PETERBOROUGH, ON- With the 2014 Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup tour season opener only weeks away, Mike Nelson is putting the finishing touches on his ride, eager for his second full season with the cross-province tour.
“I’ve been itching to get back on the track since we left Flamboro last August”, beams Nelson during a recent visit to his Peterborough, ON shop. “I broke my arm just before the 2013 season, and it kept me out of action almost all year. We made it out for the final two races of the season, but still didn’t feel 100%”.
After an off-season worth of preparation, Nelson says he is more prepared than ever before.
“I feel fantastic. I’m ready and so is my equipment. My arm is healed up and I feel stronger than ever before thanks to my training at Dohjo Muay Thai, and our car is in the best shape it’s ever been in. In 8 years of competition, I’ve never been more ready for a season of racing”.
After an impressive 2012 rookie campaign that saw Nelson earn a trio of top-10s, en route to an 8th place finish in the point standings, the up-and-comer feels the time is now to make a push for his first career championship.
“I feel as though our whole team has what it takes to compete for a championship”, Nelson explains confidently. “We started from the very bottom, from the entry level divisions, and gained experience. I built my first Four Fun car in 2006 and moved on to Mini Stock in 2007. It’s taken a lot of time and effort to get to the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup tour, but we’re here now. We picked up so much in 2012, I hate that our 2013 season was taken from us, but I can’t wait to apply all that we’ve learned this season”.
As Nelson outlines his goals for the 2014 campaign, he’s quick to credit the overwhelming support he’s received from sponsors.
“None of this would be possible without sponsorship support”, stresses Nelson. “R&J Machine has signed on as our primary sponsor this season, which is incredible, because they were on the car from my very first race in Four Fun. I’d love to put their name in victory lane to thank them. In addition to R&J Machine’s support, we’re also ecstatic to have Dohjo Muay Thai of Peterborough, NAPA Auto Parts of Bridgenorth and Peterborough Roofing offer marketing support for our sophomore campaign”.
Mike Nelson will kick-off his 2014 season alongside the rest of the Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup tour on June 7th at Sauble Speedway. To keep up with Mike, be sure to visit his Mike Nelson Motorsports page on Facebook, and follow him on Twitter @NelsonRacing85 for a behind the scenes look as the team ramps up their efforts to prepare for the upcoming campaign.
By Spencer Lewis (@itsspencerlewis)
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