TOLEDO, OHIO (September 13, 2010) – If it weren’t for bad luck the past few weeks it seems like Frank Kimmel would have no luck at all. After running in second place for much of the first half of Sunday’s ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards event at Toledo Speedway, Kimmel was forced to bring his No. 44 Ansell/Menards Ford behind the wall for a broken rear gear after only 98 of the scheduled 200 laps. The mechanical problem led to a 21st-place finish. Kimmel now stands fourth in the championship standings, 140 points behind leader Patrick Sheltra with three races remaining on the schedule.
Kimmel and his Ansell/Menards team rolled into Toledo Speedway’s half-mile bullring on Saturday morning for practice in qualifying in preparation for Northwest Ohio Ford Dealers 200. With rain looming, the drivers of the ARCA Racing Series took the track for what was supposed to be a 1.5-hour practice session. Kimmel and team worked on their race setup, posting the seventh-fastest time of the session, before raindrops began to fall, forcing ARCA officials to cancel the session one hour early. Unfortunately the rain would not let up for qualifying and the field was set according to the ARCA Racing Series point standings. Kimmel would line up fourth on the grid for Sunday afternoon’s race.
As the green flag dropped to signal the start of the Northwest Ohio Ford Dealers 200, it didn’t take long for Kimmel to show the strength of his Ansell/Menards Ford Fusion. By the end of lap one he had moved from his fourth-place starting position into third, and only two laps later he slipped under Patrick Sheltra’s No. 60 to take the second position. Kimmel then began to pursue leader Tom Hessert, looking to take the lead.
For the first 41 laps Kimmel stalked Hessert’s No. 77. The two drivers put on a great show as they ran nose to tail while negotiating their way through lapped traffic. The traffic would prevent Kimmel from taking the lead, but Kimmel and the No. 77 pulled away from the rest of the field.
When the first yellow flag of the afternoon came out on lap 41 Kimmel radioed to his Ansell/Menards crew that his No. 44 was pretty good but tight in the middle and tight off of the turns. The team decided to keep their Ford Fusion out on the track with the leaders and did not make a pit stop for changes.
The green came back out on lap 45 with Hessert and Kimmel again showing they were the class of the field. They ran first and second for the next 32 laps while again pulling away from the field.
The caution came out again on lap 77, bringing most of the leaders down pit road. Crew Chief Bill Kimmel Jr made a strategy call to keep his Ansell/Menards Ford on the race track, putting Kimmel in first place. Unfortunately that’s when the bad luck started for the No. 44 team. Leading the field under yellow, Kimmel told his crew on lap 80 that he had a flat tire and immediately brought his Ford Fusion down pit road for service. The Ansell/Menards team changed four tires, added fuel and made a slight track bar adjustment and sent their driver back out in seventh place for the restart.
The field restarted on lap 84 and Kimmel quickly moved into the fifth position. Only a few laps later Kimmel’s Ansell/Menards Ford slowed dramatically going into turn three, forcing him to bring his No. 44 -down pit road during green-flag conditions. The Ansell/Menards team discovered that they broke a rear gear and were forced to push their Ford Fusion behind pit road for repairs.
The teams was able to fix the broken rear gear and return to the track for the final laps of the race but were plagued in 21st position, 78 laps down to the leaders. Unable to move forward, Kimmel took the checkered flag in 21st position.
Next weekend Kimmel heads home to Salem Speedway for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic on Saturday night, September 18th. The green flag will drop for 200 laps of action at 7:15 p.m. with live audio and timing and scoring coverage on ARCARacing.com.
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About Frank Kimmel
Frank Kimmel, driver in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards, is a record holding 9-time champion. Co-owner of Kimmel Racing, the Indiana native has earned 74 wins, placing him just six races shy of the number one spot on ARCA’s all-time win list. With 44 poles, 230 top-five and 294 top-ten finishes, the racing veteran has accomplished many great feats in his 18 seasons in the series. Kimmel and the Ansell/Menards Ford team look to continue to break records in the 2010 season.
