Category: Other Series PR

July 23, 2012. Following a career best seventh place finish in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event at his home track of Motoplex Speedway near Vernon, BC Jim White will be behind the wheel again this coming Wednesday night at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway in Saskatoon, SK.

 

This event will be the final race on the series annual swing through western Canada and White was so successful in BC he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get back in the action.  “What a great night we had” said White.  “The whole team was great, Scott Steckly’s team headed up by Tyler Case preparing the car did an awesome job and I know we can have another strong outing this week” he added.

 

Jim White is looking forward to racing on the beautiful one third mile oval at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway.  “Everybody I’ve talked to loves this track” stated White.  “It has really nice banking that allows you to battle side by side and make a clean pass.  The fans have been jamming the place every year and I can’t wait to get out there”.

 

For the second time this year Jim White will also race against his brother Jason White who is a full time series competitor in the #21 Dodge.  “Jason had the better finish than I did the last time we raced against each other so I want to come out on top this time” said Jim White.

 

This weekend’s effort for Jim White in the #24 Dodge has been supported by New Life Feeds and their contractors for the new Clavet Feed Mill Project that is currently under construction.  Those contractors include: AW Millwrights, Sturdy Formed Concrete Ltd., Mohr Construction, McNeil Engineering & Construction, Industrial Contracting Solutions and Ironbridge Fabrication Inc.

 

Round number seven of the NSACAR Canadian Tire Series on Wednesday July 25th at Auto Clearing Speedway in Saskatoon, SK. takes the green flag at 7PM local time.  Fans can watch the race from Saskatoon on TSN Sunday August 4th at 6:30PM Eastern.

 

You can get the latest information about the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series at www.hometracks.nascar.com

Joliet, IL. (July 22, 2012) – Frank Kimmel scored his second consecutive top five finish, and fifth top five finish overall this season, in the Ansell ActivArmr 150 at the Chicagoland Speedway after finishing 3rd. With the support of 200 guests from Menards and Ansell Gloves in attendance, the #44 Thorsport Racing team put together one most impressive efforts of their 2012 season.

Coming into Chicagoland, the Ansell ActivArmr/Menards team was anxious to improve on performance at intermediate racetracks. Early in practice, the Thorsport Toyota team was faced with challenges of adapting to a new setup, but persevered and found a solid race trim baseline. Kimmel posted the 9th fastest lap in Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell, but started 8th after the initial pole winner’s time was disallowed.

From the immediate drop of the green flag, Kimmel’s Ansell ActivArmr/Menards Toyota was on the move. Kimmel picked up two spots of the first lap, and was in fourth by the race’s first yellow on lap 4. Kimmel radioed the crew, reporting he was very happy with the balance on a short run with fresh tires. Kimmel took advantage of restarts all race long, and on the lap 8 restart, moved into the top three.

On lap 24, Kimmel was racing hard for second and made slight contact when the #35 car made a three-wide move the inside on the tri-oval. After recovering from the contact, Kimmel radioed a tight condition in the center of the corner, and was running fourth at the lap 46 caution for debris. Under the event’s second yellow flag, Kimmel came to pit road for an inner-liner air pressure adjustment. The Thorsport Racing crew made quick work and gained Kimmel two spots, moving him to 2nd.

After another quick caution at lap 53, Kimmel made a move for the lead and challenged eventual race winner, Kevin Swindell, on the outside on the restart at lap 56. With 30 laps remaining, Kimmel settled in the 3rd spot, putting distance from all other challengers for position. Kimmel remained in 3rd through the race’s concluding green flag run, and took the checkered flag to net his fifth top five finish of the season. Kimmel gained five points on the championship point lead, and heads to Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis 4th in ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards points.

“It was a good day and pretty consistent”, Kimmel said. “We had a top five, or top three Ansell ActivArmr/Menards Toyota all day long, and that’s where we ended up. These are the best, nicest racecars I’ve ever driven, so we just have to keep up, and keep getting better. We always try and get the best finish we can with the car we have each race. To beat these guys for the championship, we’re going to have to beat them on the racetrack. If you win the race, you gain the most points, so we need to keep getting better and win.”

