MRF is a nonprofit corporation whose mission is to provide financial assistance to those who have become injured or have perished while participating in a sanctioned motorsports event. MRF will provide assistance to the injured participant at any sanctioned event including automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, and more at any level, whether at amateur, professional, or club level. More information on MRF is available at GoMRF.org.

“This is a great opportunity,” said Howard Bixman, team manager of Team BCR. “We’re always looking for ways where we can help out others. This is a good way to do that when we’re helping those who share a common interest of racing. I’m hoping by the partnership with MRF, their foundation will gain more attention in all motorsports. Visit GoMRF.org to show support or donate to the community!”

Said Scott Lynn, executive director of MRF: “This is incredible news! Since meeting with Howard Bixman at Pocono Raceway this August and seeing his reaction to the cause, we knew this would be a great partnership. This is just what MRF needs to gain exposure to help others and get the word out there that we are here. We understand the risks taken in motorsports and we believe that someone should always be there in case of emergency for the individual and their family.”

Frank Kimmel II will race the No. 09 Casite Motor Honey car for Team BCR at Salem, while drivers Grant Enfinger and Buster Graham will be compete in the Kansas race in October.

The late model and stock car driver does have some ARCA experience, racing four races from 2010-2011. One, in which, he finished 7th at Salem Speedway.

“I am really excited to join Team BCR for the Salem race this fall and having Howard Bixman as my Crew Chief,” said Frank Kimmel. “Last year we got robbed a top 3 finish so this year we are going back for some revenge. I know Howard and the guys are going to give me a much better racecar than what we had last year and I’m sure with that, my driving will also be improved. I really can’t thank Team BCR, Howard, my Mom, and my Dad enough. Without their help this all wouldn’t be possible.”

“I’ve known the Kimmel family for years and they all have racing in their blood,” says Howard Bixman. “This will be a great opportunity to work with Frank in his first ARCA race of the 2012 season. Frank has plenty of talent and I know that he is more than capable of having a solid finish with the #09 Ford Fusion powered by RoushYates Engines at Salem.”

Marketing partners and ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Schedule to be announced at a later date. Marketing opportunities are available for the #09 Ford Fusion for the 2012 season. For more information, please contact Kari Wirgau, Team BCR Director of Communications, kari@teambcr.com.

Contact:
Kari Wirgau
Communications Director
Team BCR Racing and Development/Impact Management and Consulting
Group
kari@teambcr.com
www.teambcr.com
810-241-0396

The two races were the preliminary events to Sunday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series inaugural Good Sam Roadside Assistance 200, which marks NASCAR’s return to The Rock after an eight year absence. Nelson Piquet Jr. has the pole for Sunday’s 200-lap race that begins at 1 p.m.

LaJoie’s victory came in a green-white-checker finish that saw the Concord, N.C., driver snatch the lead from Travis Swaim on the scheduled 75-lap race’s final restart. The final two laps – 75 and 76 – were the only ones led by LaJoie.

“I knew I had to give Travis a little because I couldn’t jump him on the restart,” LaJoie said. “He had a good jump, but he grabbed fourth gear and his clutch slipped. That gave me the space I needed. I don’t even know what happened behind me. I was just digging for all I was worth those last 2 laps.”

Swaim, who started on the pole, dominated the event, leading twice for 56 laps. However, with three restarts in the final 17 laps the faulty clutch on Swaim’s Ford proved to be his Achilles Heel.

“We found out during qualifying we didn’t have a clutch and that obviously cost us at the end of the race,” Swaim said. “That’s why we tried to stay out front all day.”

Clay Rogers, who led twice for 18 laps, was the race’s only other leader. Rogers, who started beside Swaim on the front row, jumped into the lead at the race’s beginning and held it for the first 13 laps. Swaim snatched it from him on the backstretch on lap 14 and maintained it through lap 64. Rogers regained the No. 1 position on a restart on lap 65 when he made it three wide with Swaim and LaJoie.

It appeared Rogers might be able to cruise to victory until lap 71. Just four laps shy of the finish Rogers’ first-place Ford spun off turn four while Swaim and LaJoie battled for second. Swaim grabbed the lead, but then lost it to LaJoie when the race restarted for the green-white-checker finish.

Ronnie Bassett Jr., from Winston-Salem, N.C., finished second, while Swaim, of High Point, N.C., had to settle for third, both in Fords. Rounding out the top five, respectively, were Tim George Jr. and Jake Morris, both in Chevrolets.

In the 75-lap Frank Kimmel Street Stock Nationals event, Kimmel II, of Starke, Fla., dominated the race, leading three times for 60 laps. Chuck Barnes Sr., of Louisville, Ky., was the race’s only other leader, setting the pace on two occasions for 15 laps before his car developed problems on lap 26.

Finishing second to Kimmel II was Curtis Peeples of Round-O, S.C. Rounding out the top five, respectively, were: Tony Conway, Louisville, Ky.; Willie Reyns, Seneca Falls, N.Y.; and Jason Leatherwood, Waynesville, N.C.

It’s no surprise that the Kimmels – nine-time ARCA champ Frank, son Frank II, and nephew Will – were the family atop the board, but it was Will, not Frank, who led the pack. Though Frank Kimmel is a nine-time Salem winner, Will is no rookie at Salem, having experienced the track numerous times in a street stock and ARCA Racing Series entries.

