American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway Preview
OVERVIEW
posted on February 03, 2008
Marc Mitchell Back Where It All Began
Rookie’s Roots Firmly Planted in the Peach State
Race coverage begins on Friday, 8:30 PM on SPEED TV
Atlanta Motor Speedway Fast Facts:
• The American Commercial Lines 200 will mark Mitchell’s first-ever Craftsman Truck Series start at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.
• Mitchell has one previous ASA start at AMS. Mitchell and teammate Mark Martin were forced to start in the back of the field after qualifying was rained out. Mitchell worked his way into the top-five, but blew a tire with five laps remaining in the event.
• Mitchell finished second in the 2004 point standings of the GAS Late Model Series at Cordele Motor Speedway
• Mitchell ran a limited asphalt Late Model schedule at Senoia Speedway in the Big 8 Late Model Pro Series in 2001. He won four out of eight races.
• The No.15 Ergon Hyprene Chevrolet will compete in 21 races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2008. Mitchell is competing for Rookie of The Year Honors.
Marc Mitchell Comments on the American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway:
“I’ve raced once before at Atlanta in an ASA car (2004). It seems like Turn 2 is the key to running a good lap. There’s a bump in Turn 2 that will bounce you around. If you have to let off the throttle to gather up control, you’ll kill your lap. Momentum is the key at a big, high-banked track like at Atlanta and Turn 2 will ruin it if you’re not careful.
“My experience running the ASA car at Atlanta will be helpful. Thankfully, the time I raced there, I had Mark Martin as a teammate to show me the ropes. I just followed him around the track and learned a ton. I learned a lot about the line around the track and the different racing grooves. The Trucks have so much more horsepower, though. The ASA cars will top out around 160, so it will be a whole new ballgame with the trucks. I’m still learning how the air affects the trucks. I’m figuring out where I need to be around other trucks and how the air can help or hurt me when I’m racing for positions. California was a big boost to my learning curve and hopefully this week will be too.”