Category: Arca Racing Series
Two Rookies Get Their Chance to Shine
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 10, 2010) – In their quest to prepare for the 2011 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE) season, Spraker Racing will field two Chevrolets in the New Hampshire 100 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Thursday, Sept. 16. Northeast Modified driver Keith Flach will make his NKNPSE debut in the No. 08 Spraker Racing Enterprises Chevrolet. After his seventh-place finish for Spraker Racing in the Talladega ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards race this season, Scott Stenzel will return to Spraker Racing in the No. 37 Spraker Racing Enterprises Chevrolet.
Keith Flach
Flach is a third-generation racer from the Northeast and regularly races at Lebonan Valley Speedway and Albany-Saratoga Speedway. His father and grandfather both raced and won track championships at Lebanon Valley Speedway. Flach scored his first asphalt modified feature win at Albany-Saratoga Speedway this June and currently sits sixth in the championship point standings. The N.Y. native also won twice on dirt at Lebonan Valley Speedway in 2007 and 2008.
The 24-year-old tested with Spraker Racing in a late model to get more seat time driving a stock car, as he has only competed in a modified car. Flach also has experience driving at a mile speedway. He has competed at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y. every October for the past six years. After a short learning curve, the modified racer got more comfortable driving on a mile track.
“I am excited to get the opportunity to race in the K&N Series,” explained the 24-year-old. “We need to make it in on time, and then hopefully, we can stay out of trouble. I look forward to the challenge of racing with a different kind of car on a mile track. Running at Syracuse helped me to get comfortable with a mile racetrack. At this kind of speedway with a different type of car, it will definitely be a big learning curve. We went to watch the K&N race at New Hampshire two years ago, so it is definitely exciting to race there. We are just hoping to go out, stay out of trouble, see what we’ve got and do the best we can. I know it will be a good piece. It will just be up to me to get used to it, and hopefully, keep it out of trouble.”
Scott Stenzel
Stenzel made his ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards debut with Spraker Racing in April 2010. The Orlando, Fla., resident qualified on time, fast enough for the 28th starting spot. Throughout the 250-mile race, he worked his way through the field to finish seventh.
Stenzel grew up in Minnesota and found a passion for racing early in life. He began racing go-karts at a track in his friend’s backyard. He spent his teen years racing anywhere from dirt to asphalt. After graduating high school, he focused on college, and after graduation, he started his own marketing business. Although his focus was elsewhere, he never lost his passion for racing. Approved for an ARCA license in 2008, Stenzel utilized his free time to rebuild his racing career.
In 2009, Stenzel joined “Yellow Stripes: Making the Driver,” which is a television series that takes viewers behind the scenes of the development of the next generation of racecar drivers. This partnership became the catalyst to rejuvenate Stenzel’s career and help others while filming it.
“Running with Spraker is a good combination,” explained Stenzel. “He has a lot of faith in me. When we came from a 28th starting spot at Talladega and finished seventh, that was a win for everybody. I am pumped up to race at New Hampshire. I have ran half-miles all my life and then went right into superspeedways, so running a mile next weekend will be a good testament to all of the half-mile racing I have done throughout the years. This will be good seat time for me.”
Jeff Spraker, owner of Spraker Racing, is looking forward to giving these two deserving drivers their first start in a NASCAR series. “We pride ourselves in helping racers get their breaks, and both of these drivers warrant the opportunity. I think the world of Keith and his family. He is a good racer, and I look forward to what he can do next weekend. We have run with Scott in the ARCA series, and he did a great job for us at Talladega. I hope that he can carry that over to a different arena, with a smaller speedway and different car. I am confident that both racers would do a good job for us and help us build for the future.”
Action begins Thursday, September 16 with practice and qualifying. The green flag for the New Hampshire 125 will drop Friday, September 17 at 5 p.m. EST. For more information about Scott Stenzel visit www.scottstenzel.com. For more information about “Yellow Stripes: Making the Driver” visit www.makingthedriver.com.
