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Heath Chaffin

Our continuing mission is to promote the sport of Armdrop Drag Racing via Participation, Promotion, and Example by providing a legal & safe venue for competition in an affordable manner for participants and fans. We are committed to the Promotion of Tourism by growing our events every year in an honest and effective manner. Our goal is to provide local investment in our communities with grants and scholarships, etc. based on board decision with divisible surplus. We will always strive to give our sponsors value for their investment in reaching out to our fans and participants and making them aware of sponsorship involvement and recognizing sponsors for making the events possible. We will lead by example by keeping our goals of safety and integrity always first in all business decisions. Our mission is to always provide family friendly events by honoring God and Country and the People we serve.

Kent Rose "Arm Drop Guy"

Biography

Kent Rose was born in Prestonsburg, a small rural community located in the Coalfields in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky.  From a young age Kent was fascinated with cars and trucks.  You would rarely catch him anywhere without a Hot Wheels toy in his pocket.  His love of cars escalated once he reached driving age, which in rural areas like Eastern Kentucky happened to be 13 years old.  His first car was a 1965 Chevy Nova.  Growing up in a junkyard and attending dirt track races, he developed a knack for being able to fix cars and trucks with very few tools or equipment.  Turning wrenches led to the discovery of his real passion, making vehicles fast, really fast.  Raised on Evil Knievel and The Dukes of Hazzard TV Shows, Kent would fall in love with a sport that would own his heart forever... Racing.  Known up and down Route 23 in Eastern Kentucky as the man to beat, Kent wreaked havoc on local street racers with his cars and trucks and soon led to his nickname that still sticks to this day-Mr. Horsepower.

Working in the coal mines during the day and hot rodding cars at night, it wasn’t long until he caught the attention of another group of folks interested in his racing, the local law enforcement.  Arrested 27 times in a 3-month period and eventually ending up in jail over 100 times, Kent started to reevaluate his future, however racing was in his blood.  When local street racers needed their car faster or an opinion on an engine, there was only one man to ask, Mr. Horsepower, Kent Rose.  All of this advice soon developed into a trust and respect from local racers.  He was often called upon to oversee a race or to line up the cars and start the race.  By gaining confidence of racers as the go-to-guy to have a fair race and fair start, many started calling him the “Arm Drop Guy”.   Five marriages and many years later and after several battles with personal demons, Kent received a visit by law enforcement again, this time to ask for his help.  

When the law looked for solutions to keep young people from racing on the streets, they figured it was best to ask the Godfather.  Together they mastered a plan that still works today.  The goal was to have several events a year in a closed course safe environment in small towns of Eastern Kentucky including Paintsville, Prestonsburg, and Pikeville.  He wanted to make it challenging yet fun, cool but drug and alcohol free, promote a good time, but also keeping order.  The Hillbilly Arm Drop Drags were born.  The first event had only 7 cars.  Two short years later, 264-registered race cars and thousands of fans packed out these local events.  People were traveling from hundreds of miles and from over 10 states to compete in the fun filled atmosphere of Illegal Street racing in a legal safe closed environment.  From local airports to large parking lots, the Hillbilly Arm Drop Drags challenges racers with no track preparation and is truly a driver’s skill race.  Kent still promotes, prepares, oversees, and arm drops every single race of every event.  With a larger than life personality, the out spoken Kent Rose also emcee’s the event from beginning to end often taunting drivers and poking fun at obvious imperfections of their rides.  Kent’s childhood memories of the Hot Wheels in his pocket have never been more relived than at these events.  He personally gives out Hot Wheels toys free of charge to every child he comes in contact with.  He also lets kids from 3 to 7 race big wheels on the track during intermission and when they finish, he gives them the ride to take home.  

Kent owns and operates the Arm Drop Garage in Prestonsburg, KY along with his three sons Frankie, Johnny, Donta and his wife Sabrina.  His family is the backbone of his events.  Kent Rose will tell you he has taken a lot from these communities growing up as a rebel child on fast wheels, but now he makes it his goal for the new generation of children to have Hot Wheels and Big Wheels toys, and a fun day of racing, but most of all, a place to do it safely when they get older.