Kalamazoo: 2025 Banquet Huge Success
BATTLE CREEK, MI — Hosted for the first time ever at the FireKeepers Casino & Event Center, the 2025 Kalamazoo Speedway season celebration saw hundreds of guests attend to celebrate the 75th season.
This was the second banquet for Donnie Ritter at FireKeepers as he held the 2024 Springport Banquet in the same room, and he was able to take all of his notes from his first time and apply them to the Kalamazoo Banquet. Champions were honored and recognized with their own personal banners which is an idea Aubrey Rugg, Donnie’s daughter, and Donnie had after they saw Springport schools with custom banners. They carried on the tradition with their move to Kalamazoo.
Doors opened at 4:30 P.M. with a steady stream of guests ready to celebrate with the Happy Hour. It was a chance for race friends to connect after what has been a brutal winter in Southwest Michigan, and the increased size in venue and presentation meant there was plenty of space to connect. One change Ritter and Rugg made from their Springport Banquet was a buffet-style dinner instead of a plated meal, and the change paid off with plenty of food for guests to enjoy. FireKeepers host Megan Cole and her team made sure the event ran smooth from their end and did a fantastic job representing the casino and events center.
Once the awards ceremony started, the Top 10 for each class was recognized which saw 30 different Front Wheel Drive racers receive a trophy as well as 30 other drivers from the remaining three weekly divisions. In total, 60 points trophies and two Rookie of the Year awards—one for Mason Metzger in the Steak ‘n Shake Late Models and Joseph McDonald Jr. in the Front Wheel Drives—were handed out. Each champion driver also received custom jackets prepared by Fast Way Creations’ own, and fellow Late Model competitor, Taylor Sexton.
2025 Champions:
Honor Credit Union Limited Late Models — Bryce Bozell
Steak ‘n Shake Late Models — Mark Shook
Techworks Street Stocks — Kyle Ribble
O’Reilly Auto Parts Front Wheel Drive A — Matthew Elsey Jr.
Spartan Insulation Front Wheel Drive B — Scott Elsey
Randy’s Trucking Front Wheel Drive C — Cayden VerBurg
To conclude the evening, two special recognitions were given to honor those who have committed much of their life to the Kalamazoo Speedway and racing community. First, Keith “Skeeter” Reed received recognition for all of his contributions to the Kalamazoo Speedway, and for many attendees, they might have learned Skeeter has a real first and last name for the first time ever. Always known as Skeeter, many of the day-to-day happenings at the track such as site marks for Super Shoe campers, track prep, mowing and trimming, and other upkeep was completed by Skeeter. On race days, fans and drivers knew Skeeter as the master organizer of the infield and upper pit parking where he helped to guide drivers to their spots as well as offer push services as needed in his famous red jeep.
Then, the first Legacy Award under the Ritter era was presented to Kenny Head and Billy Shannon in an emotional send off to two amazing racers and people. Head and Shannon greeted each other stage right and walked up together as a video of their Last Lap played behind them on the big screen. They were also joined by Donnie Brest and Andy Bozell on the stage. While they have stepped away from active racing, Shannon noted that he will not be a stranger at the track as he offered his help and guidance as needed, and Head is still very active with the Kalamazoo Mini Wedge Program. As President of the Kalamazoo Mini Wedges, Head has many big plans to make it a developmental system with several educational classes and opportunities in the works for drivers to grow on and off the track as they build their tools to become complete racers and representatives of the sport.
Although the 2025 season officially closed with the banquet, the 76th season of the Kalamazoo Speedway is fast approaching. Under the leadership of Donnie Ritter, the Kalamazoo Speedway saw an increase in weekly car counts when compared to the last several years, and his impact in his first full season this year is already being felt across the landscape. The Hot Shoe is moving on from Owosso and will now be held at Kalamazoo, and three huge Modified shows will take place this season. Additionally, a balanced schedule, which focuses on weekly racing as the foundation with big shows for each class, offers fans a taste of all of their favorites which includes the Outlaw Super Late Models for three events, two Night of Destructions, a traditional Demolition Derby, and smaller traveling series like the Midwest Classic Racers, National Compact Touring Series, and Tri-State Sprints.
The 2026 season starts April 11th with Test and Tune, and the Season Opener is April 17th with the 26th Annual Intimidator 100 featuring the Outlaw Super Late Models, Late Models, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, and Front Wheel Drives.
