Promoter Randy Kinder takes great pride in not only his track, Beckley Motor Speedway, but also the racers who compete at the West Virginia dirt oval. So much so that he offered to pay half of the entry fee ($50) for 17 of his pro late model regulars at an American All-Star Series race at Natural Bridge Speedway in Virginia.
“We want to support the ones who support us,” said Kinder. “Mainly, I had a few guys who would like to go to NBS. I understand that everyone doesn’t have a million-dollar budget. I thought I could help my guys if they wanted to go.”
Natural Bridge Speedway is about a two-hour haul on I-64 East from Beckley Motor Speedway. Beckley had already given the pro late models off for the $10,000-to-win AAS event at NBS. Beckley runs American All-Star Series touring events and competes under the sanction’s weekly banner.
“We have the best local racers,” Kinder said. “I see every single one of them, not in only late models, but all classes … they don’t quit, and they refuse to lose.
“They love Beckley, and Beckley loves them. Even when it comes to the simple things like [teams] not [leaving] a mess in the pits. They also see Beckley and what is happening here. We are fast making this place the ‘Diamond of the East Coast.’ We also refuse to quit. We have done so many improvements and so many more to come.
“We just wanted to show a little appreciation to our guys who support us, the ones that are here week in and week out.”
In this world where most promoters operate on a cutthroat basis, Randy Kinder seems to be taking a different approach.
“Sometimes, being nice and trying to help someone doesn’t have to have a why,” said Kinder. “I never really thought about why. I feel it was the right thing to do. I didn’t overthink it.”
The Outside Groove Executive Editor has covered motorsports since 2000. His many awards include the 2019 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Jim Hunter Writer of the Year and the 2013 Russ Catlin Award for Excellence in Motorsports Journalism.
