ARCA RE/MAX Series

Photos and story © 2005 Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

Frank Kimmel

Driver, No. 46 Pork The Other White Meat Ford

Seven-time ARCA RE/MAX champion, Frank Kimmel, seems as relaxed at a racetrack as he might be at home in his living room, but beneath this well-groomed champion is the heart of a fierce competitor. The Clarksville, Indiana resident may prefer his living room to all the travel of a 23-race schedule, but he shows up at each race ready to win. His unprecedented championships speak loudly for this polite gentleman. His winning ways are frequent, and his many moves on racetracks place this efficient competitor a notch above the average champion.

"I was probably a week old when I went to my first racetrack."

Place: Daytona International Speedway
Event: 2006 ARCA RE/MAX Series Daytona 200

Dwight asked Frank Kimmel:

"It's quite an honor for us and an honor for the entire ARCA Series to be the first guy from ARCA to ever make it. It's good. It means a lot to me, it means a lot to us and I'm just tickled to death to be able to do it. "

"I'm pretty laid-back. I'm 43 now and I've been around this a long time. I'm pretty calm. I'm calm behind the wheel. I try not to get too excited and let the race car do the work. "

"I'm a competitive person. Whenever I'm doing anything I like to try to win. My dad was racing when I was born. I was probably a week old when I went to my first racetrack. It's what we've wanted to do forever. It don't take much, no matter what you're doing if you don't try to win there's no purpose in playing it I don't think."

"Probably not the sheer part of it, probably on the way to get to it maybe has changed a little bit, a little more patience. I'm a little calmer now than I used to be, but for the most part you still go out and try to win the race."

"I pretty much just race. It doesn't take a whole lot of motivation for me to go do it. Once you're in the race car, our goal is to be the first guy to complete the amount of distance they give you. Whatever that may be. You may not the fastest car when the race starts, but the nice thing about ARCA races is that they are long enough that you're going to get a pit stop to come in and work on the thing a little bit. Our goal is to put ourselves in position to win by the end of the race."

"Driving the race car is I the easiest part of it. In my opinion that's when it's most pleasurable, when you are out there by yourself just doing you own thing. Probably, the time away from home. I don't like being away from home. It's getting more and more. We're still not anything like NEXTEL Cup, Busch or trucks or anything like that. But we are away from home and family a lot. I don't particularly care for that very much."

"Especially here at Daytona, probably the roughness of the racetrack. People don't realize. I'm the same way. You watch the race car from the infield or even on television and they look like they're just gliding across the racetrack real smooth and no bumps. This old place is really rough. Talladega is really rough. A lot of these tracks you're bouncing around a lot. Your hands are bouncing around and you're shaking around. Probably the G forces are a pretty good amount. People can't probably imagine what it's like to drive off and not lift your foot off the gas pedal. It's a pretty good thrill."

"I've just been so lucky and fortunate to do what I've got to do so far. I feel very happy. Our long-range forecast is to keep going and to try to win our eighth championship. I'm 43 and not quite ready to quit and hang up the helmet yet. I've got a nephew and a son that are both very interested in racing and both are doing a real good job. Both are fine young men. That's the most important thing. I think Kimmels are going to be racing for a while now."

"Probably keeping the sponsors happy. I think that's the toughest deal you do as far as auto racing. You've got sponsors on the side of the car and they are key partners. Just make sure they get what they want and what they deserve. That's our never-ending goal is to make sure the sponsors are getting the best we feel like is the bang for their buck. "

"Glad to be down here and glad the season is starting again."