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Richmond International Raceway May 2008

GREEN, TEAM 70 FINISH 22nd AT RICHMOND 

RICHMOND, Va. - With Mark Green behind the wheel of the No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevy, ML Motorsports finished 22nd in Friday night's Lipton Tea 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

Denny Hamlin won the race at the .75-mile short track, followed in the top five by Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Steven Wallace and David Ragan.

Green and Team 70 entered with the momentum of a career-best fifth-place finish last week at Talladega and started the day Friday by posting the quickest speed in practice and then qualifying a career-best fourth for the 43-car field. The Warsaw, Indiana-based team's previous best qualifying effort was a seventh-place spot last year
at Bristol.

A flat right rear tire on lap 168, as well as the car not responding to changing track conditions, left the team with a 22nd-place finish after they started the day so well. The next race on the schedule for Green and Team 70 is the June 7 Federated Auto Parts 300.

submitted 5/2/08 by Dale Hubler


GREEN STARTS 4th IN THE LIPTON TEA 250

Richmond, VA - Following a 5th place finish at Talladega, Mark Green will start 4th in the Lipton Tea 250 after posting a qualifying run of 21.659 seconds, at a speed of 124.659. Green was fastest in the practice session this morning with a quick lap time of 21.646 seconds, a speed of 124.792 mph

Kasey Kahne will start from the pole, followed by Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Green, and Clint Bowyer. The Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet is the fastest Chevrolet in the starting lineup.

"The car is handling well and Richmond is a great short track" states Green after his qualifying run. "I'm looking forward to running the #70 car in tonights race because it's handling so well. Brian and the crew did a great job getting the car ready for short track racing".

Start time for the Lipton Tea 250 is scheduled for 7:00 pm and will be broadcast on ESPN Classic and SPEED.

GREEN FASTEST IN RICHMOND PRACTICE

Richmond, VA - During the only practice session at Richmond International Raceway, Mark Green and Team 70 posted the quickest lap time of 21.646 seconds, a speed of 124.792 mph. Mark was followed in the top five by Kasey Kahne, Mike Bliss, Landon Cassill, and Kyle Busch. Qualifying is slated for 4:05 pm; the race is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm tonight. The Lipton Tea 250 will be broadcast on ESPN Classic and SPEED.
5/2/08 - 11:30 am
 

GREEN, TEAM 70 TAKING MOMENTUM TO RICHMOND

WARSAW, Ind. - Although Talladega Superspeedway and Richmond International Raceway are drastically different, Mark Green and ML Motorsports will take momentum from one to the other this weekend.

Following a fifth-place finish in this past weekend's Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway, Green and Team 70 will steer toward Virginia, where they will participate in Friday evening's Lipton Tea 250 at the .75-mile Richmond International Raceway.

The fifth-place finish at Talladega was the best-ever finish in a NASCAR race for ML Motorsports. Their previous best was a 19th-place effort at Gateway in 2007 with Green behind the wheel.

Practice for Friday's race is scheduled for Friday at 8:45 am, while qualifying is slated for 4:05 pm.  The race will get underway at 7:30 pm and will be broadcast on ESPN Classic and SPEED.
4/30/08 - 2:30 pm
submitted by Dale Hubler
 

 

Talladega Superspeedway 2008

GREEN, TEAM 70 SCORE 5th PLACE FINISH AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY!!!

TALLADEGA, Ala. - In a car rebuilt after it was in a multi-car crash in the season-opener at Daytona, ML Motorsports driver Mark Green finished fifth in Saturday's Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. 

The fifth-place finish was the best finish in the short NASCAR career of the Warsaw, Indiana-based ML Motorsports team, topping the team's previous best finish of 19th at Gateway with Green behind the wheel during the 2007 season. 

Tony Stewart, who held off a last-lap charge from Dale Earnhardt Jr., won Saturday's race, followed the top five by David Stremme, Bobby Hamilton Jr., Jason Leffler and Green. Earnhardt finished sixth. 

In giving ML Motorsports its best-ever finish, Green also moved up nine spots in the 2008 driver standings, and now stands 40th after competing in five of 10 races so far this season. Green and Team 70's previous best finish this season was a 24th-place effort at Bristol. Green and ML Motorsports have also competed in races this season at Daytona (41st), Nashville (26th) and Texas (28th).

