Crew Chief Bill
Sedgwick & Mike Duncan
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MB Duncan Motor Sports Enjoys Slice of
Americana in Roseburg, Oregon
Bakersfield, CA – As the plane touched down at the picturesque hub in
western Oregon, Mike Duncan and his race team at MB Duncan Motor Sports
were treated to a unique welcome of sorts. The host city to the
BI-MART Firecracker 150 – Roseburg – was also gearing up for their
heralded “Independence Weekend” celebration.
The tarmac was home to an impressive display of vintage air craft,
ranging from WWI bi-planes to P-51 Mustangs to WWII bombers. It
also meant that Duncan, the defending NASCAR Grand National Division,
West Series champion and defending Firecracker 150 winner and his
entire team were in for a great weekend of festivities, great food,
awesome fireworks and excellent NASCAR racing.
To say that “Oregon’s Only NASCAR Event!” is a blast is certainly an
understatement. The entire region of Douglas County is
well-represented at this event, starting Friday afternoon with a
downtown parade of the NASCAR teams and an autograph session at the
local BI-MART. Throngs of race fans were on hand to meet and
greet their favorite West drivers, as Duncan, Peyton Sellers and Brett
Thompson sat side-by-side and swapped “insight” as they signed banners,
driver cards and hats. Then it’s off the Wagon Wheel for an authentic
”Oregon Trail” dinner, where race teams toasted the great west’s
contribution to this unparalleled, free country.
Race day in Roseburg defines the quintessential summer Saturday:
Families getting to the track early, sponsors wearing their gear with
pride, vendors preparing for a big day of holiday business and race
teams grooving to the speed buzz. After practice sessions, Duncan
and his team enjoy another July 4th tradition: barbeque and
blueberries. Local berries from Norris Farms and thick-cut pork
chops from Green Frog Market had Duncan and his guys reminiscing about
their youthful days of illegal fireworks and fishing trips.
When the Firecracker 150 was started with a war-plane flyover,
dusk-time fireworks and a mayoral salute, Duncan was positioned on the
inside of row two. That’s as high as the Lucas Oil/Ron’s Rear
End/Greenfrogroastingco.com Chevrolet would get, as the congestion and
pace never allowed Duncan to make a serious run to the front. A
mid-race nudge that pushed Duncan to the back did made for an exciting,
late-race charge to his sixth-place finish, but it’s a finish that now
leaves Duncan sitting fourth in the West Series’ points.
Yet, as the weekend was winding down and he and his team enjoyed the
post-race fireworks display, Duncan seemed like a kid again as he
stared up at the show in the sky. When asked about the race,
Duncan murmured something about slipping in the points, but then added,
“This has been a really great trip . . . the people here are always so
nice and hospitable . . . the track officials make sure we’re
appreciated and looked after, and the guys (drivers) put on a great
race for this huge crowd – what a great weekend.” Then, as he was
approached by a flock of young, Oregon race fans for an autograph,
Duncan looked up at the fireworks finale and so aptly stated,
“Wow! I love fireworks! Thanks, Roseburg – this was a nice
slice of Americana.”
Source: Vance Palm
MB
Duncan Motor Sports
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