6/10/2025
The Dirt Track at Genesee
Sweet 16 and Still Shining: Mackenzie’s Legacy Takes the Wheel
This Saturday, June 14 at 7:00 p.m., The Dirt Track at Genesee will host one of its most meaningful and emotional events of the year—the Mackenzie Kulesza Sweet 16 Memorial Race. Now in its fifth year, the race has become not only a major highlight on the racing calendar but a powerful tribute to a young woman whose light continues to shine in the hearts of her family, friends, and the racing community.
The idea for the race began in 2021, when Jen Martin approached Tony Kulesza with the idea of honoring his daughter, Mackenzie, who had passed away. Genesee was Tony’s home track, so it made perfect sense to start the memorial there. Over the years, the race has grown in both size and emotional significance.
“That first race was incredibly tough,” Tony recalls. “The racetrack has always been my happy place—even as a kid. But that night was filled with overwhelming emotions. I was thankful, but it was hard.”
Each year since, the event has grown—drawing more drivers, more fans, and more support. It's no longer just a local tribute. Last fall, at a major race in West Virginia, drivers from Georgia were talking about Mackenzie’s race at Genesee. “They’ve seen the videos,” Tony said. “They want to come to one. These are big names in the class. The exposure is amazing.”
That passion has translated into fierce competition. For many drivers, winning the Mackenzie Kulesza Memorial is the crown jewel of their season. “Some drivers have told me they don’t care if they win another race all year—as long as they win Mackenzie’s race. That hits the heart. It really does.”
The race has created some unforgettable moments. In 2021, #06 Ashley Harbison won in dramatic fashion, passing James Gayton in Turn 4 of the final lap and edging him out by just 0.056 seconds. In 2022, Gayton came back and won a nearly caution-free battle that he called the biggest win of his career—driving with Mackenzie’s name on his door. Then in 2023, #717 Rocco Conte emerged from a four-car dogfight to take the checkered flag in what fans and drivers called the "Race of the Year" at Genesee. Last year, in 2024, #16k Robert Knapp II carried a large Mackenzie logo on his car all season. He had never won a race before, but after putting her name on the car, he won several—and ultimately captured the track championship. Just before that race, he sent a heartfelt message from the shoot. “It was emotional,” said Tony. “Reading that text before the green flag—man, it brought tears. That’s what this race is all about.”
This year’s edition is especially significant. It would have been Mackenzie’s 16th birthday on June 17. The “Sweet 16” tribute adds another layer of meaning for the Kulesza family. Earlier this year, Tony’s mother nearly passed away. The emotional weight of planning the event has been heavier than usual, but so has the sense of purpose. “Unless you’ve lost a child, you don’t understand,” Tony said. “It’s hard. But the racing family here—they’re like my family too. The love and support keep us going.”
That support is clear in every detail. Stephanie, a core organizer, is managing a basket raffle that already has over 80 items—with more still being donated. “She’s amazing,” Tony said. “The volunteers, the fans, the sponsors—I can’t thank them enough. Seeing everyone come out, seeing the smiles—that lights up my heart.”
For those who didn’t know Mackenzie, she was the kind of person who made an instant impact. “She’d light up a room,” Tony said. “She was outgoing, always giving. That’s why we do so much charity in her name. Giving was her thing.”
The track was her happy place too. She’d often head off on her own once they arrived, spending time with her close friend Brian Gregory or hanging out in the pits with her favorite driver, Jessica Petry. “She loved it just as much as I did,” Tony smiled. “She had fun. She found her people there.”
Looking to the future, Tony doesn’t see the race fading. “A lot of memorial races don’t make it past a couple years,” he said. “But this is year five—and it’s not slowing down. We’re going to keep it going in the Mini Stocks, but we might add more classes too. You look in the pits, and you see cars with Mackenzie’s stickers that aren’t even in that division.”
If Mackenzie were here today, Tony believes she’d be proud—but more than that, she’d be doing the same for someone else. “She was all about smiles, joy, and helping people. She’d say: be grateful, enjoy life, and keep smiling. That’s what she’d want people to take away from this.”
As the green flag drops on Saturday night, it will mark more than just the start of a race. It will mark a celebration of life, love, and legacy—a chance for a community to come together not just in memory, but in motion. And for one special girl named Mackenzie, her spirit will once again take a victory lap around the dirt she loved.
Article Credit: Jeremy Perry
Submitted By: Jeremy Perry
