Once in a Lifetime

Driver Spotlight: Kyle Kilgore

It’s been 4 years since Oxford Plains Speedway revived the figure 8 division after taking a 27 year break. Figure 8 legends Jon Lizotte and David Smith along with some new faces who showed they could run with the best of the best.

Kyle Kilgore, 33, driver of the number 4 figure 8 car is currently the youngest driver in the division driving with guys in their 40s all the way up to their 60s.

“My first year racing figure 8 it was pretty intimidating racing with them. Now that I’ve been racing with them for a while, I'm pretty comfortable out there.”

The South Paris native Kilgore, began attending races at a young age at Oxford and when he was 15 convinced his father to let him race. Soon after he with help built an enduro car. Along with racing enduros at Oxford, Kilgore also raced in the Wednesday

After taking a 15 year break from racing Kilgore decided to get back behind the wheel in 2015.

“I bought a 1981 Oldsmobile cutlass in the fall of 2015 and planned on building an outlaw car with it. I decided instead to build a figure 8 car with it.

“ I really wanted to race with David Smith.” Kilgore explained

After Jon Lizotte dominated the season in 2015 winning all but one race, Kilgore finally got his first win in the figure 8’s in May of 2016. Kilgore ended up finishing 2^nd in points with two wins at the end of the 2016 season.

In 2017, Kyle Kilgore became teammates with fellow figure 8 driver Eric Hodgkins when they became part of Gary Davis Racing.

“Gary Davis started helping with my car then Eric’s and Rob’s, it just sort of happened, a small group of us just formed a friendship and started helping each other with our race cars.”

Both drivers have improved by becoming teammates at the end of the 2017 season, Hodgkins had 6 wins and Kilgore had 2 with quite a few podium finishes.

Only 3 races into the 2018 racing season Kilgore is off to a strong start with one win, two 2^nd place finishes and a 3^rd place finish. With it only being the beginning of the season a championship isn’t even on Kyle’s mind.

“Anything could happen, I could misjudge the X and turn my car into a pretzel.”

Kilgore doesn’t have a favorite racing moment but also can’t remember ever really having a bad moment in racing.

“Gotta keep racing fun. A bad night of racing is still better than a good day at work.” He remarked.

Not many people can say they’ve liked racing with everyone in their division but then again not everyone has gotten to race with veterans drivers like Jon Lizotte, David Smith, Larry Hewins and Mike Rowe.

Kyle’s favorite thing about racing doesn’t actually take place at the race track. His favorite part is getting to spend time at the garage with his race team, working on the race cars and eating the good food his friend’s wives feed them while they are there.

Figure 8 is a very unique division at Oxford, while other division just go around the oval, these guys actually race in the shape of an eight and risk colliding in the middle with another car. To a fan it looks intimidating and many probably think it might be fun but are too scared to do it.

“Quit thinking about it and just do it, you only live once. We figure 8 drivers really aren’t crazy and going to the X with someone isn’t as scary as it seems, though it is bit of an adrenaline rush.” Kilgore replied when I asked what advice he would give someone who want to try racing in the figure 8 division.

Behind every driver is crew members and sponsors who help the car continue racing every week. Kyle’s sponsors that help pay for expenses are: Flanders electric, Affordable pest care, Maineline plumbing and heating, Willie's repair, Turnkey homes of Maine, Rhodes concrete, Daryl D. Gushee heavy rigging and hauling, Wicked water graphics, Russell and sons towing and recovery, Custom engines, Pleasant hill property services and last but not least the Gary Davis Family.

The guys who keep his car running are “Wildman” Sam, Eric Hodgkins, Chris Smith, Poppa K(Barry Kilgore), Gary Davis, Mr. Snowman, Rob Crepeau, Jason Cummings and Dale Lawrence.

Kilgore enjoys racing in the figure 8’s but his favorite division to watch at Oxford over the years has been the street stock division which is also a division he’d like to race in the future.

 “The thought has crossed my mind to build a Street stock, it might happen in a year or two.”

When Kyle Kilgore isn’t racing at Oxford he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, fishing, hunting, trapping and tinkering on stuff in the garage.

You can catch Kyle Kilgore racing through the X without hesitation in his red, white, and blue, number 4 figure 8 car at Oxford Plains Speedway on Saturday nights during the Oxford Championship Series.