Image by: OVRMedia for Backroads of Appalachia
A planned $1.47 million facility will create 60 full-time jobs, marking a major step forward for motorsports-driven economic development in Eastern Kentucky.
September 30, 2026
A new chapter of opportunity is taking shape in Owsley County.
Speed Kentucky LLC has announced plans to invest $1.47 million in a new manufacturing and distribution facility, creating 60 full-time jobs. According to the Office of Gov. Andy Beshear, the project represents the largest investment and job creation announcement on record for Owsley County.
For Backroads of Appalachia, which helped attract the project to Kentucky, the announcement demonstrates how motorsports can connect communities to opportunities that extend beyond tourism.
Bringing Speed UTV to Eastern Kentucky
Speed Kentucky is a joint venture between Jimmy Lewis of London, Kentucky, and motorsports champion Robby Gordon of Concord, North Carolina. The new facility will establish an Eastern U.S. base for final assembly and distribution of Speed UTV vehicles, including the Bandit, Diablo, El Jefe and Bambino models.
The project represents the brand’s first major operational footprint outside its existing U.S. facility in Anaheim, California.
Speed Kentucky is also developing an enclosed, air-conditioned utility side-by-side designed for farming, construction, forestry, firefighting and municipal service. That vehicle is expected to arrive in late summer 2027.
The partnership began when Lewis purchased a Speed UTV and traveled to North Carolina to take delivery. Recognizing the potential of Kentucky’s powersports market, Lewis and Gordon explored the region’s off-road opportunities. Local cooperation and state economic development support helped turn that interest into plans for an Owsley County operation.
Motorsports as a Path to Opportunity
Backroads of Appalachia works to connect the region’s roads, outdoor experiences and motorsports community with economic opportunity. Visitors support local restaurants, lodging providers, retailers and service businesses. This announcement shows how those connections can also help attract manufacturing and distribution investment.
The Governor’s announcement recognized Backroads of Appalachia’s role in attracting the project, and Gordon thanked Lewis and BOA founder and Executive Director Erik Hubbard for their leadership in bringing the opportunity forward.
For communities with deep ties to coal and natural resource industries, the project offers another avenue for building careers close to home. It also connects the region’s outdoor recreation strengths with vehicles designed for both recreation and practical work.
A Community Effort Years in the Making
This milestone reflects the commitment of local leaders who continued working to bring new employers to Owsley County.
Darrin Gay, chairman of the Booneville/Owsley County Industrial Authority, described the announcement as the result of more than 25 years of efforts to recruit a business to the industrial park. County and city leadership welcomed the project as an opportunity to strengthen the economy and encourage future investment.
Backroads of Appalachia thanks Jimmy Lewis, Robby Gordon, Gov. Andy Beshear, Senate President Robert Stivers, Rep. Chris Fugate, the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, and the officials and leadership of Owsley County and Booneville for helping move this project forward.
Looking Ahead
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved a performance-based incentive agreement tied to the investment and the creation and maintenance of 60 full-time jobs for Kentucky residents. The agreement includes a target average hourly wage of $26 including benefits.
The facility and jobs remain planned, with further work ahead to bring the operation to life. But the announcement marks a meaningful milestone for Owsley County and for Backroads of Appalachia’s mission.
Our region’s roads and trails bring people here. The relationships built along the way can give businesses a reason to invest here—and help create more opportunities for the people who call Appalachia home.
Read the full announcement from the Office of Gov. Andy Beshear.