Concord, NC (June 4, 2015) – Taking a look back at Frank Kimmel’s illustrious 26-year career you’d be hard-pressed to find a race track on the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards schedule in which he hasn’t had success.
Pocono Raceway is no exception.
Kimmel, the all-time ARCA series leader with 80 victories, is set to make his 494th career start this weekend at Pocono Raceway. The 80-lap Pocono ARCA 200 event scheduled for Saturday, June 6th will mark Kimmel’s 45th start at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ – dating back to 1992.
In his previous Pocono starts, Kimmel has found victory lane three times (’99, ’05, ’06) and has amassed impressive stats along the way. Kimmel’s six pole awards, 21 top-5 and 31 top-10 finishes set him apart from his weekend competition.
Leading by example – Kimmel honed his skills at the Tricky Triangle by following the best.
“I’ve always liked this place but Pocono can be intimidating the first time. When I first started coming here Tim Steele was the dominant force in the series and real good here. I learned a lot just by chasing him,” commented Kimmel when asked about his success at Pocono.
“Pocono is an interesting track. One that seems to present new challenges with every lap. The long straightaways generate high RPMs and put a lot of strain on the motor. It’s always a challenge. Track position, pit stops and staying out of trouble in the turns are especially important here for a strong finish.”
Kimmel will look to improve his success this weekend. Making his fourth start of the season, the Clarksville, Indiana native will be back in the seat of his Venturini Motorsports prepared No.25 Ansell HyFlex Intercept – Menards Toyota.
“The guys back in the shop have worked hard preparing a strong Toyota for this weekend. I’m glad to be back in the car again. Its extra special coming here knowing how good this team performs at Pocono. Always fast,” added Kimmel.
On Wednesday, Kimmel joined teammates Cody Coughlin and Kyle Benjamin at Pocono for ARCA’s pre-race open test session. Kimmel ended the day ninth on the speed chart with a quick lap of 53.852- 167.125 mph.
Following the test on Thursday morning, Kimmel will visit long time sponsor, Ansell, at their North American headquarters located in Iselin, New Jersey to meet with employees and show off his new look Ansell-Menards car prior to this weekend’s ARCA event at Pocono.
The No.25 Ansell-Menards car will be featuring a new look come race day.
Ansell will utilize their ‘home track’ and race car sponsorship to promote the launch of seven new HyFlex® gloves which feature Ansell INTERCEPT™ Cut Resistant Technology. These gloves are made with Ansell’s exclusive cut protection yarns and offer an optimal blend of comfort, performance and protection.
This year’s Pocono ARCA 200 will mark the 60th ARCA race on the 2.5-mile racing surface since the tour made its debut on the big track in 1983. The June 6th event also serves as the preamble for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta ‘We Paint Winners’ 400.
On-track activity for the Pocono ARCA 200 includes one practice session on Friday, June 5th from2:15pm – 4:15pm ET. Raceday Saturday begins with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell at10:05am ET followed by the 80-lap Pocono ARCA 200 at 1:00pm ET. The Pocono ARCA 200 is live on FOX Sports 2 Saturday afternoon.
ABOUT ANSELL:
Ansell is a global leader in protection solutions. Headquartered in Iselin, NJ, 11,000 employees across 42 countries design and manufacture innovative products relied on by millions of consumers, workers, first responders and healthcare professionals. The Ansell vision is to create a world where people enjoy optimal protection against the risks to which they are exposed by delivering safety, peace of mind and performance with unmatched quality, comfort and technology. This vision is delivered by the Ansell core brand products, from the HyFlex®, AlphaTec®, TouchNTuff®, ActivArmr®, Projex®, VersaTouch®, Trellchem® and Viking product lines.
ABOUT MENARDS:
With 287 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 VENTURINI MOTORSPORTS:
Venturini Motorsports (VMS), fielding cars for over 30-years in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, is one of the premier NASCAR driver development programs in the country. 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, Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, Brian Scott, Kevin Swindell, John Wes Townley, Erik Jones, and Justin Boston. Over the years the Venturini name has become synonymous with modern-day racing in America. In 2012, the Venturini family was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (www.NIASHF.org) and now find themselves enshrined with such sports icons as Joe DiMaggio, Mario Andretti, Vince Lombardi, Tommy Lasorda and Rocky Marciano.
Official: www.VenturiniMotorsports.com | Twitter: @VenturiniMotor | Facebook: Venturini Motorsports