About Activ8 Communications
Activ8 Communications, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, specializes in public relations, marketing strategies, brand development and sponsor activation. With focus on NASCAR public relations and relationship building, Activ8 creates unique identities and connections for the drivers and clients under its umbrella.
Frank Kimmel Goes for Ten Straight ARCA Racing Series Championships
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (September 9, 2010) – Fresh tire marks on the door, loud cheers from the grandstands, confetti stuck to the hood, teammates showering you with champagne, family and friends posing for photos holding number ones up, wearing a bright purple Hoosier Collar around the neck – all visions of victory lane on September 13, 2008. That day was rich with memories of Frank Kimmel’s last ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards victory lane experience.
On that faithful day, if someone were to say that it would be almost two years before the nine-time ARCA Racing Series Champion would repeat that experience, many would not believe it. After all, he had been victorious every season since 1995; he was riding a string of three-straight victories and had won eight-consecutive ARCA Racing Series championships. As the green flag drops for the Northwest Ohio Ford Dealers 200 at Toledo Speedway on Sunday, September 12, Kimmel and his No. 44 Ansell/Menards team will be looking to end the winless streak and return to victory lane one day before the two-year anniversary of that win.
Getting to victory lane at Toledo Speedway is nothing new for Frank Kimmel. After earning his first-career ARCA Racing series win at the half-mile track in 1994, he went on to visit victory lane eight more times becoming the most prolific driver in Toledo Speedway history. In addition to his nine wins, Kimmel has earned 22 top-five finishes and three pole awards in 30-career starts at the track.
“Toledo is the site of our very first win, so it is a great place for us to come back to,” said Kimmel. “I’ve always enjoyed Toledo. We normally run well there and get good finishes; we have had a lot of success there with wins too. Although the car that we are bringing is predominantly an intermediate car, I think it will be one of the best cars we have ever brought to Toledo. The body on it is really slick and it’s a very nice racecar. It weighs out well. I have a lot of confidence going into Toledo. I think we will run well and be very competitive.”
The road to victory lane will begin for Kimmel on Saturday, as the ARCA Racing Series takes to the track for practice starting at 12:30 p.m. EST. Sunday’s 100-mile/200-lap Northwest Ohio Dealers at Toledo Speedway is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. EST. Live timing and scoring and audio coverage will be provided by ARCA Nation and the ARCA Racing Network at ARCARacing.com. BAS Racing Network (radio) and BCSN (TV) will also host live race coverage.
“Kimmel’s Top 10”
In anticipation of his 10th Championship, Frank Kimmel gives a look at his “Top 10” before each ARCA Racing Series event. Frank Kimmel has had a lot of support along his way to nine ARCA Racing Series championships. This week Kimmel gives us a look at the “top-10 most influential people in his career.”
10. Uncle Paul- In the early days Uncle Paul took me to almost every single ARCA race that I competed at. Whatever it took to get me to the track, he did it. He would buy our hotel rooms, pay travel expenses and help out every way he could. Without him we would not have been able to go ARCA Racing at all.
9. Jack Wallace- Wally actually gave me my very first ARCA car in 1990. We used that car to win Rookie of the Year in 1992. Wally was a long-time ARCA Racer who saw some potential and decided to let me have his racecar. He is the man that gave me my start in ARCA.
8. Larry Clement- Larry was my long-time car owner. He really enabled us to win as many ARCA races and championships as we did because of his guidance and support.
7. Buddy Rouck – He was the first guy that I teamed up with. We co-owned my first late model together and won two championships with it in the late 80’s. He is also Holly’s godfather.
6. Dick Schroeder – I worked for him for a while. He was the owner of C-Line Engineering. He really helped me to become a better racer and a better mechanic in my early career.
5. Terry Shirley – Became my car owner in 1989. We won the Late Model championship in 1990, and he gave me my start in early years of ARCA Racing.
4. Donna Kimmel – She is my wife and the person that has kept my life together while I have been doing all this racing. She’s been very supportive of me and raised Holly and Frankie while I was away at the track.
