Blount, ML Motorsports Gearing Up For Busch Series Races
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Chad Blount doesn't see it as a step back in his stock car career, not competing in a race for two months, rather a step forward.
Barring a test last week at Kansas Speedway, the 26-year-old ML Motorsports driver hasn't been in a stock car since July 16.
It's that test session, however, that has Blount and his Warsaw-based team excited about racing again.
"I had a lot of fun last week," Blount said of the team's NASCAR Busch Series test at the 1.5-mile track in Kansas City, Kan. "We had a real good test. I'm just excited about getting back to racing."
The team, which walked away from the ARCA RE/MAX Series after five full seasons of competition at the conclusion of the July 16 race at Berlin Raceway because of what team management called a series of "unfair and unreasonable rulings," will attempt to make its first Busch Series race Oct. 8 at Kansas Speedway.
Qualifying for the United Way 300 presented by Yellow Transportation and Sprint is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Oct. 7.
ML Motorsports also has plans to compete in Busch Series races at Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 5, at Phoenix International Speedway Nov. 12 and Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 19.
The race at Kansas Speedway will be shown live on NBC, while the latter three will air live on TNT.
Though they've been plenty busy working on their three recently-purchased Busch Series cars for the four races this season, the ML Motorsports team members admitted they miss being at the track, and that they can't wait to compete in the NASCAR Busch Series.
"It's been a little frustrating," said full-time ML Motorsports employee Jeremy Marsh, a 1993 Warsaw Community High School graduate who played basketball for the Tigers and now turns wrenches in the shop and is the front tire carrier during pit stops. "But if you look at the big picture, we get to go Busch Series racing. I'm excited about the opportunity and can't wait to get started. We'll get to see where we stand against teams like (Richard Childress Racing) and (Hendrick Motorsports)."
Through the first 12 races of this year's ARCA RE/MAX schedule, Blount and ML Motorsports were a dominant force, leading the most laps and winning the most races.
In those 12 races, Blount posted wins at Salem Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway and Ketucky Speedway. Blount's orange and black Mary Louise Miller-owned Chevy led 404 laps.
Now, after their successes in just their first season as a driver/team combination, Blount and ML Motorsports are starting over, in a way.
"The biggest thing are the rule differences," said crew member Craig Barnes, also a WCHS grad. "We've got to read the rule book, they're a lot more specific in the Busch garage. You can't get by with as much as you could in ARCA. ARCA uses templates, but the Busch Series is more picky."
While the race at Kansas Speedway will be the team's first Busch Series competition together, Blount drove 19 Busch Series races for Braun Racing in 2003 and one this year. He has also competed in two Nextel Cup Series races.
The ML Motorsports pit crew has pitted cars in both the Busch Series and the Nextel Cup Series.
At last week's test at Kansas Speedway, Blount and his team shared the track with Nextel Cup veterans Elliott Sadler and Terry Labonte.
Using the same setup in the car that won them the ARCA race at Kansas Speedway, Blount's times were close to those of Sadler.
"Cup cars have about 120 more horsepower than the Busch cars," said Blount, who came from his North Carolina home to work in the shop for three days this week. "They say the Busch cars are about four-tenths of a second slower. We were only about two-tenths off Sadler's times, and he gets around Kansas pretty good."
Prior to last week's test, Blount was hoping to qualify for the 43-car race and finish in the top 25.
Now the 1998 Glenn High School graduate from Walkerton, who grew up racing at Plymouth Speedway and New Paris Speedway, among other places, thinks the team has a top-10 or top-15 car.
"Mary Louise and Dane have given us everything we need, and we're definitely headed in the right direction," said Blount. "I'm very happy here. I'm ready to race again, and I'm looking forward to next year. I think we can be a team to be reckoned with next year, if not sooner."
The car Blount will attempt to qualify at Kansas Speedway was purchased from Nextel Cup and Busch Series veteran Joe Nemechek, who won races in both series at Kansas in 2004.
Blount drove his first Busch Series race in 2003, finishing 11th at Daytona International Speedway. To date, his best Busch Series finish was a fifth-place effort at Texas Motor Speedway in 2003. [[In-content Ad]]
Chad Blount doesn't see it as a step back in his stock car career, not competing in a race for two months, rather a step forward.
