Jason Kitzmiller – A.L.L. Construction Racing Photo
LONG POND, Pa: Taking a few days to recover from one of the most vicious
accidents of his racing career, ARCA Menards Series veteran Jason
Kitzmiller is eager to put last weekend’s setback at Michigan
International Speedway behind him and turn his focus to Friday
afternoon’s race at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway as an opportunity to reset and
build momentum for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Already frustrated by a controversial qualifying call that trapped
Kitzmiller and several other drivers at Michigan International Speedway,
forcing them to start the Henry Ford Health 200 from the rear of the
field, Kitzmiller wasted little time charging forward in his fast No. 97
A.L.L. Construction Racing — CR7 Motorsports Chevrolet.
Methodically carving his way through the pack, Kitzmiller appeared well
on his way to another top-10 finish in the 100-lap showdown before
disaster struck on Lap 49. Caught as an innocent victim in a multicar
incident, contact from another spinning competitor sent his Chevrolet
head-on into the outside wall in Turn 2 with tremendous force.
The Petersburg, West Virginia, native climbed from his heavily damaged
machine under his own power and was later evaluated and released from
the infield care center.
While thankful to have walked away from one of the hardest impacts of
his career, Kitzmiller left the incident with a frustrating 23rd-place
finish that hardly reflected the speed of his race car.
“Michigan was a tough one to swallow,” said Kitzmiller. “It was
definitely one of the hardest hits I’ve taken in a race car,
especially after we fought through adversity all weekend and had such a
fast Chevrolet.
“We had worked our way into position for another solid finish before
getting caught up in someone else’s accident, and that’s just part
of racing sometimes.
“I hate it for everyone on this team because they put in so much
effort and
gave me a car capable of running up front. The most important thing is
that I’m okay, and I’m grateful for that. Now it’s about turning
the page, getting to Pocono and giving A.L.L. Construction Racing, CR7
Motorsports and everyone who supports this program the finish they
deserve. I’m confident we can bounce back and have a strong
weekend.”
The 2.5-mile triangle of Pocono Raceway marks the continuation of a
grueling six-week stretch for the ARCA Menards Series as the tour
barrels toward the halfway point of the 2026 season, which arrives later
this month at Elko (Minn.) Speedway.
Returning to the “Tricky Triangle” for the first time since 2023, Friday
afternoon’s 60-lap showdown is expected to feature another stout field
of competitors.
For Kitzmiller and his Frank Kimmel-led team, however, the eighth race
of the season represents more than just another stop on the schedule —
it’s an opportunity to rewrite the narrative and build momentum for the
second half of the year.
Through the opening seven races, Kitzmiller and the No. 97 team have
consistently shown the speed to compete for top-five and top-10
finishes.
While the season has already produced three top-10 results, a string
of incidents beyond the team’s control has masked their true potential,
turning what could have been a breakout campaign into one defined by
missed opportunities and “what might have been” moments.
Despite the setbacks, confidence within the A.L.L. Construction Racing
— CR7 Motorsports camp remains high that the results will soon reflect
the performance they’ve displayed on the racetrack.
“I really believe we’re better than what the results show,”
Kitzmiller said. “If you look at our speed every week, we’ve been
right there. Unfortunately, we’ve had a lot of things happen that have
been outside of our control, but that’s racing.
“Nobody on this team has lost confidence, and I haven’t either. We
know what we’re capable of, and hopefully Pocono is where everything
finally comes together and we can show what this group is really made
of.”
Friday afternoon’s Sunset Hill Shooting Range 150 at Pocono Raceway will
mark Kitzmiller’s fifth career ARCA Menards Series start in the Pocono
Mountains, where he owns a respectable 12.8 average finish across four
consecutive appearances from 2020 through 2023.
Among those starts is a career-best finish of ninth in 2022 after
rolling off 16th on the grid. As he searches for his second career
top-10 finish at the “Tricky Triangle,” Kitzmiller hopes a strong
performance can provide the spark needed to jumpstart his 2026 campaign.
Beyond the statistics, Pocono is also a place where Kitzmiller feels
right at home. Its unique layout and one-of-a-kind challenges have made
it one of his more enjoyable stops on the ARCA Menards Series schedule
over the years.
