Kasey Kleyn joins Nitro Motorsports for ARCA platform debut at Phoenix and partial schedule in 2027

Nitro Motorsports has signed Kasey Kleyn to drive the team’s No. 20 Toyota in the ARCA Menards Series West event at Phoenix Raceway on October 17.

Looking ahead to 2027, Nitro Motorsports is pleased to confirm Kleyn for a partial ARCA Menards Series campaign, with starts scheduled at Daytona, Talladega, Kansas, Michigan, and Chicagoland.

“I’m excited to join Nitro Motorsports, both for Phoenix and for next season,” added Kleyn. “The Nitro Motorsports team has a great reputation for developing drivers and getting the chance to run superspeedways and intermediates like Daytona, Talladega, and Kansas is a big step for me. I can’t wait to get to work.”

The 18-year-old from Quincy, Washington, arrives at Nitro Motorsports as one of the Northwest’s most accomplished young racing talents. In 2024, Kleyn became the youngest driver in history to win the Northwest Super Late Model Series (NWSLMS) championship, capturing five victories in nine races — including the prestigious Fall Classic. He kept that momentum rolling in 2025 with a win in the Hall of Fame 150 at Magic Valley Speedway, top-five finishes on the ASA STARS National Tour at Toledo Speedway (4th) and Madison Speedway (5th), and a fourth-place run in the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway against one of the most elite fields in Super Late Model racing.

Kleyn’s path to the ARCA Menards Series began in go-karts at the age of seven. At eight, he moved into the Bandolero division, competing for three seasons at tracks including Wenatchee Valley Super Oval, Spokane Super Oval, Montana Raceway Park, the Las Vegas Bull Ring, and Stateline Speedway, where he claimed the 2018 championship. A move to the Roadrunners division at Stateline in 2019 produced a third-place finish in points, while early Jr. Late Model experience at Madera Speedway led to multiple track records and main event wins before he stepped up to Pro Late Models. By 2023, Kleyn was competing full-time in the NWSLMS with Trevor Cristiani, a breakout season that laid the foundation for his championship run.

In 2026, Kleyn has continued to focus on long-term development both on and off the track, competing in Super Late and Pro Late Models at tracks across the country for C3RD while also making select NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts for Rackley W.A.R. and Halmar Friesen Racing.

“Kasey has put together an impressive résumé with solid results, and he’s done it everywhere he’s raced,” expressed Nick Tucker, Nitro Motorsports Co-Team Owner. “Phoenix is a great opportunity for us to get to work together, and we’re excited to build on that with a strong 2027 ARCA program at some of the biggest tracks and events on the schedule.”

Phoenix Raceway’s one-mile oval will host the ARCA Menards Series West field on October 17, giving Kleyn his first laps with Nitro Motorsports ahead of his 2027 schedule.