Will Kimmel Racing News

Will Kimmel and Co. have been busy over the last few weeks. In a 15-day span, Kimmel and his family owned team will take part in two test sessions (Michigan and Pocono) and two full races (New Jersey Motorsports Park and Pocono). So, how have things been in the shop?

"We have been swamped, to say the least. The road course car has been together since February. We knew we were going to get busy and had to get ahead when we had the opportunity."

A seven week break between the season opener at Daytona and the second race at Nashville allowed Kimmel Racing to get the road course car finished, so that they could focus on getting their remaining fleet of cars together. The race shop can hold nine cars comfortably, and at one point in March held 10 that were in varying states of completion.

Following the open test session at Michign Int'l Speedway on May 19th for the composite body cars (where Kimmel was 4th fastest), it was all hands on deck for the road course car. "We came home, got the Michigan car cleaned up then focused on the road course car. It was pretty much done, so we went over everything and put on new brakes on it. Finished it up on Wednesday."

In three career starts at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Kimmel has two Top-5's. Impressive for a driver who had never raced on a road course before coming to ARCA. Part of his success making right hand turns comes from his perspective on road course racing.

" The road courses are just fun, you're constantly busy in the race car. I just enjoy running them because they are different. I try not to look at it as a "road course", but just as a race track that I have to figure out how to get around."

NJMP has two fully functioning layouts (Thunderbolt and Lightning); ARCA will be on the Thunderbolt course which is a 12-turn, 2.25mi layout. ARCA has run at NJMP every year since 2008 with all of the races but one being won by a Dodge. Kimmel will look to put a Ford in victory lane for the first time at NJMP on Saturday when the No. 69 Kimmel Racing E3 Spark Plugs Ford Fusion rolls onto the starting grid.

On-track action will begin with first practice on May 28th from 10:15 – 11 a.m. Final practice will take place from 11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell will take place at 2 p.m. The Twilight 150 presented by Unique Pretzels starts at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 28th. You can listen to the race live at arcaracing.com. Arcaracing.com will also feature live timing and scoring and live chat of all on-track activities.