‘It’s Special To Be Back’: Will Kimmel Finishes An Emotional Fourth Place In Charlotte

The last time Will Kimmel got behind the wheel of his Ford Mustang, his night was cut short due to a mechanical issue at Salem Speedway last fall.

Tonight at Charlotte, he felt like he was right back there at the high-banked half-mile as he came home in fourth place.

“It feels good to be back. I really just. I’ve missed this. Intermediates are my favorite. I ran Charlotte in 2014, and then we came back here two years ago, and this is just… It’s a mile and a half Salem (Speedway). It’s rough. It’s, it’s kind of old school, and it’s it’s a ball.”

The Sellersburg, IN native told TobyChriste.com as several folks from the ARCA Menards Series garage came up to congratulate him, including Big Bill Venturini himself.

“I got to thank Excel Hydraulics for coming on with us for the first time. It’s actually a customer of mine. I do a lot with the street stock stuff, and, he helped us get here and it’s going to be the first.”

Tonight was also special for the team as the No. 69 machine is a legacy Mustang. A Ford engine as compared to the Ilmour or SB2 engines.

“First Mustang with the Ford motor, and that’s pretty cool. So, no Ilmor in that one. It’s really cool to do this with Dad. It’s, it’s pretty special. It’s just, kind of surreal right now. Just kind of taking it in.”

Kimmel went on to say that this car he ran tonight will run at Salem Speedway in July and “probably go into the dirt” he added.

“Kansas was just such a bummer.”

Kimmel and the team were set to run the Tide 150, but the car had damage after coming untied in the hauler.

“The air was completely out of me. I was done, and then Dad was like ‘We gotta go run Charlotte. We’re gonna have to dig in here and get after it,'” he added.

“It’s special to be back. I’m gonna remember this one for a while.”

“I’ll remember this one for a while.”

Will Kimmel was all smiles after this P4 run in Charlotte. Big Bill even came up to congratulate him.

You could tell it meant a lot. pic.twitter.com/jM09bdKzM4

— Ben Branscum (The New/Real One) (@benbranscum) May 25, 2024