King To Make Pavement Debut In Pro Truck At Houston

Michael King Jr (King Photography Services)

EL DORADO, Ark. – After putting in seven years of hard work, grit, and determination to his racing efforts, Michael King Jr. will realize a dream this spring by making his pavement debut.

The longtime dirt modified and dirt late model racer will take the reins of a Pro Truck owned by Kirby Honeycutt – father of 2024 Snowball Derby winner Kaden Honeycutt – for at least two races at Houston (Texas) Motorsports Park.

King, 24, will make his first appearance at the three-eighths-mile tri-oval on Saturday, April 19, before following up with an Independence Day weekend special on Saturday, July 5.

Additional races could be added, pending sponsorship, but King is eager for the moment regardless of how frequent his pavement endeavors are able to be.

“It feels insane to reach this point in my journey, if I’m completely honest,” said King of his emotions regarding the new deal. “I’ve wanted to race on asphalt my entire life, and to have the opportunity to work with Kirby Honeycutt is a dream come true. I’m incredibly thankful this is happening and grateful he trusts me with his equipment to go out and show what I’m capable of.

“I know there will be a learning curve compared to what I’m used to on the dirt side, but I feel ready for that challenge, and I can’t wait to get started,” King added. “A huge thank you goes out to all of our partners that have helped make this opportunity possible. I’m ready to make everyone proud.”

Also giving King hope for a potential pavement future is the fact that numerous current and former NASCAR stars began their careers racing on dirt before successfully transitioning onto the blacktop.

“I’ve watched a lot of my heroes go from dirt racing to stock cars and pavement, and I do believe I can do the same thing in the right situations and with the right people around me,” he noted. “I plan on being competitive right out of the gate. Some of the best upper-level stock car racers of all time come from a form of dirt discipline. (Kyle) Larson, (Christopher) Bell, (Jeff) Gordon, (Jimmie) Johnson, and (Tony) Stewart have all made it work, and the list even goes on beyond them.

“My mantra with this journey is, ‘Why not me?’ Our group has the belief that this is possible, and now is the opportunity to put it to the test.”

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.

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.