Jason Kitzmiller’s Dirt Track Debut: From Road Course Chaos to Springfield Mile Adventure

Look, we get it. Another racing story about another driver trying something new. But Jason Kitzmiller’s upcoming dirt debut at Springfield actually has some genuine intrigue behind it and not just because watching someone learn dirt racing for the first time is like witnessing a controlled crash in slow motion.

The 52-year-old Petersburg, West Virginia, native just wrapped up what can only be described as a “character-building experience” at Watkins Glen. Sure, he was cruising toward another solid top-10 finish in his A.L.L. Construction Racing ride, showing real improvement on the challenging road course. Then, with seven laps to go, racing happened. Contact sent him tumbling down to 17th place, leaving the team with that familiar bitter taste of “what could have been.”

But here’s where it gets interesting and slightly terrifying for Jason Kitzmiller. This weekend’s Allen Crowe 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds marks his very first career start on dirt. Not just his first ARCA dirt start. His first dirt start, period.

Why Springfield Mile Matters for Jason Kitzmiller

The Springfield Mile isn’t just any dirt track. This place has been a humbling driver’s haven since 1910, making it one of the oldest continuously operating speedways in the United States. It’s the kind of track that separates the pretenders from the contenders, where car control matters more than horsepower and where one wrong move can send you spinning into the infield faster than you can say “grip level zero.”

For a driver who’s spent his career mastering the art of pavement racing, transitioning to dirt presents challenges that go far beyond simply “turning left and hoping for the best.” The track surface changes throughout the race, grip levels fluctuate wildly, and setup becomes an exercise in educated guesswork mixed with pure instinct.

Jason Kitzmiller enters this weekend sitting fourth in the ARCA Menards Series championship standings, which sounds impressive until you realize he’s 75 points behind third-place Lavar Scott and a whopping 110 points behind leader Brenden Queen. With seven races remaining, every finish matters—especially when you’re dealing with the unpredictable nature of dirt track racing.

Frank Kimmel: The Ace Up Jason Kitzmiller’s Sleeve

If there’s one saving grace in this potentially chaotic situation, it’s having Frank Kimmel calling the shots from the pit box. The 10-time ARCA Menards Series champion brings serious Springfield credentials to the table 24 consecutive starts from 1992 to 2015, eight wins, five poles, and an average finish of 7.3 that would make most drivers weep with envy.

Kimmel’s Springfield resume reads like a dirt racing masterclass with 16 top-five finishes and 19 top-10s across those 24 starts. He even managed to win four races in a row at one point, which is the kind of dominance that suggests he actually understood what was happening beneath his right foot.

For Jason Kitzmiller, having Kimmel’s experience becomes absolutely crucial. Dirt racing isn’t something you can learn from YouTube videos or simulator practice. It’s an art form that requires understanding how the track surface evolves, when to be aggressive, and when to simply survive until the checkered flag waves.

The Reality Check: Small Team, Big Dreams

Let’s be honest about what A.L.L. Construction Racing is working with here. They’re not exactly rolling up with the budget of a major team. They’re grinding through a “grueling seven-event stretch” that would challenge even well-funded operations, yet they’ve managed to maintain a top-10 average finish since mid-July.

That consistency speaks to something important. This isn’t just a weekend warrior operation throwing darts at the championship board. Jason Kitzmiller and his crew have found a formula that works on pavement, but dirt represents the ultimate test of adaptability.

The team’s approach heading into Springfield shows realistic expectations mixed with genuine ambition. They’re not claiming they’ll dominate or even win. Instead, they’re focused on learning, staying out of trouble, and positioning themselves for a strong finish when it matters most.

What Makes This Story Worth Following

Here’s what makes Jason Kitzmiller’s dirt debut genuinely compelling: it’s rare to see a driver at this level tackle something completely new. Most ARCA competitors have some dirt experience in their background, whether from late models, modifieds, or other regional series. Jason Kitzmiller is essentially starting from scratch at age 52, which takes either tremendous confidence or complete insanity, possibly both.

The pressure isn’t just about learning a new discipline. His team sits seventh in owner points, and every position in the final standings represents money, recognition, and opportunities for the following season. A disaster at Springfield could derail weeks of consistent performance.

But there’s also an opportunity here. Dirt racing has a way of shuffling the deck, creating unexpected heroes and surprising storylines. If Jason Kitzmiller can adapt quickly and avoid the big mistakes that claim dirt racing newcomers, he might find himself in a position to capitalize when others struggle.

The Springfield Mile Challenge Ahead

The Allen Crowe 100 on Sunday afternoon will provide 100 laps and 100 miles of education for Jason Kitzmiller. Practice starts at 10:00 a.m. CT, followed by qualifying at 11:15 a.m., with the green flag expected around 1:00 p.m. FOX Sports 1 will televise the race live, giving everyone the chance to witness either a remarkable adaptation or a spectacular learning experience.

The track itself will test every aspect of car control. The Springfield Mile’s wide, sweeping turns allow for multiple racing lines, but they also punish drivers who get too aggressive too early. Managing tire wear becomes critical as the race progresses, and track position can be everything when passing opportunities become limited.

For someone like Jason Kitzmiller, who’s shown steady improvement throughout his ARCA career—including a career-best third-place finish at Daytona earlier this year—the real question isn’t whether he’ll struggle initially. Of course he will. The question is how quickly he can adapt and apply his racing intelligence to a completely different environment.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t just another race on the schedule. It’s Jason Kitzmiller stepping into the unknown, armed with Frank Kimmel’s expertise and his own determination to prove that experience and intelligence can overcome unfamiliarity. Whether that combination proves sufficient remains to be seen, but it certainly makes for compelling television.