(4-7-10) - This is the fourth installment in the series which looks at ARCA Racing Series Presented by RE/MAX and Menards competitors who are involved in driver development programs.
Name: Mikey Kile
Date of Birth: February 6, 1983
Hometown: Westlake, LA
Mikey Kile, driver of the No. 25 Venturini Motorsports Toyota, began driving at a young age. Kile, a Westlake, La. native, started racing go-karts at local tracks in his home state. He quickly moved up the ranks to IMCA Modifieds, NASCAR Southeast Series, USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series and Late Models.
Throughout his early career, Kile collected 15 wins and four championships. In 2005, he won the Hard Charger Award in his first USAR Hooters Pro Cup start, and in 2008, he won the Sears Auto Center Northern Division Rookie of the Year Award in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series.
Kile debuted in the ARCA Racing Series at the 2009 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International Speedway, but he was involved in the "Big One" and finished 27th. After his disappointing finish in his first ARCA race, Kile finished a career-best fourth last year at Talladega Superspeedway driving for Brad Keselowski Racing. Kile competed in eight ARCA Racing Series events in 2009 with four top-10 finishes.
Kile also finished 12th in his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut last season at Martinsville Speedway with BKR. He competed in a partial NCWTS schedule, scoring three top-15 finishes in six starts.
In December 2009, Venturini Motorsports announced the team's driver line-up for 2010 including Mikey Kile driving the No. 25 car for the full ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards schedule.
Kile was very excited to join such an established driver development program in the ARCA Racing Series. "Venturini is like no place else," said Kile. "From Billy Venturini to all the guys on the team, everyone is so focused on bringing their best equipment to every race and every track. They do a great job on one-on-one driver coaching. And even though you are doing really well, they always tell you where you can improve - which makes you an all-around better driver. They make you push yourself to your limits, and push you that much further and try to get you excellence on every lap."
Kile made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, driving the No. 10 AccuDoc Solutions Toyota for Braun Racing. After an incident on lap 113, Kile finished 33rd. Kile is scheduled to make starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at O'Reilly Raceway Park, Dover, Kansas and Gateway. Kile will race the complete ARCA Racing Series schedule and compete for the points championship.
As many ARCA Racing Series drivers are hoping the driver development cycle will create opportunities, Kile plans to use the Venturini Motorsports driver development program as his stepping stone to his future in NASCAR's highest levels.
"My ultimate goal is to make it to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series," said Kile. "Racing is what I love to do, so I am going to figure out a way to be successful and happy and to make a living in Truck, Nationwide, Cup or whatever series. And that is all I ask of it."
Kile's next ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards is April 11th at Salem Speedway.
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