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WEST CHAMPION DUNCAN LOOKING FORWARD TO
CALIFORNIA RACING . . . FINALLY !
It’s almost May, and after starting the 2006 season with two tough
outings in Arizona, Mike Duncan, the Grand National West Champion, is
happy to finally be racing in the golden state. Duncan began the
season in January by defending his back-to-back championship status in
Phoenix, as he led the race briefly but then finished a disappointing
13th place. Last Thursday, Duncan captured the pole, led the
first 6 laps and then experienced another “Phoenix phenomena” – a
champion driver with a fast car finishing off the lead pack.
While Duncan acknowledges that the 2006 season has not started they way
he had hoped, he’s also cognizant of the fact that this weekend’s race
in Stockton should begin the process of climbing back to the
leaders. Duncan explains his optimism by saying that, “Stockton
should be a good weekend for us. We’ve won there, ran
consistently in the lead pack and we feel that we should be able to
compete for the win.” Always the driver to understate his
accomplishments, Duncan has done well in Stockton (qualifying record,
most top-five finishes, tied for top-tens, money leader), but he
concedes that this year’s field is the toughest in a long time.
“This season’s line up is full of really good drivers, and when you add
Austin (Cameron), Steve (Portenga), Mike David and the rest of the
veterans . . . well, it’s going to be a challenging year, to say the
least.”
With the next three races being in California, Duncan expects that the
level of testing and practice will only intensify. He adds, “Guys
like (Spencer) Clark and (Andrew) Myers are doing it the right way:
They’re going out and spending the kind of money that’s needed to not
only run up front, but the extra money needed for multiple testing to
actually win.” When asked about the youth movement in the Grand
National West Division, Duncan will only give praise, saying, “These
young guys are very talented drivers, and they have the backing and
support that’s critical in the climb up the ladder. I’ve always
felt that our series is a great platform for young talent . . . but it
will eventually get back to sponsorship, and it appears that they have
it.”
Mike Duncan began racing in 1994, competing in the NASCR Weekly Racing
Series late model division at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield,
California and competing at various other short tracks in California.
He won Rookie-of-the-Year in 2000 in the NASCAR Winston West Series and
he won the track championship at Mesa Marin Raceway in the Late Model
Division that same year. As the current, repeat Grand National
Division, West Series Champion, Duncan competes exclusively on a
full-time basis in the West Series.
This Saturday’s race in Stockton will be televised live on HDTV – 8pm.
Source: Vance Palm
MB Duncan Motor Sports
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