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September
6, 2006
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Mike Duncan Outruns Gorillas for Emotional
Win at California Speedway
Bakersfield, CA - As the back-to-back and reigning champion of NASCAR’s
Grand National
Division, AutoZone West Series, Mike Duncan has learned when the racing
gods are frowning and when they’re smiling. Last Friday night, as
the sun set on California Speedway, Duncan certainly realized it was
time to enjoy one of those heavenly smiles. With precious few
laps left in the Relocate Here 200, Duncan’s incomparable Crew Chief
and legendary Winston West champ, Bill Sedgwick pulled his driver into
the pits for the only two-tire change allowed. The Lucas
Oil/ Ron’s Rear Ends/ GreenFrogRoastingCompany.com Chevrolet then
mounted
an historic race to the finish, as Duncan gripped the wheel and held on
for dear life. As the # 9 car crossed the line first, Duncan
could feel the warm smile from above.
“The guy upstairs opened a gap for me, and I just shot right through
there,“ Duncan exclaimed as he composed himself for the instant
interviews in victory circle. When asked about the hungry pack of
drivers behind him on the final lap, Duncan grinned, and then laughed
as he said, “Man, it’s like having a gorilla behind you; you gotta go,
and you can’t let up!” The dashing and charismatic
California racer had just achieved one of his biggest goals – winning a
super speedway race – and the moment was not lost on anyone surrounding
the MB Duncan Motor Sports team. As he tried to encapsulate the
magnitude of the moment, Duncan immediately called for Sedgwick to join
him in the celebration. Commenting on his Crew Chief, Duncan
simply said, “Bill worked especially hard for this win, and the time
and energy he put into this race paid off for everyone – this was huge!”
As a former professional baseball player, Duncan compared California
Speedway to a big league park when he said, “Just driving in here on
race day is like arriving at a major league ball park . . . the feeling
you have when you get down here in the pits is thrilling, and now that
I’ve won here . . . well, it’s something I’ll never forget.” When
asked about the late pit strategy and how that paid off, Duncan was
clearly pumped up when he answered, “ Yeah, it’s something else when
you can be that aggressive at the end of a race, and that’s what we had
talked about earlier in the week: being aggressive and attacking when
we can.”
As Duncan was being interviewed for the national television audience
and the California Speedway fans, he gave special mention to a specific
crew member when he said, “Larry, we’re thinking of you bud – this win
was for you.” This emotional tribute was to Duncan’s
father-in-law, who has been diagnosed with cancer.
When reached on Sunday, Duncan acknowledged that his family is
embracing the news of their race team’s chef and all-around father
figure with high hopes. “Right now the news is pretty good . . .
and it helps us to remember that family time is so very precious”,
Duncan states, as he hints that the interview probably needs to wind
down soon, “. . . its Labor Day weekend, and my kids want their daddy .
. .”
Somewhere, the racing gods are smiling.
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 defending and back-to-back champion,
Duncan currently competes exclusively on a full-time basis in the
NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series.
For more insight on Mike and his racing operation, please visit
www.MBDuncanMotorSports.com.
Source: Vance Palm
MB Duncan Motor Sports
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