Kenny Habul

Australian businessman and racing driver From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kenny Charles Edward Habul (born 24 May 1973 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian racing driver and a businessman. CEO of solar energy provider SunEnergy1, Habul is a two-time winner of the Bathurst 12 Hour and the inaugural Intercontinental GT Challenge Bronze Drivers' champion. [1][2][3] Habul also is the founder of motorsports team 75 Express (previously SunEnergy1 Racing) which competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and GT World Challenge Australia and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

NationalityAustralia Australian
BornKenny Charles Edward Habul
(1973-05-24) 24 May 1973 (age 52)
Racing licence FIA Bronze
Achievements2018 and 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge Bronze Drivers' Champion
2021 and 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge Pro Am Drivers Champion
Quick facts Nationality, Born ...
Kenny Habul
Habul celebrating the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge Bronze Drivers' title at Laguna Seca
NationalityAustralia Australian
BornKenny Charles Edward Habul
(1973-05-24) 24 May 1973 (age 52)
Racing licence FIA Bronze
Achievements2018 and 2019 Intercontinental GT Challenge Bronze Drivers' Champion
2021 and 2022 Intercontinental GT Challenge Pro Am Drivers Champion
Awards2022 and 2023 Bathurst 12 Hour Outright Winner
NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts 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 Craftsman Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2013 position108th
First race2013 Kroger 250 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Canada 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 up to date as of 27 August 2016.
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Racing career

Introduction

Habul started his racing career with 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.[citation needed]

Formula Ford

In 1998, after spending several years establishing his business career, Habul returned to racing in the Australian Formula Ford championship.[citation needed] 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. In 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 tenth.[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 6 April 2013, Habul made his Camping World Truck Series debut with RSS Racing, driving the No. 93 Chevrolet Silverado at Martinsville.[citation needed]

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 eighth.[citation needed] For the Belle Isle race, Habul teamed up with Bernd Schneider.[14] The pair finished the weekend in eighth.[15]

Intercontinental GT Challenge

In 2018, Habul competed in the inaugural Intercontinental GT Challenge Bronze category. He began the season at the Liqui Moly Bathurst 12 Hour in February, finishing on the podium with co-drivers Jamie Whincup, Tristan Vautier, and Raffaele Marciello.[16] At the 24 Hours of Spa he placed 20th overall and third in the Pro-Am class with co-drivers Bernd Schneider, Thomas Jaeger, and Martin Konrad.[17]

Later that year, Habul won the Pro-Am class in the Suzuka 10 Hours, finishing tenth overall with Mikaël Grenier and Luca Stolz.[18] The same co-drivers joined him for the season finale at Laguna Seca, where despite spending two hours in the pits for repairs, Habul secured the Bronze Driver Championship with a 27th-place overall finish and fourth in class.[19]

In 2022, Habul won the Bathurst 12 Hour overall with co-drivers Martin Konrad, Luca Stolz, and Jules Gounon.[20]

Personal life and awards

Habul attended Merrimac High School, and then received a law degree from Bond University.[21]

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.[22] On 18 December 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 Pearson, Bud Moore, Cale Yarborough and Cotton Owners, all South Carolina natives, were also honoured.[23]

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.[24]

Philanthropy

Habul and SunEnergy1 started a relationship with 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.[25]

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

More information NASCAR Xfinity Series results, Year ...
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 Ref
2012 SunEnergy1 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 [26]
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 [27]
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 [28]
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 [29]
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 [30]
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Camping World Truck Series

More information NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results, Year ...
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 Ref
2013 SunEnergy1 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 [31]
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* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

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

More information Year, Team ...
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 L 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 L V8 GTD DAY
8
SEB
10
MOH
12
DET
8
WGL
8
MOS LRP ROA VIR LAG PET 18th 109
2021 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 GTD DAY
2
SEB
9
MOH DET
10
WGL
14
WGL LIM ELK LGA LBH VIR PET 30th 778
2022 SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2

L V8

GTD DAY
21
SEB
LBH
LGA
MOH
DET
WGL
MOS
LIM
ELK
VIR
PET
70th 128
2023 SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 GTD DAY
22
SEB LBH MON WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR IMS PET 68th 125
2024 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 GTD Pro DAY
13
SEB LGA DET WGL MOS ELK VIR IMS
7
ATL 30th 464
2025 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 GTD Pro DAY
15
SEB LGA DET WGL MOS ELK VIR IMS
11
ATL 25th 402
2026 75 Express Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo Mercedes-AMG M159 6.2 L V8 GTD Pro DAY
2
SEB
LGA
DET
WGL
MOS
ELK
VIR
IMS
PET
2nd* 350*
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*Season still in progress.


Complete Bathurst 12 Hour results

Complete Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup results

More information Year, Team ...
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
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Complete Intercontinental GT Challenge results

More information Year, Car ...
Year Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 Pos. Pts
2018 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Bronze BAT
2
SPA
8
SUZ
10
LUG
13
1st 83
2019 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Bronze BAT
Ret
LUG SPA SUZ
12
KYL 1st 25
2020 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Pro-Am BAT
13
IND
9
SPA SUZ
C
KYL 20th 2
2021 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Pro-Am BAT
C
SPA IND
8
KYL
7
1st 50
2022 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Pro-Am BAT
1
SPA
28
IND
7
KYL
1st 65
2023 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Pro BAT
1
KYL
3
SPA
IND
GUL
NC
11th 40
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References

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