 

Race Recap:

Date: July 21st, 2012

Track: Chicagoland Speedway

Race: 12 of 20

Started: 8th

Finished: 3rd

Driver Championship Points Standings: 4th

 

NEXT ON THE SCHEDULE:   Lucas Oil Raceway Park is the 13th event on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards circuit on Friday, July 27th. The Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 will mark the 2nd ARCA Racing Series event at the famed short track. All on track activity will take place on Friday, July 27th. Timing and scoring will be available onARCAracing.com beginning with the opening practice at 1:35pm ET. SPEED Channel will have live coverage of the 200 lap event beginning at 9 pm ET.

2012 is the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards’ 60th Anniversary Season, featuring 20 races at 18 tracks. The complete 2012 event schedule is available at ARCARacing.com

JOLIET, Illinois (July 23, 2012) – – After battling a series of obstacles during this past Saturday’s Ansell ActivArmr® 150 at Chicagoland Speedway, Will Kimmel (@willkimmel) recovered nicely in his No. 68 AccucareTX / Joliet Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion for a 10th place finish in the 12th race of the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season. A last-minute sponsorship agreement between AccucareTX and the Joliet-based Tilted Kilt allowed the Kimmel Racing(@kimmel_racing) to spring to life and an opportunity to shine in the “Windy City.”

In the lone practice session on Friday evening, Kimmel and his team led by father, crew chief and owner Bill Kimmel showed just how strong of a Ford Fusion that the team had. After quickly bolting themselves into the top-five early, the team ended the run sixth fastest overall giving the Clarksville, Indiana-based confidence heading into race day.

Knowing that they had a good piece underneath them, the Kimmel Racing team made some adjustments to their piece hoping it would help them for Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell on Saturday morning. During time trials, Kimmel though was only able to maneuver the ninth quickest. The team was somewhat disappointed with their effort, feeling that they may have over adjusted their No. 68 AccucareTX / Joliet Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion.

Still, a solid starting position for 100 laps of racing would give the former Late Model champion at Salem (Ind.) Speedway, plenty of time to race his way to the front.

When the green flag flew, Kimmel quickly realized that he had to protect his position in the No. 68 AccucareTX / Joliet Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion as his vehicle was incredibly tight throughout the first run.

By lap 15, Kimmel had slipped back to 11th and just 10 laps later he dropped two more positions to 13th. Despite the tightness on his blue oval, Kimmel persevered and was able to work his way back up to the 12th position by lap 35.

The race’s second caution flag of the day would waive 11 laps later allowing Bill Kimmel to bring the No. 68 AccucareTX / Joliet Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion to pit lane for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. An impressive stop by the pit crew allowed their driver to pick up spots on pit road and rejoin the field in ninth.

On the restart, Kimmel was quick to get through the gears and make his move towards the front. However, as he exited turn two, Kimmel was squeezed by a lap car while racing Matt Lofton for position. Trying to stay off of Lofton, the two made slight contact which violently sent Kimmel’s car spinning wildly through the backstretch but impressive car control by the Sellersburg, Indiana native kept the No. 68 AccucareTX / Joliet Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion from making any contact to the wall.

With the race pressing on under green flag conditions and with flat Hoosier Racing tires underneath him, the 24-year old would have to ease his way to pit lane. Thankfully, another car spun on the track bringing out the event’s third yellow which allowed Kimmel to make his way to pit lane and change tires but still remain on the lead circuit. Another stop to pit lane was essential for damage control. With a quick caution facing the team, Kimmel returned to competition but several seconds behind the lead group.

Still, the driver gave it his all and after restarting 16th on lap 55, Kimmel was able to move his way back into 12th by lap 75 and take 11th by lap 84 and with 10 laps remaining, the driver made the move on the No. 45 of David Levine for 10th where he would take the checkered flag.

“It was a good rebound for us,” offered Kimmel following the race. “We unloaded with an extremely fast No. 68 AccucareTX / Joliet Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion. The car was really good in practice and I think we may have over adjusted it for qualifying. At the start of the race, the car was just so tight, I was just hanging on until we pitted. On the restart, I messed up. I tried to get by Matt (Lofton), but there was a lap car down on the bottom and I got greedy and ran out of room. My fault and I apologize to Matt and the guys. I’m learning and I learned a lot out there too. Luckily, the caution flag came out for something else and we were able to regroup and bring home a top-10 finish. It wasn’t exactly what we wanted, but under all the circumstances, we’ll take it. I want to thank AccucareTX and Joliet Tilted Kilt for stepping up and supporting us this weekend, we really appreciate it.”

