10-time ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards champion Frank Kimmel is expected to join Venturini Motorsports for Friday’s open-test session at Daytona International Speedway, CATCHFENCE.com has learned.
Kimmel with backing from longtime partner Ansell and Menards has left Win-Tron Racing and is certain to fill the spot for graduated driver Justin Boston for the Concord, North Carolina-based team.
The Jefferson, Indiana native is expected to compete for the team in the 2015 season-opener next month on February 14. While details of the once former rivals is still forthcoming, sources close to the situation say that Kimmel has funding for at least 10 ARCA races this season.
Kimmel, 52, has hoisted the No. 44 in ARCA Racing Series competition since 2008, but it’s likely that Kimmel will campaign with the iconic Venturini Motorsports’ No. 25 this season.
The winningest driver in ARCA history has flown the Ansell and Menards colors since 2009. Ansell is part of the Menards vendor program, which has funneled sponsorship dollars allowing the seasoned veteran to compete.
2015 will be Kimmel’s 26th season of ARCA competition. In 491 starts, the 1992 ARCA Rookie of the Year has earned 269 top-fives and 369 top-10 runs. He has led over 11,000 laps in competition and maintains an average finish of 8.1.
Menards will continue an extensive Motorsports presence in 2015 with Paul Menard in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (No. 27) for Richard Childress Racing. Menard, the son of Menards founder John Menard will also dabble with newcomer Brandon Jones in the NASCAR XFINITY Series (No. 33), also a Richard Childress Racing entry. ThorSport Racing’s reigning champion Matt Crafton in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will fly the Menards emblem for a historic 13th season.
The ARCA stalwart left ThorSport Racing after winning the 2013 championship, when the Sandusky, Ohio-based organization decided to concentrate their efforts on their NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program. Kimmel, the 80-time ARCA winner then joined Win-Tron Racing, where the duo fell short of expectations, finishing fourth in series points.
Kimmel is winless at the “World Center of Racing” in 23 attempts, but anchors three second-place performances, including last February with Win-Tron Racing. Venturini Motorsports won the 2013 season-opener from the pole with John Wes Townley at the helm.
Kimmel is expected to be joined by Cody Coughlin, Leilani Munter and Daniel Suarez as Venturini Motorsports teammates for the Lucas Oil 200 presented by MAVTV American Real. The event will be televised live on FOX Sport 1.
There’s little question that Kimmel’s verse skills on the ARCA tour and the cogent equipment scoped by team manager Billy Venturini has the potential to penetrate a season of ARCA Racing that hasn’t been seen since the Clement Racing days. However, a healthy budget and guaranteed funding will have to be in place to have an opportunity to put Kimmel on yet another unprecedented pedestal.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
