Kenton Koch Dominates International Racing Championship
Kenton Koch secured the championship in the IMSA Cooper Tires Prototype Lites series Saturday, carrying Gumby on his Mazda-powered race car. Koch took a victory and a third-place finish at VIRginia International Raceway, which wrapped up the points title with two races remaining in the season. Koch has won nine of the 12 races this season driving for the JDC Motorsports team.
Riding along with Kenton was special guest, Gumby, as part of a community partnership to promote the 2nd annual September 18-20 Gumby Fest in Glendora to help raise money for the Glendora Library. He will be donating his custom Gumby Mazda Motorsports Sparco racesuit and helmet to the event to be auctioned off in support of the library. This partnership would not have been possible without the help of L & G Enterprizes, Mazda Motorsports, Sparco, JDC Motorsports, Justice Brothers Inc, and Sir Speedy- Monrovia.
On Saturday, August 29, in Round 11, Kenton had a fierce battle with fellow JDC Motorsports teammate, Matt McMurray, for the lead as Kenton was able pass for the lead with two laps to spare in the 30 minute race. He was able to capture the fastest lap of the race and lead the most important lap, the last one. In Round 12, it was another great race where there was contact with two drivers in Turn 1, and Kenton had to avoid collision with them. This slowed him up and he came out of Turn 1 in third. He then battled for second the entire race juking for position, but wasn’t able to get by. They might have won the battle, but Koch won the war.
Kenton also had a guest at the track. He brought along Karen Headley, the National Development Director of Donate Life America, to throw the green flag for Round 12. Kenton partnered with Donate Life at the beginning of the year as they have a special place in his heart. Donate Life is an organ donation awareness program that is trying to help fight the fact that there simply aren’t enough organ donors out there. Kenton’s mother, Karen Koch, received a heart in January after fighting a downhill battle with dilated cardiomyopathy. You could save people like Kenton’s mom, by becoming a donor at Donatelife.net.
“It was an amazing weekend. I could not have asked for anything more. Representing Gumby for my local community, and having Karen Headley at the track who was a part of the organization that helped give my mom a new life. Oh, and winning the championship!” Koch said ecstatically. “I really can’t thank Mazda Motorsports enough for giving me the opportunity to race in their phenomenal ladder system. I wouldn’t be here without them and the help of many others.”
About Kenton Koch Racing
21-year old Kenton Koch has been racing for over a decade, starting out in karts at age eight. The Glendora native balanced his school work with racing as he moved up to the Mazda Ladder System where he has won $380,000 to put towards racing in the past 5 years. Kenton currently races in the Cooper Tire Prototype Lite Powered by Mazda where he has 8 wins in 10 races. When not at the racetrack, Kenton is a full-time student at Cal State Fullerton where he is majoring Business. For more information on Kenton Koch Racing, please visit www.kentonkochracing.com
About Gumby and Gumby Fest
Gumby turns 60 this year, so it’s a great time to celebrate the pop culture icon. Not only is the Citrus College Gumby Fest Stop Motion Festival 2015, Sept. 18-20, full of free family activities, it also provides an inside look into the animation industry from leading film and television professionals including Academy Award-winner Robert Stromberg (who directed Maleficent). Fans, animation hobbyists and the next generation of animators will enjoy many free panel discussions. Other activities include the Gumby Museum, art studio workshops, screenings of Gumby and Davey and Goliath episodes along with stop-motion animation contest submissions, a community fair, Gumby collectibles, food trucks, bounce-houses for kids, live rock bands and children’s craft projects. For more information, visit www.gumbyfest.net.