In his 35th career ARCA start, Kimmel earned his ninth top-10 finish of his career and fourth of the season.

Next up for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards in their 60th anniversary season is a trip to Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the running of the Messina Animal Wildlife Stopper 200 which is set for Friday, July 27.

For sponsorship inquiries with Kimmel Racing, interested parties are urged to contact Bill Kimmel at 502.645.9370 or bill@kimmelracing.com.

To learn more about AccucareTX and their services, please click over to accucaretx.com.

For more on Will Kimmel, please visit willkimmel.com.

For additional input on Kimmel Racing, please log on to kimmelracing.com.

Concord, NC (July 23, 2012) — The storyline for Saturday’s ARCA Ansell ActivArmr® 150 race at Chicagoland Speedway couldn’t have been scripted any better than it was for Kevin Swindell or his team Venturini Motorsports.

Driving his No.55 CURB Records Toyota, Swindell dominated the race leading all 100-laps of the event capping off an incredible celebratory weekend for the Venturini Motorsports team.

Swindell, the son of Sprint Car racing icon Sammy Swindell, earned his second career Pole position and his first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards victory of his young career. At 23-years old, Swindell is no stranger to the spotlight as he’s gained national recognition as a three-time and defending champion at the famed Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Swindell earned the Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell when Venturini Motorsports teammate Brennan Poole’s would-be pole lap in the morning was disallowed for an inspection infraction. The Tennessee driver stayed out front for all 100 laps at Chicagoland Speedway and cruised to a 1.238-second victory over Poole, who drove from the back of the field to challenge for the win.

“The car was excellent,” said Swindell. “I was able to get out in front and keep clean air and try not to make any mistakes in traffic, and everything went well. I didn’t have any trouble with the pit stops, and the Curb Records car was great. Everything was good, and I can’t thank Venturini Motorsports and my crew chief Keith Hinkein enough for one heck of a car.”

Swindell’s win was his first in 11 career ARCA starts, and came in his sixth race for Venturini. No driver has led every lap in an ARCA event since Ryan Hemphill completed the feat in a rain-shortened 67-lap race on July 9, 2004.

The Venturini sweep of the top two positions capped off the team’s grand celebration of 30 years in ARCA competition and their forthcoming induction into the National Italian Sports Hall of Fame. The team selected Chicagoland Speedway as the site of its commemoration because of the track’s proximity to Chicago, the Venturini family’s home city and racing origin.

Swindell’s and Poole’s cars, as well as those of Mark Thompson and Nelson Canache, carried throwback paint schemes from the team’s championship years and other top moments.

After his leading qualifying lap of 30.64 seconds (176.24 mph), Swindell (No. 55 Curb Records Toyota) jumped to a 0.616-second lead on the first lap and pushed that lead to two seconds by Lap 15, easily outdistancing his closest competitors. Poole (No. 25 Texas Corral Toyota), meanwhile, had improved to 15th by Lap 5, when Korbin Forrister spun off of Turn 2 to bring out the race’s first caution. He improved one position after the Lap 9 green flag and found himself in the top 10 by Lap 16.

From there, Swindell started to flex his muscle. He led by more than three seconds at Lap 20 and five seconds three laps later, when second-place Matt Lofton got caught behind the car of Buster Graham. That allowed Canache (No. 35 Venezuela Tourism Toyota) to pass from fourth to second and let Frank Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Toyota) move around him.

Swindell advanced his lead to more than six seconds at Lap 27. At the same time, Poole passed teammate Ryan Reed (No. 15 JDRF Ford) to move into fifth place. Swindell drove around Mark Thompson to leave just 16 cars on the lead lap at Lap 34, while Poole had moved into fourth, 9.181 seconds back.

Spencer Gallagher experienced mechanical issues while running seventh on Lap 45 to bring out the race’s second caution flag. Swindell saw his nine-second lead disappear with a trip to pit road, but his sizable advantage easily allowed him to exit first with fuel and four fresh tires. Kimmel improved to second off of pit road, with Canache, Chris Buescher (No. 17 Reliance Tool/BeavEx Ford), and Poole following.