3. Bill Kimmel Jr. – Bill was a good driver before he became my crew chief. He won four-straight championships at Louisville Motor Speedway. He has also been crew chief of the year in the ARCA Series eight times and been with me for eight of my nine championships.
2. Mable Kimmel – Mable is both my and Bill’s mom. She was a true racer’s wife. Mom always supported our dad no matter what he decided to do in racing. Howard while battling for the lead sent Frank and “Daisy” spinning, ultimately destroying the car.
1. Bill Kimmel Sr. – He is my and Bill’s father. He started racing in 1948 and taught us most of what we know about racecars.
Frank Kimmel and the No. 44 Ansell/Menards Fast Facts
Battle for first: After bad luck plagued the Ansell/Menards team at DuQuoin, Kimmel fell to fourth in the championship standings. He now sits 50 markers behind leaders Tom Hessert and Patrick Sheltra, who are tied for first.
Last Toledo Race: In the spring event at Toledo Speedway, Kimmel overcame late-race damage to score a fourth-place finish. The finish began his climb in the ARCA Racing point standings and was his best finish in the early part of the season.
This Week’s Ford: Crew Chief, Bill Kimmel Jr., has chosen to bring chassis No. 340, “Courtney” to Toledo. This chassis, an intermediate track chassis, has not been used yet this season. With both short track cars wrecked after the dirt races at Springfield and DuQuoin, Kimmel Racing has called on “Courtney” to bring them to victory lane.
Meet Frank Kimmel: Kimmel will be signing autographs on the front stretch of Toledo Speedway on Sunday, September 12 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Featured Blogger: Want to hear what Kimmel has to say about each race weekend? Log on to http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/ every week to read Frank’s latest driver diary. He talks about what happened in the race, what he does when he is not at the track and his expectations for the next race weekend.
Follow Frank Kimmel: Follow Frank Kimmel at the track or in the race shop by logging on to facebook.com/frankkimmelracing and twitter.com/frankkimmel. Follow every race weekend for live updates and photos from the track and throughout the race.
2010 STATS
StartsWinsPolesTop 5sTop 10sAve StartAve FinishPts. Pos./Prev
Frank Kimmel16017119.48.24/2
About Frank Kimmel
Frank Kimmel, driver in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards, is a record holding 9-time champion. Co-owner of Kimmel Racing, the Indiana native has earned 74 wins, placing him just six races shy of the number one spot on ARCA’s all-time win list. With 44 poles, 230 top-five and 294 top-ten finishes, the racing veteran has accomplished many great feats in his 18 seasons in the series. Kimmel and the Ansell/Menards Ford team look to continue to break records in the 2010 season.
About Activ8 Communications
Activ8 Communications, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, specializes in public relations, marketing strategies, brand development and sponsor activation. With focus on NASCAR public relations and relationship building, Activ8 creates unique identities and connections for the drivers and clients under its umbrella.
on Sunday, September 12, Kimmel and his No. 44 Ansell/Menards team will be looking to end the winless streak and return to victory lane one day before the two-year anniversary of that win.
Getting to victory lane at Toledo Speedway is nothing new for Frank Kimmel. After earning his first-career ARCA Racing series win at the half-mile track in 1994, he went on to visit victory lane eight more times becoming the most prolific driver in Toledo Speedway history. In addition to his nine wins, Kimmel has earned 22 top-five finishes and three pole awards in 30-career starts at the track.
“Toledo is the site of our very first win, so it is a great place for us to come back to,” said Kimmel. “I’ve always enjoyed Toledo. We normally run well there and get good finishes; we have had a lot of success there with wins too. Although the car that we are bringing is predominantly an intermediate car, I think it will be one of the best cars we have ever brought to Toledo. The body on it is really slick and it’s a very nice racecar. It weighs out well. I have a lot of confidence going into Toledo. I think we will run well and be very competitive.”
