By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The region's fifth summer of super speedway racing is set to begin Saturday at Kentucky Speedway with the ARCA RE/MAX Channel 5-205.

The minor league series has been racing at Kentucky Speedway since the track opened in 2000 and series veteran Frank Kimmel has won three times at Kentucky. Kimmel will be back Saturday driving for a fourth victory, but last year's Channel 5-205 winner, Kyle Busch, has graduated to the NASCAR Busch Series. Kimmel finished runner-up to Busch last season, the fifth straight time Kimmel has finished first or second at Kentucky.

The Channel 5-205 is the first of five racing weekends for the Speedway that include the Busch Series in June, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in July, the Indy Racing League in August and the American Speed Association in September.

Saturday's race begins at 8 p.m. and will be televised locally by NBC affiliate Channel 5. Qualifying for the ARCA race is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by an ASA 125-mile race.

Tickets for Saturday's race are $35 and are available by phone, (888) 652-RACE, online at KentuckySpeedway.com or at Ticket.com locations at Meijer stores. Tickets may also be purchased at the gate for $40. Last year's Channel 5-205 drew more than 25,000 fans.

Tickets for Friday's qualifying and ASA race are $20.

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Kentucky Speedway summer schedule

Friday: Qualifying for ARCA RE/MAX Channel 5-205, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: Channel 5-205, 8 p.m.

June 19: NASCAR Busch Series Meijer 300

July 10: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, The Built Ford Tough 225

Aug. 15: Indy Racing League, The Belterra Casino Indy 300

Sept. 18: V-Taps Triple Header Fall Classic

A quick chat with ...

• Mark Cassis ---

E-mail ddow@enquirer.com