ML Motorsports Set To Compete In Daytona
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Now, because of the way they left Talladega Superspeedway in April, driver Mark Green and the Warsaw-based stock car team are excited about heading back to Daytona.
"I'm real excited about going back to Daytona," said ML Motorsports Team Manager Tony Barnes. "After the way we ran at Talladega, I'm real excited to see what happens at Daytona."
Preparing for the season-opening NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona back in February, Green, driving the No. 70 Chevy owned by Mary Louise Miller and her daughter Stephany Mullen, was involved in a crash during practice that destroyed the team's primary car.
Green qualified the backup car 12th, but was involved in another multi-car crash during the race, leaving he and the team with a 41st-place finish.
Back in the 40,000-square foot shop just off U.S. 30 in Warsaw, the team rebuilt the car that was wrecked in the race, and then took it to Talladega, where Green finished fifth.
"The guys worked hard rebuilding the restrictor plate car after Daytona," said Barnes. "Then we went to Talladega and finished fifth. "(Crew chief) Brian (Ross) put a new front clip on it here in the shop, and the car was better when we took it to Talladega than it was at Daytona."
Green and ML Motorsports will be in action again this week as the NASCAR Nationwide Series rolls into Florida for Friday night's Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The race will air live on ESPN2 at 8 p..m.
"I don't like restrictor plate racing, but everyone's got to do it," said Ross, referring to the races at Daytona and Talladega where power-sapping restrictor plates on the motors cause the cars to run in big packs just inches from each other. "We're pretty excited about the way we ran at Talladega, but if we can go to Daytona and finish in the top 15, bring the car home in one piece, that's a good day."
Green and ML Motorsports are scheduled to run 21 of the 35 Nationwide Series races.
So far, they've competed in nine events, with their most recent finish being a 13th-place effort at The Milwaukee Mile on June 21.
In their last five races, Green and ML Motorsports have finished in the top 15 three times, scoring a fifth at Talladega, a 14th at Nashville and the 13th in Milwaukee.
The other two finishes in that five-race stretch were 22nd-place efforts at Richmond and Kentucky.
In nine starts so far this season, Green's average starting position is 23rd, while his average finish is 21st.
Those are pretty impressive numbers considering ML Motorsports is 12 hours away from Mooresville, N.C., the hub of stock car racing, as well not having any where close to the number of employees or available technology as the high-dollar teams in the south.
Green and ML Motorsports have finished worse than 28th just once this season, the 41st at Daytona.
They hope to leave Daytona this weekend with a smile, the same way they did Talladega.[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
Now, because of the way they left Talladega Superspeedway in April, driver Mark Green and the Warsaw-based stock car team are excited about heading back to Daytona.
"I'm real excited about going back to Daytona," said ML Motorsports Team Manager Tony Barnes. "After the way we ran at Talladega, I'm real excited to see what happens at Daytona."
Preparing for the season-opening NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona back in February, Green, driving the No. 70 Chevy owned by Mary Louise Miller and her daughter Stephany Mullen, was involved in a crash during practice that destroyed the team's primary car.
Green qualified the backup car 12th, but was involved in another multi-car crash during the race, leaving he and the team with a 41st-place finish.
Back in the 40,000-square foot shop just off U.S. 30 in Warsaw, the team rebuilt the car that was wrecked in the race, and then took it to Talladega, where Green finished fifth.
"The guys worked hard rebuilding the restrictor plate car after Daytona," said Barnes. "Then we went to Talladega and finished fifth. "(Crew chief) Brian (Ross) put a new front clip on it here in the shop, and the car was better when we took it to Talladega than it was at Daytona."
Green and ML Motorsports will be in action again this week as the NASCAR Nationwide Series rolls into Florida for Friday night's Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona International Speedway. The race will air live on ESPN2 at 8 p..m.
"I don't like restrictor plate racing, but everyone's got to do it," said Ross, referring to the races at Daytona and Talladega where power-sapping restrictor plates on the motors cause the cars to run in big packs just inches from each other. "We're pretty excited about the way we ran at Talladega, but if we can go to Daytona and finish in the top 15, bring the car home in one piece, that's a good day."
Green and ML Motorsports are scheduled to run 21 of the 35 Nationwide Series races.
So far, they've competed in nine events, with their most recent finish being a 13th-place effort at The Milwaukee Mile on June 21.
In their last five races, Green and ML Motorsports have finished in the top 15 three times, scoring a fifth at Talladega, a 14th at Nashville and the 13th in Milwaukee.
The other two finishes in that five-race stretch were 22nd-place efforts at Richmond and Kentucky.
In nine starts so far this season, Green's average starting position is 23rd, while his average finish is 21st.
Those are pretty impressive numbers considering ML Motorsports is 12 hours away from Mooresville, N.C., the hub of stock car racing, as well not having any where close to the number of employees or available technology as the high-dollar teams in the south.
Green and ML Motorsports have finished worse than 28th just once this season, the 41st at Daytona.
They hope to leave Daytona this weekend with a smile, the same way they did Talladega.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092