MB
Motorsports and Carl Edwards Grab Best Ever Craftsman Truck Series Finish at
Kansas
"That was incredible," shouted MB Motorsports driver Carl Edwards as he jumped
from the #63 Ford at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. Carl, driving in only
his third Craftsman Truck Series race had just finished the O'Reilly Auto Parts
250 in 8th place. It was not only his best NCTS finish of his
short career, but also the best finish for the team, who has run the series
since 1995.
Despite never having driven on the mile and a half track before, Carl took
right to it during Friday morning’s practice session. His first lap at
speed was faster than what almost half the field would end up running during
their qualifying attempt. After that first practice run, Carl said, “I
like this track. It’s going to be a fun weekend.” And indeed it
was.
The team continued to make all the right adjustments throughout the day. Carl
was 19th fastest in the first practice session, 16th fastest
in the second, qualified for the race in 15th, and was 12th
in Happy Hour.
The team was cautiously optimistic on Saturday morning. They had a great
day on Friday and were looking to continue their luck. “It’s one thing
to qualify well,” said Carl, “now we need to show them results.”
The green flag dropped on the race just after noon and Carl was quick to start
working his way through the field. He started in 15th, but it was
nothing but forward from there. By lap 7, the #63 was already in 10th
place and that’s where he would stay much of the day.
Despite the truck being tight throughout much of the race, Carl was able to
hang with the leaders and remain competitive, on the lead lap all day.
The only scare for the team came on lap 106 when two trucks got together ahead
of Carl. He was able to drive his Ford around the spinning #11, but hit
the gas too early and spun out. That required a pit stop for new tires and a
check of the truck, but he returned to the track in 11th place.
As the race neared the end, the excitement in the pits began to build.
With the #63 Ford sitting in 12th place, team owner and crew chief,
Mike Mittler, reminded Carl and the crew to just get a solid finish. “A top
ten finish is like a win for us,” he said. While those words served to
put a reality check on the excitement, it also served as a pep talk. Within
25 laps, Carl was in the top 10 again. Late race mechanical problems for other
top-10 running trucks allowed Carl to capitalize on the strong run and take
the checkered flag in 8th place, just over 5 seconds behind the leader.
The celebration in the #63 pits was if they had won the race. The crew
dumped a cooler of water on Mike Mittler and hugs and congratulations were everywhere.
"I’m so happy," said team owner Mike Mittler at the conclusion of
the race. “This was an incredible day and Carl is an incredible driver.
He’s the real deal. This is the most fun I’ve had at the race track in
a long, long time.”
I’m so excited,” Carl said after the race. “These guys are some of the
hardest working guys in the garage. They’re probably doing the most with the
fewest resources. We have a volunteer crew and Mittler Brothers is running
this team out of their pocket. With some good sponsorship we could really
show this series what we are capable of. Man, we had a good time!”
Associate
sponsorship for the race was provided by Blazin’ Pits. Blazin’
Pits is a 5-foot long, portable, cooking pit, which is excellent for company
barbecues, church picnics, parties and catering. The unit is designed
with 6 stainless steel rotating racks driven by a 110-volt motor to provide
even cooking. A 2” Class II hitch and high-speed bearings allow highway towing
for easy relocation. Blazin’ Pits is manufactured by Mittler Brothers Machine
and Tool. For additional information visit our website,
www.blazinpits.com
or call 1-800-463-2464.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series heads to Kentucky Speedway this weekend for
the Kroger 225. The race will get underway at 8:00 p.m. (central time),
Saturday, July 13, 2002, and will be broadcast live on ESPN and MRN radio.
Follow MB Motorsports and Carl Edwards all year long at
http://www.mbracing.net
________________
ABOUT MB Motorsports
Headquartered in Foristell, Missouri, MB Motorsports has competed in the NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series on a limited basis since 1995. The team’s drivers have
included Kenny Irwin Jr., Jamie McMurray, Tony Roper, and Larry Gunselman.
For more media information, or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities concerning
MB Motorsports, please contact Bill Politsch at 636-463-2464 or by e-mail at
bpolitsch@mbracing.net
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