Swindell led again at the Lap 51 green flag, but his progress was slowed when Thompson slid into the grass just two laps later and the caution flag flew again.

He got away clean at the Lap 56 restart and climbed to a three-second lead within 10 laps. Poole was making his own advances, passing Canache for third on Lap 63 and Kimmel for second six laps later. Swindell led Poole by 3.84 seconds at Lap 70, but Poole sliced that gap by more than a second within five laps. With 25 to go, Poole seemed to be making a charge.

Swindell kept the advantage, though. By Lap 80, he continued to lead by 2.62 seconds, the margin fluctuating as the two leaders weaved in and out of lapped cars.

Poole closed the gap to 1.202 second with 10 laps left; only the 10th-place car of Will Kimmel (No. 68 AccucareTX/Joliet Tilted Kilt Ford) – one lap down – sat between him and Swindell. In the end, Swindell was too much, and he finished having led every lap for his first win.

In addition to Swindell’s victory and Brennan Poole’s second place finish, Venturini drivers, Ryan Reed finished a career best fifth and Nelson Canache claimed a seventh place finish. In All, Venturini Motorsports placed four cars in the top-7 positions.

The race lasted just one hour, three minutes, and 47 seconds, finishing with an average speed of 141.103 mph to shatter the 2009 race record of 111.02 mph. The three caution flags slowed the field for just 11 laps.

For Bill Venturini, seeing one of his cars win the Ansell ActivArmr® 150 at Chicagoland Speedway was a welcome bonus after a week of hometown celebration.

Not only did the Windy City-born Venturini Motorsports team commemorate 30 years in ARCA with a flurry of guests at its home track, but “Big Bill” and wife Cathy also celebrated 39 years of marriage on Saturday. Even before Kevin Swindell led all 100 laps for his first ARCA triumph, Bill Venturini seemed to be on cloud nine.

“It was a special week, being honored here at the speedway on Thursday night,” Venturini said. “They had me and my wife, my family, the Ultra Blue Crew as guests of honor here. It’s our home track and I had 200 friend and family members here, so it was a lot of fun.”

Indeed, members of the 1987 Ultra Blue Crew – an all-female pit crew that helped Venturini to his first driving title in ARCA – visited the current team at the Ansell ActivArmr® 150, 25 years later.

In most organizations, things change over 30 years. Between Bill Venturini’s first win on June 18, 1983 and son Billy’s first driving victory in 2006, only “Big Bill” drove to Victory Lane for the team. Now, the Venturinis enter a handful of contenders at each race, and Swindell is the 10th driver to win for the program. The team now counts 27 wins in three decades.

Amid changes over that time, one constant continues to drive Venturini at the race track.

“Winning,” he said. “Last weekend, I had five cars at Iowa and we wrecked five cars. We were at an all-time low last week, and I come here this week and I have four in the top seven, we win, and lead 100 laps. It’s an adrenaline fix. We enjoy the racing, and enjoy the people.

“I’m proud to say we do what we do, and I’m really happy with what we’ve got in our program.”

Venturini Motorsports will return to the track this week when the ARCA Series visits Indianapolis Friday Night for the running of the Messina Wildlife Animal Stopper 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway. The race will be televised live on SPEED TV at 9pm EST. About Venturini Motorsports  Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars in the ARCA Racing Series, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. The 2012 season marks the team’s 30th Anniversary of competition in the ARCA Series. Multiple team championships and consistent on-track success, VMS has evolved into one of the most recognizable names in motorsports.

Since 2007, VMS has assisted in the career development of notable NASCAR drivers such as Joey Logano, Justin Allgaier, Steve Arpin, Brian Scott, Max Gresham, Miguel Paludo, Josh Richards, Ryan Blaney, and Scott Lagasse, Jr. Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com  |  Twitter @VenturiniMotor  |  Facebook: Venturini Motorsports

Program Supports Clean Water And Food Bank Programs

JOLIET, Illinois (July 18, 2012) – – Even before arriving at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend, Kimmel Racing and driver Will Kimmel (@willkimmel) are excited about their chances for Saturday afternoon’s Ansell ActivArmr® 150 for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards.

