Austin Rettig, Kimmel Racing Open Salem ARCA Testing

Sixteen-year-old Austin Rettig of Sikeston, Mo. became the first ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards driver to turn laps this season at Salem Speedway, which will host the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 on April 29.

Rettig is testing today at the 0.555-mile oval in southern Indiana, and he's just the first of a long line of testers who will practice at the track in the coming weeks. In addition, the race track is hosting an open test session tomorrow for all of the traveling series which will compete at Salem this season.

Bill Kimmel, who has seven wins at Salem as the former crew chief for brother Frank Kimmel, is on site with Rettig today. Though Rettig's family owns his car, Kimmel hopes to lend some knowledge to Rettig with the intent of the 16-year-old making a race and truly competing for the first time in an ARCA car.

"We're here with Austin Rettig and he's doing very well," said Bill Kimmel. "Our goal is to make the race on speed and right now, we've got him comfortable in the car and going fast enough where he would be comfortably in the field."

Twenty-one cars are now entered for the April 29 race, the third of ARCA's 60th Anniversary Season.

ARCARacing.com will feature more coverage from Salem Speedway testing over the next two weeks.

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