Kenny Bock Big Changes and Big Plans for the 2021 Season

Kenny Bock and his # 6 Bicknell Sportsman team is busy preparing big changes for the 2021 season and hoping for a real early start to their season with a trip to Florida for the Brett Deyo Sunshine Series.  The family run mom & pop team is changing from a sportsman motor to a crate motor and a modified motor for special events.  If that’s not enough the annual Bock team / Madison’s Mission fundraiser event “Racing with a Driver” is quickly coming up on January 9, 2020 at S & S Speedway in Stroudsburg, PA with racing starting at 9:00 PM.

The “Racing with a Driver” event is designed as a fundraiser to support Kenny Bock Racing for 2021 season and Madison’s Mission charity foundation.  Raffle tickets to race against 13 drivers from NASCAR and local tracks are available on Bock Racing Facebook page for $10.  Spectator tickets for the events are available for $15.  No walk-up tickets available day of event.  All tickets must be purchased in advanced due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Madison is Kenny’s Godfather’s daughter and a little girl with Alexander’s Disease which is an incurable disease.  Proceeds will support Madison’s medical expenses.  For more information on Alexander Disease visit the “Alexander Disease – National Organization for Rare Disorders” website.

The “Racing with a Driver” event will feature go kart heat races, feature event, powder puff and other special events.  There will also be opportunities for autographs and photographs for all in attendance. 

Drivers scheduled to be in attendance:

David Starr                                                          Ryan Watt

Jared Umbenhauer                                         Frank Cozze

Duane Howard                                                  Mares Stellfox

Jenna Shotz                                                        Rich laubach

Logan Watt                                                         Todd lapp

Eric Witby                                                            Jack Butler

Kenny Bock

“Racing with a Driver” event is sponsored by ATS – Alarm Tech Systems, Renaldo Mechanical and Halter Landscaping.

The 2021 season will see many changes for Bock Racing 6 sportsman team including a change to a crate motor in the sportsman division and a move to modified division for the Thunder on the Hill series and other selected events in 2021.  In addition Bock plans to travel for the short track super series and visit some new tracks for the first time in 2021.

The Bock family has been racing for a long time starting with Kenny’s dad Greg who was a drag racer in the 60’s and into the 80’s racing in the Super Pro class across PA, NJ, DE & MD.  But in the early 90’s he met and married a roundy round girl named Kelly who was practically born at the Reading Fairgrounds and the rest is history.  From there on out Gregg was no longer a straight line guy but started racing in circles with a dune buggy at Linda’s.    The racing was temporary put on hold with the birth of Kenny who became heavily involved in baseball and wrestling during his high school and college years.   But as often is the case in racing families; they eventually find their way back to the track in one shape or another sooner or later and in 2016 Greg & Kelly Bock returned as car owners of a sportsman entry driven by their son Kenny Bock.

Reflecting on his career Kenny noted “I started as a true rookie with no racing experience whatsoever.  My dad took me out to a friend’s farm on the night before my first race and I learned how to shift the car running up and down a farm lane.  I have done everything by trial and error and with a true learning curve when it comes to driving.  Mom and dad who both setup the car also had no experience with setting up a Grandview sportsman car and also learned trial by fire. We did all this learning and figuring out our racing program from day 1 at Grandview which is one of the most fiercely competitive tracks around with between 30-40 sportsmen entries each week.  But on the flipside of that we have gotten help and learned from some of the best in the business which Grandview draws week in and week out.  It was a true accomplishment to come through the ranks weekly at Grandview and get that first win on July 25^th 2020.”

The 2020 season was looking to be Bock’s best point finish of his career; but a reoccurring rotor & hub failure mechanical issue took him out of 4 races early ending his chance for his first top 10 finish of his career.

Kenny also noted “We would not have been able to do this every week for the past five years and expand our plans for 2021 without the financial support of our sponsors at Douglassville Mechanical; Halter Landscaping; Barnes Equipment; T Kohler Contracting; JedEx Transportation and ACEC Farms.  In addition I would also not be able to make it to the track each week without the tireless late night efforts of our crew Mike Gehret; Dustin Gehret; Robbie Swavley; Mike Gehret Jr.; Bill Barnes and of course my mom and dad who without them none of this would be possible”.

 Bock racing also supports & promotes Madison’s Mission and Friends of the Reading police K-9 unit.

With the new proposed rule changes at Grandview for 2021 in the sportsman division; Bock racing decided it was time to make the change to a crate motor for the sportsman class at Grandview which would also allow them to hit the road with the Short Track Super Series in the crate division and travel to some new race tracks during the 2021 season.  The team’s sportsman motor is being upgraded to a spec 358 motor which they will use for Thunder on the Hill events at Grandview and other special modified races.

Kenny stated “We are really excited about changing over to the crate and modified program and visiting new tracks with the crate on the Short Track Super Series while running for both STSS and Grandview points.  My goal for this season is a top 5 in one or both of the point championships.  We are planning on starting our 2021 Short Track Super Series racing with the Sunshine Swing at Bubba Raceway in Ocala, Florida on January 26-30, 2021 and then heading to the STSS points opener at Georgetown in March.”