Earns Second Track, New Hampshire State Titles
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| Bill Kimball Jr. captured Whelen All-American Series titles in New Hampshire for the second time in three years\ |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — “If it’s important, you’ll find a way.”
Search motivational sayings on Google and the results are seemingly endless. Bill Kimball Jr. didn’t need a phrase though, he was driven by memory.
Kimball captured his first NASCAR Whelen All-American Series championships in 2013 when he won the track title at Monadnock Speedway and the accompanying New Hampshire state crown. It was his experience at the NASCAR awards ceremony that followed which provided the inspiration to return to the annual postseason event in North Carolina once again.
Mission accomplished. Kimball’s 2015 performance regained those titles for the second time in three years.
The 43-year-old from Bennington, New Hampshire, compiled five wins, 14 top fives and top 10s in all 16 sportsman modified starts to take home a second Whelen All-American Series Division I title at Monadnock.
The driver/owner/crew chief spread his wins out evenly across the season: one each in May, June, July, August and September. But it was the consistency even in his non-winning efforts that brought home a second championship.
“I always say when you’re going for a championship you need to finish all of the races and every lap,” Kimball said. “When you do have a bad night, you’ve got to make the best of it.
“We only had one incident this year, and had to change a tire. The front end was all bent up but nothing was broke. They got me back out there and we managed to come back to fourth place.”
Kimball’s main competition for a good part of the season was Scott MacMichael, but Kimball started to separate down the stretch when MacMichael experienced mechanical issues. Keith Carzello came on strong at the end to make it more of a race than it had been the majority of the season.
“We basically just had to finish in the top 10 in the double features (to conclude the NASCAR point season) and stay out of trouble,” Kimball said. “We were in a good position. We did our work during the summer to put us in that position to be able to just take it easy and make sure we finish the races.”
When it was all said and done, Kimball took home title at the southwestern New Hampshire quarter-mile 18 points (732-714) ahead of Carzello. In NASCAR state points the final score was 435-416.
Champions are determined by the best 18 finishes at tracks within the respective state or province.
Kimball, who began his racing career in 1997 in Monadnock’s strictly stock division, was aided this year by his 14-year-old son, Matt, who served as his spotter. Matt is also caring on the family tradition behind the wheel as he competed this year in the track’s mini stock division.
The family affair also saw his daughter Carly, father William and stepsons Bill and Dave Elliott serve as crew members for the No. 43 Kimball Trucking Chevrolet modified that also carried sponsorship from Edmunds Ace Hardware and Tyler’s Small Engine.
Kimball will now be honored for his Monadnock and New Hampshire crowns along with other track and state/province champions from across North America as part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Awards on Dec. 11 at the Charlotte Convention Center and NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“NASCAR does a good job of making us feel like we’re really accomplishing something with that banquet. It was real special when I went down the first time,” Kimball said. “This time a bunch of us are going – my kids are going. It’s special to me even more so this time because more people will be able to experience it.”
Kimball reemphasized that his 2013 awards experience provided the motivation this year.
“Knowing what I was racing for and how important it was to achieve what you want to achieve made it special this year,” Kimball said. “It was a bit more nerve-racking going for the championship this year knowing what was at stake, and you also never know whether you’re going to get an opportunity to do it again or not.”
Monadnock held its own 2015 Awards Banquet on Nov. 14 and recognized Kimball’s accomplishments as well is that of its other four Whelen All-American Series weekly divisions.
Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s national championship program for weekly short track auto racing. In all, 58 paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada participated in 2015.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars are among the many showcases for Whelen products.
- Credit to NASCAR Home Tracks for this article.
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