Pennsylvania publicist, announcer dies
Dave Kittey, the former co-publisher of RPM Racing News and longtime racing publicist and announcer, died Monday evening at his Latrobe, Pa., home. He was 63.
Filling many roles throughout his long career in racing, Kittey had been working as announcer and publicist at Dog Hollow Speedway in Strongstown, Pa., as well as the publicist for Latrobe Speedway (a track formerly operated by Kittey’s father). Kittey’s racing knowledge and publicity will be sorely missed, according to RFR Motorsports co-owner Kyle Smith, who promotes Dog Hollow. Kittey also assisted RFR Motorsports management and day-to-day operations.
“We are scheduled to race Friday night, our final weekly night, and thought about cancelling, but we knew Dave would not like that,” Smith said in a track release. "So we are racing and will be celebrating Dave’s life with his racing family!”
Along with Dr. David Horne, Kittey purchased a monthly racing magazine in 1993 and in 1996 began publishing RPM Racing News, which operated through 2008 in covering short-track racing throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
David George Kittey also owned and operated Kittey’s Cookies & Pizzelles. Visitation is noon-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Lopatich-Brinker Funeral Home in Latrobe; the funeral is 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at Holy Family Church in Latrobe.