In the race at Daytona, Green was caught up in a multi-car crash in both practice and the race. The northern Indiana-based team had to re-clip and rebuild their primary restrictor-plate car, and judging by Saturday's finish, the team has plenty of reasons to be proud of their efforts. 

Green and Team 70 will now turn their attention to a short track race, as they will look to make their sixth start of the season Friday at Richmond International Raceway.

QUALIFYING RESULTS

Mark Green, driving the #70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet, qualified 26th Friday afternoon for Saturday's Aarons 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway. Green made his way around the high-banked, 2.66-mile track in 52.69 seconds at a speed of 181.728 mph. Green will start on the outside of row 13 next to Steven Wallace. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole for the race, followed in the top five by Mike Bliss, Jason Leffler, Dario Franchitti, and Brad Kesolowski.

The Aarons 312 is scheduled to air live on ABC at 3:00 pm ET.

2nd Practice

ML Motorsports driver Mark Green was 17th quick in Thursday's final NASCAR Nationwide Series practice at Talladega Superspeedway.

Green, driving the #70 Biomet/Foretravel Chevy, turned a lap of 50.337 seconds, a speed of 190.238 mph, around the high-banked, 2.66-mile superspeedwway.

Jason Leffler was the fastest of the 43 cars that turned laps, followed in the top five by Mike Bliss, Marcos Ambrose, Cale Gale, and Mike Wallace.

Qualifying for Saturday's Aaron's 312 is scheduled for today 5:05 pm ET. Saturday's is slated to air live on ABC at 3:00 pm ET.


GREEN, TEAM 70 18th-QUICK IN FIRST 'DEGA PRACTICE

Talladega-AL - Mark Green, driving the #70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet, turned the 18th-quickest lap in Thursdays first practice session at Talladega Superspeedway.

Green, driving for Warsaw, Indiana-bases ML Motorsports, circled the 2.66 mile superspeedway in 50.344 seconds at a speed of 190.211 mph.

Steven Wallace was fastest in Thursday's first practice session, followed in the top five by Jason Leffler, Marcos Ambrose, David Reutimann, and Mike Wallace.

GREEN, TEAM 70 GOIN' PLATE RACIN' AT TALLADEGA

With the disappointment of Daytona behind them, Mark Green and the ML Motorsports team are anxious for Saturday's Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Green qualified 12th for the season opener at Daytona, a solid quailifying effort against a number of Nextel Cup drivers who were entered in the Nationwide Series race.

Unfortunate things tend to happen at  Daytona though, and Green was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time twice during Speedweeks in February, leaving the Indiana-based team with two badly wrecked cars in practice and the race. Green and Team 70 left Daytona with a 41st place finish.

This weekend they will have the opportunity to go restrictor plate racing again in the Aaron's 312 at Talladega. The first practice session is scheduled for Thursday afternoon for 4:00 pm ET, while qualifying is slated for 5:05 pm ET Friday. The Aaron's 312 is scheduled for 3:00 pm ET Saturday and will be shown live on ABC.

This will be the fifth start of the season for Green and ML Motorsports, who have also made starts this season at Daytona, Bristol, Nashville, and Texas. Following this weekend's race at the popular 2.66-mile Alabama speedplant, ML Motorsports will be at Richmond International Raceway for the Lipton Tea 250 on May 2nd.

 

 

Texas Motor Speedway

GREEN, TEAM 70 FINISH 28th AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY

Fort Worth, Texas - A race in which only 14 of 43 cars finished on the lead lap, ML Motorsports driver Mark Green earned a 28th place finish in Saturday's O'Reilly 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Green, driving the Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach No. 70 Chevrolet, started the 300-mile event in the 42nd spot after Thursday's qualifying was rained out. Saturday's race was the seventh race on the 2008 Nationwide Series schedule. Green and ML Motorsports have competed in four races this season, Daytona, Bristol, Nashville, and Texas.

A race that was dominated by Kevin Harvick, who broke an axle coming off pit road, Kyle Busch dominated the latter stages of the event and took the checkered flag for the first time this season. Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, Bobby Labonte, and Jaime McMurray rounded out the top five. David Reutimann, in the 14th position, was the last car on the lead lap.

