Mason Mingus Will Double Up During SpeedFest Weekend
High School Wrestling Star Will Miss Time Trials at Lanier
2011 has all the makings of an amazing year for high-schooler Mason Mingus. But before the 2010 Ken-Ten Late Model Series Champion can start his racing season, he has to take care of his after school activities. Mingus is a varsity wrestler at Franklin Road Academy in Nashville, TN. His upcoming schedule on the mat includes a regional qualifying tournament that will take place on Saturday, January 29th. That is right in the middle of Georgia’s Lanier National Speedway SpeedFest weekend - in which Mingus has entered in the CRA Super Series Super Late Model event on Sunday, January 30th.
“Racing is my favorite sport and wrestling is my second favorite sport, so it will be a fun weekend,” said Mingus. “We plan on going down to practice on Thursday or Friday and then leave that night and come back to Tennessee. After the meet on Saturday, we will then head back to Georgia for the race on Sunday”.
Mingus is a varsity starter in the 152 pound weight class and has had phenomenal season with several top five-finishes in his weight class. With only a handful of losses, Mingus looks to have a strong run as he gears up for the state tournament in a few weeks.
“Wrestling is good at keeping me occupied during the off season,” added Mingus. “If I didn’t have anything to do I would sit around and think about racing all winter.”
While Mingus is in Tennessee for the meet qualifying, will take place on Saturday at Lanier. The plan is to have former CRA Champion, Chuck Barnes Jr. qualify the car. Barnes is the driver coach and crew chief for the Mingus racing efforts in 2011.
“Because of the tournament on Saturday, we will not be able to make a qualifying run at Lanier,” added Mingus. “We know we can get the car dialed in right and Chuck Barnes, my crew chief will take the car out for the qualifying laps. Chuck is great guy and he has really helped us a bunch this season.”
If Barnes can put the car anywhere in the top 20 then Mingus will start 20th on the grid. CRA Super Series has a rule that will allow a relief driver for qualifying, but the driver starting the feature will have to fall back to be the last car in line of the cars that are locked in. Mingus will be locked into the field if he doesn’t start in the top 20.
“It’s going to be a long weekend and I just need to stay focused,” said Mingus. “When I step on to the mat all I am thinking about is wrestling, and when I get into the racecar all I think about in driving. They are my two favorite sports and it’s going to be a fun weekend.”
SpeedFest at Lanier National Speedway (GA) gets underway with practice on Friday, January 28th, qualifying on Saturday and racing on Sunday with a 200 lap Super Late Model event.
Mason Mingus ended 2010 on a high note at the Snowball Derby. (Jamie Williams Photo)