Barring a test last week at Kansas Speedway, the 26-year-old ML Motorsports driver hasn't been in a stock car since July 16.
It's that test session, however, that has Blount and his Warsaw-based team excited about racing again.
"I had a lot of fun last week," Blount said of the team's NASCAR Busch Series test at the 1.5-mile track in Kansas City, Kan. "We had a real good test. I'm just excited about getting back to racing."
The team, which walked away from the ARCA RE/MAX Series after five full seasons of competition at the conclusion of the July 16 race at Berlin Raceway because of what team management called a series of "unfair and unreasonable rulings," will attempt to make its first Busch Series race Oct. 8 at Kansas Speedway.
Qualifying for the United Way 300 presented by Yellow Transportation and Sprint is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. Oct. 7.
ML Motorsports also has plans to compete in Busch Series races at Texas Motor Speedway Nov. 5, at Phoenix International Speedway Nov. 12 and Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 19.
The race at Kansas Speedway will be shown live on NBC, while the latter three will air live on TNT.
Though they've been plenty busy working on their three recently-purchased Busch Series cars for the four races this season, the ML Motorsports team members admitted they miss being at the track, and that they can't wait to compete in the NASCAR Busch Series.
"It's been a little frustrating," said full-time ML Motorsports employee Jeremy Marsh, a 1993 Warsaw Community High School graduate who played basketball for the Tigers and now turns wrenches in the shop and is the front tire carrier during pit stops. "But if you look at the big picture, we get to go Busch Series racing. I'm excited about the opportunity and can't wait to get started. We'll get to see where we stand against teams like (Richard Childress Racing) and (Hendrick Motorsports)."
Through the first 12 races of this year's ARCA RE/MAX schedule, Blount and ML Motorsports were a dominant force, leading the most laps and winning the most races.
In those 12 races, Blount posted wins at Salem Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Kansas Speedway and Ketucky Speedway. Blount's orange and black Mary Louise Miller-owned Chevy led 404 laps.
Now, after their successes in just their first season as a driver/team combination, Blount and ML Motorsports are starting over, in a way.
"The biggest thing are the rule differences," said crew member Craig Barnes, also a WCHS grad. "We've got to read the rule book, they're a lot more specific in the Busch garage. You can't get by with as much as you could in ARCA. ARCA uses templates, but the Busch Series is more picky."
While the race at Kansas Speedway will be the team's first Busch Series competition together, Blount drove 19 Busch Series races for Braun Racing in 2003 and one this year. He has also competed in two Nextel Cup Series races.
The ML Motorsports pit crew has pitted cars in both the Busch Series and the Nextel Cup Series.
At last week's test at Kansas Speedway, Blount and his team shared the track with Nextel Cup veterans Elliott Sadler and Terry Labonte.
Using the same setup in the car that won them the ARCA race at Kansas Speedway, Blount's times were close to those of Sadler.
"Cup cars have about 120 more horsepower than the Busch cars," said Blount, who came from his North Carolina home to work in the shop for three days this week. "They say the Busch cars are about four-tenths of a second slower. We were only about two-tenths off Sadler's times, and he gets around Kansas pretty good."
Prior to last week's test, Blount was hoping to qualify for the 43-car race and finish in the top 25.
Now the 1998 Glenn High School graduate from Walkerton, who grew up racing at Plymouth Speedway and New Paris Speedway, among other places, thinks the team has a top-10 or top-15 car.
"Mary Louise and Dane have given us everything we need, and we're definitely headed in the right direction," said Blount. "I'm very happy here. I'm ready to race again, and I'm looking forward to next year. I think we can be a team to be reckoned with next year, if not sooner."
The car Blount will attempt to qualify at Kansas Speedway was purchased from Nextel Cup and Busch Series veteran Joe Nemechek, who won races in both series at Kansas in 2004.
Blount drove his first Busch Series race in 2003, finishing 11th at Daytona International Speedway. To date, his best Busch Series finish was a fifth-place effort at Texas Motor Speedway in 2003. [[In-content Ad]]