"We've never been busier. We're getting cars ready for ARCA as well as regional and local races." said Will Kimmel with Kimmel Racing. We had a chance to visit this areas only major racing shop. Over the years, its prepared cars and drivers for NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, Trucks, and ARCA. Kimmel is coming off a win in the 602 Late Model Series at the Salem Speedway. His teammate, veteran racer Scott Melton finished right behind him. Both drivers have also battled each other in stock cars and in the ARCA Series. A third driver, Mike Basham runs select events for Kimmel Racing. "We're a business. But we also love racing, and that includes working and prepping cars, and helping drivers. We really appreciate our sponsors and fans that support us" added Kimmel. Along with current NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racer and 2021 Truck Series Champion Ben Rhodes, Kimmel is the only modern day local racer to have competed in NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, Truck, and ARCA Series. His father Bill Kimmel Jr. , as a crew chief, has won nearly a dozen ARCA Championships. The historic Salem Speedway has a full slate of events set next for Saturday July 22. Both Kimmel and Melton expect to field cars. The half-mile banked track is an hour from Louisville in Southern Indiana. If you want to win a FREE Will Kimmel autograph, go to our Contact page and simply fill out the form and tell us why you want a signed Will Kimmel Hero Racing Card.
Kentuckiana Motorsports reached out to NASCAR driver and Louisville native Ben Rhodes after the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event this past weekend in Ohio. Rhodes led nearly two dozen laps. With the laps winding down, Rhodes, Cory Heim, and Rhodes teammate at ThorSport Racing, Ty Majeski, were tightly racing side-by-side. Heim surged forward and eventually won the race. Teammates Majeski and Rhodes continued to battle until both made strong contact with each other and spun, sending them way back in the field. Both charged back to get top 10 finishes (Rhodes finished 5th and Majeski 7th). After the race, Rhodes took full blame saying it wasn't intentional, just tight road course racing. Another ThorSport teammate, Matt Crafton had harsh words for Rhodes after the two came together in some side-by-side racing. Crafton is a 3-Time Truck Series Champion (Finished 6th). Rhodes is in the playoffs with a win. Majeski looks good for now making the 10-driver Truck Series playoff field on points. Matt Crafton is right on the cut line. Meaning, every position is important to get valuable points. Rhodes told us it was no doubt a challenging day. He admits as a team, all drivers, especially himself, need to keep the total playoff picture in mind and be smarter. Again, Rhodes wasted no time to take responsibility. Tensions are naturally high at this stage of the season with the playoffs looming. Road courses can cause tempers to flare. Rhodes is aggressive, but not overly aggressive. He has matured over the years. The 26-year old and his team has been consistent. He's also fighting for playoff points and future job security. He'll learn from it, as will his teammates. We don't fault Ben. As Ben said after the race, it's just one of those racing deals.
We encourage you to check out the Sportsdrome Speedway Facebook page and website. It will be a mega points weekend for drivers and teams in multiple divisions on Saturday. Then on July 22nd, a fan favorite is set, "A Night of Fun and Destruction". Track Owner-Operator Mike Gibson has a loaded schedule. The small short track is just off I-65 in Jeffersonville, about 5 minutes from downtown Louisville. Its website is: www.sportsdromeonline.com
We mentioned both the Salem Speedway and the Sportsdrome Speedway above. Other area tracks have plenty of fun events scheduled in July and August. We encourage you to check out the websites and social media. Especially for last minute changes. There are other area tracks to enjoy! The Ponderosa Speedway is known as "Kentucky's Baddest Bullring". It is a short dirt track in central Kentucky at Junction City near Danville (About an hour and fifteen minutes southeast of Louisville). Drive south to Bowling Green (KY) and you'll enjoy Beech Bend. There is an amusement park, camping, and racing. The Beech Bend dragstrip brings in the fans and has a wide range of events. Just outside of Louisville in West Point Kentucky is the Ohio Valley Dragway. It is a 1/8th mile track on Dixie Highway.
The stars of the NASCAR Cup Series hit New Hampshire this weekend. But it will not compare to the tense and non-stop action at Atlanta. William Byron took home his 4th win of the season in a rain-shortened event. But from the drop of the green flag, the action was outstanding: Aggressive, side-by-side, and grinding! Both in Cup and Xfinity (John Hunter Nemechek won in overtime). When Marcus Smith and Speedway Motorsports reconfigured the 1.5 mile track a few years ago, they used a little of Talladega, Daytona, and the old Atlanta oval and made a new tack that many will say is beyond words to explain. The racing is just awesome, edge of your seat! Like the night race at Bristol, Atlanta is an event all race fans, and any sports fan must see.
The Indy Car Series and NHRA are back in action this weekend! Alex Palou has won four of the last 5 races in the Indy Car Series. Can he take the top spot on the podium at Toronto this weekend? Should be fun to watch! As for the NHRA, the dragsters battle in Colorado. If you like raw speed the excitement in the NHRA has been great this season. It is truly worth watching.
When going to the track, summer trips, or driving around town, don't forget to put Lucas Oil Products in your car or truck. They do so much for racing communities across America. Other sponsors of KMS include PNC Bank (Sponsor of Scott Dixon's Indy Car Series Car), Sportsdrome Speedway (Celebrating more than 77 years of Racing!), locally owned Bright Pest Control and Bright Retail in Louisville, (Offering Do-It-Yourself Professional Pest Products with a retail store), and Knox Ford in Radcliff, Kentucky) (It also has a sister dealership, Tri-County Ford in Oldham County, KY). KMS friends also include: VoiceTel Kentucky (Offering telephone service for low as $25.00 a line per month), Temco Roofing, Jim Ellis/Attorney At Law, ICA Dumpsters, Kentucky Raceway Ministries, Nimlok Kentucky, Dynamic Healthcare, Lyndon Mower Repair, and Kentucky Medicare Plans (Serving Kentucky and Southern Indiana with Health and Medicare plans). We also thank our media connections in all series, NASCAR and with NASCAR Media, Indy Car, Monster Jam, ARCA, and NHRA for helping us bring the sport to the fans!
Over the summer, more people will be getting outside. When out traveling or on vacation, we encourage you to look around. See the farms and ranches in America. Our farmers and ranchers are doing work hard and need support. Protect the Harvest backs them. It is a Lucas Oil backed initiative. Learn more at: www.protecttheharvest.com
