Catchfence

September 18, 2001 – (Mooresville, NC) – Cunningham Motorsports returned to the race track Saturday at Salem Speedway for the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA Fall Classic presented by Federated Car Care, after a four race hiatus. The team brought two race cars, each to be driven by a rookie. Frank Kimmel II drove the #77 Mars Trucking / Jim French Builders / Clarksville Schwinn Ford for the 200 lap event on his home track, where he won back to back Super Stock championships in 2009 and 2010. The #22 Texas Wildfire Relief Fund Dodge was piloted by Ryan Lynch, in his first ever ARCA Series race.

Frank Kimmel II

After testing the prior week at the .555 mile oval, Kimmel II, son of 9-time ARCA Series champion Frank Kimmel, was looking forward to returning for the race and actually competing for the win. With all of the experience he has had on the Salem bullring, he felt he could put those laps to good use. The practice session led to some uncertain moments when Kimmel II continued to tell crew chief, Howard Bixman, “The car is not right, it is still uncomfortable.” After multiple adjustments and a mock qualifying run, Kimmel II could tell his crew chief, “It’s very, very comfortable.” After qualifying in the 9th spot, Kimmel II was excited about competing in his first full ARCA Series race.

As the race began, Frank II fell back slightly from his starting spot, falling as far as the 13th position. As his father passed him, Kimmel II fell in line and followed in his dad’s tire tracks. In spite of running slightly different lines through turns 1 and 2, Frank and Frank II moved through the field toward the front. As the caution came out on lap 65, most of the leaders pitted for fresh rubber. With Kimmel II staying out during this caution period, he assumed the lead. Since the leaders had new tires, Kimmel II dropped steadily back to 7th after the race restarted. As the caution flag flew on lap 85, Kimmel II brought the #77 into the pit crew’s attention for four tires and fuel, returning to take the green in 11th. One position at a time, Frank II picked off the cars in front of him. At one point during the race, it was the Kimmel show as cousin Will, dad Frank, and Frank II ran 1, 2, and 3.

As the caution came out on lap 149 he was riding in 2nd, commenting, “This car is awesome!” As he came into the pits for right side tires, he took the lead and with a great stop by his crew, he came out of the pits first. With seven cars remaining on the lead lap and 47 laps to go in the race, Kimmel II led the next 17 laps, until lap 168 when he got a tap from his eventual Salem nemesis, Tim George, who moved him up the track, allowing the 2nd place car to move around him into the lead. As this was happening, the caution came out for fluid on the track. Kimmel II lined up in 2nd on the restart on lap 180. With Kimmel II in 3rd, on lap 190, the final caution of the night came out when Tim George, who was in 4th, put Kimmel II into the wall on the front stretch. Kimmel lost a lap as he came into the pits to allow his crew to take a look over the car. Kimmel returned to the track to take the checkered flag one lap off the pace, in 7th.

After the race, the younger Kimmel said, “Wow, what a great car. The guys worked so hard, they deserved a top 3 finish. Thanks to everyone that helped out. Gotta watch who I’m racing around next time.”

Ryan Lynch

When the #22 Cunningham Motorsports team pulled the Dodge off of the hauler, they were looking to gain more valuable track time on the Salem bullring. The test session last week for the team and Ryan Lynch had proven to be a struggle, with the weather causing problems, not allowing Lynch enough laps to become comfortable in his first ARCA stock car experience. After the 90 minute practice session, Lynch had the 20th quickest position on the speed chart. After the practice session, an excited Lynch said, “This track is a tough old track. It is very unforgiving, but I am getting more comfortable with each lap.” Lynch picked up .4 seconds during his qualifying run, posting the16th starting spot.

The Texas Wildfire Relief Fund Dodge, driven by Ryan Lynch from New Boston, Texas, took the green flag in 16th, as Lynch settled in to his rhythm, finding a comfortable spot to learn all that he could from his fellow drivers during the race. He maintained a top 20 spot for the first 65 laps. As the caution came out, crew chief Paul Andrews brought Lynch into the pits for right side tires and fuel. As the field restarted the race on lap 70, Lynch was posted in 15th. With a long green flag run during the middle half of the race, Lynch experienced how the race car changes as the tires wear and the fuel is burned off, making the handling considerably different than after a pit stop.

He picked off positions, running as high as 11th, before pitting, during caution, on lap 150 for four tires and fuel. The green flag flew on lap 152. By lap 162 Lynch radioed to Andrews that his left rear tire had gone flat, just after he had passed the entrance to pit road. As he slowly limped around to the pit opening, he was getting lapped several times. After losing only a couple of positions, to 14th, Lynch rejoined the race. In the final 20 laps, Lynch picked up one position, to his finishing spot of 13th.

After the race Lynch, commented, “It hasn’t really even soaked in, what we accomplished this weekend at Salem. To finish 13th in my first ARCA start is pretty unbelievable. That just says so much about the Cunningham Motorsports team. They are committed to helping you do your best and they believe in you whether you are a rookie or seasoned veteran. The support from the whole team—Kerry, Paul and every single one of those guys who laid a hand on that car this weekend—was just phenomenal. It was a very fast paced learning experience. The car was just awesome the whole race, it just took some time for me to get in a rhythm, especially in turn 3 where the car seemed to be on the edge of grip every lap. The cut tire incident under green was just really unfortunate, but you are going to have that kind of deal in racing. It was a completely awesome experience all around and I can’t thank Cunningham Motorsports and MPM enough for giving me this opportunity. It was also great to support the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund and help my home state, not to mention the excitement of racing in front of the packed Salem Speedway crowd. I can’t wait to do it again!”

- Cunningham Motorsports Press Release