Mason Mitchell

Mason Mitchell
Nationality  United States
Born (1994-06-25) June 25, 1994
West Des Moines, Iowa
ARCA Racing Series career
Current team Mason Mitchell Motorsports
Car no. 78
Engine Ford, Chevrolet
Former teams Eddie Sharp Racing, Roulo Brothers Racing, Empire Racing
Starts 51
Championships 1 (2014)
Wins 3
Poles 7
Best finish 1st in 2014
Finished last season 7th (2016)
Previous series
2015 K&N Pro Series East
Championship titles
2014 ARCA Racing Series
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2014 position 16th
Best finish 16th (2014)
First race 2014 Ford EcoBoost 200 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0

Mason Mitchell (born June 25, 1994) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes part-time in the ARCA Racing Series as an owner/driver, driving the No. 78 for Mason Mitchell Motorsports. He is the 2014 ARCA Racing Series champion.

Racing career

Mitchell's No. 17 ARCA car at Road America in 2013

Mitchell started racing when he was five, riding dirt bikes. Three years later, he switched to cars, and competed in the Minicup Series at age ten, winning the Midwest championship; he won 75 career Minicup races, and when he was 11, won the Jamaica Raceway track championship. When he was 13, he started racing late models, and joined the American Speed Association's Challenge Series National Tour two years later.[1]

In 2012, Mitchell made his ARCA Racing Series debut for Eddie Sharp Racing at home track Iowa Speedway; after starting ninth, he finished tenth.[2] The following year, Mitchell attempted the full season; despite missing a race and racing for four different team owners, he recorded 20 top tens,[3] two poles[4] and finished seventh in points.[3]

In 2015, Mitchell debuted in the K&N Pro Series East Bowman Gray Stadium, driving the No. 1 Toyota for Hattori Racing Enterprises; after qualifying 16th, he finished eighth.[5]

Mason Mitchell Motorsports

In late 2013, he formed Mason Mitchell Motorsports (MMM), hiring NASCAR crew chief Brad Parrott to serve the same role with Mitchell.[6] The team began competing full-time in 2014. During the year, he recorded a win at Chicagoland Speedway, along with 12 top fives 18 top tens, five poles[7] and an average finish of 5.8.[8] He claimed the points lead after eight races and held on to win the series championship[4] with a 255-point margin over runner-up Grant Enfinger.[9] Mitchell became the first Iowa native to win an ARCA title in 40 years, the third-youngest champion in series history[7] and the third owner/driver to win the championship.[10] Mitchell also won the Fast Track Award, S&S Volvo Laps Completed, Hoosier Speedway Challenge, R.E. Lightning Challenge and the Menards Pole Award.[7]

After the 2014 ARCA season had ended, Mitchell made his Camping World Truck Series debut with MMM in the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.[8] Mitchell, who had to qualify for the race based on his time, made the race with a lap time of 32.588 seconds and speed of 165.705 miles per hour (266.676 km/h), and he started the race in 18th.[11] Mitchell finished the race in 16th.[12]

In 2015, defending ARCA Rookie of the Year Austin Wayne Self[13] and Ryan London, crew chief of Enfinger,[14] joined MMM, and Mitchell scaled back his schedule, driving part-time.[13] During the season, Mitchell drove the No. 78, and scored a hometown victory at Iowa in July.[15] He also competed for Venturini Motorsports' No. 55 Toyota at Berlin Raceway, finishing second.[16] Later in the year, the team also fielded the No. 88 for Truck Series driver John Wes Townley at Kansas Speedway.[17] At the same race, Mitchell recorded his third career win.[18]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Camping World Truck Series

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

  1. ↑ "Biography". Mason Mitchell Motorsports. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  2. ↑ "2012 Prairie Meadows 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Inabinett, Mark (March 18, 2014). "Mason Mitchell's motto for ARCA success: Beat Frank Kimmel every week". The Birmingham News. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Mason Mitchell drives Ford to 2014 ARCA championship". Autoweek. October 4, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  5. ↑ "2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame 150". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ Donnelly, Doug (January 17, 2015). "Mason Mitchell transitions to team owner". ARCA Racing Series. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 "Mason Mitchell to be honored at ARCA banquet". Motorsport.com. December 10, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Pennell, Jay (November 6, 2014). "ARCA champ Mason Mitchell to make NCWTS debut in Homestead". Foxsports.com. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ "ARCA Racing Series standings for 2014". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  10. ↑ Covitz, Randy (October 2, 2015). "Mason Mitchell eager to put finishing touches on great ARCA season". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  11. ↑ "2014 Ford EcoBoost 200 qualifying results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  12. ↑ "2014 Ford EcoBoost 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Radebaugh, Don (March 6, 2015). "ARCA Owner, Driver Champ Mitchell sorting through new role at Mason Mitchell Motorsports; debuting new ARCA Racing Series composite body at Mobile". ARCA Racing Series. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Ryan "Pickle" London Named Crew Chief for Mason Mitchell Motorsports". Mason Mitchell Motorsports. January 13, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  15. ↑ Associated Press (July 17, 2015). "Mason Mitchell wins ARCA Racing Series event at home Iowa track". Fox News Channel. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  16. ↑ "2015 Federated Auto Parts 200". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  17. ↑ "John Wes back in the ARCA saddle for S'loonshine 98.9 at Kansas". ARCA Racing Series. October 13, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
  18. ↑ "2015 Full Throttle S'loonshine 98.9". Racing-Reference. Retrieved October 21, 2015.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Frank Kimmel		 ARCA Racing Series Champion
2014 		Succeeded by
Grant Enfinger
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