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Mark Kennerly
By Dennis Terry
From time to time I like to get away from the NASCAR current events that everyone else is talking about and focus the blog on people and events that you never see on ESPN or read about on thatsracin.com.
So, for the next couple of weeks I’m going to use the blog to spotlight my teammates and give you my take on the unique personalities that work hard to give Martin 12 second pit stops.
The first crewman spotlight from the Bass Pro Shops 2006 world champion pit crew is Mark Kennerly.
Mark is our rear tire carrier. Like me, he works a “regular” job during the week and is a contract pit crew guy on the weekends. He and our jackman, Jeff Kerr, are the only two pit crew guys to have been with Martin since he first started racing in the Busch series.
Mark is married to his wife Jennifer, and they have 2 girls, Amber who is sixteen and Brooke who is almost two.
Growing up in Rowan County he was a huge Bobby Allison fan. Mark lived the Miller high life… a six pack at a time while pulling for Bobby and the Alabama Gang.
Mark graduated from North Rowan High in 1991 where he was a stand out football, basketball and baseball player. He was an All American 3rd baseman who turned down several College scholarships to pursue his pit crew and career aspirations.
After high school Mark was working in the Seafood business waiting for his big break. After a while Mark said that he got tired of coming home smelling like fish each night and started looking for a cleaner profession.
“I wanted a job where everybody needed me”, Mark recalled thinking.
“One day I was just sitting in the bathroom and thought, maan, everyone has to use the John!”
So, Mark sent his application off to the Rowan Septic Tank Company. Luckily for Mark, they were looking for an athletic guy with a background in the seafood business to drive one of their poopy pump trucks.
When Mark isn’t pumping out septic tanks he’s pumping it up in the gym maintaining 11% body fat and a six pack that even Bobby Allison would be proud of.
Working his way up to Poop Pumper Specialist Mark has been a key part of the success of Rowan Septic Tank Company for over five years. That same dedication and the desire to be the best has also made him a key part of our pit crew and one of the best tire carriers on pit road.
DT
June 15, 2006 in Bass Pro Over The Wall Bios | Permalink
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Comments
That makes me smile because my dad says that the best thing about being a repairman is that everyone is always happy to see him when he shows up.
Posted by: M. B. Voelker | Jun 15, 2006 11:22:46 AM
Is that true? That's the funniest story I've ever heard.
Posted by: babykay | Jun 15, 2006 11:32:17 AM
Thanks DT, I WAS eating my lunch...But good job on focusing on the "unsung" hero's, and just maybe being a crew member isn't as glamorous as some people think!...I've seen THAT movie!
Posted by: Tbfka# 5 | Jun 15, 2006 1:55:46 PM
Dennis,that was hilarious.I am sure Mark is already ploting on how to get you back.Can't wait to hear more "SCOOP".Thanks for the laugh.
Posted by: Short Lady | Jun 15, 2006 2:12:00 PM
Hey,that's a true story. One thing about this sport is that everyone has a unique story to tell.
DT
Posted by: DT | Jun 15, 2006 2:26:02 PM
That is some funny crap!......No pun intended. You know some people say they have a crappy job, but in this case it is true.
Posted by: Rod Farva | Jun 15, 2006 2:47:21 PM
DT has probably done his share of shoveling "poopy" being an old farm boy???
Posted by: nancyBT | Jun 15, 2006 4:00:37 PM
Awesome story....so glad to hear this compared to the crap Trent has been writing lately....Ohh we raced well until something broke/we were fast at the end, just ran out of laps...blah blah blah.
DT,
Are you glad to be out of the 12 car? Do you miss Borland, Trent, or anybody else? They sure have sucked since you left.
Posted by: Joshua | Jun 15, 2006 7:18:03 PM
So how does his wife and kids feel about him going off every weekend? Or any of yalls family? Specially when yall are doing Busch race too...... Yall go to work Monday thru Friday, then off to the tracks on what? Friday? Come back Sunday night, Monday morning, then go to work.... You've gotta have some very special wives..... and working like yall do, then hitting the tracks on weekends, it's gotta be pretty tiring on ya...... but I sure am glad there are you guys who love to do it and are willing to do it...... I commend yall! And I suggest yall treat your wives very nice, they put up with alot! smile.........
I know I wouldn't want his job, And I also know there's not alot worse than a stopped up tank either..... so I'm glad there are folks who will do the job.....
Posted by: darlene | Jun 15, 2006 9:19:30 PM
He got tired of smelling like fish, so he switched to poop?! LMAO!!
Great idea for the blog DT, thanks!
Posted by: VirginiaGal | Jun 16, 2006 12:41:18 AM
Joshua –
I was at Penske for 4 years, so I would define my relationship with those guys as being comparable to high school buddies. We had some of the best times of my life and although the business of the business took us in different directions we still hang out at the track and back home.
Racing is a rollercoaster ride. Last Year Dale Jr. and Kevin Harvick struggled but this year they both are having one of the most consistent years of their careers.
You have up years and down years. Borland is one of the best pit road strategists to sit on the box and those guys will be back.
Newman is heading into his strongest tracks in July and Aug, so I look for those guys to win a couple of races and have a strong run down to the Chase.
Darlene –
The NASCAR schedule is very hard on families and relationships especially when you add a 12 race Busch schedule. I’m not going to deny the fact that each year I have at least one friend in the business to come up on the loosing end of trying to juggle an 80 hour work week with the time demands of a family. I can’t speak for Kennerly, but my wife and I meet during the thick of the 2001 racing season when I was working 39 races for the 77 Cup car and a 15 race Busch schedule for J. Burton.
So, the racing schedule has always been part of our relationship and having a wife that is supportive of your dreams helps too. Actually, I’m much more worried about once I’m not racing and my wife has to start putting up with me on the weekends too!
DT
Posted by: DT | Jun 16, 2006 10:10:09 AM
Oh man...I had a good chuckle reading this...I say you dont only do your team but other teams! I have a few guys in mind that will also give everybody a good chukle!
Posted by: Jen S | Jun 16, 2006 8:07:52 PM
DT - would love to see more info like this about the team on Martin's fan club site. They love you guys on the message boards and cheer for you at every opportunity.
Good Luck at MIS. Great qualifying!
Posted by: Juleintx | Jun 16, 2006 11:19:56 PM
mark kennerly's the shit......................too bad the 8 car doesnt have any true blue all american boys on the team
Posted by: pete | Jun 17, 2006 10:49:20 PM
Sorry this is late. I was adding some of the info you provided on my page I've done for the team. One quick question. Any idea who old Mark is? I have a birthdate minus the year so I was wondering. Thanks!
Posted by: Ziggy | Jul 10, 2006 11:00:43 PM
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