Will Kimmel Racing News

Good qualifing run for Will and MGR in the #59 car.

Congrats to Frank, Dad and the Kimmel racing team for qualifing on the pole.

Race is saturday July 31st at 3pm live on SPEED or online at www.arcaracing.com

Press Release 7/27/10 Sellersburg, IN:

Will Kimmel is proud to announce his association with Checkmate Marine for the upcoming Weis Markets 125 ARCA Racing Series event at Pocono Raceway on July 31st. Checkmate traces their origins back to the early 60s and individually hand-built racing boats. Today the Bucyrus, OH company manufactures a full line of high performance boats, from the family runabout to the rough waters off-shore.

Kimmel will be making his first ever start at Pocono in the number 59 Checkmate Boats / Riverside Auto Parts Dodge Charger for Mark Gibson Racing following a successful outing at Iowa Speedway, where he and the MGR team overcame early adversity to record a top 20 finish. “I’m really looking forward to going to Pocono. It’s another track I haven’t raced on yet, so my goals will be the same as Iowa: Finish the race, run all the laps, and be as competitive as possible while getting experience at this really challenging track. Mark and the guys have worked hard in the shop to get the car prepared so that we can go out there and do a great job representing Checkmate Marine. We appreciate Checkmate for coming on board to support us and we want to put on a great show for their customers and employees alike! I want them to be proud to be associated with us.”

Checkmate Marine’s website (http://www.checkmatepowerboats.net/) says “Checkmate is all about speed. It’s in our DNA.” That makes Checkmate a fitting partner for Will Kimmel. Kimmel, of Sellersburg IN is a 3rd generation stockcar racer following in the footsteps of Grandfather Bill Kimmel Sr., winner of over 500 races throughout the Mid-West in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70s, Dad Bill Jr. who won 4 NASCAR Winston Regional Championships as a driver and 8 ARCA Crew Chief of the Year awards, and Uncle Frank – the 9 time ARCA Racing Series National Champion. Will is the youngest ever winner of the Salem Speedway Super Latemodel Championship and 90+ wins in other racing divisions. When not pursuing his own career as a driver, Will regularly works as a mechanic and jack man on the Kimmel Racing ARCA Racing Series entry.

Will is currently scheduled to compete in the following races:

ARCA Racing Series Presented by ReMax and Menards:

Pocono Raceway Weis Markets 125, July 25 *LIVE on SPEED TV
Illinois State Fairground Allen Crowe 100, Aug 22
DuQuoin State Fairground Federated Car Care 100, Sept 6

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series:

Kentucky Speedway Built Ford Tough 225, Sept 3, Broadcast live on SPEED TV

Will Kimmel Racing is currently seeking marketing partners so that we may expand our racing schedule. If you are interested in being associated with Will and WKR, please visit our website for sponsorship information:

http://www.willkimmel.com/ or call: (502) 645-9370

After a successful run at Iowa, MGR team have asked Will to drive the #59 car at Pocono Raceway. Will states this is another great opportunity for him to get more seat time at another two and half mile speedway that he has not been to. This time MGR and WKR have put a deal together with Checkmate Power Boats for the Pocono Race. Both Will and Mark can't thank Doug enough for his support.

Checkmate Power Boats sign on for Pocono Race. Checkmate is about speed. It's in our DNA. It's been that way since 1963 when Bill Combs set out to build the finest, fastest best performance racing boats in his factory in Bucyrus, OH. As his racing line developed, Checkmate entered a new category..... the performance boating market. Checkmate is renowned for being one of the premier performance boat manufactures in the country.

Checkmate's current president, Doug Smith, a former co-founder and president of BAJA Marine decided to take a new challenge in 2007 grabbed the opportunity to rejoin the performance boating industry and came aboard at Checkmate leveraging top-notch quality and outstanding performance record, Doug inaugurated a new era in Checkmate's history. True to his word, Doug Smith continues to uphold the classic styling, high standards and commitment to quality that's always been part of the racing iron called Checkmate. Visit us online at checkmatepowerboats.net.

Kimmel and MGR Persevere To Top 20 Finish At
Iowa SpeedwayNewton, Iowa.

