Keith Kauffman

WE ARE

Thanks for the memories JOEPA
from one National Hall of Famer to another

LIVING LEGEND PROCLAMATION HONORING KEITH KAUFFMAN

And now this ninth day of September 2011, let it be known that Port Royal Speedway,
the Juniata County Agricultural Society and PRS promotions recognizes and honors
Mr. Keith Kauffman as a Port Royal Speedway Living Legend.

This honor is bestowed in recognition of your outstanding contributions to and achievements
at Port Royal Speedway as a driver but not limited to 129 sprint car wins, 13 sprint car titles and
two late model wins during your career to date, thus making you the most successful
driver in history to ever compete at this oval as of this date in recorded history.

It is with deep appreciation and respect that Port Royal Speedway and its governors
award to you at this time and forever from this day forward a lifetime, all access
irrevocable admission pass to this historic facility.

Congratulations!

Don Clark, JCAS President
Scott Arnold, JCAS Vice President

Now at age 61, Keith Kauffman started racing when he was 20 in 1970.
He has won in Central Pa, with the All Stars, the Outlaws, USA and
USAC. Titles to his name include 13 at Port Royal, 2 at Williams Grove
and 1 in Susguehanna, Selinsgrove and Hagerstown Speedways.

He has also won series titles in Pa Speedweek, Western Pa Speedweek and Ohio
Speedweek. That makes 21 total track and series titles to his name.
He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa.
The best season fo his career had 34 overall wins.

To date he has some 309 overall career victories including 3 late model and 1 champ car.
He owns 25 All Star and 8 World of Outlaw wins. He has raced in 41 states and Australia.
Along the way he has driven for car owners including himself, Bob Hampshire, Gary Stanton,
Daryl Saucier, Jasper Petite, Bob Weikert, Al Hamilton, Roy Morrall, Dave Middleswarth,
Warren Johnson, The Woelfling brothers at Lebanon Pattern Shop, Maynard Boop, Leon Wintermyer,
Rod Fauver, Jim Wahlie, Gil Sonner, Bob Stewart, Joe Harz, Sal Scarpita, Denny Ashworth, Don Berry,
Mike Heffner, John Trone and more along with present car owner Gary Heckman.

He scored his first win at East Windsor Speedway in 1975.
His first Port Royal win was on July 7, 1977 with his last coming June 11, 2011.
His best season at Port Royal was in 1985 when he won 15 times in one season.
At Port Royal he owns 13 track titles for 5 different car owners including himself in 1978, 1979
and 1980 when he was sponsored by local contractor John Gronginger in the K33,
Bob Weikert in 1981, Al Hamilton in 1984 and 1985, Roy Morral in 1986 and 1988 and
Dave Middleswarth in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007. He has won 2 Tuscarora 50's in 1978
and 2003 and one Tuscarora 50 Preliminary in 2006, 2 Labor Day Classics in 2002 and 2003,
1 Pete Swarmer Memorial in 2001, 4 season openers in 1981,1985,1993 and 2002
and 4 Pa Speedweek features in 2001,2002,2004 and 2007.
He is the all time winningest driver in the history of Port Royal Speedway with
129 sprint car wins to his credit plus 2 late model victories.

In memory of our wonderful friend, Bob Stimely

KAUFFMAN RETURNS TO HECKMAN OWNED CAR IN 2012

By Brad Vores for HTF Racing/Kauffman Racing

11/7/11

Veteran sprint car ace Keith Kauffman will return to the seat of the Gary and Linda Heckman owned No. 8H sprint car for the 2012 racing season.

The upcoming racing season will be the second year for the Mifflintown driver and the Chambersburg-based sprint car team and the team looks to build on its first season together which produced one feature win and seven top 10 finishes in 19 starts.

Kauffman gave the Heckman owned team its first career 410 Sprint car win in 2011, that coming in June at Port Royal Speedway. It was the 129^th career sprint car win for Kauffman at the Juniata County oval.

“Keith is for sure a class act,” said car owner Gary Heckman. “He brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. Although he still has a competitive fire, he understands the ups and downs of the racing business, making him extremely easy to work with. It’s an honor to have a Hall of Fame driver, such as Keith, behind the wheel of the 8H.”

While the first season certainly has its fair share of growing pains and a lot of bad luck, the team remained focused on getting better each week and hope to improve for the new season.

“Overall I think the 2011 season was a success,” Heckman added. “One of our goals was to win a race, which we accomplished in mid June.

Another goal was to finish top five in Port Royal points and we fell one position short of fulfilling that goal. We had some back luck, bad pill draws, tire failures, minor mechanical issues and finishing races.”

Kauffman is looking forward to returning to the team again next year.

“Getting to race for Gary and Linda and their son Michael at Port Royal this season was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to having a better year next year with them,” said the all-time winningest driver at Port Royal. “Of course we always strive for better results and will do so in 2012. I’m fortunate that I’m still able to race at my home track in front of the fans that have supported me since the start of my career and we hope to give them something to cheer about next year.”

The team will have fresh equipment at Kauffman’s disposal next season and are working to enhance its motor program.

“We are building upon the foundation already established this past season and we are currently working on obtaining additional sponsorship, hopefully we will be able to announce something soon,” Heckman said.

Sponsors returning for the 2012 season are Heckman Tree Farm, Jim Stenger’s The Toyer’s Shop, J & J Auto Racing, Moo & Co., Jakes Carts, TQ Fiberglass, Simpson Racing Products and Butlerbuilt Seats. Tim Mellott will return as crew chief and Michael Heckman returns as car chief.

Plans call for a similar racing schedule as this past season with a weekly stop at Port Royal Speedway.

THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND-PORT ROYAL SPEEDWAY HONORS THE MAN FROM MIFFLINTOWN ON TUSCARORA FIFTY NIGHT BY BRINGING HOME SEVERAL OF KAUFFMANS FORMER CAR OWNERS AND REPRESENTATIVES, HIS PRESENT RACE TEAM AND ALSO MANY FAMILY MEMBERS. THANKS TO THE FANS FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS SUCH A SPECIAL NIGHT FOR KEITH. STORY TO FOLLOW





Photos courtesy of WRT Speedwerx - McConnell

















Photos courtesy of WRT Speedwerx - Hertzler