven drivers announced today as members of the 2023 KDDP class will each receive a one-time stipend of $7,777 to cover operational expenses. The organization will provide the drivers assistance in important aspects such as publicity, marketing, sponsorship development and industry networking during the season as they compete for the grand prize “Kulwicki Cup.” That award winner will pick up an additional check worth seven times the initial prize ($7,777 x 7 = $54,439) and a special unique trophy.

This year’s Kulwicki Cup competition will go from April 14 through November 14. The contest’s points system is based on a combination of judging input from members of the advisory board and the drivers’ on-track performance. Drivers are given points for both their success in chasing checkered flags and for community engagement, program representation and social media activities.

The KDDP has a proven track record, assisting a total of 38 different promising young drivers (representing 17 states & two Canadian provinces) entering the 2023 season. The Kulwicki estate has provided $762,146 in combined stipend and championship award funding in addition to all of the immeasurable off-track support provided by the organization. Through 2022 (seven seasons), those 38 KDDP drivers have competed in a total of 1,105 races; recording 178 wins, 554 top-five finishes and 797 top-10 finishes.

“While our organization is currently financially solid, our funding is depleting and we are launching a full-scale effort to unite with a major presenting marketing partner for the future,” Roberts said. “We’re confident that with the foundation we’ve laid over the years, our program can be an extremely effective marketing tool for a corporate partner to utilize.”

The 2023 KDDP Kulwicki Cup Champion will join the distinguished group of former titlists that includes Ty Majeski (2015), Alex Prunty (2016), Cody Haskins (2017), Brett Yackey (2018), Jeremy Doss (2019), Luke Fenhaus (2021) and Dylan Zampa (2022).

The KDDP urges you to keep up with all of its news and activities by regularly visiting RacingAmerica.com, the organization’s official media partner.

# # #

2023 KULWICKI DRIVER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SEMIFINALISTS ANNOUNCED

Team of Seven KDDP Drivers Competing for 2023 Kulwicki Cup Will Come from Group of 15 Racers

CONCORD, N.C. (March 16, 2023) – The seven drivers who will represent the Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) for the 2023 racing season will come from a diverse group of 15 semifinalists that were announced today on official media partner RacingAmerica.com. The racers range from 15 to 23 years of age and represent 10 different states from coast to coast.

“The desire to carry Alan’s colors and be a member of the Kulwicki team continues to grow each and every year,” said KDDP Executive Director Tom Roberts. “The 2023 season marks our eighth season of assisting promising young racers and the interest in our program continues on an upward spiral.

“After a monumental season in 2022 – held during the 30th anniversary of Alan’s remarkable run to the 1992 NASCAR Championship – we really didn’t know what to expect for 2023,” Roberts said. “The response was amazing as the appeal of our program received such a boost from last year’s battle for the Kulwicki Cup which concluded with a highly-publicized awards banquet in Charlotte.

“Racers from all across North America saw what occurred last season and aspired to be selected as a finalist for 2023. They know how much the KDDP experience has meant to many high-profile racers out there today and responded in both quantity and quality of applications.”

A vetting process narrowed the number of total applicants to a group of 54 who received full review and consideration by the KDDP board members. Each board member submitted a list of their top-15 applicants. There were 34 different competitors who received votes to be among the semifinalists.

“There were so many talented young racers who applied this time around that selecting just 15 was an incredibly difficult task,” said Roberts. “I would have welcomed any and all of the applicants that the board considered into the group of semifinalists. We honestly could have had another group of 15 drivers who would have been quality candidates to consider for the seven finalist spots we will be filling for the 2023 season.”

