Toledo Speedway

(TOLEDO, Ohio – May 19, 2014) – The streak had to end somewhere. But, if you would have asked Frank Kimmel when his long streak of consecutive top 10 finishes would end, he probably wouldn’t have picked Toledo Speedway.

“I hate to come to Toledo and not run well,” he said. “This is a great place, great track. I love this track. I’m disappointed not to come out of here a little bit better.”

Kimmel started 16th and finished 14th in the Menards 200 presented by Federated Car Care. It was race No. 5 of the 20-race 2014 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season. It was the first time in 36 races that Kimmel did not score a top 10.

After weaving his way in and out of traffic, Kimmel finally got into the top 10 in the last 25 laps. In fact, he had his sight set on the top five.

“I thought we were going to come out of here with a top five,” he said. “We were running well there, had the car working. But, we cut a tire late. There was nothing wrong with the Hoosier tire, it was just we were abusing those tires.

“We normally don’t have that long of a green flag run here, especially that late,” he said. “We ran about 75 laps there green. That’s a lot for those tires. We were driving so hard. We all were.”

Several cars, in fact, had a similar issue late in the race, which was won by Justin Boston in the No. 25 ZLOOP Toyota.

Kimmel remains third in the ARCA Racing Series point standings, 125 points behind leader Grant Enfinger. Enfinger was one of those cars who also had tire issues late, finishing 12th after leading 67 laps.

“We have to figure out our short track program a little bit better so we can compete with these kids out here,” Kimmel said. “We’ll work on it. We’ll keep getting better.”

The ARCA Racing Series will have Memorial Day weekend off before heading to New Jersey and its first road course race of the season. The Great Railing 150 will be Sunday, June 1, at New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, N.J. Kimmel has never won on a road course.

“I’m excited to get to do some road course racing,” he said. “I’m sure the Win-Tron guys will have a good car set-up for me and we’ll be ready. I like to race on the road courses.”