The road to victory lane will begin for Kimmel on Saturday, as the ARCA Racing Series takes to the track for practice starting at 12:30 p.m. EST. Sunday’s 100-mile/200-lap Northwest Ohio Dealers at Toledo Speedway is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. EST. Live timing and scoring and audio coverage will be provided by ARCA Nation and the ARCA Racing Network at ARCARacing.com. BAS Racing Network (radio) and BCSN (TV) will also host live race coverage.
“Kimmel’s Top 10”
In anticipation of his 10th Championship, Frank Kimmel gives a look at his “Top 10” before each ARCA Racing Series event. Frank Kimmel has had a lot of support along his way to nine ARCA Racing Series championships. This week Kimmel gives us a look at the “top-10 most influential people in his career.”
10. Uncle Paul- In the early days Uncle Paul took me to almost every single ARCA race that I competed at. Whatever it took to get me to the track, he did it. He would buy our hotel rooms, pay travel expenses and help out every way he could. Without him we would not have been able to go ARCA Racing at all.
9. Jack Wallace- Wally actually gave me my very first ARCA car in 1990. We used that car to win Rookie of the Year in 1992. Wally was a long-time ARCA Racer who saw some potential and decided to let me have his racecar. He is the man that gave me my start in ARCA.
8. Larry Clement- Larry was my long-time car owner. He really enabled us to win as many ARCA races and championships as we did because of his guidance and support.
7. Buddy Rouck – He was the first guy that I teamed up with. We co-owned my first late model together and won two championships with it in the late 80’s. He is also Holly’s godfather.
6. Dick Schroeder – I worked for him for a while. He was the owner of C-Line Engineering. He really helped me to become a better racer and a better mechanic in my early career.
5. Terry Shirley – Became my car owner in 1989. We won the Late Model championship in 1990, and he gave me my start in early years of ARCA Racing.
4. Donna Kimmel – She is my wife and the person that has kept my life together while I have been doing all this racing. She’s been very supportive of me and raised Holly and Frankie while I was away at the track.
3. Bill Kimmel Jr. – Bill was a good driver before he became my crew chief. He won four-straight championships at Louisville Motor Speedway. He has also been crew chief of the year in the ARCA Series eight times and been with me for eight of my nine championships.
2. Mable Kimmel – Mable is both my and Bill’s mom. She was a true racer’s wife. Mom always supported our dad no matter what he decided to do in racing. Howard while battling for the lead sent Frank and “Daisy” spinning, ultimately destroying the car.
1. Bill Kimmel Sr. – He is my and Bill’s father. He started racing in 1948 and taught us most of what we know about racecars.
Frank Kimmel and the No. 44 Ansell/Menards Fast Facts
Battle for first: After bad luck plagued the Ansell/Menards team at DuQuoin, Kimmel fell to fourth in the championship standings. He now sits 50 markers behind leaders Tom Hessert and Patrick Sheltra, who are tied for first.
Last Toledo Race: In the spring event at Toledo Speedway, Kimmel overcame late-race damage to score a fourth-place finish. The finish began his climb in the ARCA Racing point standings and was his best finish in the early part of the season.
This Week’s Ford: Crew Chief, Bill Kimmel Jr., has chosen to bring chassis No. 340, “Courtney” to Toledo. This chassis, an intermediate track chassis, has not been used yet this season. With both short track cars wrecked after the dirt races at Springfield and DuQuoin, Kimmel Racing has called on “Courtney” to bring them to victory lane.
Meet Frank Kimmel: Kimmel will be signing autographs on the front stretch of Toledo Speedway on Sunday, September 12 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Featured Blogger: Want to hear what Kimmel has to say about each race weekend? Log on to http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/ every week to read Frank’s latest driver diary. He talks about what happened in the race, what he does when he is not at the track and his expectations for the next race weekend.
Follow Frank Kimmel: Follow Frank Kimmel at the track or in the race shop by logging on to facebook.com/frankkimmelracing and twitter.com/frankkimmel. Follow every race weekend for live updates and photos from the track and throughout the race.