The excitement comes from a last minute sponsorship alliance with AccucareTX and Tilted Kilt who have agreed to jump aboard the Kimmel Racing (@kimmel_racing) train for the 12th race of the 2012 season. After having to start and park last weekend at Iowa Speedway, Kimmel Racing will return to full force and look to improve on their stout fifth place run at New Jersey Motorsports Park at the beginning of the month.

Together, the Kimmel Racing team led by father-son duo of Bill and Will Kimmel will look not only for a strong finish in their first mile-and-half race track together this year but look to pull of an impressive feat by putting their No. 68 AccucareTX / Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion in victory circle.

“Words can’t describe the feeling knowing that we’re actually going to be able to race this weekend because of the support of AccucareTX and Tilted Kilt,” said driver Will Kimmel. “We’ve experience our fair share of ups and downs this season – but none of that matters going into the weekend because our focus is solely on going out there and showing what our team is capable of not only for ourselves but for those who believe in us too.”

AccucareTX provides on-site contract rehabilitation services including physical and occupational therapies, speech-language pathology services, and home therapy in a variety in inpatient and outpatient settings. Despite not having the ability to participate in the open-test session in the “Windy City” a few weeks ago, the Clarksville, Indiana-based team is confident in their ability to get the job done and fight against those who did partake in the opportunity.

“We know what we’re looking for,” offered owner and crew chief Bill Kimmel. “We’re bringing one of the strongest Fords in our fleet and the horsepower from RoushYates should be spectacular and everyone knows that Will is not afraid to get up on the wheel. If you were to say, we’ve raised the bar for ourselves heading into Chicagoland, you would be right. Hopefully, we can go out there on Saturday and have a strong finish and turn these partnerships into something more. Ultimately, without their support, we would not be racing this weekend and we don’t forget that.”

When Kimmel isn’t behind the wheel of the No. 68 AccucareTX / Tilted Kilt Ford Fusion, the Sellersburg, Indiana native is busting his hump with his full service lawn care business which serves several surrounding cities and includes both business and residential clients.

“It keeps me busy, that’s for sure,” Kimmel explained. “From the moment the sun rises until it begins to set it seems like I’m out there hard at it. It’s a lot of work – but it helps out with stuff that we need in the shop. The family’s real supportive so that makes things a lot easier to deal with.”

Kimmel will make his 10th start of the year this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Preparing to run start to finish for the sixth time in 2012, the team is search of their third top-five run and fourth top-10 effort overall. Overall, the 24-year old will make his 35th career ARCA start.

Before heading to the track on Friday, the Kimmel Racing team will make a stop at the Tilted Kilt in Joliet, Illinois from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The Celtic-themed sports bar and restaurant chain is located at 3340 Mall Loop Drive No. 14, Joliet, Illinois 60435.

The Ansell ActivArmr® 150 (100 laps / 150 miles) is the 12th of 20 events on the 2012 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule. The 12th ARCA race at Chicagoland is a two-day show. Practice begins Friday, July 20 with an hour and a half session planned from 6:05 p.m. – 7:35 p.m. Menards pole qualifying presented by Ansell is set for the next morning slated to begin at 9:30 a.m. The event will take the green flag later in the day at 4:00 p.m. The race will be televised live on SPEED with additional coverage including timing and scoring will be available through the ARCA Racing Network (ARN) online at arcaracing.com. All times are local (Central).

For sponsorship inquiries with Kimmel Racing, interested parties are urged to contact Bill Kimmel at 502.645.9370 or bill@kimmelracing.com.

To learn more about AccucareTX and their services, please click over to accucaretx.com.

For more on Will Kimmel, please visit willkimmel.com.

For additional input on Kimmel Racing, please log on to kimmelracing.com.

No. 44 Ansell/ Menards Toyota Camry ARCA RACING SERIES – RACE 12 OF 20 -CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY

This weekend at Chicagoland Speedway, Frank Kimmel will be racing with an extra incentive and a bigger fan base as part of the Ansell ActivArmr 150 weekend. Over 200 guests from Menards and Ansell will be on hand at Chicago to witness Kimmel chase his second win at Chicagoland. The #44 Toyota will have a different look this week, with Ansell’s ActivArmr being showcased on the hood, complimenting the familiar Menards yellow paint scheme. Kimmel and the Ansell/Menards team have scored two top ten finishes on intermediate style tracks this year, Pocono (6th) and Michigan (7th).

