Vegas Top Qualifier Koretsky Wraps Up GIR Test
MADISON, Ill. – The NHRA POWERade Series’ most recent top qualifier in pro stock, Kenny Koretsky, wrapped up a two-day test session at Gateway International Raceway Wednesday, preparing for this weekend’s event in Atlanta. Koretsky and his Nitro Fish-sponsored car will return to GIR May 2-4 for the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals.
His trip back to the St. Louis area next week should be a positive one considering how well the testing has gone for him at GIR. “It’s been real good,” said Koretsky, 50. “It rained half the day (Tuesday) and we got one run in and ran a 6.759. I shut it off early, I heard a little engine noise. We came out today more focused and ran a 6.682 at 206.29 miles per hour.
“At that point, I said, ‘Boys, put it back in the box, we’re done.’ We only have the one motor and we don’t want to keep making runs on it and hurt it. We’ll go to Atlanta with what we have.”
The Pennsylvania native earned the pro stock top-qualifier spot in Las Vegas two weeks ago, the first in a career spanning two decades. Koretsky said it was an acheivement he’ll never forget.
“It was a lot of fun, I’ve gotta tell you,” he said. “I was emotional. At the time, I didn’t realize how many people had won NHRA races, but had never been number one (qualifiers). We had a decent motor and a brand-new Jerry Haas racecar. That was the tenth run on the car and we qualified number one at a national event. That’s pretty stout.”
Koretsky made news in the offseason, not with his pro stock team, but with NHRA POWERade Series Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Matt Smith. Smith, the defending PSM winner at Gateway, was without a sponsor and Koretsky stepped in with Nitro Fish.
“I’ve known Matt Smith since he was a young boy and raced with his father, Ricky, and I just thought, ‘Here’s a POWERade world champion who (can’t) find a sponsor,’” Koretsky said. “At that point, I said I had to do something and we got him up and going with a major sponsorship with Nitro Fish. I actually took the advertising dollars I had for myself and changed the budget around and put it into Matt Smith’s budget.”
Smith had earned Koretsky’s respect, but at the end of the day, it was a business decision to sponsor Smith. That decision paid off immediately in the second PSM race of the year at Houston.
“He was the first qualifier in Houston, so he got my first pole position as an owner in NHRA and my first Wally in NHRA when he won the race,” Koretsky said. “When you look at the return on investment right out of the box, I’ve been spending millions of dollars over the years to win a Wally and Matt got me my first one before I got one. It was well-deserved; he works hard.”
He’s not looking past Atlanta by any stretch, but Koretsky is definitely looking forward to the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway next weekend.
“I’ve had good luck here,” he said. “It’s an awesome facility, the track’s nice, the people are great, and a lot of race fans come here. It’s a lot of fun. I’m looking for Matt to try to repeat here as a winner and my job is just to qualify. We’re 31 points out of the top ten. If we would have went to the finals like we should have in Vegas, we would be in the top ten.
“That’s what it’s all about, POWERade points.”
You can see Koretsky, Smith, and the rest of the NHRA POWERade Series at Gateway International Raceway May 2-4 for the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals. For ticket information, call 866-35-SPEED or visit GatewayRaceway.com
