Michigan: Series round five preview

Round 5 ARCA Hoosier Superspeedway Challenge to MIS; Brad Keselowski Racing's Mikey Kile in the Mix

BROOKLYN MI (6-9-09) - ARCA RE/MAX Series rookie Mikey Kile, who drives for Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR), has some clear-cut goals in mind for 2009. And number one on the list is the Hoosier Racing Tire Superspeedway Challenge championship. Next-up - round five at Michigan Int'l Speedway.

Yes, the Westlake, Louisiana driver, in search of more seat-time, also plans to race in seven NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events for BKR in 2009; but first and foremost in his mind is ARCA's prestigious Superspeedway title.

"The speedway challenge has been our goal right from the start," said Kile, who's entered for Michigan in the no. 29 Brad Keselowski Racing Greased Lightning Products Chevrolet.

The Hoosier Racing Tire Superspeedway Challenge, a championship within a championship, combines points from each of ARCA's superspeedway events throughout the year.

Kile, after four superspeedway races, is currently eighth in Superspeedway Challenge points headed to Michigan for this Friday's Racing for Wildlife 200. His best finishes so far are fourth at Talladega and eighth most recently at Pocono. He was also running second at Daytona before getting caught up in a multi-car wreck.

"Every time I go out, I find a new favorite place to race," added Kile, in reference to Pocono. "I absolutely loved that track. Felt like we had a fourth place car but someone missed a shift in front of me on that last restart, and I had nowhere to go. If that race had been five laps shorter, or five laps longer, we could have finished fourth."

Along with Pocono, each track on the ARCA RE/MAX Series tour is new to Kile, including Michigan. "We tested really well at Michigan. Think we ended up fourth or fifth quick. It took me a good hour to get used to it, but once I got more comfortable, I felt like I gained a pretty good understanding of the place.

"Main thing was getting used to the speed - how the car wants to feel in the corners at that speed. Feel like we have a shot to run the top-five."

Kile certainly has some noteworthy resources to work with, including KBrad eselowski, whose stock in this business rises daily.

"Brad and I talk about once a week. And, I see him every time I go to Mooresville."

Kile met Keselowski through Wayne Setterington, who crew chiefs for BKR.

"He's (Setterington) more than a crew chief to me; he's one of my closest friends. We understand each other's personality and have a lot of respect for one another. He was a driver before he was a crew chief, so he can visualize what I'm trying to tell him. I've always felt confident in him and he feels confident in me, and the rest is history."

It probably doesn't hurt that Kile is working with some of the resources available to Brad Keselowski, including Hendrick Motorsports motors and chassis.

However, Kile will need all the resources he can muster up given the superspeedway competition in the ARCA RE/MAX Series these days. Current championship point leader Justin Lofton also leads the Superspeedway Challenge standings. And, eighth in points as Kile is, he's got veterans' Frank Kimmel, Patrick Sheltra and Bryan Silas also in his way, not to mention a solid line-up of rookies like Craig Goess and Joey Coulter shooting for the same title.

Regardless, it's full-ahead for Kile and the BKR team.

"This series is so much fun, and you get big track experience. When I raced in the Hooters deal, you couldn't get that mile-and-a-half experience. You get plenty of that here."

Kile also announced a seven-race program in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he has one start already at Martinsville Speedway, earning a 12th place finish in his series debut.

"We're running the Milwaukee Mile next weekend with the Trucks; but right now it's all about Michigan. I think we can run the top-five; I really do."

Superspeedway Challenge champions are honored on stage every December at the championship awards banquet with healthy cash prizes and trophies. Past Superspeedway champions include Davey Allison, Bill Venturini, Bob Keselowski, Jeff Purvis, Mike Wallace, Tim Steele, Mark Gibson and Frank Kimmel to name a few.

On-track activity for the Racing for Wildlife 200 at Michigan Int'l Speedway begins Thursday, June 11 with practice from 10:00 AM to 12 noon. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell follows at 3:00 PM. The Friday afternoon Racing for Wildlife 200 is live on SPEED at 5:00 PM. In addition, the ARCA Racing Network will carry live streaming audio coverage and live timing & scoring of all the on-track activity for the Racing for Wildlife 200 at ARCAracing.com inside the ARCA Nation. Tickets for the Racing for Wildlife 200, which, in addition to the 200-mile ARCA race, include NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice and qualifying and two practice sessions for the Camping World Truck Series, are just $15. Children, 12 and under, are admitted free. For ticket info, call 1-800-354-1010 or go to www.mispeedway.com.

-credit: arca