NASCAR's All-Star Cook
22 September 1997
Ken Enck: NASCAR's All-Star Cook Mooresville, N.C. -- Ken Enck spends Monday through Thursday each week supervising the 38 full-time employees of his catering service in Manheim, Pa. But, Thursday night after he finishes the paperwork and makes sure his lieutenants understand their weekend duties, Enck cranks the engine of his new motorcoach and he and a couple of buddies head to the races. Enck's 40-foot motorcoach's freezer carries frozen ribs, chicken, and fruit, plus all kinds of desserts sure to tempt even the most conscientious dieters. But, Enck and his buddies aren't headed to the infield to party and watch the cars race around. Instead, the former fast food chain executive spends his spare time working as the Pennzoil team's official cook at 23 of the 32 NASCAR Winston Cup vents. "This is something I do for fun and it's a chance to be around the racing people," said the mustachioed Enck, whose boyish looks make him appear years younger than his 52 years of age. "I've become friends with a lot of these people. I don't make any money at this, but I wouldn't trade my experience for the world." After selling the restaurant he owned for 13 years, Enck went into the catering business. Since 1993, Enck's Custom Catering grew from four employees to 38. On this Friday afternoon as he prepared his special lemon chicken dish for about 15 crew members and guests, Enck talked about his business. "You'd laugh if I told you what I have going on tomorrow in Pennsylvania. We have eight events, including four weddings and a corporate dinner with over 2,000 people and I'm here grilling out for the team at the race track," he laughed. Enck always liked fast cars, but never devoted much time to NASCAR until a group of fans asked to meet in his restaurant each Sunday to watch the race on a big-screen television in the dining room. "Their enthusiasm was contagious and I got hooked," Enck said. "I went to Pocono with a local race club and got to talking with some of the folks there. To make a long story short, I started doing hospitality at Pocono and got to know some of the people in the sport." Enck enjoyed the camaraderie of racing so much he asked Ray and Diane DeWitt if he could help them as a weekend mechanic with driver Jimmy Hensley. He ran errands, carried tires, washed the windshield, and anything else the team needed. (more) It didn't take long for the DeWitt crew members to learn of Enck's skills with a charcoal grill. Soon the DeWitt team drew the attention of everyone in the garage with some of their special lunches and desserts. Enck's popularity grew and after the DeWitt team left the sport he went to cook for Cale Yarborough Motorsports and Bud Moore Engineering. In 1997, he began working for Bahari' Racing. "It is so nice not to have to worry about lunch every day at the track because Ken is always going to serve us something that taste pretty good and is nutritious," said Bahari' owner Chuck Rider. "It's a lot more convenient than going to the concession stand. Plus, we sure are a lot more popular in the garage area with everyone coming over to eat." Enck also uses his weekends to entertain some of his friends and workers. Not many people can walk into a Winston Cup garage and have Pennzoil Pontiac driver Johnny Benson and other drivers greet them on a first-name basis. Enck says he isn't in the sport for the money, nor is it a chance to spend more time with the family. His son Kenny, 15, who also races quarter-midgets, and daughter Kimberly, 13, sometimes accompany their father to the track. "My wife Karen isn't much of a race fan. In fact, she has only come to two races. She would rather go on cruises with the girls from the church and I would rather go to races so it all works out," Enck said. It's not all work for Enck. Part of the price of accompanying him to the track is that visitors help drive the motorcoach so the boss arrives refreshed at the track or at home after a race. And these aren't just one and two-hour trips Enck makes to races. This year he plans to log more than 30,000 miles on the motorcoach that some say is as nice as those owned by the race drivers. "We have a good time and I have been fortunate in life," Enck said. "I hope I can keep doing this for a while, because I love the people and its fun." Until then, Enck will keep feeding the Bahari team and anyone else who happens to drop by for a meal. "Dale Earnhardt came by and had some of my ribs before Charlotte a few years ago and he won the race," Enck said. "I've taken a ribbing for that ever since." For More Information Contact: Drew Brown Cohn & Wolfe (404) 880-5269 drew_brown@cohnwolfe.com