Though Chris Buescher eventually drove past all of them for the win, Will Kimmel (No. 68 Clarksville Schwinn/Jones Group International Ford) ended the best of the bunch. He finished second, topping his previous career high of fourth in Springfield, Ill. less than one month ago.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Will Kimmel. “We just tried to keep this thing in one piece and the fenders on it. Well, the fenders are kind of on it and it’s a little beat up, but all the guys on the Clarksville Schwinn and Jones Group International Ford did an awesome job.”

All the runner-up needed was a few laps in the race to get comfortable.

“You get in the race and it’s like driving a street stock; it put me right back at home,” he said. “It’s cool that (the Kimmels) were 1-2-3. Even better is that I think I was leading.”

By leading Lap 100, marking the race’s halfway point, Will Kimmel won the Messina Wildlife Management Halfway Leader Award.

Frank Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Ford) finished fifth for his series-leading 16th top-10 of the year. Frank Kimmel II (No. 77 Mars Trucking/Jim French Builder Ford) finished seventh in a Cunningham Motorsports entry, marking a career high in his first full ARCA Racing Series effort.

“That’s awesome. I can’t thank all these guys at Cunningham, my dad, my mom. They put together a great race car and right there on that long run, we had something for them. I hate to see that caution come out, but it was a great effort by the team and maybe we’ll get another one.”

Kimmel II offered choice words after Lap 188 contact from Tim George Jr. Kimmel II had been running third, and spoke just after a brief conversation with George on pit road.

“He drives with his bumper,” Kimmel II said of George. “There’s nothing else to it. He wrecks my dad, he wrecks everybody. That’s the only way he knows how to pass. It is what it is. I hate that I’m not running more because it looks like the RCR cars can’t keep off the Kimmels.”

35 cars came to the green flag with Barnes and Kimmel leading the way. The top two drivers ran the first lap side-by-side before Barnes was able to assume the lead of the race. On lap seven the leaders caught lapped traffic in turns three and four and Barnes was forced to check up. As Barnes slowed, Kimmel swept to the high side and grabbed the lead.  On lap nine Bobby East bounced his car off of the wall and brought out a caution with debris. The race restarted and Kimmel and Barnes were side-by-side again for two laps before Kimmel took the lead again on lap 14.  Barnes put a slingshot move on Kimmel on lap 19 to retake the lead. He held onto the top spot until lap 26 when he had a mechanical issue that forced him to the pits. At the halfway point of the race Kimmel led Conway, Leatherwood, and Chad Hall.

The second half of the race saw Kimmel dominate the event, pulling out to comfortable leads on two restarts and distancing himself from the heated battle for second. The cars of Peeples, Conway, Reyns and Leatherwood swapped the four positions repeatedly throughout the final 37 laps before they settled into their finishing positions.  The next event for the Frank Kimmel Street Stocks will be November 8th at the Nashville Fairgrounds.

While Kimmel II will be considered a rookie in the ARCA Racing Series, the 21-year-old driver is by no means a rookie when it comes to racing on Salem Speedway’s famed high-banks. As the home track to the Kimmel family, Salem has played host to several of Kimmel II’s early-career wins, including a season championship at the .555-mile oval in the street stock division (2008) and two super stock championships (2009, 2010). With the confidence from that success along with the advice from his father, a nine-time ARCA Racing Series winner at Salem Speedway, Kimmel II looks to carry that success to ARCA Racing Series competition.

“I am really excited to get to start my first full ARCA race at Salem,” said Kimmel II. “I have run about 50 races up there and believe my experience at Salem will help me get more comfortable in the car. I have to thank Dad for getting this all together and of course Mom for letting us do this racing thing we love.”

Adding to Kimmel’s excitement is that he will be teaming up with Cunningham Motorsports to pilot the No. 77 Ford Fusion. Cunningham Motorsports has a proven track record of success at Salem Speedway, just last year bringing rookie driver Dakoda Armstrong to victory lane at the .555-mile short track. The Mooresville, N.C. based team already has one ARCA Racing Series short track victory in 2011 (Winchester) and Kimmel II knows they have what it takes to that success next weekend.

“We have Briggs Cunningham and Kerry Scherer helping us out and I can’t be more excited for that,” explained Kimmel. “That really made all of this possible. My dad put the car together and Paul Andrews and his team are going to put the finishing touches on it. I know the car will be capable of winning; the driver is another story.”

In addition to the help from his Cunningham Motorsports team, Kimmel II has several local Salem-area sponsors jumping on board to make his dream a possibility.

“I am very lucky that we have had a lot of help in order to make this happen. I really have to thank Mars Trucking, Jim French Builders, Clarksville Schwinn and Fitness, Newlons Grocery and Green Oak Farms. Without their support this would not be possible.”

Kimmel II will begin his foray with the Cunningham Motorsports team on Thursday, September 8th as he heads to Salem Speedway for a test session.

“I am excited we have the opportunity to test test too; not only for the learning experience in an ARCA car but also for the chance to practice restarts and maybe some pit stops. If the race results sheet says 200 of 200 laps completed next to our car next weekend I will think the whole weekend was a success.”

The ARCA Racing Series is set to roll into Salem Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 17th for 200 laps of short track racing action under the lights. Practice begins at 1:05 p.m. EST with Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell 4:00. The green flag will drop on the ARCA Fall Classic 200 at 7:15 p.m. EST.

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