2010 STATS
StartsWinsPolesTop 5sTop 10sAve StartAve FinishPts. Pos./Prev
Frank Kimmel16017119.48.24/2
About Frank Kimmel
Frank Kimmel, driver in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards, is a record holding 9-time champion. Co-owner of Kimmel Racing, the Indiana native has earned 74 wins, placing him just six races shy of the number one spot on ARCA’s all-time win list. With 44 poles, 230 top-five and 294 top-ten finishes, the racing veteran has accomplished many great feats in his 18 seasons in the series. Kimmel and the Ansell/Menards Ford team look to continue to break records in the 2010 season.
About Activ8 Communications
Activ8 Communications, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, specializes in public relations, marketing strategies, brand development and sponsor activation. With focus on NASCAR public relations and relationship building, Activ8 creates unique identities and connections for the drivers and clients under its umbrella.
Craig Goess to the Finish Line First in the Southern Illinois 100
Du Quoin, Ill. (Sept. 8, 2010) – Craig Goess pulled off his career-best finish on a dirt track Monday afternoon at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds for the Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care. Goess and the No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Eddie Sharp Racing Toyota crossed the finish line seventh, grabbing his 12th top-10 in 16 races this season in the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards.
Goess started the one-day show early Monday morning with the lone practice session of the day. He laid down the 11th-quickest time of 34.081 seconds (105.631 mph). He picked up more speed during qualifying with a time of 33.711 seconds (106.790 mph). The lap was good enough for Goess to start seventh.
The green flag waved Monday afternoon, and Goess looked to better his previous dirt track starts. In three previous dirt track races, he finished 26 (Springfield 2009), 34th (Du Quoin 2009) and 11th (Springfield 2010). Goess knew that he had to not only compete against his competitors but also the rough terrain of the dirt track.
Goess rolled off seventh and worked to maintain an incident-free race during the 100-lap event. The No. 81 remained in the top-15 for most of the race and held steady to stay out of trouble. By lap 66, Goess was in the 14th position and looked to make a push to the front of the pack. With 10 laps to go, Goess broke into the top-10 in the ninth position. Arpin crossed the finish line first, racking up his third victory this season, and Goess took the seventh position.
“All in all, it was not a terrible day,” explained Goess. “We worked hard, and we were able to preserve points to be within five points of the leaders. We brought a different car this weekend to Du Quoin. It was actually only my second full dirt track race, seeing that my first two last year were cut short due to on-track incidents. I think that we can attribute our continued progress on the dirt to the No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. team working hard to continually get better. I think that more time on the dirt track has helped me feel more comfortable on that kind of surface. The same goes for Johnny Allen, my crew chief, who hasn’t had a lot of experience on dirt tracks. We are making steps to improve each and every race, and I think that shows from our progress on dirt tracks. Who knows-I may be a professional dirt track racer one day.”
Goess currently sits third in the ARCA Racing Series points standings. He is five points out of first behind Patrick Sheltra and Tom Hessert, who are tied for the lead. Goess has four races left in the ARCA Racing Series schedule this year to make it to the top of the points battle.
The ARCA Racing Series heads back to Toledo Speedway this weekend for the Northwest Ohio Ford Dealers 200 on Sunday, Sept. 12. The green flag drops at 2 p.m. EST for 200 laps of short-track action around the half-mile oval. Keep up with all the action on ARCARacing.com with live scoring, timing and audio broadcast.
About Eddie Sharp Racing
Eddie Sharp set up shop in 2005 in Denver, N.C. after several years of transforming young, talented drivers into ARCA championship contenders. Today, Eddie Sharp Racing has evolved into the rite of passage for any serious upcoming driver with an ambition for professional stock car racing. Located in Denver, North Carolina just north of Charlotte, Eddie Sharp Racing occupies a top-notch facility that closely resembles a five-star NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, both inside and out. The two ESR buildings contain two teams where on any given day, championship contending cars are assembled, engines tuned and teams strategize to score the next race day victory.
Sports History Today 