EDSON, AB – They may share the last name but when Dwight, Shawn and Crystal Kennedy hit the race track, getting to the finish line first is always the number one goal. The owner of Northern Provincial Pipelines Ltd. and founder of the NPP Late Model Series is looking at the upcoming season with optimism. “Maybe this will be the year because we sure have had lots of experience finishing second in this Series over the years.” Including the 2014 season, Dwight Kennedy has finished second in the NPP Series Championship points chase a total of five times in his familiar red and white #81 Dodge. “What do you do,” reflects the 2001 and 2006 NPP Series Champion, “we had one race last year where we did not finish [brake failure]. If we didn’t have that problem we probably could have won this.” Kennedy finished just 28 points out of top spot in the standings. Including the final race of the 2014 season at Central Alberta Raceways, Kennedy had two second place finishes in Feature events. “Except for that one race in Rimbey, we had a really good car all season long. Let’s hope that will continue into this season.” The two-time NPP Series champion reaches a milestone in 2015. The Edson, Alberta driver will start in his 150th NPP Series race event on the Gold Cup race weekend in July. “I’ve been racing hard since the early 1990’s. Probably have raced close to 300 events by now.”

After a second place finish in the NPP Series Championship points chase in 2013, Dwight’s son Shawn Kennedy finished 9th in the points chase in 2014. “One of the big things that affected my season last year was that I was playing around so much on my car,” admits Kennedy, “I’m not going to be doing so much experimenting this year, I’m just going to go out and try to win.” Kennedy would like to end a Feature winless drought that dates back over eight seasons. “Getting a win would be great to kick off the year would be great,” adds Kennedy, “having the first part of the season in Edmonton is really going to help. I like running there.” Kennedy best finish of the season was a second in Rimbey on the second last race night of the season. Kennedy last went to victory lane at Speedy Creek Raceway in Swift Current Saskatchewan on August 6th, 2006.

Shawn’s sister Crystal Kennedy recently moved to Whitecourt, Alberta leaving her #88 Dodge race car at the NPP shop in Edson, Alberta. The change of scenery is not expected to hamper her attendance in the NPP Late Model Series in 2015. Crystal Kennedy finished 6th in the 2014 NPP Series Championship points chase, missing out on her first ever Top 5 finish in the standings by just 36 points. Like her father, Crystal will also be hitting a milestone this season. On the second night of the Gold Cup race weekend in July, Kennedy will start in her 100th, NPP Late Model Series event.

#7 SHAWN KENNEDY – Edson, Alberta
88 Starts
41 Top 10’s
14 Top 5’s
21 Heat wins
7 Pole
1 Feature wins

#81 DWIGHT KENNEDY – Edson, Alberta
147 Starts
117 Top 10’s
87 Top 5’s
58 Heat wins
19 Pole
25 Feature wins
-2001 NPP LATE MODEL SERIES CHAMPION
-2006 NPP LATE MODEL SERIES CHAMPION

#88 CRYSTAL KENNEDY – Whitecourt, Alberta
96 Starts
39 Top 10’s
10 Top 5’s
4 Heat wins
1 Pole
0 Feature wins