Catchfence

“Championship-driven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Team Adds the No. 44 Ansell/Menards ARCA Racing Series Entry; Debuting Partnership Via Finale Entry at Homestead NCWTS with Kimmel”

Sandusky, Oh. (November 11, 2011) - ThorSport Racing, the longest tenured team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with over 500 active entries since 1996, announced today its plans to continue its growth model by fielding a 2012 full-season ARCA Racing Series team. 9-time ARCA Racing Series Champion and All-time ARCA Purse-winning driver Frank Kimmel will pilot the No. 44 Ansell / Menards Chevrolet under the ThorSport Racing banner in 2012. Kimmel will “kick off” his partnership with ThorSport Racing by running the championship finale of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season at Homestead-Miami Speedway November 18th. He will join new teammates Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and Dakoda Armstrong – all running in their respective trucks – by piloting a fourth entry, the No. 44 Ansell / Menards Chevrolet Silverado at the Ford 200.

“This is an exciting move for ThorSport Racing, and we’re looking forward to growing together with the ARCA Racing Series and long-term with Frank Kimmel and his team,” said Matthew LaNeve, Vice President of Motorsports Partnerships for ThorSport Racing. “Frank obviously has a pedigree of success within the series, as well as a history of setting the bar high for the rest of the field. ThorSport has had a long-standing pattern of excellence & championship caliber teams in the NCWTS with Matt Crafton, Johnny Sauter and now rookie Dakoda Armstrong. We felt this was the right move at the right time.”

The Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) is an auto racing sanctioning body in the United States, founded in 1953 by John Marcum. The ARCA Racing Series races stock cars similar to those seen in past years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and indeed most cars used in the ARCA Racing Series were previously used in NASCAR. “The level of competition in the ARCA Racing Series has impressed us, and we felt this was a great opportunity with Frank,” said David Pepper, Team Manager & Competition Director for ThorSport Racing. “With our NASCAR resources and knowledge base, as well as being geographically close to many of the ARCA races, we felt it was a natural fit. This partnership not only forges a great relationship for competitive racing in our organization; it also encourages job growth in the North Coast as we continue to seek out exceptional talent in the area.”

“The ARCA Racing Series prides itself on being at the cusp of growth for its fans and teams each year, which makes this partnership an exciting one for our 2012 season,” said Mark Gundrum, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for ARCA. “”ThorSport Racing will provide a great opportunity for Frank to meet his goals, and should provide Ansell, Menards, and ARCA with additional business-to-business avenues and opportunities. We welcome ThorSport to ARCA with open arms. The organization is a first-class, proven contender and we’re thrilled to add their competitive experience to our top series. We look forward to watching not only the relationship grow, but also the competition intensify on track for our fans and SPEED viewers.”

“It has been a pleasure to have Frank Kimmel represent Ansell in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards the last three years,” said Steve York, Director of Channel and Vertical Development for Ansell. “As our representative, Frank reflects the qualities of Ansell’s employees worldwide – dedication, loyalty and a desire to be the best at what we do. We are thrilled to partner with Menards along with ThorSport Racing as they also exemplify these qualities as a proven winner on and off the track. Ansell looks forward to a very successful season and the presentation of Frank’s 10th ARCA Racing Series Championship trophy.”

“I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to work with ThorSport Racing in 2012,” said Kimmel. “It’s a great opportunity to work with the best in class – from a world-class shop and staff to resources of such a strong organization. These guys know how to run for championships, and I think I’ve shown a few times that I can do the same. I’m ready to get back into the seat in Daytona and charge for the 2012 ARCA Racing Series Presented by Menards championship together! To be able to kick everything off in Homestead is just icing on the cake – Matt Crafton and I have raced together for years as fellow ‘Menards teammates;’ I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone on the competition side and making a great run there for the team.”

ABOUT THORSPORT RACING:

ThorSport Racing, based in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest tenured active NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport Racing’s first race came at the Milwaukee Mile on July 6, 1996. NASCAR’s only Ohio-based team, which has run full season schedules annually beginning in 1998, currently runs the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet driven by Matt Crafton; the No. 13 Safe Auto/Curb Records Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter; and the No. 98 Ferrell Gas / Agrisure Chevrolet driven by Dakoda Armstrong.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release