* * *

The 15 KDDP semifinalists for 2023 include, in alphabetical order:

JACKSON BOONE: Franklin, Tennessee – 23 (3/10/2000) – 2019 Nashville Fairgrounds PLM Champion was competitive everywhere he ran in 2022 – Won at Nashville & finished 3rd in 2022 KDDP standings – Plans to run mixture of Pro Late Model & Super Late Model races at Nashville & across Southeast -- Twitter & Instagram: @jacksonboone7

JACOB BORST: Elon, North Carolina – 18 (5/11/2004) – 2022 KDDP Semifinalist --Top rookie & points runner-up at South Boston Speedway in 2021 -- Feature winner & 3rd in 2022 points – Plans on racing NASCAR LMSC events at numerous tracks, plus select CARS Tour LMSC races – Twitter: @borst25 Instagram: @jacobborst25

KYLE CAMPBELL: Conover, North Carolina – 20 (8/20/2003) – The 2017 Allison Legacy Series Champion made the transition to Pro Late Models and won twice in PLM competition while operating on a small budget – Plans on competing on the entire CARS Tour PLM Series, plus several Carolina Pro Late Model races – Twitter & Instagram: @Kyle_campbell03

MAX COOKSON: Palmyra, Maine – 20 (5/5/ 2003) – 2022 Oxford Plains Speedway Champion won in his SLM debut after much success in modifieds (2021 PASS Modified Champion) – Plans on running the entire Pro All Stars Series, as well as weekly races at Oxford Plains & select GSPSS events – Twitter: @MaxJCookson Instagram: @MaxCookson39

DEREK GLUCHAKI: Dartmouth, Massachusetts – 21 (10/23/01) – Winner of the American Canadian Tour Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway & multi-race winner at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park – Plans to compete in both ACT races and Monaco Open Modified Series – Twitter: @DerekGluchacki Instagram: @derek.gluchacki

CASSIDY HINDS: Arvada, Colorado – 19 (7/31/2003) – Began in open-wheel racing, before winning in Pro-Trucks at Colorado National -- Top-finishing female driver ever in Spears SRL Pro Late Models (2nd at Kern County Raceway in 2022) – Plans on racing SLM & Pro-Trucks at CNS, as well as select events along the SRL Tour – Twitter: @CHindsRacing Instagram: @cassidyhindsracing

KYLIE ITH: Grantsville, Utah – 18 (9/7/2004) – 2022 NASCAR Nevada State Rookie of the Year -- 2 feature wins in 2022 Jr. Late models & multiple top-5s in PLM – Plans to compete in PLM at Irwindale & Kern County as well as full season at LVMS Bullring chasing the championship – Twitter: @RacingWfo Instagram: @wforacing19

CAEDEN KVAPIL: Mooresville, North Carolina – 16 (12/10/2006) – Has won in every level up the racing ladder & came on strong in Pro Late Models in 2022 – Won CARS Tour PLM races at Ace & Caraway in 2022 & a top challenger for points title – Plans on running the entire CARS Tour PLM schedule, plus additional PLM & SLM events – Twitter: @CadenKvapil Instagram: cadenkvapil

KENNA MITCHELL: Loomis, California – 17 (3/6/2006) – Pro Late Model multiple-race winner at All American Speedway (2nd in points) will be making debut in Super Late Models in 2023 – Plans to race

PLM at Madera, Irwindale & Roseville, plus SLM in Wild West Super Series at All American Speedway – Instagram: @kennamitchell_7

BOSTON OLIVER: Murfreesboro, Tennessee – 15 (6/27/2007) – Honed his skills in racing Quarter Midgets & then Legends at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway – Moved up to Pro Late Models and out to prove himself in 2022 – Plans on running entire Nashville schedule, plus races at Pensacola and Montgomery – Twitter: @BostonOliver88 Instagram: @bostonoliver_88

HAEDEN PLYBON: Spokane, Washington – 19 (11/15/2003) – Race winner & points runner-up in 2022 Northwest Super Late Model Series – 2022 Idaho 200 Winner – 4th in 2022 KDDP standings – Plans on running entire NWSLMS, plus special events in the Northwest & return trip to Snowball Derby – Twitter: @HaedenPlybon Instagram: @haeden55