Kimmel and the #44 are coming off a solid top five finish at the Iowa Speedway, where the #44 Thorsport team gained ground on the point leader and are now within 105 points of the championship lead. Consistency has put Kimmel in the thick of the championship hunt in 2012, finishing in the top ten in eight of the eleven events thus far. After an 11th place at Winchester snapped a streak of top tens, a 7th place finish at New Jersey, and last week’s effort at Iowa have kick-started another top ten streak for the nine-time champion.

With an average finish of eighth over 11 races at Chicagoland, the Joliet, IL 1.5 mile speedway has proved to be one of Kimmel’s most productive venues in recent years. Kimmel is one of two drivers to start every ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards event at Chicago, and has nine top ten finishes in eleven starts. Kimmel is one of the eleven different winners, scoring his Chicagoland victory from the pole in 2003.

CHICAGOLAND PERFORMANCE: Kimmel is one of two ARCA Racing Series drivers to compete in every race at Chicagoland Speedway. In the eleven races at Chicagoland, Kimmel has scored five top fives and nine top ten finishes. Kimmel scored a win in 2003 from the pole, and has just one finish worse than 11th at Chicago.

TOP TEN STREAK: In the last three Chicagoland races, Kimmel has scored three top ten finishes and in the top eleven in the last seven Chicago races. Kimmel is coming off of two consecutive top ten finishes at New Jersey Motorsports Park (7th) and Iowa Speedway (5th).

CLOSE TO THE RECORD: Kimmel can tie Iggy Katona’s all-time record of 43 pole awards this weekend during Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell on Saturday morning at 9:30 amCT. In addition, Kimmel’s 74 career wins is five behind Katona’s all-time wins record in the ARCA Racing Series.

POINTS REPORT: After 11 of 20 races, Kimmel sits fourth in ARCA Racing Series points and trails point leader, Chris Buescher, by 105 points. After leading 23 laps and finishing 5th at Iowa, Kimmel gained 55 points on the championship lead. Through 11 events in 2012, Kimmel has four top fives and eight top ten finishes.

CHASSIS CHOICE: Kimmel will race Thorsport Racing’s A-2 chassis for this weekend’s Ansell ActivArmr 150. Chassis A-2 has been raced twice in 2012 to two top ten finishes (Pocono – 6th, Michigan – 7th).

NEW LOOK: Coinciding with the Ansell ActivArmr 150, Ansell’s ActivArmr brand will adorn the hood of Kimmel’s Menards Toyota this week at Chicagoland.

JOLIET, IL MENARDS APPEARANCE: Kimmel will visit the Joliet, IL Menards location on Thursday, July 19th, from 6-7:30 PM. Kimmel will sign autographs for fans while the #44 Ansell/Menards showcar will also be on display. The Joliet Menards location is at 2524 W Jefferson Street Joliet, IL 60435.

ANSELL ActivArmr: Ansell is introducing their new Multipurpose line of ActivArmr gloves. ActivArmr Multipurpose gloves are available in Light Duty, Medium Duty and Heavy Duty. These ‘second skin’ feel gloves are made from engineered yarns for durability, breathability and comfort. They each have a foam nitrile outer layer for enhanced wet/dry grip and improved finger lengths for improved fit.

 

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Frank Kimmel

HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE PERFORMANCE ON INTERMEDIATE TRACKS IN 2012? “It’s hard to say really, because the first two races have been on new asphalt. No one had a good notebook on Pocono or Michigan. We ran well at both races, but the tire situation at both tracks took away from the performance and made it hard gauge. Chicagoland is going to be the first true challenge of what our intermediate program will be like.”

WHAT MAKES CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY DIFFERENT NOW FROM WHEN IT FIRST OPENED? “Like every track, it has more bumps, more character, and has lost grip over time. It’s a much different style of intermediate track than Pocono or Michigan because of the difference in asphalt. We’re changing our philosophy with the racecar this week to try and compensate for that. We’re bringing a fast car this week, and hope that we can run up front all weekend.”

