The Crittenden Automotive Library

Mason Mingus; Win-Tron Racing 16th In Irish Hills

Topics: Mason Mingus, Careers for Veterans 200

Mason Mingus; Win-Tron Racing 16th In Irish Hills

Chris Knight
Knight Motorsports Management
Win-Tron Racing
August 18, 2014

Mason Mingus, driver of the No. 35 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Tundra in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) for Win-Tron Racing.

BROOKLYN, Michigan (August 18, 2014) - - Mason Mingus maneuvered a 16th place finish in Saturday afternoon’s Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway aboard the No. 35 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Tundra.

The effort in the 12th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race of the season brought the Win-Tron Racing team their eighth top-20 finish of 2014.

The Mooresville, North Carolina-based team made gradual improvements for their Sunoco rookie contender from practice to qualifying, but Mingus struggled with a tight No. 35 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Tundra throughout the 100-lap race, which eventually stalled his steady progression through the field.

After qualifying 18th, his eighth top-20 starting spot of the year, Mingus held his own on the 2.0-mile oval through the event’s first and only caution on lap nine, for a blown motor from the No. 05 of Travis Kvapil. Under the caution, the Win-Tron Racing team elected to bring their driver down pit lane for fuel and a chassis adjustment.

When racing resumed, Mingus utilized the draft to stay with his group of competitors, but as the race played out, the field stayed under green which sent the teams to pit road under racing conditions. Solid pit stops kept Mingus inside the top-18, but as the laps ticked away, the Brentwood, Tennessee native was still battling a tight No. 35 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Tundra.

A final pit stop inside the closing 50 miles of the 200-mile event gave, the 19-year old enough fuel to make it to the finish. Surprisingly though, the field remained in race trim for the final 25 laps with Mingus taking the checkered flag 16th in his Michigan NCWTS debut.

The Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan Speedway was the fastest average speed race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series history at 161.110 miles per hour. The previous record was recorded by race winner Johnny Sauter, held at 154.737 miles per hour, set at Texas Motor Speedway on November 2, 2012.

“Michigan was a rough day for us,” said Mingus, a development driver for Win-Tron Racing. “We struggled fighting a really tight truck the whole race. The track changed so much from practice to race time and we just didn’t adjust the way we needed to for the race.”

He added, “You can always learn from it, whether it was a bad day or a good day, so we are going to learn what we can from it and move onto Bristol.”

Knowing how his No. 35 Call 811 Before You Dig Toyota Tundra had improved considerably since the start of the first practice on Friday afternoon, the former wrestling champion left the track wondering what if.

“I mean it was an OK day for us,” Mingus mentioned. “I felt like we should have run better, but shoulda-coulda-woulda. We made progress and we’re moving in the right direction and that’s what matters for us. Hopefully we can go to Bristol next week and get our second top-10 of the year. I’ve never been there, so I’m pumped up about the opportunity to race there.”

Nate Thiesse, co-truck owner of Win-Tron Racing offered his thoughts post-Michigan.

“We’re real proud of Mason for never giving up behind the wheel,” he said. “We know that the truck was really tight, but Mason did a good job manhandling the truck as best as he could. We learned a lot this weekend that we feel will help us tremendously with some of the upcoming races left on the schedule. We’re making strides and that what’s important. We can’t just ever give up.”

Exiting Michigan, Mingus sits 12th in the championship standings, 66 markers from 10th place held by Jeb Burton. Mingus unofficially sits second in the Sunoco rookie of the year standings, behind current leader Ben Kennedy.

Next up for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a quick-turnaround to Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway for the running of the UNOH 200 on Wednesday, August 20. Mingus will make his debut at the .533-mile short track dubbed “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”

Learn about Call 811 Before You Dig and what it can do for you by connecting to call811.com.

For more on Mason Mingus, please visit MasonMingusRacing.com.

Follow Win-Tron Racing on Twitter @WinTronRacing or log on to Win-TronRacing.com.

Mingus tweets too. Follow him on Twitter @Mason_Mingus.

About Win-Tron Racing:

Located in Mooresville, North Carolina, Win-Tron Racing (Win-TronRacing.com / @WinTronRacing) is the home of one the most potent ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards single-car operations. Owned by former racers Kevin Cywinski and Nate Thiesse, the team since has acquired the assets of County Joe Racing, becoming a favorable fixture on the circuit. Since Win-Tron Racing’s inception in 2007, the team has hosted a variety of drivers including leading drivers James Buescher, Blake Bjorklund, Justin Marks, Matt Merrell and Brandon McReynolds to their first career ARCA victories. In 2014, the team will begin its eighth year of competition with a full-time presence in the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

###