Matt Kemp

Matt Kemp Bio

Matt Kemp, born January 25, 1999, is an American professional stock car racing driver. He most recently competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 12 Ford for Fast Track Racing. A native of Sawyer, Michigan, Kemp has built his career through regional short-track racing before stepping onto the ARCA platform.

Now racing with both Fast Track Racing and Maples Motorsports across the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, Kemp continues to develop as a national-level driver. His progression from Midwest regional competition to the ARCA ladder reflects years of consistent results and steady advancement.

Early Life and Background

Matt Kemp was born on January 25, 1999, in Sawyer, Michigan, a small community in the southwestern part of the state. Like many drivers from that region, he grew up surrounded by short-track racing culture, where local ovals and family-run teams shape the next generation of talent. The Michigan racing scene has produced numerous professional drivers, and Kemp began his own path within that competitive environment.

From an early age, Kemp gravitated toward racing, starting in entry-level divisions before working his way into more advanced equipment. His early exposure to indoor and compact touring events helped him build the race craft needed for higher levels of stock car competition. These formative years laid the foundation for his transition into full-bodied stock cars.

Kemp began racing competitively in 2014, when he was just fifteen years old. His early career focused on building experience across multiple regional series, giving him the seat time necessary to develop consistency behind the wheel.

Path to NASCAR

Kemp’s climb toward the NASCAR ladder has come through the ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East, the traditional development paths for aspiring national-series drivers. Between 2014 and 2015, he made select starts in the Midwest Indoor Racing Series Arena-Mini Cup Division and the Vores Compact Touring Series in the North Division. He also made a lone start in the Great Lakes Super Mini Cup Series during that span.

In 2019, Kemp committed to a full-time schedule in the Midwest Classic Racers Series, driving the No. 1a entry. He won one race at South Bend Motor Speedway and finished in the top ten in every race on the schedule, ending the year third in the points standings. Across 2020 and 2021, he finished second in points and won six races combined. His 2022 season was his breakthrough year, as he won seven races and captured the Midwest Classic Racers Series championship over Troy Hoffman by more than fifty points.

Kemp made his ARCA Menards Series debut in 2023 at Berlin Raceway, driving the No. 12 Ford for Fast Track Racing. He also debuted in the ARCA Menards Series East that same year at Iowa Speedway during a combination event with the main ARCA series. These initial national-level starts marked his official entry onto the ladder leading toward the NASCAR national series.

Matt Kemp Career

Early Career (2014-2022)

Kemp’s early career was rooted in Midwest regional competition, where he established himself as one of the top drivers in the Midwest Classic Racers Series. From 2014 to 2018, he honed his skills across a variety of compact and mini-cup divisions, including the Midwest Indoor Racing Series and the Vores Compact Touring Series. These series provided valuable experience on a range of track types, from tight bullrings to intermediate ovals.

His most significant early achievements came in the Midwest Classic Racers Series between 2019 and 2022. Kemp won a race at South Bend Motor Speedway in 2019 and followed that with strong championship runs in 2020 and 2021. His dominant 2022 campaign, featuring seven victories and the series championship by a fifty-point margin over Troy Hoffman, established him as a proven regional talent ready for the next level.

ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2023-Present)

Kemp’s ARCA Menards Series debut came in 2023 at Berlin Raceway, where he started twelfth and finished thirteenth after rear-end issues. He added a start at Iowa Speedway that same year, finishing nineteenth after 29 laps due to mechanical problems, and ran at Kansas Speedway in the No. 11, where vibrations led to a twentieth-place result. Despite the mechanical setbacks, the debut season gave Kemp valuable national-level experience.

In 2024, Kemp returned to the ARCA Menards Series East at Flat Rock Speedway, again driving for Fast Track Racing. He had previously tested with the team at the Daytona International Speedway pre-season test, where he placed 47th overall across the two testing days. He went on to finish sixth at Flat Rock, then ran at Berlin Raceway in the main ARCA series, finishing seventeenth due to mechanical issues, before closing the year at Toledo Speedway in the No. 01 Ford, where he finished 21st after only seven laps.

