Kentucky Speedway’s first double header features NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA action

This weekend the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series hits the 1.5 mile oval in Sparta, Kentucky for the “Built Ford Tough 225”. Right after that race the ARCA RE/MAX Series will compete in their own race, the “Drive Smart Kentucky 150”.

Two weeks ago CWTS driver Rick Crawford and ARCA legend Frank Kimmel spoke to the media at a Cincinnati landmark restaurant, the Montgomery Inn Boathouse, shedding light on the track, the economy and the competition in their series.

For the first time ever Kentucky Speedway will hold back-to-back races in a single night. Asked about the idea the veteran Kimmel, 47-years old, said, “I think it’s good, but our race won’t start until nine or so, so I think it’s going to be past my bedtime.” Mark Martin would scoff, but I digress. He continued, “Of course I’ve got a nephew and a son that’s waiting in the wings saying, ‘We’ll drive it dad’.”

But, before Kimmel and his fellow ARCA competitors can hit the track, the young and old of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (the series formerly known as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series) must complete their 225 mile event.

Rick Crawford comes into the event running tenth in points, but the five-time career winner says, “They’re not waiting on us any longer. We gotta step up our program. We gotta go back to what I feel the trucks are looking for in terms of set ups and what used to run up front and lead races.” This season Crawford has finished in the top ten twice, both times finishing fifth.

In 2006 at Kentucky Crawford drove his Ford to a second place behind current series points leader Ron Hornaday Jr. And as Crawford pointed out, sometimes you need to run a perfect race to win at Kentucky. “Kentucky brings out the driver, the truck, the engine. It takes a perfect race to win a Camping World Truck Series race,” he said with determination.

“From the calls atop the pit box to the perfect race on the race track, you have trouble rebounding anymore because the teams are so good and we got twenty teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series that are capable of winning week in and week out.”

The truck series has gotten more competitive, and Kimmel feels that the ARCA series is getting better every year too. Kimmel said, “I think it’s the most competitive year we’ve ever had, the competition for the top ten is as strong as it’s ever been. That’s why it’s getting more and more difficult to win these things.” He added that it’s tougher to pit late in the race and drive around cars now. “The strategies of the races have changed,” he concluded. “The overall field itself is very, very good.”

When I asked Kimmel about some former drivers who have passed through ARCA, names like Erik Darnell, Scott Speed, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and some other guy, Kyle Busch, I added, “Who’s the next big star?”

Look out Cup fans, according to Kimmel, “This kid, Parker Clingerman, leading the points right now. He drives for Penske and he’s the real deal. He’s going to go straight to the top.” When Frank Kimmel, an ARCA mainstay says something, you better listen. “He doesn’t make mistakes that a lot of the guys you just mentioned made at his age. He’s a very smart, a very talented young man.”

The youth movement also is occurring in the truck series, and Crawford feels the excitement of the truck series is leading more fans to tune in on TV as well.

When young drivers attempting to gain experience, like James Buescher (a former ARCA winner at Kentucky) mingle with older, more experienced drivers, like Crawford and Hornaday, interesting things happen. “A large group of drivers here that number one, we don’t know what the other one’s going to do and then the old guys—the veterans—we know what we’re going to do, we’re going to the front and we’ve got half the time of a Cup race to do it in,” he said.

“So, we know what the fans want and so we give it to them. We give them a great show and I’ve never seen anyone sitting outside after a truck race wanting their money back.”

And speaking of money, it’s been a tough season for the lower divisions of NASCAR. Serious cuts from a struggling GM and a lack of sponsorship dollars have forced many teams to cut back and even suspend operations. Crawford shared his wisdom, saying, “I think it’s affected everybody. It’s a delicate situation that we’re in… This sport relies on sponsorship, on owners that have a passion for the sport and it drives on good equipment so that we drivers can go out there and compete in and it’s expensive equipment.”

He also showed an acknowledgement for the fans that support the racing. “Everybody needs to realize we wouldn’t be in business if not for the NASCAR fan,” Crawford said. “So if we can’t give the fans what they’re looking for then we all might be out of business.”

Kimmel has had his fair share of tough times over the past year. He went from not having a sponsor last year to being able to run this year with two. Kimmel’s Kentucky statistics are astounding. In 18 starts he has led 28.5% of the laps he’s run. He’s won four races and finished in the top five eleven times. He’s even started from the pole five times. What’s his secret?

“Everybody at the track threats us well and it’s like a big family of ours,” he said “We have a lot of fan support up in the stands and we know the racetrack pretty well you would think so it’s a good, comfortable place to comeback [to].”

Kimmel and Crawford hit the track this evening for practice, and I’ll be there to snap some photos and get some quotes for you. Hopefully they’ll be as funny as the exchange Crawford has with me about driving a new car. (This one is kind of long)

Crawford explained, “People need to go out and drive a new vehicle, they need to see what the efficient cars is and the fuel mileage Ford has been working on. Ford was in racing before it was a car company. Even though it’s a car company, it’s still in racing because of the safety factors and the Built Ford Tough Brand. The 2009 F-150 is the Motor Trend truck of the year and that’s what I like driving because it’s exciting.” He paused for a second, looked at me and said, “Just from hearing that you’d go out and buy one wouldn’t you?”

My reply, jokingly, “Well, I’m thinking about it.”

He continued, “We could go down to a Ford dealership and I’d have you financed, in a Ford vehicle today.” We all laughed before he ended with this tidbit, “Drive one and enjoy it.”
---------------------------------------------------------
I hope you’ve gotten your racing fix from this long story for this weekend and even though there is no Cup race this weekend, the biggest Cup race on the schedule takes place in 9 days. The countdown is in the single digits which means I’m ready to get going to Indy.

Preliminary plans have me on the road to Speedway in just seven days to talk to drivers on Friday before they hit the 2.5 mile rectangle for two practice sessions in the afternoon. But, more on my plans next week. Enjoy your weekend.