Green and ML Motorsports will be in action again on April 26th in the Aaron's 312 at Talladega Superspeedway, where restrictor plates slow the cars down and keep them in large packs. In the last restrictor plate race Green and ML Motorsports competed in, the season opener at Daytona, Green qualified 12th and was running mid-pack when he was involved in a multi-car crash.

submitted by Dale Hubler 4/6/08

QUALIFYING RAINED OUT, GREEN TO START 42nd AT TEXAS

Fort Worth, Texas - Weather forced the cancellation of Thursday's NASCAR Nationwide Series qualifying at Texas Motor Speedway but won't keep ML Motorsports driver Mark Green from starting Saturday's race.

Green, driving the No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet, will start 42nd in Saturday's O'Reilly 300, the seventh race on the 35-race Nationwide Series schedule.

Saturday's start will be the fourth start of the season for Green and ML Motorsports, who have also competed this season at Daytona, Bristol, and Nashville.

Green and ML Motorsports competed in the fall race at Texas during the 2007, qualifying 32nd and finishing 36th at the super-fast 1.5-mile track.

Coverage of Saturday's O'Reilly 300 is scheduled to begin at 2:30 pm ET on ESPN2.


GREEN 30TH IN TEXAS PRACTICE SESSION

Fort Worth, Texas- Rain forced NASCAR officials to combine the first scheduled practice and Happy Hour into one segment for the NASCAR Nationwide Series today Thursday at Texas Motor Speedway.

Forty-four cars took times during the weather-altered practice, with ML Motorsports driver Mark Green claiming the 30th-quick spot on the board.

Green, driving the No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet circled the 1.5-mile track in 30.434 seconds at a speed of 177.433 miles per hour.

David Reutimann turned the quickest lap, followed in the top five by Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers, Kyle Busch, and Robby Gordon.

Saturday's O'Reilly 300 is scheduled to air live on ESPN2 at 3:00 pm ET. Qualifying for Saturday's event is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET Thursday (weather permitting).     

TEAM 70 TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY PREVIEW

It's been said that everything is bigger in Texas. When Mark Green and ML Motorsports roll into the Lonestar State for this weekend's O'Reilly 300 at Texas Motor Speedway it will be a big deal for the Warsaw, Indiana-based team's sponsorship partners.

Attempting to make their fourth NASCAR Nationwide Series start of the 2008 season, Green and Team 70 will have several Foretravel Motorcoach employees on hand to cheer on their efforts at the 1.5-mile track.

Foretravel was founded in 1967 by C.M. and Marie Fore. Just as ML Motorsports is trying to move to the forefront of the Nationwide Series, the Fores have already done that in the luxury motorcoach industry. They built their first motorcoach in their backyard, the 29-foot Speedy Marie. In 1974, they built the first diesel-powered motor home. The 41-year-old luxury motorcoach company is located in Nacogdoches, Texas. Foretravel Motorcoach is the Official Motorcoach of Texas Motor Speedway.

Also located in Texas is the World Craniofacial Foundation, which was founded in1996 by Dr. Kenneth Salyer. The WCF's motto is to "give help, hope, and healing to people with craniofacial abnormalities and their families". The WCF logo is proudly displayed on the "B" pillar of the #70 Chevrolet.

In three previous starts this season, Green has finished 41st at Daytona, 24th at Bristol, and 26th at Nashville. Green is in his second season driving the No. 70 Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet owned by Mary Louise Miller and her daughter Stephany Mullen.

Sunday's O'Reilly 300 is scheduled to air live on ESPN2 at 3:00 pm ET Saturday, April 5th. Practice and qualifying is slated for Thursday, April 3rd.

                                                        

 

 

Bristol Spring Race

BRISTOL UPDATE!!!

GREEN FINISHES 24th at Bristol Motor Speedway

After a rain delayed start to the Sharpie Mini 300, Mark Green and Team 70 posted a 24th place finish.


3/15/08: Practice was rescheduled for this morning at 8:00 am with Mark Green posting a quick laptime of 16.146 (118.841 mph) placing Green 29th on the board. Qualifying has been cancelled and the field will start based on owner points with Green starting 43rd.

