Kelly Kovski Bio
Kelly Kovski (born June 16, 1981) is an American professional racing driver and crew chief from Springfield, Illinois. He has spent more than two decades competing in the ARCA Menards Series, with a particular focus on the dirt races held at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in southern Illinois. Alongside his ARCA career, Kovski has built a reputation in regional dirt track racing, earning wins in sprint car and late model competition. He drives the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kelly Kovski Racing.
Early Life and Background
Kelly Kovski was born on June 16, 1981, in Springfield, Illinois, the state capital that sits near the geographic center of the prairie state. Growing up in central Illinois placed him in the heart of America’s dirt track country, where short-track racing has long been woven into local culture. The Springfield area is also home to the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack, a one-mile dirt oval that hosts one of the most historic dirt events on the ARCA calendar each summer.
From a young age, Kovski was drawn to racing through the region’s strong short-track tradition. Local fairground races, weekend sprint car shows, and grassroots late model events provided an accessible entry point for aspiring drivers, and Kovski took full advantage of those opportunities. He developed his early skills on the dirt ovals of Illinois, learning the craft of car control on slick and tacky surfaces alike. These formative years at the grassroots level laid the foundation for the career that would eventually take him to the ARCA Menards Series.
Path to NASCAR
Kovski’s path to national touring series competition began in regional dirt track racing, where he earned victories and built a reputation as a consistent and competitive short-track pilot. His success on the dirt caught the attention of teams in the ARCA Menards Series, and he made his series debut in 2004 driving for Fast Track Racing at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack. From there, Kovski steadily progressed, working with established operations such as Roulo Brothers Racing and Allgaier Motorsports.
Throughout his career, Kovski has balanced driving duties with crew chief responsibilities, gaining a deep understanding of race car setup and strategy. He served as a crew chief for Grant Enfinger during Enfinger’s ARCA championship campaign, working with teams such as Team BCR, GMS Racing, and later entries in the No. 16 Chevrolet. This dual perspective as both driver and crew chief has shaped Kovski’s analytical approach to racing and helped him maintain a presence in the ARCA Menards Series for more than twenty years.
Kelly Kovski Career
Early Career (2004-2011)
Kelly Kovski made his ARCA Re/Max Series debut in 2004 at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack, driving the No. 10 Chevrolet for Fast Track Racing. He completed the event fifteenth, a lap down behind race winner Frank Kimmel, a four-time and defending series champion at the time. The debut marked the beginning of a long association with the two iconic Illinois dirt races that would define his career.
From 2005 to 2011, Kovski primarily ran the dirt track events with his own team in collaboration with Roulo Brothers Racing, piloting the No. 39 Chevrolet. In 2005, he finished in the top fifteen in both dirt events, and in 2006, he recorded an eleventh-place result at the Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack. The following year brought his first top-ten finish at Springfield in sixth place, and in 2008, he earned top-ten results in both events, placing ninth at Springfield and seventh at DuQuoin. After a twelfth-place best at Springfield in 2009, he returned to top-ten form in 2010 while running the No. 17. In 2011, he finished sixth at Springfield and then earned his first top-five in ARCA competition with a fourth-place run at DuQuoin.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2012-2016)
In 2012, Kovski joined Allgaier Motorsports, the team that had won the series championship with Justin Allgaier in 2008. He opened his tenure with the team by finishing fourth at Springfield in the No. 99 Chevrolet. The 2013 season expanded his resume beyond the dirt tracks, as he made his first asphalt start at Toledo Speedway, finishing ninth after starting 26th, and recorded a tenth-place run at Berlin Raceway. He returned to the dirt events with a thirteenth at Springfield and an eighth at DuQuoin.
The 2014 season marked a turning point in Kovski’s career, as he took on crew chief duties for Team BCR and the No. 90 Ford for driver Grant Enfinger, while still making his own starts. He finished sixth at Springfield before a 26th-place result at DuQuoin due to an engine issue. Midway through 2014, he and Enfinger moved to GMS Racing, and in 2015, Kovski moved to the No. 23 Chevrolet, a year in which Enfinger would win the ARCA championship. Kovski finished third at Springfield in 2015, and in 2016, he earned his best career ARCA result to that point with a second-place finish behind Tom Hessert III at DuQuoin.
Kelly Kovski Racing Era (2017-Present)
The 2017 season brought a serious setback for Kovski, when he was involved in an accident at a sprint car race at Volusia County Speedway. A flipping sprint car struck him in the pits, resulting in injuries significant enough that he was forced to skip both ARCA dirt races as a driver. He returned to the seat in 2018 and posted eighth and seventh-place finishes at Springfield and DuQuoin respectively, demonstrating that he had fully recovered.
In 2019, Kovski recorded his first top-five since 2016 with a fifth-place run at DuQuoin. He managed a single start in 2020, finishing fifth at Springfield, and in 2021, he did not start the DuQuoin event and was classified sixteenth. The 2022 season produced a fifteenth at Springfield due to engine failure and a tenth at DuQuoin due to suspension problems, but 2023 marked an improvement, with a fourth-place run at Springfield and a sixth at DuQuoin. Throughout this era, Kovski has continued to operate his own program, Kelly Kovski Racing, in the No. 16 Chevrolet.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kelly Kovski is recognized as a strong dirt track racer with deep experience on the demanding one-mile fairground ovals of Illinois. His career has given him extensive seat time in the unique conditions of Springfield and DuQuoin, where track surface and grip levels can change dramatically throughout a race. Combined with his crew chief background, Kovski brings a strategic, analytical approach to his driving, understanding car balance, tire management, and racecraft from both sides of the pit wall.
Notable Races and Milestones
Kovski’s most celebrated results include his second-place finish at DuQuoin in 2016, his fourth-place runs at Springfield in 2012 and 2023, and his fourth at DuQuoin in 2011, which was his first top-five in ARCA competition. He has also enjoyed success outside of ARCA at dirt track events across the Midwest and at facilities such as Volusia County Speedway, where he has competed in sprint car racing.
Kelly Kovski Career Wins
Kelly Kovski has accumulated wins in regional dirt track competition, including sprint car and late model events across the Midwest. While he has yet to record a victory in ARCA Menards Series competition, his career is highlighted by consistent top-ten and top-five finishes on the series’ most historic dirt stages.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Kovski’s best ARCA Menards Series result is a second-place finish at DuQuoin in 2016 behind Tom Hessert III. He has recorded multiple top-five finishes at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, including a third in 2015 and a fourth in both 2012 and 2023. His first top-five in ARCA competition came at DuQuoin in 2011, where he finished fourth.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of ARCA, Kovski has been a winner in dirt track competition, including sprint car events and regional late model races. His involvement in a sprint car accident at Volusia County Speedway in 2017 underscored his continued commitment to grassroots dirt racing even as his ARCA career progressed.
2025 Season Performance
Kelly Kovski is expected to continue his long association with the ARCA Menards Series in 2025, focusing once again on the dirt races at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds. Driving the No. 16 Chevrolet for his own Kelly Kovski Racing team, he brings more than two decades of experience on these demanding one-mile dirt ovals. His 2023 results of fourth at Springfield and sixth at DuQuoin suggested a return to competitive form, and that momentum is likely to carry into the 2025 campaign.
The 2025 season will test Kovski against a mix of established ARCA veterans and rising dirt track talents looking to make a name on the national stage. With his dual perspective as both driver and crew chief, Kovski continues to be a steady and respected presence in the ARCA garage. His primary goals remain earning his first ARCA victory and consistently contending for top-five finishes at the two Illinois dirt events that have defined his career.