One of the worst-kept secrets in drag racing is official now.
Kenny Koretsky has finalized the purchase of Maple Grove Raceway, located just outside of Reading, Pa.
Koretsky’s sons Kenny Jr. and Kyle plan to be the driving force behind the operation of the historic facility.
“Kyle and I have been working on this for about a year,” Kenny Jr. said. “It’s been one of the hardest deals we’ve ever done. To hear today the money for sale has gone through is awesome.”
The terms of the deal were not revealed. But for Kenny Jr., when drag strips seem to be going away, purchasing one to keep it running is very important.
“I think this is important because if we hadn’t done this deal, I think you’d be seeing houses and warehouses being built where a drag strip used to be,” Kenny Jr. said. “We cannot afford to lose another track in the country.”
The Sons of Chaos, Kenny “Captain Chaos,” said they are prepared for the challenge.
“We are definitely ready for the challenge,” Kenny Jr. said. “We are ready to rock. We have been ready to rock for a while. It might be a touch bumpy at the jump, but we will get it dialed in tight.”
The Koretskys are ready to begin revamping the facility as soon as possible.
“I think there will be changes, but we are a little far into the season to do a lot,” Kenny Jr. explained. “We had hoped to get the deal done in the wintertime. We had planned some changes, and right off the bat, you will see some changes. Those changes will largely be centered around the fan experience. That’s most important to us out of the gate.
“You will notice a clean environment and a well-prepped surface immediately — everything from great food at a reasonable price. Great souvenirs. Friendly faces. We are looking to change the Maple Grove experience.”
So, where did the sons learn drag strip 101?
“Life in general,” added Kyle. “We were brought up as entrepreneurs. Dad started us at the bottom. Dad grew his companies on customer service, and that’s where we learned it all. The customer is the No. 1 priority, and we were always taught to teach everyone with respect, from the slowest to the fastest. Our customers are of top priority. Our goal is to give the best experience every time.”
Kenny Jr. will likely take the lead in projects with Kyle racing Pro Stock. But, then again, that’s been the case in many Koretsky family projects.
“Someone has got to be around here paying the bills while they are off racing,” Kenny Jr. said with a laugh. “We’re moving dirt and building buildings like we do every day here. I enjoy both sides, and I am a racer at heart – everything is a competition – even moving dirt. We want to see who moves it the fastest. I enjoy my role and working together; we will be extremely good at it.”
Kenny Jr. says the new Maple Grove Raceway provides a blank canvas that can be improved drastically.
“We are not planning to change that much where it is unrecognizable,” Kenny Jr. said. “There’s a lot of historical significance which will remain in place. What you will see is a more modern twist to a classic strip.”
The NHRA rolls into Maple Grove Raceway, Sept. 15 – 18, 2022, for the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals, the start of the Countdown to the Championship.
