Kenny Habul

Kenny Charles Edward Habul (born 24 May 1973) is an Australian professional race car driver and businessman. Born in Sydney, Australia, a former resident of Etobicoke, Ontario, and a current resident of Mooresville, North Carolina, he is the president and CEO of SunEnergy1.[1] He has competed in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the V8 Supercar Development Series, the Australian Formula 3 Championship, the CASCAR Super Series, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.[2] In 2018 he won the inaugural Intercontinental GT Challenge Bronze Drivers' title.[3]

Kenny Habul
Habul celebrating winner the Intercontinental Bronze Driver's Title at Laguna Seca, 2018
Born (1973-05-24) 24 May 1973
New South Wales, Australia
Achievements2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge Bronze Drivers' Champion
AwardsP2 at the Bathurst 12 Hour
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
15 races run over 4 years
2016 position53rd
Best finish44th (2014)
First race2012 Sargento 200 (Road America)
Last race2016 Road America 180 (Road America)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2013 position108th
First race2013 Kroger 250 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Pinty's Series career
7 races run over 2 years
Best finish27th (2006)
First race2005 ATTO 100 (Toronto)
Last race2006 CASCAR 100 (Montreal)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0
Statistics current as of 27 August 2016.

Racing career

Introduction

Habul started his racing career in karting at the age of six.[4] His following career included racing in Formula Ford, Formula 3, V8 Supercars, CASCAR, NASCAR Trucks, NASCAR Xfinity Series and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He also competed in the 2018 Bathurst 12-hour where he finished second outright. That race was the first in four endurance events for the year that made up the Intercontinental GT Challenge. After Bathurst he headed to the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps where he claimed another podium in the Bronze Driver class, before sealing a second Bronze driver win at the Suzuka 10 Hours in Japan in August. Habul wrapped up the inaugural Bronze driver title at the final round at Laguna Seca in California in October.

Formula Ford

In 1998, after spending several years establishing his business career, Habul returned to racing in the Australian Formula Ford championship. The following year Habul scored his first category podium in a qualifying sprint support race at the Gold Coast Indy 300 on the streets of Surfers Paradise in Queensland. He finished third behind 2014 IndyCar Champion and 2018 Indy 500 winner, Will Power and Bathurst 1000 podium-getter, Steve Owen.[5]

Formula 3

In 2002, Habul moved to Formula 3 and competed in support races at the Gold Coast Indy 300. The following season Habul contested most of the championship rounds, finishing ninth outright in the national championship.[6][7]

CASCAR

After moving to Ontario, Habul began racing stock cars, competing in the CASCAR Super Series. In 2005, Habul contested three rounds of the series recording a best result of 10th.[8] Before the series was purchased by NASCAR in 2007, Habul recorded a career best of third.[9]

Xfinity Series

After making six starts in the Nationwide Series in 2012 and 2013, in June 2014 Habul announced that he had signed with Joe Gibbs Racing to drive a SunEnergy1-sponsored car in the series' events at Road America and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course that year.[10]

Habul joined JR Motorsports in 2016 to compete in the road course races. Additionally, SunEnergy1 sponsored him and Josh Berry in the No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro,[11] while also sponsoring Chase Elliott in the Sprint Cup Series.[12]

Camping World Truck Series

On April 6, 2013, Habul made his Camping World Truck Series debut with RSS Racing, driving the No. 93 Chevrolet Silverado at Martinsville.

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

In 2016, Habul started his own team in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Driving in the GTD series, Habul started 2017 by winning the pole in his class for the 12 Hours of Sebring. [13]

In 2018, Kabul continued his IMSA campaign by competing in the Rolex 24hr Daytona in January, finishing 8th. For the Belle Isle race, Habul teamed up with Bernd Schneider.[14] The pair finished the weekend in 8th.[15]

Intercontinental GT Challenge

Kenny Habul after winning the Bronze Drivers' title Intercontinental GT Challenge

In 2018 Habul entered the Intercontinental GT Challenge in the Bronze category, starting the season at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in February, where he finished on the podium with co-drivers Jamie Whincup, Vautier, and Raffaele Marciello. At the 24 Hours of Spa he finished 20th overall and 3rd in the Pro-Am class with co-drivers Bernd Schneider, Thomas Jaeger, and Martin Konrad. He then won his class in the Suzuka 10 Hours, finishing 10th overall with co-drivers Mikaël Grenier and Luca Stolz for the 10 hour race; the same co-drivers joined Habul for the season finale 8-hour event at Laguna Seca Raceway, where after spending two hours repairing damage in the pits Habul clinched the Bronze Driver Championship title with a 27th place overall finish, fourth in class[16]

Personal life and awards

Habul attended Merrimac High School, and then received a law degree from Bond University.

