Nikitenko Motorsports Release

Written by Greg Cybulski

(April 8, 2006) Since the mid-point of the 1900's, Sprint Car racing in the north was filled with names like Andy Nikitenko, Doug Groves, Lou Kennedy, Don Mack, Jim Bergo, Dave Skari, Jim "Hoss" Hauge, Danny Schatz and Oscar Corum who carved their historical racing careers on North Dakota tracks like Grand Forks Speedway, Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo and Nodak Speedway in Minot.

In the true spirit of renewing old school wisdom with a new generation of racer, two prominent northern racing family names are teaming up to create a new Sprint Car team in 2006.

Nikitenko Motorsports of Minot, North Dakota is pleased to announce that it has entered a partnership with Lou Kennedy Sr of Winnipeg, Manitoba that will see second generation driver Greg Nikitenko race for the 2006 championships of the Northern Outlaw Sprint Association and River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Greg will be bringing his current sponsors over to his new ride along with Kennedy's which will be displayed on the number 6 Sprint Car. The colors for 2006 will be a predominantly yellow car with some black and red mixed into the paint scheme with a red number 6.

Although he has raced his own equipment for most of his past ten years of racing a Sprint Car, Nikitenko did drive the Layton-owned K9 car in 2003.

Greg talked about the difference between the two experiences:
"I like working on the race car, just doing it all gets to be a big task week in and week out. Driving for a different car owner takes a lot of weight off of my shoulders as far as weekly prep work to the car and equipment. That was pretty easy to get used to when I drove for the Layton's in 2003.”

The Minot driver summarized his feelings about the upcoming racing season:
"To be able to race for somebody like Lou Kennedy Sr. who has that much experience winning races over the years is very exciting and I'm eager to learn from him. He has good equipment and obviously the know-how to make it go fast. We both have a strong desire to win and to partner up with him is going to be a winning combination and a lot of fun for all of us. It's a pretty big story in my racing career."

If Greg Nikitenko's enthusiasm is any indication of things to come this season, the combination of Nikitenko and Kennedy will be making some of their own racing history in 2006.