Kelsey completes racing odyssey at Texas World Speedway
RPSRaceTeam.com sponsored Danny Kelsey completed his final CMRA event of his career with a pair of great finishes. The 2nd round of the CMRA Sprint Championship Series was the announced final event for Kelsey who has started 350 sprint races in his 8 and a half year career with the CMRA.
Although Kelsey planned on participating in three events, the tricky weather conditions convinced Kelsey to only compete in Open Superstock and the Breast Cancer Research Awareness Formula One race. Kelsey won the Open Superstock race with a “wire to wire” win as a warm up, but exited the track a little concerned.
“On the first start for the race, I came back around and saw the backside of the track with crashed bikes laying around where the wind was the worst. I felt the wind pick my bike up in Turn 8 and 9. I backed it off a bit for the restart, but still felt the wind pushing me around quite a bit.”
For the Formula One event, Kelsey started with the goal of finishing as well as possible despite the conditions. He started off the line well and settled in at a pace he felt comfortable with. At the checkered flag, Kelsey took home a solid podium finish and completed his CMRA racing career that started with his first provisional novice race at the end of 2005.
“It was the best way to finish things off. Like I mentioned on the CMRA board, I have really lost a lot of my love for racing. I really enjoy the people, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to focus on racing at the level I have always wanted to. The Breast Cancer Research Awareness Formula One race has become something special in the CMRA and it was a race that helped me get excited this one last time. To finish off my career standing here with my friends Derek Wagnon and Eddie Thornton on the podium made this even better,” reflected Kelsey.
For Kelsey and the team, the time had come to wrap things up. Kelsey and crew chief Marcus McBain have worked together since 2005. In 2006, Kelsey began his first CMRA campaign. In the 350 sprint race starts, Kelsey has finished on the podium 249 times and has won 128 races as well as 17 titles including two Expert Overall #1 plates. In addition, Danny has competed and won in WERA National racing action, Suzuki Cup Events, AMA Sports Horizon Award events, and the Grand National Finals.
“I have been fortunate to be around some really great riders. What we accomplished goes beyond racing. Danny and his family have become my family. We will be friends and family for life now and there is no trophy or purse bigger than that. Danny’s on-track accomplishments are amazing, but his accomplishments off track are even more impressive. I have decided to take some time off from being at the track full time for a while and will be announcing some new things in the coming weeks. I do have a couple of riders I will still mentor and train, but at a much reduced level than I did previously,” stated crew chief Marcus McBain.
The team would like to thank all the sponsors through Danny’s career that have given so much to make this venture and endeavor so successful. This includes KMC Controls, RS Taichi, Pirelli, Dynojet, Vortex, Motoliberty, South Central Race Center, Motopia, M4 Exhausts, DP Brakes, K’s Motorsports, GP Suspension, JRi Shocks, Texas Speed and Performance, Lone Star Track Days, Shoei Helmets, Hotbodies Racing, Silkolene, WRW Racing, Raceworx, RES, Maverick Moto Media, Chicken Hawk Racing, Leonard Gremillion, Richard Shiller/Comedy Defensive Driving, Paul Coste, David Hirsh/Island Racing Services, and Wayne Wilder.