CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Frank Kimmel's streak of 387 consecutive starts in the ARCA Series will come to an end Saturday when he sits out at Mobile International Speedway.
The 10-time ARCA champion will shift from driver to coach and spotter at the Alabama half-mile track. Kimmel is 52, and said he knew the day he'd have to get out of the car would eventually come.
"As you get later in your career, things change. I feel very fortunate to have done this as long as I have," Kimmel said. "I know I'm very lucky to have the career I do, but when it does finally happen, it's a little disheartening."
The last ARCA race that Kimmel missed was the season-ending event at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1996. Since then, Kimmel has driven in every ARCA race.
He'll help Brandon Jones at Mobile. The two are sharing the No. 25 Venturini Motorsports Toyota this season, with each driver slated for 10 races.
Kimmel said he's still hopeful to get more races.
"If something turned around this year, and we secured the necessary sponsorship, I'm still very interested in driving the rest of the schedule," he said.
Kimmel has 491 career ARCA starts since his 1990 debut. He is the all-time winner in series history with 80 victories.