KIMMEL TAKES TOP HONORS AT ARCA BANQUET

KIMMEL TAKES TOP HONORS AT ARCA BANQUET
12/9/2007

Covington, Ky. — ARCA Re/Max Series veteran Frank Kimmel joined his crew chief/brother Bill Kimmel, car owner Larry Clement and the Tri-State Motorsports team on stage at the ARCA Re/Max Series Championship Awards Banquet this weekend to celebrate a record ninth championship.

Rookie of the Year Michael McDowell, Hoosier Tire Superspeedway Challenge Champion Erin Crocker and a video tribute to two-time ARCA champ-turned NASCAR legend Benny Parsons were also among the headlines at this year’s banquet, which was held in the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Ky.

Kimmel, who remains the series’ all-time active race winner, all-time active lap leader and all-time money winner, is the only driver in series history to acquire nine championships. En route to the 2007 title, Kimmel posted three wins, 11 top-5 and 17 top-10 finishes. On Saturday night, Kimmel received checks and products from Re/Max, Sunoco Race Fuels, Ford Motor Company, Hoosier Racing Tires, Casite and Lincoln Electric. ARCA President Ron Drager presented Kimmel with a traditional championship ring, while RE/MAX, International Vice President Randy Morse presented the Kimmel brothers and Clement with championship jackets.

In addition to the championship accolades, Kimmel was formally honored on Saturday night for winning the ‘07 edition of the Bill France Triple Crown, which is designed to measure a driver’s performance on a diverse array of tracks. This year’s Bill France Triple Crown included a mile-dirt track (The DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, Sept. 3), a short track (Salem Speedway, Sept. 15) and a speedway (Talladega Superspeedway, Oct. 5).

Crew chief Bill Kimmel was awarded the Cometic Engine Mechanic of the Year Award.

The evening included video tributes to the Late Benny Parsons and Bill France, Jr. Parsons, during the course of his racing career, earned back-to-back ARCA Re/Max Series Championships in 1968 and 1969 and went on to become a champion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Parson’s career-first win in a racecar came in the Figure-8 division at ARCA-owned Flat Rock Speedway. Drager also introduced a video tribute to Bill France, Jr. France was recognized by most for his roll at the helm of NASCAR and ISC, but remained a close friend and supporter of ARCA throughout his 74 years.

Others honored on-stage included sixth place points finisher Phillip McGilton and Brewco Motorsports’ David Morse and seventh place driver Patrick Sheltra and car owner Grace Sheltra. Sheltra also earned Hoosier Tire Hard Charger Honors. Others honored on-stage included Justin South with car owner Mark Gibson (eighth), Bryan Silas with car owner Andy Hillenburg (ninth) and Josh Krug with car owner Wayne Hixson (tenth). Bill Gerhart was honored for finishing sixth in owner points.

In recognizing ARCA’s commitment to higher education, Bob Loga Scholarship recipients included Aaron Strunk and Justin Bischoff. The University of Northwestern Ohio, which serves as an ARCA Re/Max Series sponsor, presented scholarships to five students.

The next scheduled event for the ARCA Series is a three-day Daytona International Speedway test session, scheduled for Saturday through Sunday, in preparation for the Feb. 9 ARCA 200 at Daytona.

Contributed by ARCA News Bureau

www.directfordparts.com