Mar 15: Bristol, TN - NASCAR Nationwide drivers have managed to get on the track this morning and get in some practice runs prior to the race this afternoon. Qualifying was replaced with a practice session today due the the rain-out of Practice yesterday - in order to give the drivers and teams a chance to sort out the race setup's on the cars and get some laps in. During practice the #41 driven by Bryan Clauson drove it into the wall hard in turns 1&2. #2 Clint Bowyer was fastest during practice followed by #22 Mike Bliss, #66 Steve Wallace, #32 Kyle Busch, #6 David Regan, #20 Denny Hamlin, #30 Santon Barrett, #9 Kasey Kahne, #11 Jason Keller and finishing the top ten #33 Kevin Harvick. Based on current weather radar in the area there is a band of thunder storms to the west headed directly towards Bristol. More updates and complete practice speeds to follow: (TheHotLap) (03-15-08)

3/14/08: Friday practice has been rained out and the team is waiting to see when the weather will clear in order to get in a practice session. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday at 9:40 am weather permitting. Check back for updates and photos to be posted later this weekend.

Posted March 11, 2008

GREEN, ML MOTORSPORTS GOING SHORT TRACK RACIN'

After a three-race hiatus, Mark Green and ML Motorsports will be in action in Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series Sharpie Mini 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

In the season opener at Daytona, Green was collected in multi-car accidents in both practice and the race, and now he and the Warsaw, Indiana-based team are headed to a place trading paint and rubbin' fenders is common. 

During the 2007 season, Green and Team 70 teamed up at Bristol for the fall race, in which Green qualified a season-best seventh. He finished 25th and on the lead lap in the race.

The goal will be the same, to qualify as well as they can for Saturday's Sharpie Mini 300 and finish as well as they can in the race, but there will be one noticeable change this weekend for veteran Mark Green and Team 70. Brian Ross is currently serving as interim crew chief and will be assisted by chassis consultant, Skip Eyler.

Saturday's race is scheduled to air live on ABC at 2:30 pm. There are two practice sessions Friday, and qualifying is set for 9:40 am Saturday.

Green and ML Motorsports have tentatively scheduled 20 NASCAR Nationwide Series races for the 2008 season.

 


 

Camping World 300 News

CAMPING WORLD 300 - Daytona International Speedway, February 2008

GREEN TAKEN OUT IN SEASON OPENER

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - As far as the Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener goes, ML Motorsports driver Mark Green was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Green, driving the No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevy, was on his fifth lap in practice Thursday when Clint Bowyer made contact with him, severely crippling the Warsaw, Indiana-based team's primary car. After qualifying 12th in the backup car, Green was running 21st in the race when Greg Biffle got loose and Green was collected by David Gilliland, careening hard off the outside wall on the 54th of 120 laps. Green ended up finishing 41st out of 43 cars in the 300-mile event. Tony Stewart won the season-opening event, followed in the top five by Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Brian Vickers and Matt Kenseth. The northern Indiana team now has the duty of rebuilding two superspeedway cars.


Green and ML Motorsports will be in action again March 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway.


2/15/08 Daytona Beach, FL

Being forced to pull out the backup car after a multi-car crash in Thursdays practice session didn't slow the Warsaw, Indiana-based ML Motorsports. Green, driving the No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet, wrecked in practice Thursday when Richard Childress Racing driver Clint Bowyer made contact with him, destroying the northern Indiana teams' primary car.

After scurrying to get the backup car ready and through inspection, Green was able to turn just four laps Thursday in preparation for Saturday's Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway, where the NASCAR Nationwide Series will open the 2008 season.

In Friday's qualifying round, Green qualified 12th in the 43 car field with a lap time of 50.225 seconds at a speed of 179.194 miles per hour. Tony Stewart qualified on the pole, followed in the top five by Clint Bowyer, Jason Leffler, Dario Franchitti, and Kyle Busch.

 

QUALIFYING NEWS!!!

Mark Green and Team 70 qualified for the Camping World 300 with a time of 50.225 (179.194). Green will be starting the Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet in 12th.

 

DAYTONA BEACH, FLWrecked Car

Because of a wreck in Thursday's first practice session, ML Motorsports was forced to pull out its backup car at Daytona International Speedway.

Trying to find speed in preparation for Saturday's season-opening Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race, the wreck occurred on the fifth lap of morning practice when the #7 driven by Clint Bowyer was involved in an accident along with Carl Edwards #60, David Reutimann #99, David Stremme #64 and the #70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet driven by Mark Green.

