By Matt Weaver — Frank Kimmel’s departure for Win-Tron Racing in the ARCA Racing Series caught officials at ThorSport Racing by surprise. After all, they had just won the season championship and appeared poised to chase back-to-back crowns in 2014.

ThorSport team manager David Pepper says the team would still like to compete in ARCA next year but that they are running out of time to put a program together.

“Well, I don’t have a lot of answers,” Pepper admitted when asked about Kimmel’s quick decision. “A week ago, Mr. Kimmel made a prompt decision to take his sponsorship to another team, Win-Tron. The championship-winning team and equipment from this past season is still available but this late in the season, we don’t have any plans. We were admittedly blindsided by Frank’s decision.”

The ARCA Racing Series championship banquet was held last Friday in Indianapolis and while Kimmel, Pepper and the rest of the team was in attendance, ThorSport owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson were not. This led many to believe that there was animosity between the two and Kimmel and that couldn’t be further from the truth, according to Pepper. In fact, the two were together for the team’s open house party at the shop in Sandusky, Ohio.

“The truth is that Mr. Thorson hasn’t made a (NASCAR) Truck Series banquet since 1998,” Pepper explained. “It’s not his thing. We have a very reserved and laid back owner. He doesn’t appear on top of the pit box or in public so it’s a real keepsake if you have a photo of him at the track.

“So I can’t express enough that there was no animosity. We’re still great friends with Frank and he’s a part of the family. Ansell Menards are still tremendous partners of ours and we couldn’t have been more proud of what we were able to accomplish over the past two seasons.”

ThorSport entered ARCA, with Kimmel, in 2012 and quickly reestablished the veteran as a championship contender after three frustrating winless seasons (by Kimmel standards) in family equipment. Together, ThorSport and Kimmel were able to capture a championship, six wins and 25 top top-5s in 40 starts.

Now without Kimmel, the arguable premiere seat in ARCA is open if they right driver/sponsor combination comes along.

The final moment of Kimmel’s partnership might go down as the most memorable as the 51-year-old drove for the team in the Truck Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, allowing him to celebrate both his championship and Matt Crafton’s Truck title together — as a family.

It was a proud moment that Pepper still struggles to verbalize.

“It’s hard for me to put into words,” he said. “To be able to celebrate two titles at once in the two of the major touring series, it was special because that’s something that only RCR and Hendrick have been able to accomplish. It was surreal.”

It’s something he hopes to be able to repeat next season, as long as someone can come along on the ARCA side before the team has to close up that side of the shop.

Frank Kimmel could not be reached in the days prior to press.

Popular Speed will have more on the Truck Series portion of ThorSport Racing on Saturday morning.