NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

From racing a Top Alcohol Dragster in the 1970s to winning the 2012 championship in Super Comp, Alan Kenny has done just about everything there is to do in drag racing. However, the one item that had long remained on his to-do list was a summertime trip to the West Coast.

Kenny, his wife, Carol, along with their son, Jason, his wife, Ashley, and their 7-month old son, Kyle, decided to make the long trip from their home on East coast to the national events in Sonoma and Seattle as well as the Division 6 event in Woodburn, Ore., before a final stop at Brainerd Int’l Raceway for the double divisional and NHRA Brainerd Nationals.

Their main priority was to have fun and explore new territory, but the Kenny family travels also provided a perfect opportunity to accumulate points towards a second title or possibly a Top 10 finish.

“I’ve told people that diesel fuel is so cheap right now that it’s the perfect time to hit road,” Kenny joked. “Honestly, we just always thought it would be nice to do the Western Swing. We wanted to do it when we were racing in Denver, but that never materialized. So, last Winter, we sat down to do our schedule and said, ‘Let’s do this and go to Sonoma and Seattle'. We also realized we could run the [double divisional] in Woodburn and then go to Brainerd for three more races.”

The Kenny family does not travel lightly. In addition to Alan's Top Dragster, which is one of the quickest cars in the category, Jason races in both Super Comp and Super Gas, a program that necessitates two separate rigs. That often means twice the work and twice the expense, but that was not a deterrent for the Kenny family.

“We took six days just to get to Sonoma,” said Kenny, who was raised in Canada but immigrated to the United States more than a decade ago. He’s previously lived in Pennsylvania but now makes his home in Jupiter. Fla. “Traveling wi7-month-oldh old we found that it was nice to just to around 400 miles a day and not get too rushed. We wanted to be able to find parking early in the day, and it was a nice change from the days when we’d do 12 hours a day and be worn out before we ever got to the track.”

Advance planning was also key as the Kennys needed enough supplies for two months on the road, no small task, even with two trucks and trailers.

“With my car, I chance the oil every 12-20 runs so we had to make sure we had enough oil, small things like that,” said Kenny. “We have one spare engine for Jason’s two cars and I decided to bring two spares for my car, just in case. In Sonoma, I needed a rocker arm, but that was an easy fix. I’m like a Boy Scout. I always want to be prepared.”

The first leg of the Kenny family journey was uneventful, and in a good way, as they arrived safely in Sonoma. Racing at an unfamiliar track against largely unfamiliar opponents, the Kennys held their own but were ultimately done before Sunday’s final rounds.

“The whole Sonoma deal was an awesome experience; not just the race track, but seeing San Francisco and the surrounding areas,” Kenny said. “On Monday, we went to Fisherman’s Wharf and took a boat tour out towards Alcatraz. I’d never realized what a cool city that was.”

From there, the Kennys took another not-so-short trip North to Seattle, taking in the scenery in Northern California, Oregon, and Washington.

“That was quite a haul, especially up some of those steep hills and mountains. Luckily, we didn’t have any problems, either on or off the track. On the way out, we took Interstate 80 and after Seattle, we drove East on I-90. The smoke from the wildfires was bad, but we still realized what a beautiful country this is. The scenery in Northern California, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota; almost everywhere is awesome. As much as you envy the people who have private jets and live that lifestyle, flying is cool, but not nearly as cool as driving.”

With multiple shots to win a coveted 75th anniversary diamond Wally, the Kennys felt good about their chances when they embarked on their adventure, and at the Woodburn Dragstrip Division 6 Lucas Oil Series event, Al brought home the hardware with a win in Top Dragster. It was the 13th divisional win of his career.

“The whole time, I thought that if we came away with one win I’d be thrilled,” he said. “Of course, you want t to win all of them, but you know you won’t. I’m grateful for all of them. In Woodburn, I had a great race against Jennifer Wiens. We were both dialed 6.16, and she had a .002 light and I was .000. We were wheel-to-wheel.

“This trip was all about checking out new places and meeting new people and just racing with little or no pressure. I liked racing against people that I didn’t know. In general, everyone was really friendly, and I appreciated that the [NHRA Division Directors] welcomed us.”

After their West Coast adventure, the Kennys made their way, once again at a leisurely pace, to Brainerd, Minn. for the Division 5 double-header and this week’s NHRA Brainerd Nationals.

“We’ve done, 6,500 miles so far, and at six miles-per-gallon, that adds up quickly,” Kenny said. Still, it’s been a lot of fun, and we went some rounds, and I got a little luck and won in Woodburn.

“The last time I looked, I was in the Top 10 in Top Dragster and leading Division 3, but I’ve only run a couple of races and I waived a couple of the West Coast events. I might even waive Indy and take St. Louis and the Vegas divisional and national. I might need the extra points for the bigger field in Vegas.”

Win or lose, Kenny is grateful for the opportunity to be able to travel with his family, and race as often as he does. As for an extended road trip to the West Coast, he’d highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t yet done it.

“I’d give it five stars our of five,” he says. “The racing was great and we met a lot of new friends along the way. For anyone who wants to take this trip. Do it. You won’t regret it.”