In 2011, North Carolina State House Representative Ruth Samuelson awarded Habul with recognition on behalf of the NC Solar Center. He was also presented with the Energy Leadership Award in 2012 by the Charlotte Business Journal.[17] On December 18, 2010, Habul was commissioned a Palmetto Patriot by the Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, Andre Bauer. At the same ceremony Darlington Raceway President Chris Browning and NASCAR Legends David Parsons, Bud Moore, Cale Yarborough and Cotton Owners, all South Carolina natives, were also honoured.[18]

Music

Habul is credited as a co-composer, along with Zac Brown, Niko Moon and Ben Simonetti for the song Your Majesty, which appears as the eighth track on the Zac Brown Band's 2017 album, Welcome Home.[19]

Philanthropy

Habul and SunEnergy1 started a relationship with the Feed the Children in 2015 in a drive to provide 1,000 Elizabeth City-area families with food and essentials through the Albemarle Food Pantry.[20]

Images

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts
2012 SunEnergy 1 Racing 75 Toyota DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR IOW CLT DOV MCH ROA
16
KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN
20
CGV
34
BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 55th 62
2013 DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV IOW MCH ROA
18
KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN
34
MOH
26
BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 56th 54
2014 Joe Gibbs Racing 20 Toyota DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL IOW CLT DOV MCH ROA
14
KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW MOH
31
BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 44th 61
SunEnergy1 Racing 75 Toyota GLN
26
2015 Joe Gibbs Racing 20 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL IOW CLT DOV MCH CHI DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN
29
MOH
28
BRI ROA
14
DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 49th 61
2016 JR Motorsports 88 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC MCH IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN
17
MOH
36
BRI ROA
34
DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 53rd 36

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 NCWTC Pts
2013 SunEnergy 1 Racing 93 Toyota DAY MAR
26
CAR KAN CLT DOV TEX KEN IOW ELD POC MCH BRI MSP IOW CHI LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 108th 01

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

Complete WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Make Engine Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Pts
2016 Stevenson Motorsports Audi R8 LMS Audi 5.2 V10 GTD DAY
7
SEB LAG DET WGL MOS LRP ROA VIR COA PET 47th 25
2017 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 V8 GTD DAY
18
SEB
3
LBH COA
3
DET
15
WGL
15
MOS
13
LRP ROA
12
VIR
16
LAG
12
PET
16
20th 192
2018 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 V8 GTD DAY
8
SEB
10
MOH
12
DET
8
WGL
8
MOS LRP ROA VIR LAG PET 18th* 109*

*Season still in progress.

Complete Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup results

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos. Pts
2018 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Pro-Am ZOL
1
ZOL
2
BRH
1
BRH
2
MIS
1
MIS
2
HUN
1

15
HUN
2

DNS
NÜR
1
NÜR
2
5th 16.5

2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge results

Year Round Circuit Co-drivers Manufacturer Overall

Position

Class

Position

2018 1 Bathurst Raffaele Marciello
Tristan Vautier
Jamie Whincup
Mercedes-AMG 2 2
2 Spa-Francorchamps Bernd Schneider

Thomas Jäger

Martin Konrad

Mercedes-AMG 20 3
3 Suzuka Luca Stolz

Mikaël Grenier

Mercedes-AMG 10 1
4 Laguna Seca Luca Stolz

Mikaël Grenier

Mercedes-AMG 27 4

2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge results

Rnd. Circuit Co-drivers Manufacturer Overall Position Class Position
1 Bathurst Thomas Jäger

Dominik Baumann

Mercedes-AMG Ret Ret
2 Laguna Seca
3 Spa-Francorchamps
4 Suzuka
5 Kyalami

References

  1. Brown, Dominic. "Solar Energy Promises New Jobs In The East". 30 January 2012. New Bern, NC: WCTI-TV. Accessed 11 August 2013.
  2. Stabley, Susan. "Mooresville mansion with a green mission". 14 September 2009. Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Business Journal. Accessed 11 August 2013.
  3. "Habul seals Intercontinental GT Challenge title - Speedcafe". Speedcafe. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  4. "Switched On | Ocean Road Magazine | Home Page". Ocean Road Magazine | Home Page. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  5. "NatSoft". NatSoft.
  6. "Kenny Habul | Racing career profile | Driver Database". driverdb.com. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  7. "Formula 3 Australia - The Official Site". 2 December 2003. Archived from the original on 2 December 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  8. "CASCAR Super Series Results for 2005 - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  9. "CASCAR Super Series Results for 2006 - Racing-Reference.info". racing-reference.info. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
  10. "SunEnergy1 sponsors Nationwide races for Joe Gibbs Racing". Comox Valley Echo. Courtenay, British Columbia. 6 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  11. "SunEnergy1 to Sponsor JR Motorsports' No. 88 Entry in Five NXS Events". JR Motorsports. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  12. "SunEnergy1 to Sponsor Elliott". Motor Racing Network. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  13. "No. 75 SunEnergy1 Racing". motorsportsnewswire.com. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  14. "Mercedes great Schneider 'felt like a rookie' in IMSA cameo". RACER. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  15. "WORLD WRAP: Campbell heads GTE-Am field in Le Mans test - Speedcafe". speedcafe.com. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  16. "Audi, Aussie on top at Laguna Seca - Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour". Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  17. "CBJ Energy Leadership Award nominations close next week". bizjournals.com. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  18. "NASCAR Legends Honored with Prestigious Palmetto Patriot Award - Darlington Raceway". darlingtonraceway.com. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  19. "Welcome Home - Zac Brown Band, Zac Brown | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  20. Children, Feed the. "Kenny Habul Partners with Feed the Children to Bring Hope to Elizabeth City Residents". Feed the Children. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
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