The Vault
2005 – MIKE MULLEN WINS AT 18, PARKER STILL WINS IN HIS ’50’S AND MORE
Posted on: Saturday January 14, 2023
Mike Mullen shown here 3-wheeling his 2005 IMCA modified during his rookie campaign as an 18-year-old in 2005. (photo courtesy of Mike Mullen)
(The following is a motorsports column penned by Joe Verdegan for the Green Bay Press Gazette on July 13, 2005)
Chalk one up for the youth movement.
Mike Mullen, an 18-year-old and recent graduate of Seymour High School, fought off a wild pack of competitors including his own father, five time track champion Brian Mullen, to win his first career IMCA modified feature at Luxemburg Speedway Sunday night.
“I honestly didn’t think I’d win a feature in my first year of racing,” confessed Mike Mullen. “I was planning on finishing in the top five or maybe the top ten. I surprised myself a little bit, I guess.”
During the contest Mike fought off his dad, who ran the outside line and even bumped his son once. “He got a little loose and I gave him a shot just to keep his attention span going a little,” joked Brian Mullen.
While Mike Mullen may have surprised himself, his father wasn’t as shocked. “You’ve gotta remember this kid’s been working on these cars with me in the shop for quite a few years now,” said Brian Mullen.
“The track was slick and black. Our cars work better like that. Our theory is the dry tracks take the motor right out of it. It benefits teams like us that work on our chassis continuously in the shop.”
One thing that the elder Mullen applies to deciding what track’s his son will race on is the type of racing surface. “When you get the track’s really wet and there is a lot of bite (traction) like there was earlier in the year, guys are going much faster and they drive way over their heads. That’s why he stayed away from Luxemburg the first few weeks when the track was in tough shape. Now they’ve got things figured out and he’ll be running every week when I run there, too.”
The younger Mullen had only raced at Luxemburg a handful of times, but has quickly gotten the hang of racing IMCA modifieds. “I race every Tuesday night down at Oshkosh and we’ve done pretty well down there,” said Mike Mullen, who’s best finish so far this season has been third. “I’m twelfth in points down there. I’ve got a good rookie battle going with Jarrod Anvelink, who’s like two points ahead of me (at Oshkosh). Mullen and Anvelink raced against each other in kart racing for three seasons.
Mike Mullen is pondering going to school to learn welding. In the meantime he’ll continue his baptism by fire Tuesday nights at Oshkosh and Friday nights at Luxemburg. “Racing’s a deal where the more you do it the better you get,” said Mike Mullen. “Seat time is a good thing.”
POPULAR WIN – Ageless Pete Parker readily admits the wins are a lot harder to come by these days. Wisconsin’s winningest dirt late model driver, who has nearly 400 career wins under his belt, chalked up his first victory of the season, winning the 40 lap Battle of The Burg’ dirt late model feature at Luxemburg Speedway Sunday night. Parker, who’s in his mid 50’s, drew arguably one of the loudest ovations all year from the crowd when he climbed out of his racer in victory lane.
DIEMEL DOUBLES – Bonduel’s AJ Diemel doubled up on feature wins in his WISSOTA late model this past weekend. The third-generation driver captured feature wins at Langlade County Speedway in Antigo and at Shawano Speedway this year, giving him a total of eight wins on the season.
MASHL’S BACK – While only competing on a part time basis in 2005, De Pere’s Mike Mashl won his second straight modified feature at Powercom Speedzone in Oshkosh Tuesday night.
BIG WHEELS ROLLIN’ – Kid’s Big Wheel races will take place at intermission during tonight’s program at Luxemburg Speedway. The track’s four weekly classes plus the Lady 4’s will be in action, beginning at 7 p.m. There will be no racing on Friday, July 22 due to the Kewaunee County Fair.
SHAWANO ON THURSDAY – Shawano Speedway will host a rare Thursday night race on July 21. All four of the track’s weekly divisions will be in action. Shawano, which normally hosts races on Saturday nights, is hosting the mid-week show in an effort to make up for several rainouts earlier in the year. It will be a full track and national points night for all of the divisions. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m.
BUDWEISER TRIPLE CROWN – Round two of the Budweiser Triple Crown series takes place Thursday, July 21 at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna. 50 lap features are run in the super late model and limited late model divisions. Racing gets underway at 7:30 p.m.
DROUGHT ENDED – Two Rivers Gregg Haese ended a three year drought by winning the super late model feature at Wisconsin International Raceway last Thursday night. Haese, who competed on a part time basis for De Pere’s BUCO Racing a few years back, has not run weekly at WIR during the last two seasons, instead running weekly at Slinger Super Speedway on Sunday nights.
SEYMOUR BACK ON – After having last Sunday night off due to the Outagamie County Fair, weekly stock car racing resumes at Seymour Speedway this Sunday night beginning at 5 p.m. WISSOTA late models, IMCA modifieds, IMCA stock cars, street stocks and 4 bangers compete.
INEX LEGENDS – The traveling INEX Legends series will be a part of the weekly racing program this Saturday night at Manitowoc County Expo Speedway this Saturday night. Winged supermodifieds, limited late models, Eastern 8’s, super stocks and Mighty 4’s compete beginning at 6:30 p.m.