WHAT WOULD SOLID PERFORMACE OR A WIN MEAN IN THE ANSELL ActivArmr 150? “When we do win, wherever it is, it’s going to be big. Every time Menards and Ansell are at the track, we have a big contingent of people watching, so you want to run well. Ansell and Menards have been great supporters of ours and it’s going to be fun having a lot of guests from both companies at the racetrack. We’re confident we can run well and run up front, but it’s important for us to have a chance to win everywhere we go.”

 

Race Info

July 21st, 2012 Chicagoland Speedway

1.5 Mile Tri-Oval

Ansell ActivArmr 150

100 Laps/150 Miles

Broadcast Info:

Live Timing & Scoring at ARCARacing.com

Friday July 20: Practice – 6:05pm CT – 7:35pm CT

Saturday July 21: Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell – 9:30 amCT

Race – 4 pmCT – LIVE ON SPEED

Team Facts:

Current Driver Point Standings: 4th

Chassis: A-2 (Raced at Pocono -6th and Michigan -7th)

Engine: TRD (Toyota Racing Development) & TRIAD

Frank Kimmel ARCA RACING SERIES results at Iowa Speedway:

WINS: 1

POLES: 1

Top 5s: 5

Top 10s: 9

Total Appearances: 11

 

ABOUT MENARDS: With 268 stores in 14 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home.  Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember.  Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.

ABOUT ANSELL: Ansell is aglobal leader in protection solutions, with operations in North America, LAC, EMEA and Asia-Pacific.  Ansell designs, develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of surgical, examination, industrial and household gloves, protective clothing and condoms. People in over 100 countries around the world put their trust in Ansell’s innovative, high-quality solutions to offer superior protection, combined with high levels of comfort and performance.   Ansell holds its operational headquarters in Red Bank, NJ, USA and its parent, Ansell Limited, is registered  in Melbourne, Australia. Worldwide, the group employs over 10,000 people in 33 countries. In its Fiscal Year 2011, Ansell achieved sales of USD 1.2 bn. For more information visit www.ansell.com, www.safetypro.com,www.activarmr.com and www.ansellconstruction.com.

July 14, 2012. Vernon, BC – The Motoplex Speedway has been kind to Scott Steckly in the last five years – #22 returned to Vernon, BC yesterday where he’s recorded victories the past two years, following 2nd place finishes in the previous three.

For the last two races, Scott Steckly and his crew have been competing with a new set up for the Canadian Tire Dodge. But for #22’s big return to the Motoplex Speedway, the team reverted back to a blueprint that had worked for them in the past. The car ran well in practice, although, to Steckly, it never felt dominating. However the crew didn’t put too much stock in the Canadian Tire Dodge’s performance in practice – Steckly’s first-place finishes the last two years were prefaced with a vehicle that wasn’t great at the start of the race.

Regardless of the Canadian Tire Dodges domination doubts, Steckly was still 2nd fastest during qualifying and earned the 2nd starting position for the main event.

#22 lined up on the outside of the front row for the start of the A & W Cruisin’ the Dub 300, where he took the lead, collecting a bonus point for leading a lap. “It’s always good to pick that up early,” Steckly said after the race. “Those bonus points add up.”

Steckly continued to vie for 1st throughout the race, taking over the lead just past the halfway point and the first scheduled pit stops. The team continued to make minor handling improvements during scheduled pit stops, which proved helpful for Steckly as he pushed to the front of the pack three separate times throughout the day.

After a final stop for tires, Steckly charged to the front for his third and final lead of the contest, dominating laps 201 – 248. Although in the back 50 laps, the Canadian Tire Dodge lost some ground and Steckly clocked in at his worst finish in six years at the Motoplex – which was still an impressive 3rd place.

“The car just wasn’t as strong in the late stages,” Steckly explained. “The car is running well, but just not quite as strong as it did a year ago when we won here. But we’re improving and getting closer and know we can get back on top.

The A&W Cruisin’ The Dub 300 will be aired on TSN Sun., July 22, 5 p.m. ET; RDS2, Sat., Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m. ET

Next up for the 22 Racing/Canadian Tire Dodge team will be the Edmonton Indy event on Sunday July 22. For more information please visit www.nascarhometracks.com

22 Racing is supported by the following sponsors: Canadian Tire, Motomaster Eliminator, Sylvania, Erb Group, Mobil 1 and AW Millwrights.

