King Fights For Top 15 In $10,000 Ronny Adams Memorial

Michael King Jr. (14JR Racing photo)

GREENWOOD, La. – In his season debut with the COMP Cams Super Dirt Series, Michael King Jr. proved Friday night that he can compete against the best dirt late model drivers in the country despite adversity.

King raced his way into the $10,000-to-win Ronny Adams Memorial at Boothill Speedway through a B-Main, then moved from 21st on the grid to finish 14th in a field that included the likes of Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Billy Moyer and World of Outlaws Late Model regulars Drake Troutman and Cade Dillard.

Driving his new-look, blue-and-white No. 14jr dirt super late model, King’s effort was even more impressive when considering that the 24-year-old native of Paducah, Ky., found a broken bearing on the right-rear bird cage of his car during routine teardown and maintenance after the event weekend.

“We didn’t know it at the time other than I was fighting the handle, but I drove the whole night with a broken rear end (suspension),” King explained. “To make the show and then gain seven spots from where we started, in a field of that caliber and with that kind of a major mechanical issue, is remarkable when you think about it. I can’t even fully believe we pulled it off, truthfully.

“When you take all the variables into account, I’m thrilled with our first true touring show with the true super (late model) engine,” he continued. “We fought hard all weekend and came home with a top-15 finish out of 32 super late models that showed up, not to mention the car is back in the shop in one piece. For a family team like ours, that is a major success, even though we struggled all weekend at getting the balance of the car to where I felt comfortable.

“I think we finally hit on something in the feature that seemed to be to our liking. We’ve got a lot to learn to be able to hang with these (touring) guys, but we’re going to work to show that we belong.”

Originally scheduled for two nights, the Ronny Adams Memorial was condensed to a single-day program due to declining weather forecasts in the area for Saturday.

King would like to thank APE Engines, PPG Paint, Thurmon’s Heat & Air, M&A Wrecker Service, Advanced Specialized Services LLC, Black’s Metals of El Dorado, Hartman Walsh Industrial Services, J&J Motorsports, M&A Wrecker Service, ML Performance, Next Level Designs, SUPE, Team 5 Enterprise, Team Forty-Eight Motorsports, Thrifty Liquor, Stratosphere Design Studios, Race Face Brand Development, and the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation for their partnership and continued support.

Due to work obligations, King will take two weeks off before returning to action with the COMP Cams Super Dirt Series on Saturday, March 29 at Texarkana (Ark.) 67 Speedway.

About Michael King Jr.

Michael King Jr. is a 24-year-old dirt late model and dirt modified racer from Paducah, Ky., who now calls El Dorado, Ark., home. He’s in his eighth season of racing with his family-owned and operated team, spearheaded by his parents – Michael Sr. and Leslie.

King started in the front-wheel drive class in 2018, collecting 14 wins in his rookie season, including highlight victories during the Louisiana State Championship Race at Boothill Speedway and the Spooky 50 weekend at Super Bee Speedway.

He advanced into Limited Modifieds in 2019, and has racked up eight victories in the class, as well as the 2020 Super Bee Speedway track championship.

His late model tenure took off in 2022, and he debuted with the Titan Legends Late Model Series the next year, where he contended for rookie-of-the-year honors and narrowly missed out to Preston Farmer. King has also made two appearances at the prestigious Gateway Dirt Nationals in St. Louis, Mo.

King’s family is no stranger to racing, either, as his mother Leslie is a longtime shock builder under the ShocKing Shocks banner.

He counts dirt late model legend Don O’Neal and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson among his racing inspirations, and away from the racetrack, King is a supporter of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation’s efforts in the fight against pediatric cancer.

Visit King’s website at https://michaelkingracing.com/ for more information.