On Feb. 24, Kalitta Motorsports announced they would be partnering with ‘A Kid Again,’ a nonprofit organization focused on helping kids facing life-threatening illnesses to create memories with their families.

That partnership did not go unnoticed by young drag racer Keegan Beverly.

Beverly is a sixth-grader at Plymouth Shiloh Middle School, a rural school in Richland County in Ohio.

Like many kids, Beverly is active in baseball, basketball, and football, drag racing is his passion. Beverly is in his third season competing in the Jr. Dragster ranks.

Through racing, Beverly has met countless friends and engulfed himself in the racing family. Beverly’s home track is Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio.

Back in 2019, Beverly competed in the Jr. Dragster class at the prestigious Night Under Fire event in Norwalk. He also finished in the top three in the Jr. Dragster Eastern Conference Finals in Bristol Tenn., that year.

After not racing much because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Beverly has high hopes for 2021 on and off the track.

Beverly not only wants to win a Jr. Dragster championship, but he also wants to use his racing platform to make a difference in his peers’ life and help others out and raise money for charity groups.

“I feel the Jr. (Dragster) community is driven to help kids and people strive in this community in making children lives better,” Beverly wrote in a letter he sent to Kevin Ronnebaum, director, creative & marketing for A Kid Again on March 3. “With that I felt raising money for a children's charity would be successful within this racing community. With this partnership, I would not only camping at the racetracks in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan and maybe the Carolinas depending on funds, but I will attend any fundraiser, parties, and outings your group may attend when possible. I attend local parades, festivals, fairs, and car shows.  I feel with the audience around the Jr. dragster world, and not only that world but off the track at my travel sports world I can spread the word there also I feel we could raise a lot of money for A Kid Again.

“I will use my social media page, and the community to spread your organization's awareness. Ideals are to find a graphic designer make shirts up and sell and all money go to the organization at the end of the year. If you feel like this is something your organization would be interested in, please reach back to me, and would love to chat on how we can make it work. I just would love to use my little platform I have in the racing community to help make kids’ lives better that unfortunately are facing challenges in life! I attached my sponsor proposal sheet to give you a little more info about me. Thank you for your time and thank you and your organization for all you do!”

Ronnebaum shared the email with Cassy Sleeper, director of strategic partners with A Kid Again.

Both Ronnebaum and Sleeper emailed Beverly thanking him for his interest and providing additional info on A Kid Again.

Kalitta Motorsports also became aware of Beverly’s ambition and wanted to recognize him.

On April 7, Kalitta Motorsports drivers Shawn Langdon and J.R. Todd along with general manager Chad Head surprised Beverly on a Zoom call with an invitation to the Camping World Series Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, June 26-27, and be an honorary Kalitta Motorsports crew person for the weekend.

“Kalitta Motorsports is glad to recognize and honor a good kid like Keegan Beverly,” an email stated.