Kemp Takes Fast Track Racing to Front Row and Top Five in ARCA East at Flat Rock Speedway

📸 Rand Thompson | Level Pebble Racing Pics

Flat Rock, MI - Returning to the site of his six Midwest Classic Racer (MCR) Dwarf Car Series wins, Matt Kemp had high expectations for his ninth career ARCA-sanctioned start since his debut at Berlin in 2023. The Sawyer, Michigan native pulled together support from local businesses, friends, and family, and put together a competitive effort in his Fast Track Racing No.10 on Saturday for the Dutch Boy 150 in the ARCA Menards East Series at Flat Rock Speedway.

Unloading off the truck, Kemp’s No.10 was fast. With scuff tires on, Kemp was able to track down top runners on multiple occasions in the afternoon practice sessions that unfolded early Saturday afternoon. When Practice ended, Kemp was the 7th fastest car on the charts. That left room for improvement in General Tire Pole Qualifying. 

Rolling out onto the speedway in the middle of qualifying, Kemp absolutely blistered a lap around the quarter-mile “Level Pebble”; the second lap was the money lap for Kemp who turned in an effort that nearly broke the previous track record (12.724) when Kemp stopped the clock with a 12.757. The lap was good enough to start on the front row, second, alongside Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Max Reaves.

“I knew once we put stickers on it I was probably going to pick up a bit in Qualifying,” Kemp said on the Horsepower Happenings Podcast. “Honestly, that was my thought all week long, I know I can run at least one good lap regardless of what we can do in the race.”

At the start of the 150-lap contest at Flat Rock Speedway, Kemp quickly fell back to fifth on the unpreferred outside line. An early race caution occurred right in front of Kemp, who managed to avoid the spinning car in turns one and two. The restart, however, put Kemp back on the outside where he was again able to slide into fifth.

Through heavy lapped traffic, another spin unfolded right in front of Kemp. Rolling from the middle of the race track down to the bottom, Kemp was forced to make an evasive maneuver to avoid the spinning car, which earned him the Reece’s Sweet Move of the Race. 

At the conclusion of the 150 laps, Kemp posted his best career ARCA finish in just his second full-race attempt, coming home fourth. The day was memorable for Fast Track Racing as well with Kemp helping the team earn their first front row start in recent memory, and, along with teammate Takuma Koga, putting two Fast Track Racing cars in the top five at the finish.

Kemp will race with the ARCA Menards National Series this Friday night in the General Tire 150 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Fast Track Racing ELH Detailing No.12. For more information on Matt Kemp Racing, find Matt Kemp Racing on Facebook or log onto MattKempRacing.com. Matt Kemp Racing would like to thank Fast Track Racing, the University of Northwestern Ohio, ELH Detailing, Hoaks Graphics, Edgewater Automation, Double H Ranch, Top Row Racing Media, The Kemp Team - Fathom Realty, Epic Dumpster Rental, Universal Technical Institute, and Running’s Racing Designs.