by Zach Hiser, MARC News
New Baltimore, MI – On the dawn of another new season in the Midwest, the Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) has announced the list of semi-finalists for this year’s program. Of the 15 named qualifiers from states like Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Maine, and Maryland, Michigan’s Keegan Sobilo has made the cut. The 18-year-old hopes to become the third Michigan driver to be a finalist in the program.
Sobilo, the 2022 Vore’s Welding CRA Late Model Sportsman Champion, began his climb through the Late Model ranks in the former Victory Custom Trailers CRA Junior Late Model Series. Sobilo collected two wins in the two seasons he dabbled with the series before taking on the Late Model Sportsman program. In his championship-winning season, the No.77 earned four top 10s and a pair of top 5s en route to the title, which he secured in the season finale at Winchester Speedway.
In 2024, Sobilo raced for Rookie of the Year honors with the Turn One CRA Pro Series (formerly the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour), collecting three top 10s in his first season and finishing fifth in the standings. He trailed 2024 Rookie of the Year, Chase Pinsonneault, who finished second in overall points.
Last season started strong for Sobilo on the CRA Pro Series, earning four top 10s in just six starts. However, after the Masters of the Pros 200 at Owosso Speedway, Sobilo’s season seemed to come to an end. It was later revealed via a social media post that the Sobilo family was forced to deal with family emergencies throughout the summer, which may have contributed to the absence from the track.
In January, Sobilo announced a 2026 schedule which includes the Turn One CRA Pro Series and Berlin Raceway calendars. The post says that Keegan Sobilo Racing (KSR) will expand to a two-car operation at select events throughout the year, offering interested drivers a chance to be a part of their program.
Since the KDDP began in 2014, five drivers native to Michigan have made it as at least a semi-finalist. In 2016, Gladstone, Michigan’s, Jordan Ives was the first from the state to become a semi-finalist. In 2019, Brighton, Michigan native, Kyle Crump was selected to the semi-finalist category.
Coopersville, Michigan native, Evan Shotko was the first to represent Michigan as a KDDP finalist during the 2022 season. He was the KDDP runner-up that year, and was selected to be part of the program again in 2023. Then in 2024, a year after his CRA Pro Series Championship, Lapeer, Michigan’s Chase Burda was named a finalist for the program.
The Kulwicki Driver Development Program (KDDP) was established in 2014 by the family of late NASCAR Champion Alan Kulwicki for the purpose of helping worthy drivers toward reaching their dreams while at the same time keeping Alan’s memory and legacy alive. The Program provides drivers with financial assistance along with support in publicity, marketing, sponsorship development, industry networking and relationship building. Based in Concord, N.C., the KDDP is a non-profit organization with the mission of playing a significant role in developing the next era of America’s short-track racers while educating new generations about the life, passion and values of the 1992 NASCAR Champion.
