New Owsley County UTV manufacturing facility to create 60 full-time Jobs

OWSLEY COUNTY, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — A new $1.47 million UTV manufacturing and distribution facility is opening in Owsley County.

In an announcement on Wednesday, Governor Andy Beshear said Speed Kentucky LLC, a producer and distributor of utility task vehicles (UTV) plans to invest $1.47 million into a new facility, creating 60 new, full-time jobs.

The project will mark the largest investment and job creation announcement on record for Owsley County.

"Today we're celebrating a major win for Owsley County, with Speed Kentucky announcing the largest investment on record for this community and the creation of 60 new, full-time jobs," said Gov. Beshear. "I am proud to welcome this team to their New Kentucky Home and look forward to working with them as we bring this $1.47 million facility to life. Together, we'll ensure success for this team, the Owsley County community and our leading manufacturing industry."

The company will establish an operational footprint in the Eastern United States to conduct final assembly and distribution of Speed UTVs. As the company continues growing in the East, this facility will support distribution and final assembly of the Bandit, Diablo, El Jefe and Bambino models. Speed Kentucky is also developing a new enclosed, air-conditioned utility side-by-side, expected to arrive in late summer 2027. It's designed for practical work in farming, construction, forestry, firefighting and municipal service.

"Speed Kentucky is excited to expand its presence and operations in the heart of Appalachia," said Jimmy Lewis, cofounder of Speed Kentucky. "We are proud to call Owsley County, Kentucky, home and look forward to growing alongside this incredible community."

"We're excited to bring Speed UTV's first Eastern U.S. operation to Kentucky and grateful to the state and local community for helping make this opportunity possible," said Robby Gordon, world-renowned motorsports champion and cofounder of Speed Kentucky.

"Kentucky's strong outdoor and industrial communities make it a great place to grow this part of our business, including opportunities connected to the region's coal and natural resource industries. I want to thank Jim Lewis and Erik Hubbard for their leadership and commitment to bringing this project to Speed UTV. Jim will lead the effort in Kentucky and is already building a local team. We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Owsley County community. We're looking forward to creating jobs, serving customers across the East and growing the Speed UTV brand here."

Speed Kentucky is a joint venture between Jimmy Lewis of London, Kentucky, and world-renowned motorsports champion Robby Gordon of Concord, North Carolina.