Team 70 readied the backup car in short time and Green was able to get four laps in the final minutes of the practice session. The team is currently scrambling to get the backup car ready and through inspection for Friday's qualifying round, which is scheduled for 3:10 pm. Saturday's race is scheduled for 1:00 pm on ESPN2. See more photos

NEWS FROM THEHOTLAP.COM

Feb 14: Daytona, FL  - the Camping World 300 second practice was lead by the #00 RIMCO Toyota driven by Michael McDowell with a lap time of 47.998 at at speed of 187.547 - Second was the #64 Atreus Homes & Communities Chevy driven by David Stremme with a lap time of 47.994 at a speed of 187.523 - Third was #24 Hefty Brand Chevy driven by Eric McClure with a 48.027 and a speed of 187.395. Unfortunately early into the session the #64 driven by David Stremme was involved in an accident along with Carl Edwards #60, David Reutimann #99 and Mark Green #70. At this point it looks like everyone will be able to fix their cars with the exception of Mark Green who will go to his backup car. First and Second practice speeds are posted on the "Schedule" page.(TheHotLap) (02-14-08) 

NOTES FROM DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY

Practice 2 (2/14/08):

The morning practice was cut short by an incident involving the #70 Foretravel Chevrolet. After logging a lap time of 49.374, the #70 had contact with another car causing heavy damage to the 70 car. Preparations are under way to ready the backup car for qualifying tomorrow afternoon.

Practice 1 (2/13/08):

Although it had been sprinkling intermittently throughout the day, the NASCAR Nationwide series was able to complete the first practice of the season. Mark Green and Team 70 posted their quickest lap at 49.382 (182.253 mph), which put them  31st on the board.

Second practice is scheduled for Thursday, February 14th at 9:15 am with qualifying slated for Friday at 3:10 pm. Team 70 will be the 32nd car out to qualify.

 

Archives

ELEMENTARY STUDENTS TO TOUR ML MOTORSPORTS SHOP

A group of students from Washington Elementary School in Warsaw will get the chance to see the ML Motorsports shop up close and personal. The elementary students will tour the 40,000-square foot shop on an upcoming field trip Tuesday, April 29th. The students will be able to ask ML Motorsports team members questions about their jobs, as well as tour the shop.

The ML Motorsports team will be in action again April 26th at Talladega Superspeedway in the Aaron's 312.

4/18/08

RICHMOND TEST SESSION

3/27/08

Richmond, VA - In Tuesday's second day of NASCAR Nationwide Series testing at Richmond International Raceway, veteran driver Mark Green and the ML Motorsports team experimented with a number of setups and put two No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolets on the .75-mile track.

Green was 24th-quick out of 30 cars in Tuesday's afternoon session, touring the track in 22.093 seconds, a speed of 122.211 milers per hour. Bobby Hamilton turned the quickest lap in Tuesday's first session, followed in the top five by Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, and Brad Coleman.

In the evening session, Green was 17th-quick in the primary car with a time of 21.947 seconds, a speed of 123.024 miles per hour. In the team's backup car, Green turned a lap time of 22.219 seconds at a speed of 121.518 miles per hour. Brad Kesolowski was quickest on the board in Tuesday's evening session, followed by Kelly Bires, Jason Keller, Marcos Ambrose, and David Stremme.

Greens quickest lap of the two day session came in Monday's afternoon session, where he turned a lap time of 21.791 seconds, a speed of 123.904 miles per hour. The Nationwide Series teams were testing for the May 2nd Funai 250.

3/25/08

Richmond, VA - Mark Green ML Motorsports participated in the NASCAR Nationwide Series test at Richmond International Raceway on Monday.

Green, driving the No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevrolet, was 15th-quick out of 32 cars in the afternoon session, touring the .75-mile track in 21.791 seconds at a speed of 123.904 miles per hour.

Mike Wallace turned the fastest lap in Monday's first session, followed in the top five by David Ragan, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, and Landon Cassill.

In Monday's evening session, Green was 29th on the board, turning a lap of 22.21 seconds, a speed of 121.567 miles per hour. Edwards was the quickest in the session, followed in the top five by Bobby Labonte, Mike Bliss, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth.


Posted February 2008

CREW CHIEF CHANGE AT ML MOTORSPORTS

WARSAW, IN - NASCAR Nationwide Series team ML Motorsports and veteran crew chief Tom Sokoloski have mutually agreed to part ways, according to team officials.