EVAN SHOTKO: Coopersville, Michigan – 19 (7/4/2003) – 2022 Berlin Raceway track champion won the Battle at Berlin 250 & finished as 2022 KDDP runner-up – Plans on running in both PLM & SLM competition with complete schedule to be announced – Twitter: @EvanShotko22 Instagram: @shotko_racing

RILEY STENJEM: Utica, Wisconsin – 23 (12/22/1999) – 2021 TUNDRA Champion & race winner – finished 3rd in 2022 standings – 6th in 2022 KDDP standings -- Mechanical Engineering Degree from Milwaukee School of Engineering – Plans to run entire ASA Midwest Tour, plus selected SLM “big shows” in the Midwest – Twitter & Instagram: @77stenjem77

LEVON VAN DER GEEST: Merrill, Wisconsin – 18 (4/17/04) --Youngest winner ever at Milwaukee Mile (Midwest Trucks at 15) – Made successful transition from trucks to SLM -- Competing in SLM on Midwest Tour and at Slinger – Engineering student at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – Twitter: @LevonVan Instagram: @levon_vdg

HUNTER WRIGHT: Gladeville, Tennessee – 22 (1/4/2001) – Multi-time KDDP Semifinalist – Feature winner & points runner-up at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in 2022 -- 2019 Legends State Champ & National runner-up -- 2020 Nashville PLM ROY – Plans on running numerous PLM events (full Nashville schedule) & select SLM races -- Twitter: @HunterWright29 Instagram: @hunter_wright29

* * *

“While we’re certain that all 15 of these young racers are extremely thrilled to be among our semifinalists, we want to extend a special message to all of the other applicants who were not selected,” said Roberts. “Just having the semifinalist status is truly an accomplishment and something to be very proud of. Keep honing your skills on and off the track, keep chasing those checkered flags and please consider applying again for the 2024 edition of our program.

“Carrying the KDDP colors as a Kulwicki Cup finalist has always been a distinguished honor and it’s impressive to consider the rich history of our program,” added Roberts. “A perfect example was reflected in last weekend’s inaugural ASA STARS National Tour race at Pensacola where three of the top-five finishers were KDDP alumni. We’re so proud of all the drivers who have worn Alan’s colors through the years.

“The next step in the process to determine the 2023 KDDP class is the interview sessions the board members will be having with all of the semifinalists,” Roberts said. “While our board is getting to know the drivers better, we encourage everyone to follow these 15 young racers on Twitter and other social media platforms. They are all outstanding young people that have accomplished a great deal already in their short careers.”

After the interviews are completed, a final review and vote by the advisory board will be held. The 2023 KDDP team of seven drivers is scheduled to be announced on RacingAmerica.com during the first week of April.

The seven finalists will each receive a one-time stipend of $7,777 to cover operational expenses. The organization will work to provide the drivers assistance in important aspects such as publicity, marketing, sponsorship development and industry networking during the season as they compete for the “grand prize.” The Kulwicki Cup winner will pick up an additional check worth seven times the initial award ($7,777 x 7 = $54,439) and a special unique trophy.

This year’s Kulwicki Cup competition will go from April 14 through November 14. The contest’s points system is based on a combination of judging input from members of the advisory board and the drivers’ on-track performance. Drivers are given points for both their success in chasing checkered flags and for community engagement, program representation and social media activities.

The KDDP has a proven track record, assisting a total of 38 different promising young drivers (representing 17 states & two Canadian provinces) entering the 2023 season. The Kulwicki estate has provided $762,146 in combined stipend and championship award funding in addition to all of the immeasurable off-track support provided by the organization. Through 2022 (seven seasons), those 38 KDDP drivers have competed in a total of 1,105 races; recording 178 wins, 554 top-five finishes and 797 top-10 finishes.

