No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford Race Facts
Iowa Speedway – Prairie Meadows 200
Driver: Frank Kimmel Crew Chief: Bill Kimmel Jr.
Car Chief: Eric Beyl
Sponsor: Ansell; Menards Team: Kimmel Racing
Frank Kimmel Quotes:
Last weekend you had a nice run going until you got caught up in a late accident, do you feel like you had an Ansell-Menards Ford capable of winning the race?
“Well, it’s very possible we could have. I think we were the highest placed car at the time with fresh tires, and we were running the field down before that. We got put in a bad situation with the wreck and had to make the best of it.”
Including last weekend’s incident, it seems like you’ve had a string of bad breaks this year – what can you do as a driver to turn that around?
“It’s frustrating. We feel like we should be finishing higher than we have been. You can’t always anticipate bad luck. The main thing is you can’t let it get you down. You’ve just got to go out each weekend and keep doing what you’re doing, and hope for the best.”
Iowa Speedway is a relatively new fixture for the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards, do you enjoy racing there?
“Oh yeah, it’s one of the nicest racetracks on the schedule. The facilities there are top-of-the-line, and I think it’s one of the raciest tracks that the ARCA Racing Series goes to.”
What do you think makes Iowa Speedway unique?
“I think it’s the size. It’s not too big or too small and it gets very fast for a track less than a mile long. It’s pretty balanced overall though. You have to have good horsepower, good brakes and good handling to race well.”
It’s just over the halfway point in the ARCA Racing Series season, you’re 2nd in the point’s standings – do you think you can claim your 10th championship this year?
“Ty Dillon has been very good so far this year, and I think for us to make any ground we’re going to need him to falter a bit. In the meantime we’ve just got to go do what we can and try to win. We’ll keep plugging away and see where we end up at the end of the season.”
Quick Facts:
* Frank Kimmel has 5 starts at Iowa Speedway in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards * Frank Kimmel’s best career finish at Iowa Speedway in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards is 1st (2007) * Frank Kimmel has 1 Win, 2 top-five and 4 top-ten finishes at Iowa Speedway * Frank Kimmel is a 9 time ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Champion (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007) * In his career, Frank Kimmel has collected 74 wins, 42 poles, 234 top-five and 310 top-ten finishes in 421 starts
Race Information:
What – Prairie Meadows 200; ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards
When – Saturday, July 16, 2011; 5:15 p.m. EST; Live Coverage on SPEED Channel
Where – Iowa Speedway; .875-mile paved oval; 200 laps, 175 miles
Frank Kimmel’s Handy Tips to Iowa
presented by Ansell
1. Find a Groove: Iowa’s a pretty racy track with a few different grooves. You’ve got to pick one out that feels the most comfortable for your car to race on for the long haul.
2. Bring Brakes: Brakes here are pretty important. You’ve got to feather them in the corners. If you mash them you won’t have any for the end of the race.
3. Balance is Key: It’s best to have a balanced car at this track. You want to have it turning well through the center and off the turns, and you want to have good sturdy brakes, as well as good horsepower.
4. Unique Turn 2: The exit of turn 2 at Iowa is pretty odd. When you come off the turn you actually go uphill and towards the wall. That through me for a loop the first time we went there.
5. Pay Attention to Pit Road: The transition to pit road is a little abrupt. You’ve got to make sure you don’t come off the track to late and tear up your car.
Ansell Gloves can be purchased at any Menards location. Be sure to watch Frank Kimmel in the No. 44 Ansell-Menards Ford at Iowa Speedway for the Prairie Meadows 200 in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards. More information can be found at www.frankkimmel.com , www.ansellracingus.com http://www.ansellracingus.com/ , www.menardsracing.com http://www.menardsracing.com/ , and www.arcaracing.com http://www.arcaracing.com/ .
