Michael Lira has a lot to be excited about in 2014. In addition to continuing his studies in the
International Baccalaureate Program at Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange,
Florida, and defending his No. 1 state ranking in trombone competition,the talented
16-year-old stock car racer plans to run 14 races in the ARCA Racing Series
presented by Menards with Kimmel Racing.
Lira has been busy in the last month preparing for the
upcoming season. When the ARCA Racing
Series held a weekend of testing sessions at Daytona International Speedway,
Lira was granted special permission to participate.
“I was very excited to test at Daytona,” Lira said. “I’ve
grown up watching my dad run sports cars there, and getting to experience it
for myself was an incredible opportunity. I learned so much in just one weekend
there, and it has definitely made me a more confident driver.”
Lira has also been busy working to secure additional
sponsorship for the upcoming season. The
young racer is looking to “get out the vote” as he seeks a spot on “Team
Champion” in Champion Spark Plugs’ “Search for a Champion.” Internet voting is open at
alwaysachampion.com now through February 2 and fans of the Florida driver can
help him reach the next level in his career.
“Sponsorship is such an important part of racing,” Lira
said. “The Champion ‘Search for a
Champion’ program will award 15 drivers with funding for their 2014
seasons. Participating in the contest is
a lot of fun and I am hoping we can drum up enough support to help us with the
funding we need to be successful.”
Lira will drive the No. 69 Ford Fusion for Kimmel Racing for
the 2014 season, with Gary Yeomans Ford as the car’s primary sponsor, in
addition to Costa and AttorneyatLaw.com.
The team is headed by legendary ARCA crew chief Bill Kimmel, who won
eight consecutive championships in the ARCA Racing Series from 2000 – 2007 as
the crew chief for his brother, Frank.
“I couldn’t ask for a better mentor than Bill,” Lira
said. “He’s had so much success in his
career, and I’m eager to learn as much as I can. Kimmel Racing is such an established and
successful team in ARCA. It is a
championship-caliber organization, as they have proven in the past, and I’m
excited to do my part in continuing that tradition. I want to improve as a driver, and I want to
win. There’s no other team that I would
rather be a part of.”
Lira faces a challenging schedule in 2014 and will rely
heavily on mentor Bill Kimmel for coaching as he travels to some of the
country’s most famous speedways. Lira
will face a variety of tracks including ARCA short-track staples like the
famous Berlin Speedway and Lucas Oil Raceway.
Lira began his ARCA Racing Series career in 2013, running
four races with Kimmel Racing, but 2014 will be his first
real test in the series.ARCA rules dictate that, because he is only 16 years
old, he is not eligible to race at tracks that measure more than one mile in
length. Once he turns 17, Lira will be authorized to run the intermediate
tracks as well, which include tracks up to 1.5 miles long. Only once he turns
18 will series rules permit him to run the full range of larger tracks and
superspeedways.
“While Michael will not be able to compete on the
superspeedways for a few more years, the test sessions at Daytona were an
important learning process for him,” crew chief Bill Kimmelsaid. “We’re
encouraged by what we’ve seen from Michael so far. He’s still very young, but
he’s had a lot of success early on, and we’re confident that will continue in
the upcoming season. We’re very happy to
have him as a part of Kimmel Racing.”
Lira will face his first test of the 2014 season March 22,
when the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards heads to Mobile International
Speedway in Mobile, Alabama, for the ARCA Mobile 200.For up-to-date information
on Michael Lira and the No. 69 Kimmel Racing team, go to www.michaelliraracing.com.
Michael Lira’s 2014 ARCA Racing Series Schedule:
March 22: ARCA Mobile
200 @ Mobile Int'l Speedway
April 27: ARCA 200 @
Salem Speedway
June 21: Elko ARCA 250
@ Elko Speedway
July 25: ARCA 200 @
Lucas Oil Raceway
August 1: ModSpace 125
@ Pocono Raceway
August 9: Berlin ARCA
200 @ Berlin Raceway
August 24: Madison ARCA
200 @ Madison Int'l Speedway
September 1: Southern
Illinois 100 @ DuQuoin State Fairgrounds
September 13: ARCA Fall
Classic @ Salem Speedway
September 19: ZLOOP 150 @
Kentucky Speedway
ABOUT Michael Lira Racing
Michael Lira Racing is based on
Port Orange, Florida, and fields entries in the ARCA Racing Series Presented by
Menards in association with Kimmel Racing.
Driver Michael Lira is a 16-year-old standout high school student who
regularly competes in Late Model racing series events in and around Florida. He made his ARCA debut in 2013 and is scheduled
to compete in 14 ARCA races in 2014 with support from Gary Yeoman’s Ford, Costa
and Attorneyatlaw.com.
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