Isaac Kitzmiller’s clean season translates to an ARCA Menards Series East Championship Title celebration at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The support system surrounding Kitzmiller made his transition into stock cars more seamless. Along with having Ron Hornaday Jr. as a mentor through Team Hornaday Development, Kitzmiller found himself with CR7 Motorsports — the organization for which his father, Jason, drives for the 2025 East Series season.
Isaac Kitzmiller’s Championship Title Journey
Jason’s ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway in 2020 was the moment his son became interested in becoming a driver himself. During Isaac’s journey through the developmental ladder, Jason has encouraged him to absorb information from the resources at his disposal, all while staying patient both on and off the track.
The astute, methodical mindset Isaac adopted kept him out of trouble all season and guided him to an East Series title, something Jason did not initially anticipate. Given Isaac’s relatively new involvement in motorsports compared to other prospects, Jason is thrilled with the significant progress his son has made in a short amount of time.
“It’s amazing to think that just three years ago, [Isaac] was taking his first Legends test,” Jason said. “He’s made big strides this year and has been real competitive. A lot of the kids he’s racing have been racing for six, eight or ten years, so he’s had to overcome that and make up for starting a little late.”
Jason got to witness that improvement firsthand when he shared the track with Isaac for the first time in an ARCA Menards Series event at Dover Motor Speedway in July. The younger Kitzmiller showcased a veteran’s poise through all 150 laps and brought his car home fourth for what served as his national debut.
Dover Highlights Kitzmiller’s Journey
Aside from Kitzmiller claiming the East Series title, Dover was his highlight in 2025. Deciphering a track known for being unforgiving to even the most seasoned NASCAR competitors was rewarding to Kitzmiller, who proved to himself he could hold his own on the big tracks.
“Dover was a super tough track to learn, especially in practice only getting 45 minutes,” he said. “Having to carry that much throttle time, it was hard to tell myself to almost stay wide open, but getting a fourth-place finish out of Dover was super cool, and our team showed a lot of speed, which was awesome.
“[My dad and I] also raced nose-to-tail for about 20 laps, so that was also really cool.”
For Kitzmiller, the strong run at Dover paled in comparison to holding the East Series championship trophy. He was proud to share that moment not only with his CR7 crew, but with his father, the inspiration behind his burgeoning career.
Kitzmiller’s Journey Continues
There are several areas Jason knows Isaac still needs to refine, but he can’t help but find pride in what his son has already accomplished in stock cars. If Isaac can continue building upon everything that worked in the East Series this season, Jason is confident that many years of success are ahead.
“We made the decision to run ARCA East this year to go out, run these tracks and try to build on this year for next year,” Jason said. “[Isaac’s] done very well and has been blessed with good finishes. [An East Series] championship is not something I’m shocked about, but I’m pleasantly surprised about.”
Kitzmiller’s consistent campaign enabled him to join a notable list of names that possess East Series titles. Among them are NASCAR Cup Series champions Joey Logano and Kyle Larson, along with William Byron, Sam Mayer, Sammy Smith, and William Sawalich.
Exceeding Expectations by Staying Consistent
Although Kitzmiller hoped for better results or even a victory to complement his title, he is not losing sight of what he achieved in 2025. His goal entering the year was to gain experience. But he exceeded his own expectations by adhering to a principle that has followed him since he first climbed into a Legends car: staying consistent.
“It’s been a really big learning process,” Kitzmiller said. “From not getting any laps in prior years, I feel like we’ve done pretty good. CR7 has brought really good cars, and not wrecking cars is a super big thing. We can bring the cars back to the shop and work on them even more; that’s been the biggest thing.”
An East Series title is only an opening chapter in what Kitzmiller hopes is a long story across the ARCA Menards Series platform and eventually NASCAR. Plenty is ahead for Kitzmiller, especially if he continues to display his championship composure.