Vernon, BC, Monday July 16, 2012: Mark Dilley driver of the #02 Micks Motorsports/Leland Industries/Beyond Digital Imaging Ford finished a disappointing 13th in Saturday nights A & W Cruisin’ the Dub 300.

Dilley was immediately at the top of the time charts when the mid day practice session started and the team continued to work on the car to get it performing to Dilley’s liking.

Time trials had the Leland Industries/BDI Ford within striking distance of the pole but when the session was over he was ranked 4th, with the 2nd to 4th positions separated by 6/1000ths of a second.

Dilley was confident going into the 300 lap race that he had a car that could contend for the win. For the first third of the race he ran in third place, until the caution flag flew and he came to the pits for fuel. When the green flag again waived again the #02 Ford started to fade and the car became a handful to drive. “The handling just went away,” said Dilley after the race. The next caution had Dilley coming to the pits for adjustments and tires, hoping this would make a difference to the handling of the car. Dilley lost two laps over the mid portion of the event, but was able to regain one of them with the “Free Pass” but the cautions didn’t fall when needed in order to gain back the 2nd lap. When the checkered flag waived Dilley was ranked in 13th position.

“We think there is a problem with one of the shocks,” commented Dilley. “The team will get to the bottom of it before the Saskatoon race. We really like coming to the west coast and this facility is second to none on our circuit.”

The A & W Cruisin’ the Dub 300 will air on TSN Sun., July 22, 5 p.m. ET; RDS2, Sat., Aug. 11, 7:30 p.m. ET.

The #02 Micks Motorsports team is supported by the following sponsors: Leland Industries, Beyond Digital Imaging, PartSource Johnsonville, Armor All, STP, Cathcart Trucking, Seguin Marina, Thor Motors, Prostate Cancer Canada, Triad Racing Technologies, Gaunt Collision Centres, Samester and Castrol.

July 15, 2012.  As the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series opened up the annual western Canadian swing St. Thomas, ON driver DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team were looking to keep their hot streak intact at round number five at MotoPlex Speedway near Vernon, BC.  After runner up finishes at the track the last two seasons Kennington claimed the victory, his third consecutive series win and extend his overall championship lead.

 

Right from the afternoon practice session the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge was strong.  “The guys prepared a great car and we only made some minor adjustments to it” said Kennington.  Posting the third quickest qualifying time they would begin the 300 lap feature event on the inside of row two.

 

In the early stages Kennington in the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge waged a spirited battle for the lead with the #84 car.  “It’s so much fun to race against J.R. Fitzpatrick” said Kennington.  “We’re good friends and we race really hard against each other, but also really clean, the way it should be”.

 

The #17 Castrol Edge Dodge would make a scheduled stop for fuel and right side tires at the midpoint of race shuffling them back in the field.  “Just as I expected I was able to race back up to the front” stated Kennington.  “It just handled so well all night long” he added.

 

Following their second scheduled stop Kennington found himself further back than he’d anticipated.  “We were actually outside the top ten but I still felt confident we had enough time to work our way back up front”.

 

Kennington set about making his way forward and on lap 249 took over the race lead for good.  In the final 50 laps Kennington pulled away from the competition and brought the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge across the finish line claiming his third consecutive victory.

 

“I just can’t believe the roll we’re on right now” said a smiling Kennington.  I can’t thank everyone enough.  Castrol Edge, Mahindra Tractors, Hitachi Tools, Bryan Cathcart who was spotting for me tonight.  And my Dad making all that Mopar power in that Dodge, none of this would be possible without all they do” he stated.

With the victory Kennington extends his lead in the overall championship points standings to 23 over second place.

 

DJ Kennington and the #17 Castrol Edge Dodge team are back in action next weekend as part of the Edmonton Indy weekend.  Fans can watch the race from MotoPlex Speedway on TSN Sunday July 22^nd at 5PM Eastern.

 

Race fans are encouraged to keep up to date with the latest team news in several ways.  Race fans should bookmark the team website www.djkracing.ca and follow them on twitter, @djkracing and fans should also “like” the team Facebook Page DJK Racing.