Enduring scorching summer temperatures and mechanical gremlins, Will Kimmel and team
fought through to finish the ARCA Racing Series Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway in 18th position Saturday night. The Clarksville, IN driver made his first start of the year in the ARCA Racing Series after receiving the call to pilot the 59 Dodge for Mark Gibson Racing out of Statham, GA. Early in the week Gibson stated “I’ve always wanted to run Will in one of my cars. He’s obviously got the talent. Let’s just go!” Kimmel commented “I’m really excited to get to drive Mark’s car. Every chance to get more seat time is so important!” Referring to his recent racing schedule, Kimmel said “It’s great that in the last month I’ve gotten to drive three really different styles of car: Super Late Model, the Street Stock and now an ARCA car.” Early in practice a problem with the fuel pump sidelined the 59 costing them valuable track time. By the time the faulty unit was replaced Kimmel was only able to make 8 practice laps. Fighting a
tight handling condition, Will commented that “The engine feels good. When I get it turned, it really picks up good down the straightaways. We’ve just got to get it turning through the center.” Qualifying 21st fast, Will stated “We out qualified some good cars. With a little more practice I think we could have been top 15!” Beginning the 200 lap event, Kimmel had definite goals, “I want to run the laps and get the experience.” Also high on his list of priorities was to show respect to the faster cars and perhaps most important: “roll the car back on the trailer” in one piece! A high speed ¾ mile D shaped track, Iowa Speedway features progressive banking and multiple racing lines. Due to the limited practice time, Will had to spend the early portion of the race searching for which line was fastest for the car on either end of the track. A soft right rear tire at lap 40 set the team back; “It would dart left one turn, then to the right the next!” Additional valuable laps were lost as Kimmel was forced to pit under green to replace the tire. “Once we changed the tire, I was able to get my confidence back and we really started getting
faster. I found that the car really liked the high line on both ends of the track, and then we were pretty competitive. I could drive in with most anybody.” Gibson, serving as Crew Chief for the race, asked Kimmel at one point if he would like a chassis adjustment to loosen up the car. Kimmel answered “Mark, there are so many different lines around this place, let me just stay out here and search for the fastest way.” Post-race, Gibson commented “Will did fine! Did a great job! He was very cautious at the start, with us only getting a handful of laps in practice due to the fuel pump. We had the tire trouble early on, but he recovered well. Heck with 20 laps to go in the race he turned his fastest lap – a 25:50 which was very respectable. He passed the 76 and chased down the 31 at the end!” referring to the Richard Childress Racing entry of Tim George which had competed for the lead early. “We did what we set out to do, and now we’re going to run Will again at Pocono. Funding is really tight right now but if things come around we may do a few other things.” Kimmel was very appreciative of the crew’s efforts: “Mark and his guys worked really hard through some tough situations. I really appreciate all of their work and the confidence Mark showed in me to give me this great opportunity!” Dad – and champion Crew Chief of Frank Kimmel– Bill Kimmel Jr agreed, “This is a really good experience for Will. All in all – a really good deal!” With an undamaged racecar parked behind the MGR hauler post race, Will announced with a smile “And we can roll the car onto the trailer!” Will is currently scheduled to compete in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by Re/Max and Menards at the following races:

Pocono Raceway Weis Markets 125 July 31 Broadcast live on SPEED TV

Illinois State Fairground Allen Crowe 100 Aug 22

DuQuoin State Fairground Federated Car Care 100 Sept 6

And also in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series:
Kentucky Speedway Built Ford Tough 225 Sept 3 Broadcast live on SPEED TV


Will Kimmel Racing is currently seeking marketing partners. If you are interested in being associated with Will and WKR, please visit our website for sponsorship information: www.sponsorwillkimmel.com
or call: (502) 645-9370.

Will drove to an 18th finish in the Prairie Meadows 200 in the Mark Gibson #59.

Picture to be posted soon.

Will's next scheduled race is Saturday, July 31st at Pocono Raceway for the ARCA race.

Practice did not go as well as it could have, but Will qualified 21st just 6 spots behind Uncle Frank who makes his 400th ARCA start in the Prairie Meadows 200 at Iowa Speedway.

Congrats to Uncle Frank and the entire Kimmel Racing crew. Will and Frank take the green flag at 9pm, live on Speed channel or online at www.arcaracing.com

Will gets the opportunity to race at Iowa Speedway in the Prairie Meadows 200 this Saturday, July 10th for Mark Gibson. LIVE Timing and Scoring is available on ARCA's website (www.arcaracing.com) for practice: 1st session 11am, 2nd session 2pm, then qualifying at 6:15pm, race at 9pm. The race is LIVE on the SPEED channel at 9pm.

A day at the races........ from practice to the drop of the green flag.

........Final preparations made today by the crew for the race tomorrow at Salem.