MB Motorsports driver Chris Wimmer has a lot to celebrate this week: His 25th birthday (Wednesday) and his homecoming race at the Milwaukee Mile Friday night. The Black Cat 200 will mark Wimmer’s first race in his home state as a driver on the NASCAR circuit and he is anxiously awaiting his Wisconsin debut.

“This is probably the most excited I’ve been going into a race,” said the pilot of the #63 Ford. “I know there are going to be a ton of family and friends there to watch, some that I haven’t seen in a while. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

“We tested there about a month ago,” Wimmer continued. “We learned a lot and we’re confident about our chances.”

MB Motorsports owner/crew chief Mike Mittler shared his young driver’s enthusiasm about the race. “Myself and a lot of our staff have very close ties to the Milwaukee area from our days with ASA and running with guys like Alan Kulwicki and the Sauters. Plus, our very first (NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series) race was at the Milwaukee Mile in 1995 with Tony Roper driving, so there are a lot of sentimental ties to that track. The fact it’s Chris’s home track makes it even more special.”

Mittler went on to say he felt the team had an above-average chance for a great finish. “Chris is a phenomenal young driver and when we tested there, he was able to communicate back to us exactly what the truck was doing and we picked up a lot of information from that session. Plus, we’ve purchased a brand-new engine for this race, so hopefully, the engine gremlins will stay away.”

Another boost for the team will be the presence of representatives of ENERPAC, an MB Motorsports sponsor based in Milwaukee. “ENERPAC has done a lot for us,” said Wimmer, “and we want to show them a great time Friday. We’re proud to have the ENERPAC name on our #63 Ford F-150 and we are planning on putting on a good show for them.”

ENERPAC is the leading manufacturer of hydraulic tools and components for a variety of applications worldwide, making it the brand of choice for industries such as automotive manufacturing and assembly, construction, power generation, metals transformation, and maintenance and repair operations.

The Black Cat 200 will be aired live from the Milwaukee Mile starting at 6:30 p.m. CST on MRN Radio and 8 p.m. CST on SPEED.