Mike Griffith: Two-time Grand National West champ seeks a sponsor
| Wednesday, Mar 26 2008 08:12 PM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 08:42 PM
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Mike Duncan gives out a yell after taking a second place in a 2005 race at Mesa Marin.
There's new sponsorship for the longest-running stock car series on the West Coast -- The NASCAR Grand National West Division is now NASCAR Camping World Series West -- but a lack of sponsorship is keeping Bakersfield's Mike Duncan off the track.
Duncan, who won series championships in 2004 and 2005, will have a 73-race consecutive start streak snapped when the newly named series kicks off the 2008 season Saturday night at All American Speedway in Roseville.
"We never secured any sponsors so we have to put everything on hold," said Duncan, who has started every West race since November 2001. "You want to run all the races so you're in the points. There's a lot of other perks that go with being there every week. I hate to miss any. It is what it is."
As it stands now, Duncan, 46, could be out the entire 13-race season.
"I can't do anything without any help, there is no way," he said. "Everything is ready to go but you have to have all the pieces of the puzzle. We're missing one of the most important pieces.
"It's just timing. Life is full of scenarios that are timing related. Our timing is off right now. We had some good times and hopefully we run again. I still feel I have a lot left as far as being able to compete."
Duncan finished second in series points last season with one victory and five other top-five finishes.
"It's going to be difficult watching the race (which will air live on HDNet at 8:38 p.m.)," Duncan said.
While Duncan will be missing from action in the Toyota NAPA Auto Care 150, two other Bakersfield drivers will be in the mix -- David Mayhew and Eric Richardson -- both of whom are former Late Model track champions at the old Mesa Marin Raceway.
Richardson, who finished 10th in points as a rookie last year, will be running a part-time schedule.
Mayhew, who moved from Atascadero to Bakersfield a couple of years ago, is the primary driver for the Golden Gate Racing team, the West Coast team for the Richard Childress driver development program. Steve Portenga is crew chief for the team and the cars are housed at his shop west of Bakersfield.
"In all the years I've been racing, this team is the most prepared for a whole season of racing that I have ever seen," Portenga said. "It's a nice position to be in."
Mayhew, 26, joined the Golden Gate Racing team midway through last season.
FIVE DIVISIONS AT SPEEDWAY
IMCA Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, American Stocks, Mini Stocks and Mini Dwarfs will be in action Saturday at Bakersfield Speedway. Racing starts at 6 p.m.
Brad Pounds has emerged as the early favorite in the IMCA Modified division as he has a victory and third-place in two outings and leads Darren Hopkins by six points.
Richie McGowan, who won the opening race, continues to pace the Hobby Stock division through three races and is eight points up on Justin Schweitzer, who is looking for his first win. Wayne Dotson made it three winners with three races with a victory last Saturday night. Jason Bannister has the other win.
Kevin Irwin and Steven Johnson have each won an American Stock race with Irwin leading in points by four over Jackie Wood. Chris Holloway has a win and runner-up finish in two Mini Stock races and is four points up on Jared Schweitzer.
QUICK SHIFTS
* The Western Allstars Late Model Series returns to action Saturday night at Kings Speedway in Hanford. Bobby Hogge of Watsonville won the season-opening race on March 1 at Bakersfield Speedway.
* M.K. Kanke of Frazier Park will be among the drivers competing Saturday in the season-opening Flashco SRL Southwest Tour Series at All American Speedway in Roseville. Kanke, the winningest driver in the old NASCAR Southwest Tour series, has not competed at Roseville since the late 1980s.
