Following a solid first season in NHRA’s Pro Stock class in 2020, Kyle Koretsky keeps reducing his learning curve.

Through seven races in 2021, Korestsky is eighth in the points standings in NHRA’s Camping World Series. He had advanced to the semifinals in two of the last three events in Houston and Norwalk, Ohio, losing to Deric Kramer and Erica Enders, respectively.

“I felt good going into the weekend, my confidence was huge,” Koretsky said. “I had been struggling on the tree and we made some changes on the car, clutch pedal wise, and I think we got it somewhat right. We just behind the eight ball on the tune-up a little bit. We struggled in Epping (N.H.) with some suspension stuff and we were trying to dial-in the tune-up with only getting two runs in qualifying in Norwalk.”

Koretsky, who qualified No. 10 in Norwalk, responded by defeating Kramer and Fernando Cuadra Jr., before being upended by eventual race winner Enders in the semifinals. 

Enders clocked a 6.643-second run to edge Koretsky’s 6.660-second lap.

“Last year in Vegas (the season’s final race) I beat myself in the final round against Erica when I had a red light,” Koretsky said. “I knew she was going to be good, that’s a great team over there. I had all the confidence in the world in my KB guys to get it done and we just missed it a little bit. There back at the shop working on the cars and working on the engines and they will have it all figured out. We will try and go test before the Western Swing and we will be coming at Sonoma, (Calif.), swinging hard. I’m really confident.”

The next national event on the NHRA circuit for the Pro Stock class is the Sonoma (Calif.) Nationals, July 23-25.

“I’m always hungry every weekend I go racing whether it is Sportsman bracket racing or Pro Stock,” Koretsky said. “It knocks the wind out of my sails to be honest (having this long of break between races). This is only my second year and last season was kind of a half season, so I want to race as much as I can and try and get as many laps as we can in that Pro Stock car. I’m feeling more confident in myself than I ever have so now I’m more relaxed and I’m going there to have fun. I’m there to do a job, but I’m going there have fun and make it happen. I’m looking for my first career win.”

Koretsky is driving a 2019 Chevy Camaro, the one Jason Line drove last year. Line retired from driving following the 2020 season.

Koretsky, whose primary sponsors are Nitro Fish and KPK Development. KPK Development Corporation and recycling company based out Fairless Hills, Pa., is run by run by Kenny Koretsky Sr., Kenny Jr., and Kyle.

“We are going to try and do some testing (before Sonoma), I don’t know exactly the plan yet,” Kyle said. “We’re super busy at work and work is really priority for me right now. I’m going to try and do a little bracket racing in a couple weeks in Cecil County, Md. I’m going to run my dragster and my door cars. We will bring about five or six cars. We will try and do some work there and that will be the weekend before Sonoma, and we will be ready to go.” 

Kenny Koretsky Sr., Kyle’s father, was a longtime Pro Stock racer.

Kyle, in his first year in Pro Stock, competed in all eight of the NHRA national events last season in a season abbreviated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He posted a 7-8 elimination round record and made it to the finals at the season-ending event in Las Vegas, losing to 2020 world champion Enders on a red light. 

The race before Vegas – Houston – Koretsky advanced to the semifinals before falling to Aaron Stanfield. Koretsky finished 11th in the points standings.