Mark Keegan
Mark Keegan At Fremont Speedway In 1989
Photo By FSC Pictorial
"No one has dominated short-track
sprint car racing in Ohio like Mark Keegan did in the '80s and '90s. A
lot of fans boo Mark Keegan...if they just got to know him and all of the
things he does to help other racers, they'd think differently of him. Mark
is a very devoted racer, husband and father. He will go down as one of
the greatest racers ever in Ohio. He'll be listed up there with the Beales,
Linders, Ferkels, Franks, McGiltons."
~ Fremont Speedway Announcer
Brian Liskai ~
In the early days of his career,
nothing in Mark Keegan's life mattered more than racing. With the passage
of time his priorities began to change. But don't think for one second
that these personal changes have done anything to calm his will to win.
Mark Allen Keegan was born on June 7, 1958, the son of Roland &
Alice Keegan. With his wife Melanie, he is the father of four children;
Niki, Kali, Lexi & Michael. They make their home in Fremont, Ohio.
Mark recalls his earliest memories at the racetrack. "I can remember
going to the races with my father and sitting up in the stands to watch
my uncle Gug race," says Keegan. Uncle Gug was without question Mark's
greatest early influence. Gug Keegan is second all-time in Fremont Speedway
career feature wins, with a handfull of track championships also to his
credit.
Finally, at the age of 18 Mark began to consider the possibility of
driving a stock car. "I thought I would like to try it since my uncle Gug
was a racer, and my brother Larry helped Gug. Larry then bought a car of
his own and had Jim Linder drive it. Kinda of had it in my blood.
I started in the fall of 1976 and bought a complete racecar for $50.00.
The guy that I bought the race car from got barred from the races for fighting
and, therefore, I was not able to race my first feature because the officials
said that the car was barred from the track, being that it was never painted
or lettered differently with a new number."
Far from being deterred, Mark came back the following season even more
determined. "I built a new car for 1977. The very next week I won the feature
in my sportsman." He went on that season to win the track championship
at Fremont Speedway in his just rookie year. "I won like 6 or 8 features
that year. It was a really fun season that year. I raced with guys
like Dave Marko and Gordon Holbrook." Racing one more season in the stock
car, Mark then looked at taking his young career to the next level.
"My brother Larry and I built my first sprint car," says Mark. And who
did he most look forward to competing against? "My uncle Gug. My brother
Larry was still with Jim Linder so I was eager to race against Jim too."
Mark won his first feature and his first track championship in a sprint
car at Fremont in 1981. Ultimately he also won his first All Star Feature.
"I had a Bobby Allen car and beat Jack Hewitt at Fremont, but I'm not sure
what year that was. It was my biggest feature win up to that point."
Mark's incredible career eventually earned him an impressive list of
accomplishments. He has won 10 All Star features, including 4 Ohio Speedweek
wins. He has earned a whopping 163 total feature wins, his proudest of
which was beating Steve Kinser in the Speedweek finale at Attica in 1995.
Keegan also has no less than 20 track championships to his credit. "They
(the track championships) were all pretty special but the first one at
Attica was great. Also the one down at KC in 1999."
Throughout his career, Mark Keegan has seen the sport evolve and change.
He feels that the sport is "More costly and motors have more power. Tires,
chassis, etc. are better. Haulers are bigger!!! Takes more
money to participate and (it is) more competitive. Competition is stiffer
because a young guy can go out and buy good equipment and be fast right
off the bat. Guys are able to afford better equipment these days." Keegan
feels that today's most promising young drivers include, "Brandon Martin,
Bryan Scott, Craig Mintz & Brock Mayes. There are quite a few young
drivers that I think will do well." Of the recent changes with the All
Stars he says, "I think that they won't have the following of cars due
to all of the traveling. I think that will have a negative impact."
Through the years Mark Keegan himself has evolved and changed. Of his
biggest regrets he says, "Earlier in my career I should have tried to find
a ride instead of being an owner. It was very costly. Racing was
the only thing in life that was really important to me until I got married
and started a family. My priorities have changed and my family comes
first."
While Mark's top priority is now clearly his family, it is abundantly
clear that his fire and will to win still remain in spite of his dissapointment
in his 2002 season.
At the 2002 Fremont Speedway banquet, when a fellow competitor referred
to him as "the old man," his competitive nature dictated that his first
reaction would be to bite back! "I don't have one foot in the grave yet,"
he said, "and when the season starts, this old man will be out for blood!",
which drew a large cheer from the banquet crowd. But when asked about the
incident recently, his reaction was a little different. "Comments like
that don't mean too much to me, only because I had to work and spend my
own money to race, where most young guys have someone to pay for everything."
Keegan was asked if the thought of retirement has ever entered his mind.
"Yes, especially for the last couple of years since we haven't been doing
too well!" But in the next breath he vowed that he would only hang up the
helmet "When I no longer have a ride!!" He continued, "I think I have done
everything I've wanted to do. But it would be nice to win a speedweek championship."
Finally, Mark Keegan took the oportunity to speak directly to the fans.
"I really appreciate the support, and thanks to all the people who stood
by me all these years. Thanks!!!!!" He also speaks to those who root
against him. "When I was winning a lot people started to root against me
because they like to see different winners. If Roepke, Ivy or anyone
else started winning week after week they would start getting the boos
too! Kinda like Jeff Gordon. First they loved him, now they hate
him!!!"
It is true that fans have their own reasons for deciding who they root
for or against. But no one can deny Mark Keegan his rightful place in the
history of the great sport that he has known, loved and dominated. |