Set to tackle one of the fastest race tracks on the ARCA Menards Series circuit, newcomer Jason Kitzmiller hopes to take his debut weekend in the Irish Hills in stride and continue to impress with his third top-10 finish of the season in Sunday afternoon’s VizCom 200.
In his recent showing at Kansas Speedway, Kitzmiller and his CR7 Motorsports struggled with the setup with their No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet but having been able to pick up the pieces from Kansas and regroup, the team led by NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driver Codie Rohrbaugh is optimistic for Kitzmiller’s sixth career ARCA start of the year.
“I’ve been learning a lot about Michigan International Speedway, especially since we completed Kansas a couple weeks ago,” said Kitzmiller. “I’m excited to cross another new track off my list, but I also know that Michigan is a very demanding track when it comes to speed and finesse, so I plan to make the most of the opportunity on Sunday.”
With qualifying scraped because of COVID-19 protocols in place, Kitzmiller will have just a few laps in a group practice session to get acquainted with the two-mile oval. The rookie says its important to utilize that track time to its fullest even if it’s for a couple of laps.
The coronavirus pandemic has certainly thrown the traditional schedule out the window which has meant less track time for normal for Kitzmiller – but banking on the advice and guidance of Rohrbaugh, Kitzmiller is taking his same approach to Michigan as he has in his prior races – hoping that will lead to another solid rookie effort.
“2020 certainly hasn’t gone the way we had hoped it would when it comes to track time and getting those laps underneath me,” added Kitzmiller. “Still, every race we’ve competed in – we’ve tried to make the best of it and that’s the spirit that keeps us focused.
“Luckily, Michigan is a large track. If the handling isn’t the way we want it at the start, we should be able to keep our No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet on the lead lap until the first break where we can make adjustments and then march forward.”
It will be a busy weekend for CR7 Motorsports. In addition to the VizCom 200, the team will also compete in Friday night’s NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series Michigan 200 with Rohrbaugh aboard the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado.
The team will continue to bring attention to Joshua Shirk.
On May 17, 2020, eight-year-old Joshua Shirk was kayaking with family in rural West Virginia.
While on the water, the kayak capsized and Shirk became trapped under the water in debris.
When family was finally able to pull him to safety, the young boy had no pulse. Quick work by medical workers at a local hospital were able to revive him but he remained in critical condition.
Shirk was later transported to WVU hospital in Morganton, West Virginia where he has made vast improvements but still needs the love, prayer and support of many.
Over the last five weeks, Shirk has been able to come off a breathing machine and has started intense physical rehabilitations with a focus on working his muscles and standing up with assistance. His progress lately has been exceptional, as his muscles continue to strengthen.
With prayer, love and support working, Rohrbaugh and Kitzmiller hope others will now pledge their support alongside his CR7 Motorsports team uniting strength in numbers and the power of prayer.
“Our mission continues to be really important to me,” said Rohrbaugh. “The prayers from everyone are working and I’m so happy that Joshua is making huge strides towards his recovery. I continue to plead when asking the NASCAR community to please support him by offering their thoughts and prayers to Josh and his family. It really means a lot to me.” Marketing partnership(s) opportunities are available for the No. 97 A.L.L. Construction Chevrolet and No. 9 Grant County Mulch Chevrolet for the 2020 ARCA Menards Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series seasons and beyond. Interested inquiries are encouraged to contact at [email protected] or 304.257.8783.
The VizCom 200 (100 laps | 200 miles) is the 11th of 20 races on the 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins Sun. Aug. 9, 2020 with a half-hour group practice session from 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The race is set to take the green flag shortly after 1:00 p.m. The event will be televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), while ARCARacing.com will stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire weekend festivities. All times are local (Eastern).
CR7 Motorsports PR
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