Jeff Kerl and his family and crew celebrate one of his 7 wins!
by George Pease
Successful family bracket racers have dominated the national headlines for years. Names like the Richardson’s, Biondo’s, Folk’s and many more have grabbed the national limelight for some time. Locally in the Western New York contingent of excellent racers, an all too familiar name pops up in the winners circle and championship awards ceremonies. That would be the Kerl family which includes father Gary and sons Greg and Jeff. Their resume includes class championships in 1996, 97, 98, 99, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009 and many top five finishes plus a third place finish in the TNT Super Series Hot Rod category.
The senior patriarch of the Kerl family is better known as “Pops” in the pits. He was a Senior Vice President for Blue Cross and Blue Shield and is now retired but consulting several days a week there. He’s married to Carolyn. The eldest son Greg owns and operates Greg Kerl Automotive in Cheektowaga, NY and is married to Lynn and they have two children, son Connor and daughter Ava. Jeff is a welder and mechanic with the Town of Cheektowaga. They have a sister Andrea, who’s married to Bill and have one daughter named Loghan.
The family’s list of accomplishments include Greg’s championship seasons in 1996, 97, 98 and 2001 in his 1972 Olds 442 which ironically was the same car that his parents drove him home from the hospital in when he was born. Jeff’s championship seasons were in 2002 and 2004 in his 1987 Olds 442. This past season, he drove his father Gary’s 1968 Camaro to the Mod Championship at Dunn Tire Raceway Park and Gary drove the same car to a third place finish in the TNT Super Series. It was quite difficult to race in both classes when the TNT Super Series was contested at Lancaster especially because the Mod ET class doesn’t allow any electronic devices like delay boxes etc. where the 10.90 class does. So, Jeff and his father removed the delay box between rounds in each category, (Mod & Super Series) and went rounds in both categories.
“I sold my 1963 Nova and was going to take some time off from racing this past year,” said Jeff. “My father and I discussed some options and we came up with removing the delay box in his Camaro and I would race the car in the Mod ET class which turned out to be a very good decision. The car is absolutely bullet proof with the Scott Schafiroff 434 c.i. crate motor, Competition Transmissions & Converters tranny and converter and performance tuned by my brother Greg. I was very lucky to have been given the chance to race the family Camaro this year and very glad that I was able to win the Modified class championship. I have two memorable races this year; one being when my brother and his son Connor came out to the races along with my Mom and I won the class. We figure that Connor must bring us good luck because every time he comes either I or my father win. Back in the pits he told my Mother that “they race for a bit, and then they take your picture”. The second one has to be when my aunts and uncles were all coming to watch and my father asked if I had it in me to win again with everyone there. Of course I replied yes, but we all know what happens when people come out to watch us race, especially just after a previous week win…we usually go out in the first round. But as luck would have it I did manage to win again and it was very special to have everyone in my winners photograph.”
Greg Kerl's Olds 442
In the 2009 IHRA Summit Super Series points chase, Kerl accumulated a PR rating of 8.667 with 26 round wins and 4 losses out of 30 consecutive rounds of racing and was the number one seed for Dunn Tire Raceway Park at the Bracket Finals at Pittsburgh Raceway Park in Pittsburgh, PA last fall. During the season he was in 9 finals and won 7 times at DTRP. “I really have to thank my father for his help every week in the placement of the car in the burn out box and the starting line. He always makes sure I’m in the groove. He analyzes all the weather info and dials the car. I trust his judgment 100% and because of his help I had one of the best years ever. I also have to thank my girlfriend Kim who knew very little about bracket racing when we started dating. But now, she knows exactly what’s happening and learned all the ling of drag racers like burping the top end, leaving off the converter etc., and I have to say that she has made this season fun again,” he continued.
Jeff started his racing career in 1997 in his fathers Camaro. In his very first points race he made it to the finals only to lose to his brother Greg in the final. It should have been a sign to all of the other racers of great things to come. The family primarily raced in the Western New York area including Southern Ontario but they have traveled to Ohio and Pennsylvania for numerous bracket final races including the prestigious Race of Champions races that were contested at the bracket finals in past seasons. Greg started his racing career in the nineties and his father raced at the famed Niagara Dragstrip in the sixties and also made some brief appearances on Ohio Street.
The Kerl family had numerous sponsors through the years with the most significant sponsor being Greg Kerl Automotive. “His knowledge, expertise and help is second to none”, said Jeff. “This may sound easy to say since he is one of us, but we are confident it will be confirmed by anyone who knows him.” Other sponsors have included Casey’s Tavern in Black Rock, NY, The Steer and Lake Effect Restaurants and Herbst Garage. “We really have to thank my Dad’s wife Carolyn, Greg’s wife Lynn, my girlfriend Kim, my Mother MaryAnn and Gary's brother Dennis for all their support, and our newest crew member Connor".