“I’ve always enjoyed racing at Pocono because it’s unlike anywhere
else we go,” said Kitzmiller. “You have to be on your game every
lap, and getting all three corners right is a challenge in itself.
“We’ve shown good speed there in the past, and I really believe this
team is capable of putting together the kind of run that can get our
season headed back in the right direction. It would mean a lot to
everyone involved.”
Friday’s Sunset Hill Shooting Range 150 will also provide another
special opportunity for Kitzmiller to share the track with his teenage
son, Isaac, who is set to tackle the biggest oval of his young ARCA
Menards Series career.
While the veteran racer will be focused on delivering a strong result
for his No. 97 team, the chance to once again compete head-to-head with
his son adds another meaningful chapter to the family’s racing journey.
“It’s always special anytime you get to race against your son,” said
Kitzmiller.
“As a competitor, you want to beat everyone on the track, but as a
dad, you’re incredibly proud to watch him continue to grow and take on
new challenges.
“Pocono is a unique place that demands a lot from both the driver
and the race car, and I know he’s looking forward to the opportunity.
Hopefully, we can both have strong, clean races and give our teams
something to celebrate at the end of the day.”
For the second straight year, Kitzmiller and company welcome Carter
Machinery, promoting the Caterpillar® (Cat®) brand as the primary
partner aboard the No. 97 Chevrolet for Friday afternoon’s 60-lap
battle at Pocono Raceway.
Carter Machinery’s humble beginnings date back to 1928, serving
customers throughout Virginia and southeastern West Virginia. As
customer needs evolved, the company expanded its offerings by adding new
products, services, and locations, with significant growth following its
2020 acquisition of Alban Tractor Company.
Today, Carter Machinery’s footprint spans the Mid-Atlantic, with more
than 30 locations across Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware,
and the District of Columbia. The company sells, rents, and supports the
full line of Cat® equipment, engines, and electric power generation
systems, backed by strong parts availability, a diverse rental fleet,
and an expert service team committed to customer success.
Continued investment in people, infrastructure, technology, and tooling
has positioned Carter Machinery as one of Caterpillar’s premier
dealers in North America and around the globe.
“We’re excited to welcome Carter Machinery and the Cat® brand back
on board for Pocono,” said Kitzmiller. “They’re a tremendous
partner for our program and a company that shares the same values of
hard work, reliability and performance that we strive to represent every
week.
“We’ve shown a lot more speed than our results indicate this season,
and everyone on this team believes our best runs are still ahead of us.
Pocono presents another great opportunity to put together a complete
race and give Carter Machinery the performance they deserve.
“We’re proud to carry their colors on Friday and look forward to
showcasing their brand while fighting for one of our strongest finishes
of the year.”
In addition to Carter Machinery [1], A.L.L. Construction Inc., [2] Grant
County Mulch [3], A&J Excavating, Cobra Mining, Champion Power Equipment
[4] and Volt Battery Technology will all serve as associate marketing
partners for his 55th career ARCA Menards Series start.
Entering Pocono, Kitzmiller, 52, sits sixth in the ARCA Menards Series
championship standings, 65 points behind championship leader Jake
Bollman with 13 races remaining.
The A.L.L. Construction Racing — CR7 Motorsports team also holds a
respectable 10th place in the championship owner standings.
Since 2020, Kitzmiller has earned two top-five and 25 top-10 finishes
in 54 ARCA Menards Series starts, including a career-best third-place
effort at Daytona International Speedway in February 2025.
The Sunset Hill Shooting Range 150 (60 laps | 150 miles) is the eighth
of 20 races on the 2026 ARCA Menards Series schedule. Practice begins
Friday, June 12, from 12:00 p.m. to 12:40 p.m., while Sioux Chief
PowerPEX Pole Qualifying is slated to begin shortly thereafter at 1:00
p.m. The race is scheduled to take the green flag shortly after 3:00
p.m. ET. The continuation of the 74th season of ARCA competition will be
televised live on FOX Sports 1 (FS1). ARCARacing.com [5] will also
stream live timing and scoring throughout the entire day’s
festivities. All times are local (ET).