Ken Brenn Jr.

Ken Brenn Jr.
BornKenneth Brenn Jr.
April 20, 1952
Summit, New Jersey
DiedMay 2, 2019(2019-05-02) (aged 67)
Retired1995
Modified racing career
Debut season1972
Car number24
Championships5
Wins104
Championship titles
1978 New Jersey State Modified Champion
1985 New York State Fair Champion

Kenneth "Ken" Brenn Jr. (April 20, 1952 – May 2, 2019) was an American modified racing driver who won more than 100 feature events at venues in the Mid-Atlantic states. Equally adept on both dirt and asphalt surfaces, he captured modified track titles on the dirt surface of Flemington Speedway and again after it was paved.[1][2]

Early life

Raised in Warren Township, New Jersey, Brenn graduated from Watchung Hills Regional High School and developed an interest in racing from his father, who had worked on race car maintenance.[3]

Racing career

Ken Brenn Jr. won the first-ever rookie championship at Flemington in 1972, and after moving up a class, took the Sportsman championship the next year. In 1975 he posted the first of his 18 Modified victories at the East Windsor Speedway NJ. In 1982 and 1983, Brenn claimed Flemington's modified titles, and ultimately totaled 59 modified triumphs on the dirt surface.[4]

Brenn won the 1983 Independence Day race and the 1985 New York State Fair Championship at the Syracuse Mile.[5][6][7] He also won the 1979 pole position for the Super Dirt Week main event at Syracuse, but surprisingly took only two top five finishes in 17 appearances.[4]

Ken Brenn Jr. was inducted into the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in 2009.[4]

Personal life

Ken Brenn Jr. comes from a racing family, as brother Jimmy also drove modifieds. His father, Ken Brenn senior was a well-respected Midget car owner in United States Auto Club (USAC) and American Racing Drivers Club circles before his involvement with modifieds. Brenn Sr. also entered several USAC Champ car events, including 1967 Indianapolis 500 for driver Bob Harkey.[5] Brenn Sr. was also honored by the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in receiving the 2015 car owner award.[8]

References

  1. ^ Bruce, Ken (May 3, 2019). "New Jersey Racing Legend Ken Brenn Jr. Passes Away". Dirt Track Digest. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  2. ^ "Flemington Speedway Historical Society honors four with 'Tas Awards'". Hunterdon County Democrat . January 23, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  3. ^ Pelter, Lorraine (June 15, 1972). "Warren Youth Wins Speedway Honor/". Echoes-Sentinel. Retrieved February 13, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c Anastor, Herb (May 5, 2009). "Ken Brenn Jr. Took Advantage Of Good Fortune To Author Hall Of Fame Career". DIRTcar. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Lusk, Toni (September 27, 1984). "Racing is a family traditions for the Brenns of Warren". Echoes-Sentinel. p. 22. Retrieved February 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Syracuse Mile". The Post-Standard. May 13, 1994. p. 119. Retrieved February 8, 2024 – via NewspaperArchive.
  7. ^ O'Brien, Dick (September 3, 1985). "Brenn breezes to Fair title". The Post-Standard. p. D1. Retrieved February 10, 2024 – via NewspaperArchive.
  8. ^ Yasinsac-Gillespie, Robin (August 6, 2015). "Veteran drivers named to Hall of Fame". Times Union (Albany). p. B12. Retrieved September 5, 2023.