Sunday

Race Cut Short Due to Rain, Ansell / Menards Team Endured to Finish 12th

Filed under ARCA, Press Releases

JUPITER, Florida (February 27, 2010) - With overcast skies looming in the distance, the Kimmel Racing team coated the No.44 Ansell/Menards Ford Fusion’s windshield with Rain-X and contemplated if they needed to have rain tires on standby, as the ARCA Racing Series was prepared to run in the rain at the first road course race of their season. Driver Frank Kimmel started from the 13th position for the Tire Kingdom 150 presented by ModSpace and persevered to a 12th place finish.

Kimmel felt like he had a car that could run in the top-10, or even better, saying “we ran up there for the most part today, and I felt pretty competitive. But, I didn’t really enjoy racing in all the rain.”

Despite the rain, which began drizzling on lap one, the veteran showed that he meant business as he swiftly moved from outside of the top-10 into the top-five.

Fifteen laps into the scheduled 75-lap event, Kimmel had a fast car, as his crew chief, Bill Kimmel, proclaimed over the radio, “You were two seconds faster than the leader that lap. Keep it up, and hit your marks!”

As rain continued to pour on and off throughout the remainder of the race, the No.44 Ansell/Menards Ford Fusion remained in the top-10 through the halfway point but fell back to 11th when the rain picked up.

Although the windshield was coated earlier in the day, Kimmel had trouble seeing the track once the rain started falling heavily. He explained, “It started raining bad, and we just didn’t treat the windshield enough for that kind of downpour. It got so bad that I couldn’t see at all, and we had to slow down.”

The race produced three full-course cautions, two due to rain, allowing the Ansell/Menards team to pit twice: the first to get rain tires and fuel, and second for fuel only. With 10 laps to go, Kimmel exclaimed over the radio, “I can’t see anything! Guys, help me!” as both spotters had to assist him with standard movements on the race track.

Due to heavy rain, ARCA racing officials waved the yellow flag on lap 68 and called the race five laps shy of its scheduled 75-lap distance. Justin Marks was the leader when the caution was thrown and was determined the winner when the checkers fell on lap 70.

Kimmel commented on his 12th place finish, “I was really happy with how our run was going for the most part today. But once the rain hit, we had to slow way down and let the cars go by. It was not a good end to a day that could have been a top-five finish.”

Next up on the ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards schedule is short-track racing at Salem Speedway on April 11. Salem is considered Kimmel’s home track, as the Kimmel Racing shop is located just 30 miles north of the speedway in Clarksville, Indiana.

For more information about Frank Kimmel, please visit www.FrankKimmel.com

- Kimmel Racing Press Release