PETERBOROUGH, ON- Former Peterborough Speedway Mini Stock standout Mike Nelson appeared on his way to a strong finish in Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup action on August 9th. Unfortunately, contact on a mid-race restart sent Nelson into the wall, heavily damaging the front end of his No. 85 Dodge.
However, despite the damage, the oft-positive Nelson is energized for the remaining 3 events on the 2014 LOSC schedule.
“This car has been so good the last few weeks, everytime I pull onto the pit pad I’m ready to go back out again”, smiles the personable sophomore.
“Peterborough was a rough deal, especially because it was a real homecoming for our team. We had a lot of family and friends in the stands, and there were a tonne of guys I used to race against in the pits. I really wanted a good run to show all these people just how far I’ve come since leaving Peterborough”
“It wasn’t meant to be, I guess”, continues Nelson, “but I’m not going to sit here and be mad about it. There’s a lot of racing left to be excited about still. Plus, we were able to race our way back to a top-10 with the front end hanging off our car”
The Peterborough, ON native has experienced resurgence in his LOSC effort, since reaching out to regional standout John Baker Jr. for assistance.
“JBJ has been just about the biggest difference maker we could have asked for”, says Nelson. “Even though he’s busy with his own stuff at home, and his own racing program, he’s been incredibly generous with his time. I can’t even begin to explain how much that means to me”
“He’s a guy that I’ve looked up to from the moment I started going to the speedway. He’s been racing and winning for as long as I can remember. I’ve seen him win races in just about everything he’s ever raced. Any time we sit down and talk in the shop, I feel like I should be taking notes. It’s incredible the amount of knowledge that comes out of him when you get him talking”
The pair wasted little time putting Nelson’s No. 85 R&J Machine/NAPA Auto Parts of Bridgenorth Dodge back together after Peterborough, as they prepare for Round 6 of the LOSC tour at Flamboro Speedway on August 23rd.
“Races like Peterborough are going to happen. It’s all part of the game”, shrugs Nelson. “We’re too busy preparing for Flamboro to bother feeling upset about it. I just want to get back on track”
“This car is responding as well as it ever has, and Flamboro is a place that’s been very good to us in the past. We’re coming off of a top-5 at Flamboro on July 20th, after qualifying 14th. This time around, there’s no doubt in my mind that if we can rattle off a better time trial effort, we can contend for a win”
As Nelson outlines his plans and strategy for the rest of the 2014 season, he’s quick to praise Baker Jr. and the impact he’s had on Nelson’s small family-run program.
“Having John around just makes it more enjoyable to be in the shop”, explains Nelson. “He’s as entertaining as he is smart, and our program has been night and day different since he came on board. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together”
Details on Round 6 of the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Tour on August 23rd can be found at www.LucasOilSportsmanCup.com.
Mike would like to thank EXTRA 90.5 FM Peterborough Sports Talk Radio, R&J Machine, Peterborough Roofing, Love’s Tires, Dohjo Muay Thai, NAPA Auto Parts of Bridgenorth, Custom Signs & Graphics and The Canadian Breast Cancer Society for their continued support of his 2014 program.
Follow Mike and the team on Twitter @NelsonRacing85 and visit Mike Nelson Racing on Facebook.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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