Kemp’s 2025 season opened with his superspeedway debut at Talladega Superspeedway, driving the No. 12 Ford for Fast Track Racing, though suspension issues resulted in a 35th-place finish. He continued to make starts across both the main ARCA series and the East series throughout the year, earning a best finish of fourth at the East Series race at Flat Rock Speedway, where he started on the front row in second. His best ARCA Menards Series finish that season was sixteenth in the final standings, while his East Series run produced a 34th-place result. He recorded two top-ten finishes in the ARCA Menards Series and two top-ten finishes in the ARCA Menards Series East during his time in those divisions.

In April 2026, it was announced that Kemp would drive a partial schedule for Maples Motorsports, beginning at Kansas Speedway. The move marks his first confirmed schedule with a team other than Fast Track Racing at the ARCA national level.

Fast Track Racing Era (2023-2025)

Kemp’s tenure with Fast Track Racing has been his primary ARCA platform since 2023. Driving the No. 12 Ford, and occasionally the No. 11, he has built a working relationship with the team’s crew and developed consistency across a wide variety of track types, from short tracks to superspeedways. His best result with the team came at Flat Rock Speedway in the East Series, where he finished fourth after starting second.

While results have sometimes been hampered by mechanical issues, the Fast Track Racing program has given Kemp steady seat time across both ARCA divisions. The team has supported his development through testing opportunities, including the Daytona pre-season test in 2024, and continues to provide a competitive entry for his part-time national schedule.

Driving Style and Strengths

Kemp has demonstrated particular strength on short tracks, where his regional background gives him an edge in tight, technical racing. His ability to consistently finish in the top ten at Midwest short tracks during his championship run translated into competitive qualifying efforts at ARCA-level venues, including a front-row start at Flat Rock Speedway. Continued partnership with his Fast Track Racing crew has been central to refining his stock car setup work and race-day strategy.

Notable Races and Milestones

His 2022 Midwest Classic Racers Series championship, won by more than fifty points, remains the headline result of his career. His ARCA Menards Series debut at Berlin Raceway in 2023, his superspeedway debut at Talladega Superspeedway in 2025, and his front-row start leading to a fourth-place run at Flat Rock Speedway are among his most notable national-level moments to date.

Matt Kemp Career Wins

Matt Kemp’s verified career wins are concentrated in regional stock car competition. He has not recorded a win at the ARCA Menards Series or ARCA Menards Series East national level, though he has earned two top-ten finishes in each of those divisions.

ARCA Menards Series Highlights

Kemp has made multiple starts in the ARCA Menards Series since his 2023 debut, with a best overall finish of sixteenth in the 2025 standings. He has recorded two top-ten finishes across his time in the series. His best single-race result during the period covered was a fourth-place run in the East Series at Flat Rock Speedway in 2025.

Other Wins and Performances

Kemp’s most significant victory totals came in the Midwest Classic Racers Series, where he won one race in 2019, six races combined across 2020 and 2021, and seven races in 2022 on his way to the series championship. He also competed in the Midwest Indoor Racing Series Arena-Mini Cup Division, the Vores Compact Touring Series North Division, and the Great Lakes Super Mini Cup Series during his early career.

Matt Kemp Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Publicly verified details about Matt Kemp’s family background and racing lineage are limited. He grew up in Sawyer, Michigan, a community with a strong short-track racing tradition that helped shape his early introduction to the sport.

Personal Life

Publicly verified personal details about Matt Kemp are limited. He resides in the Sawyer, Michigan area and maintains an active presence on social media under his racing brand, Matt Kemp Racing.

2025 Season Performance

Matt Kemp’s 2025 ARCA Menards Series campaign opened with his superspeedway debut at Talladega Superspeedway, where suspension issues led to a 35th-place finish. He continued to balance starts between the main ARCA Menards Series and the ARCA Menards Series East throughout the remainder of the year. His best East Series result came at Flat Rock Speedway, where he started on the front row in second and finished fourth.

Across the season, Kemp recorded two top-ten finishes in the main ARCA Menards Series and two top-ten finishes in the ARCA Menards Series East. His combined efforts resulted in a sixteenth-place best finish in the ARCA Menards Series standings and a 34th-place result in the East Series standings for 2025.

The 2025 season was a developmental year that produced valuable superspeedway experience and continued short-track pace. With his April 2026 announcement to run a partial schedule for Maples Motorsports beginning at Kansas Speedway, Kemp’s on-track momentum carries into a new team partnership for the following season.