Black’s comeback from stroke buoys his NHRA team
Using a walker, Ken Black made it to the golf cart that would take him trackside to watch his drivers Saturday.
Black, a longtime Las Vegan who owns KB Racing, has made enormous progress since surviving a stroke in November 2009, resolutely defying doctors’ prediction that he wouldn’t walk again, wanting desperately to be back out there with his team.
He hopes to soon progress to using a cane, and then who knows?
Being around drag racing — sitting outside the team’s pit and taking in the sunshine and breeze a few hours before 30 mph winds kicked in — has kept Black going.
"This is my motivation," the 66-year-old said. "This is what keeps me working out and trying to get better, where I can walk and get around. I hope to be able to start going to more races, but that depends on the economy."
He oversees the NHRA’s preeminent Pro Stock team, producing the past two series winners in Greg Anderson and Jason Line and six championships since the race team began competing in 2002.
Line, with a time of 6.659 seconds and top speed of 207.34 mph, is the lead qualifier entering today’s 11 a.m. eliminations at the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s The Strip. Anderson, whose top run was 6.697 seconds and speed was 206.35 mph, is sixth.
Morgan Lucas (3.817 seconds, 321.96 mph) is the top qualifier in Top Fuel, and Robert Hight (4.132, 310.98) holds the No. 1 position in Funny Car.
Line, the defending Pro Stock series champion, said he was bolstered by having Black back at the track.
"He’s certainly defied the odds," Line said. "He’s pretty competitive. In return, we try to do what we can for him. I think it’s twofold — he inspires us, and we inspire him."
Black was a hands-on owner who enjoyed being around his drivers and the ear-blasting action that is drag racing.
Then the stroke hit, and doctors weren’t sure Black would survive. They were certain he wouldn’t walk.
Black, who doesn’t remember being in intensive care for three months, is determined to return to normal. A nurse provides around-the-clock care, and he had an elevator added to his two-story home.
Black shows no signs that the stroke affected his speech, and he was all too happy to talk about his drivers, the history of Las Vegas drag racing and his recovery.
He used to travel to all the races and make four or five trips a year to the team shop in North Carolina.
Though he might not return to being as intimately involved in the team as he once was, Black is making every effort to again become a big part of it.
And to walk again.
"I’m getting closer all the time," Black said. "I’m getting to where I can hopefully start taking care of myself. So far, my wife’s put up with me and taken good care of me. She can only do that for so long. I hate to be a burden on her, but she does it willingly."
Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.