Kevin Green wraps up solid year in IMCA Modified
RaceON.com Staff Writer. Photo By: Stacy Kolar
SPEEGLEVILLE, Texas — In the premier division of IMCA Modifieds, everything gets a little more intense. The ever-changing technology and high level of competition across the state of Texas combine to make the challenge of winning races and finishing up front extremely difficult.
Yet for 32-year-old second generation racer Kevin Green, that challenge is one he can meet. The humble and easy-going driver earned a pair of wins and 15 top-five finishes in 16 starts at Heart O’ Texas Speedway this year. He’s found the speed and consistency that eludes others.
“We had a good 2021 season, I really can’t complain at all,” Green said. “We try to be consistent, and it worked out that way for us with no DNFs this year. You always want more wins, but it’s tough to do. I’d say to make it up into the top five so often, we ran pretty strong.
“I have some pretty good help, and this was our second year with this car. We had a good baseline setup all year. We tried a few things to experiment a bit, but for the most part, we never strayed too far. My Dad and I are always working in the shop, and we have a couple of good guys who help out at the track.”
Around the sport since he can recall, Green came up through the ranks in an impressive 20-year career.
“I’ve been around Heart O’ Texas Speedway my whole life,” Green said with pride. “My Dad raced a Modified there for 40 years, so I’m carrying on his tradition now. I started my own driving career when I was 12 years old in the Junior Mini class.
“I ran there for two or three years, and then went SportMod racing around 2005. That was the first year IMCA sanctioned them; before that, it was the SIMS class. I raced in a SportMod until 2014, then went Modified racing in 2015.”
While Green is enjoying success in the high-strung Mods these days, his days in SportMod went well.
“I had a lot of good times and success during my SportMod years,” he said. “It’s definitely a good place to learn. We won the Fall Classic a few times at Heart O’ Texas in that division, and two or three points championships. I’m happy in the Modified now, but we had a great run in SportMods for several years.”
These days, when he unloads his No. 5 entry at his home track outside Waco, the competition is fierce.
“Just about every team has good equipment and can be a threat to win,” Green said. “If you can win at Heart O’ Texas Speedway, you can win just about anywhere in the state. The competition here is tough every time we unload. That’s why we work hard every night in the shop, you have to be well prepared.”
When Green suits up, grabs his helmet and gets ready to race, he straps himself into one fine machine.
“I have a 2018 Shaw chassis,” he said. “They’ve been around forever and build top-notch equipment. I can always get any questions answered when I call, and I have access to information from others guys who run them to save time when I’m getting dialed in. It really only has two seasons on it right now.”
Along with his raw natural talent behind the wheel and rock-solid race car, Green also has a few key people working behind the scenes to ensure his success.
“I’m very blessed to have some great people and sponsors in my corner,” he explained. “I want to thank my Mom and Dad; my wife, Lauren, and kids, Brinley and Lainey; Dave Williams, for helping at the shop and the track; and all the friends and family who help out when they can.
“I also need to thank my valued sponsors, including Green’s Automatic Transmission, Harvey Cox Racing, Tyler Harris with THR Performance, Southwest Maintenance, TruForm Race Products and Natemare Wraps. I couldn’t do this without them.”
With the 2021 season now in the rear-view mirror, Green will enjoy the short off-season with family.
“I used to race a whole lot more than I do now, like every weekend being at Heart O’ Texas on Fridays and at Kennedale on Saturday nights. But with a wife and two daughters, I have other priorities now. I’m more than happy to race one night a week, then balance time with my incredible family.
“So next year, I expect we’ll focus on our program at Heart O’ Texas and maybe venture out just a few times to other tracks on Saturdays. But we’ll be chasing more wins in Waco next year, for sure. It’s a great place to race, we have fun there and running well like we did this year keeps it fun for us.”