“While our organization is currently financially solid, our funding is depleting, and we are launching a full-scale effort to unite with a major presenting marketing partner for the future,” Roberts said. “We’re confident that with the foundation we’ve laid over the years, our program can be an extremely effective marketing tool for a corporate partner to utilize.”

The 2023 KDDP Kulwicki Cup Champion will join the distinguished group of former titlists that includes Ty Majeski (2015), Alex Prunty (2016), Cody Haskins (2017), Brett Yackey (2018), Jeremy Doss (2019), Luke Fenhaus (2021) and Dylan Zampa (2022).

The KDDP urges you to keep up with all of its news and activities by regularly visiting RacingAmerica.com, the organization’s official media partner.

# # #

2023 KDDP APPLICATION PERIOD OPEN ENTIRE MONTH OF JANUARY

2023 Marks Eighth Season for Organization Honoring NASCAR Champion & Hall of Famer Kulwicki

CONCORD, N.C. (December 31, 2022) – Applications for the 2023 edition of the Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) will be accepted from January 1, 2023, through January 31, 2023.

The program is open to asphalt late model racers who participate in Super Late Model, Pro Late Model or Late Model Stock Car divisions. While there is no official age limit, the preferred racer is at least 16 years of age and has “grassroots level” experience. Drivers who have competed in the ARCA Menards Series (including ARCA Menards East & ARCA Menards West), NASCAR Pinty's Series and above are ineligible for the program.

The KDDP was established in 2014 by the family of late NASCAR Champion Alan Kulwicki for the purpose of helping worthy drivers toward reaching their dreams while at the same time keeping Alan’s memory and legacy alive. The Program provides drivers with financial assistance along with support in publicity, marketing, sponsorship development, industry networking and relationship building.

The 2023 edition of the program marks the eighth season for the Concord, North Carolina-base non-profit organization. Over its first seven years of operation, the KDDP has established itself as the preeminent driver development program in North America and it boasts an unrivaled track record.

Through the 2022 season, a total of 38 different promising young drivers (representing 17 states & two Canadian provinces) have worn Alan’s colors. The Kulwicki estate has provided $762,146 in combined stipend and championship award funding along with immeasurable publicity and marketing support to those worthy competitors.

A group of 15 drivers will be selected as semifinalists for next year’s program. After those racers are interviewed by KDDP advisory board members, seven racers will be selected to represent Alan and the program during the 2023 season. Each of those finalists will

receive a one-time stipend of $7,777 plus all the other benefits during the season as they compete for the grand prize “Kulwicki Cup.” That award winner will pick up an additional check worth seven times the initial prize ($7,777 x 7 = $54,439) and the special unique Kulwicki Cup Trophy.

The illustrious group of Kulwicki Cup Champions includes Ty Majeski (2015) of Seymour, Wisconsin; Alex Prunty (2016) of Kewaskum, Wisconsin; Cody Haskins (2017) of Marietta, Georgia; Brett Yackey (2018) of Greeley, Colorado; Jeremy Doss (2019) of Upper Lake, California; Luke Fenhaus (2021) of Wausau, Wisconsin; and Dylan Zampa (2022) of Napa, California. The program went on hiatus during the 2020 season due to the pandemic.

The Kulwicki Cup competition goes from April 1 through Oct. 31. The contest’s points system is based on a combination of judging input from members of the advisory board and the drivers’ on-track performance. Drivers are given points for both their success in chasing checkered flags and for community engagement, program representation and social media activities.

“We’re extremely proud of our achievements during the first seven seasons for our Kulwicki Driver Development Program,” said Tom Roberts, Executive Director of the KDDP. “We feel confident that we’ve been able to play a significant role in developing the next era of successful short-track racers across North America while also educating new generations about the life, passion and values of the 1992 NASCAR Champion. Alan Kulwicki’s spirit truly does live on and resonates within our organization.”

The KDDP urges you to keep up with all of its news and activities by regularly visiting RacingAmerica.com, the organization’s official media partner.