| Race
History and Resume - Kirk Knestis
1984-1985
Team
owner and entrant in International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Renault
Cup |
K. Knestis photo - IMSA GT weekend, Portland International
Raceway, 1985 |
1986
Novice
Driver, Northwest Region Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Improved Touring
C
Highlights
include first class win in auto racing (Olympia Washington Airport circuit)
and NWR class championship
|
R. Gasak photo - SCCA Regional, Portland International Raceway, Spring
1986 |
1987-1990
Driver
in a variety SCCA Regional and National sprint races, club enduros, and
ESCORT Pro Showroom Stock endurance events in Renault, VW, and Mazda products
Highlights
- or disappointments, depending how one looks at it - include numerous
2nd-place class finishes
|
K. Knestis photo - 1988 Kirk Motorsport promotional package |
1990-1993
Driver
in nine events in the Northwest Hillclimb Association
Highlights
include 1st in class at the Onion Mountain Hillclimb in 1993
|
J. Culp photo - Doo Wop IV divisional rally, March, 1996
|
1995-1998
Co-driver
in approximately 40 NORPAC Divisional rallies
Highlights
include more than 15 class wins, one overall victory, and the 1997 NORPAC
Divisional U2 class championship |
Photo courtesy Ben's
Rally Page - Porter Creek bridge crossing, Capital Forest, Olympia,
Washington, c.1998 |
1999-2000
Driver
in two partial seasons of Puget Sound Go Kart Association (PSGKA) racing |
|
2004
Driver
of the PhilsTireService.com
Project GTI
Events
2 ea. SCCA licensing schools
5 ea. SCCA Regional road races
2 ea. THSCC high-performance driving events
THSCC rallycross
Blue Ridge Hillclimb
Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13-hour enduro
Highlights
include a class victory - of six cars in ITB
- at the VIR 13-hour endurance race |
|
2005
Driver
of the PhilsTireService.com
Project GTI
Events
3 ea. NASA sprint races
1 ea. 3.5-hour NASA enduro
4 ea. SCCA Regional sprint races
2 ea. high-performance driving events
Blue Ridge Hillclimb
12 Hours at the Point enduro
...and
half of the Rally Tennessee
Highlights
include a class victory in the Summit Point 12-hour enduro, a total of
5 first-in-class trophies, and 2 second place finishes. |
 |
2006
Driver
of the Conover Engines - PhilsTireService.com
Golf Version 3.2
Events
2 ea. SCCA Regional sprint races
1 ea. high-performance driving event
1 ea. 2-hour ECR enduro
12 Hours at the Point enduro
Charge of the Headlight
Brigade 13-hour enduro
A
completely new car emerged from the winter rebuilding effort - lighter,
stronger, and faster. A limited schedule meant that it was the end of
the season before the Conover-built engine was tuned for optimum performance
but great strides in lap times made it worth the wait. |
 |
2007
Driver
of the Conover Motor Sports Golf Version 3.2
Events
3 ea. SCCA Regional sprint races
1 ea. 3-hour NASA enduro
GRM Ultimate Track Car Challenge
12 Hours at the Point enduro
Return of the Longest Day 24-hour enduro
Charge of the Headlight
Brigade 13-hour enduro
...and
an ARRC ITB sprint gold medal by Bowie
Gray.
A
further year of Conover development realized Kirk's most successful endurance
racing season to date, with two major event class victories, fourth in
the Endurance Championship Series, and a wonderful overall win in the
wet NASA VIR 3-hour enduro.
|
Tom
Hoppe-Sixgun Racing Photo |
2008
Driver
of the Conover Motor Sports Golf Version 3.2
Events
6 ea. SCCA Regional sprint races
2 ea. SCCA 90-minute ECR enduros
1 ea. 3-hour NASA enduro
12 Hours at the Point enduro
Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13-hour enduro
2nd Annual IT SPEC*tacular
SARRC Invitational Challenge (SIC)
Second
in season points in the SARRC championship would constitute a good year
by many measures, but 2008 couldn't help but be something of a disappointment,
following the breakthrough successes of last season. |
Ken Neher Photo |
2009
Driver
of the Conover Motor Sports Golf Version 3.2
Events
Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13-hour enduro
ARRC 3-hour enduro
A
lack of funded codrivers compounded a year of personal changes, including
a new job and move, to substantially impact this season's racing.
|
Ken Neher Photo
|
2010
Driver
of the RennGruppe
Motorsports Golf v.3.2
Events
3 ea. SCCA Regional sprint races
1 ea. ECR enduro
1 ea. Carolina Cup Pro Race
Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13-hour enduro
ARRC ProIT
ARRC Sprint
A
class win at the VIR 13 hours and bronze medal at the American Road
Race of Champions crowned a successful, if not overly busy, 2010 season.
|
Joe Moser Photo
|
2011
Driver
of the RennGruppe
Motorsports Golf v.3.2
Events
Devil in the Dark 12-hour enduro
5th Annual IT SPEC*tacular
2 ea. SCCA Regional sprint races
1 ea. ECR enduro
ARRC ProIT
ARRC Sprint
Four
class wins (one at the New Jersey 12 hours with Maximum
Attack Motosports), and bronze medals at the IT SPEC*tacular and
ARRC made this one of Kirk's most competitive seasons ever. |
Image Copyright © 2011 Blair Judson |
All
text and photos protected by copyright
Use by permission only
Last
updated
December 17, 2011
|
Project
GTI is headquartered at RennGruppe
Motorsports, Lexington, NC |