"Tom was with us for five seasons" said Team President Ed Mullen. "We thank him for everything and wish him all the best".

Sokoloski spent five full seasons working with the Warsaw, Indiana-based team. He worked with drivers Jason Jarrett, Chad Blount, Justin Diercks, and Mark Green. Brian Ross is currently working as the interim crew chief for Team 70.

Green and ML Motorsports will be in action again March 15 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Posted February 2008

TEAM 70 READY TO GO RACIN'

WARSAW, Ind. - Though the offseason - if you can call it that - went by quick, the boys at ML Motorsports are ready to go racing again. ML Motorsports, with veteran driver Mark Green behind the wheel, will kick off its 10th season of competition when it attempts the NASCAR Nationwide Series Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 16th.

Green drove the No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevy in 10 races last season, with his best finish being 19th at Gateway International Raceway. His best qualifying effort was seventh at Bristol Motor Speedway.

After spending last season together getting to know each other and gaining experience, Green and Team 70 hope their efforts pay off during the 2008 season. Only time will tell. Green and Team 70 have plans to run 20 Nationwide Series races during the 2008 season.

Daytona PreSeason Thunder

DAYTONA TEST UPDATE

Day 2, Afternoon Session ( 1/21/08):

During the afternoon draft session, Mark's quickest lap was 49.246 (182.756 mph) which was 12th quickest of the session.

Day 2, Morning Session (1/21/08):

In the #70 backup car, Mark posted a lap time of 50.253 (179.094 mph) which put Team 70 in 10th for the morning session.

Day 1, Afternoon Session (1/20/08):

Mark Green improved to 26th in the second session with a lap time of 49.672 (181.189 mph). The backup car placed 37th with a lap time of 50.685 (176.939 mph).

Day 1, Morning Session (1/20/08):

Mark Green was 37th in the morning test session with a lap time of 51.262 (175.569 mph).


Celebrating our 10th Anniversary

Rome, the experts have said, wasn't built in a day. Neither was ML Motorsports.

But with vision by its caring owners and determination from its hard-working employees, the Warsaw, Indiana-based stock car team certainly has grown in the last decade.

And when the team, with veteran driver Mark Green behind the wheel, takes to the track for the Feb. 16 Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway ML Motorsports will kick off its 10th season.

"It's hard to believe it's been it's been 10 years," said crew member Tim Frantz, the team's transport driver and one of its original employees. "It's been very rewarding. I've gone from dreaming the dream to living the dream. Thanks to Dane and Mary Louise Miller, I've gone places I never thought I'd go."

The team is owned by Mary Louise Miller and her daughter Stephany Mullen. The mother-daughter duo is no stranger to the business world; as Miller's husband Dr. Dane A Miller (Mullen's father) is one of the four founders of artificial implant giant Biomet.

The team was founded in 1998 and made its first start in February of 1999 in an ARCA race at Daytona. Jimmy Kitchens was the driver then, and the team started its inaugural race on the inside of the seventh row.

The team, which has prided itself on staying in northern Indiana and employs crew members from the basketball/racing community of Warsaw, spent its first six full seasons of competition in the ARCA Series with drivers Jimmy Kitchens, Andy Hillenburg, Brian Ross, Jason Jarrett and Chad Blount. Ross and Jarrett, the son of Dale Jarrett and grandson of Ned Jarrett, were named ARCA Rookie of the Year, during their first seasons with ML Motorsports. Jarrett won two races for ML Motorsports, while Blount won four.

 Since that first ARCA race, ML Motorsports has grown from a team that used a stall in a car museum to fielding cars out of an 8,000-square foot hangar at Warsaw Municipal Airport to where it is located today, in a beautiful 40,000-square foot shop just off U.S. 30W in Warsaw.

"When people walk through the doors out here, you can't tell if you're in northern Indiana or North Carolina," said Frantz, who joined the team full-time prior to the start of the 2001 season. "We've got a shop that rivals some shops in North Carolina."

During the 2007 season, ML Motorsports made 17 starts (seven with Diercks and 10 with Green) in the NASCAR Busch Series. The series is under new sponsorship and is now called the NASCAR Nationwide Series.

Green will be the driver for Miller and Mullen's No. 70 Biomet/Foretravel Motorcoach Chevy this season, as the team is tentatively planning on running 20 races.

Submitted by Dale Hubler, Warsaw Times Union