DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.: ARCA Menards Series veteran Jason Kitzmiller and his A.L.L. Construction Racing team trek to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway looking to kick off its planned full season of competition with an impressive showing in Saturday afternoon’s Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente 200.
Armed with crew chief and 10-time ARCA Menards Series champion Frank Kimmel, the Petersburg, West Virginia native returns to the “World Center of Racing” looking to equalize or better his showing from the 2.5-mile superspeedway last February, which saw Kitzmiller thread the needle in a last-lap melee to earn a career-best sixth-place finish.
A strong start to the season again would be monumental for Kitzmiller and his team, who boasts continuous support from CR7 Motorsports in the first of a 20-race campaign through the end of October.
“I’m looking forward to Daytona,” said Kitzmiller. “I always have, but this year, the mindset is a little different, but I’m excited about it.”
Kitzmiller is set to make his sixth start at Daytona International Speedway. After qualifying a career-best third in 2023 and leading 14 laps, he knows the importance of track position and patience.
“You are always hoping not to find yourself in trouble,” added Kitzmiller. “Last year, we were fortunate, but sometimes that is what it takes at tracks like Daytona and Talladega. Fortunately, as a group, we’ve brought very fast Chevrolets to the race track, and I expect nothing but the same this weekend.
“Group qualifying can definitely be interesting. It’s about getting that perfect lap, but it depends on who you have worked with within that group. Everyone wants to start near the front, and we’ve been able to start inside the top-10 the last two years, so hopefully, it’s more of the same for qualifying on Friday afternoon.”
Once the green flag is thrown live on FOX on Saturday, February 15, 2025, shortly after 12:00 p.m., Kitzmiller says he will be mindful of his competitors but doing what he can to make sure he’s in a good place to press the attack as the checkered flag approaches.
“To finish first, you must first finish,” sounded Kitzmiller. “You can’t win the race at Lap 1, but your day can sure end. Patience and knowing when to take chances and when not will be key. I have great people surrounding me, from my crew chief to my spotter, Tim Fedewa; I will rely on their assistance to kick off our championship run in the best way possible.”
For Daytona, Kitzmiller and Co. welcome Carter Machinery, promoting the Caterpillar (Cat®) brand as the primary partner aboard his No. 97 Chevrolet SS.
Carter Machinery’s humble start began in 1928, serving Virginia and southeastern West Virginia. As our customers’ needs changed over the years, we evolved by continually adding new products, services, and locations, with exponential growth occurring after our 2020 acquisition of Alban Tractor Company.
Today, our footprint spans the Mid-Atlantic, with over 30 locations throughout Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.
We sell, rent, and support the full line of Cat® equipment, engines, and electric power generation systems, backed by the best parts availability, most diverse rental fleet, and an expert service team working together to enable our customers’ highest level of success.
Our ongoing investment in people, infrastructure, technology, and tooling continues to position us as one of Caterpillar’s leading dealers in North America and throughout the world.
“We’re stoked to welcome Carter Machinery on board for Daytona,” mentioned Kitzmiller. “They are a true testament to the power of business-to-business relationships excelling from the footprint of job sites to the race track.”
In addition to Carter Machinery, A.L.L. Construction Inc., Grant County Mulch, A&J Excavating, Cobra Mining, Champion Power Equipment and Volt Battery Technology will all serve as associate marketing partners for his 28th career ARCA Menards Series start.
Further ARCA Menards Series platform announcements from A.L.L. Construction Racing are forthcoming.
Since 2020, Kitzmiller has 27 ARCA Menards Series starts to his credit, with eight top-10 finishes overall, including a career-best sixth-place finish at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway (February 2024).
The Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente 200 (80 laps | 200 miles) is the first of 20 races on the 2025 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Thursday, February 13, from 4:05 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. General Tire group pole qualifying starts on Friday, February 14, at 1:30 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag the following afternoon shortly after 12:00 p.m. ET. The event will be televised live for the first time on FOX, with the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM channel 391 | online channel 981) handling the radio waves. ARCARacing.com will stream live timing and scoring throughout the day’s festivities.
Source: A.L.L. Construction Racing
