NASCAR SPOTTER STILL HAS THE DRIVE
Herman Set to Make First NASCAR WSMTour Start of the
Year
“The Drive” to drive is still there for Mike Herman, Jr., even though
the majority of his career in motorsports is now spent high above the
track in the spotter’s stand coaching young drivers.
Nicknamed “The Short Track Gladiator” after his role in the 2004
reality television show “The Drive” on Country Music Television, Herman
still has the desire and ability to be effective behind the wheel.
He’ll get the chance to show he can still get it done this Saturday
night when he makes his first NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
(NWSMT) start of the year at Southern National Raceway Park in Kenly,
NC.
But before Herman gets to Southern National, he’ll have to make a
stop at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to spot his third different NASCAR
Series in seven days. His busy spotter schedule started in the NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series at Gateway International Raceway on September 6th
when he called the Truck Series debut for up & coming Marc Davis,
driving the #81 for Randy Moss Motorsports. It was then straight to
Thompson, CT to spot the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour event for young
Ryan Preece, driving the famed Ole Blue #3 for Boehler Racing
Enterprises.
After Thompson, it was a quick trip back home to Kannapolis, NC for
two days to prepare the Fireside Hearth & Home/Mike Herman Racing, Inc.
NASCAR Modified, then back north to New Hampshire for Marc Davis, this
time in the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing NASCAR Camping World Series car.
Once Herman makes his way to Southern National to take the green
flag in the NWSMT race, that’ll make four different NASCAR Series in
less than a week for the versatile Herman.
“It’s a busy schedule,” said Herman. “But I wouldn’t have it any
other way. Racing has always been my focus, and I’m fortunate to work
with several great teams like Joe Gibbs Racing, Randy Moss Motorsports,
and Boehler Racing Enterprises, several great young drivers like Marc
Davis & Ryan Preece, and still very, very fortunate to have a great
partner in Fireside Hearth & Home sponsoring my team, MHR, Inc.”
“Fireside has been loyal to me for 14 years running and I owe them
a lot for playing a huge role in my career. Without them I don’t have
the experience that I have now, and I use every bit of that knowledge
when I’m on the radio with one of my drivers,” commented Herman. “It’s
also beneficial that I’m able to keep racing myself. It keeps me sharp
to know what my driver wants and needs to hear, and what he is
experiencing in the cockpit, because I go through the exact same things
on the track as well.”
So look for Herman to use all his knowledge & experience to contend
for the win at Southern National, a track where he has had success at
before.
“We’ve run really well there over the years in the Pro Cup Series,
so I look to race good, but the Modified is really different than the
stock car. I’m realistic in knowing the Mod regulars, like Tim Brown &
Burt Myers, will be really fast. I’ll follow guys like that to figure it
out, then go racing to entertain my fans,” said an enthusiastic Herman.
“I know I’ll have a lot of fan support there from the Fireside office in
nearby Raleigh.”
Saturday’s race time for the “Whelen Night of the Modifieds 380” is
6:00 pm. For more information please visit Southern National Raceway
Park’s website at
www.southernnational.net.
Follow-up Story
09/12/09
New Hampshire Rain Forces
Herman to Skip Kenly
Rain today washed out the
NASCAR Camping World East Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire. That
forces Mike Herman, Jr. to miss the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour
event at Southern National Raceway Park in Kenly, NC.
The East Series race is now scheduled for 10:00 am Saturday
morning. Herman will be spotting for Joe Gibbs Racing's Marc Davis, who
will be starting 5th in the Heluva Good! Fall 125.
In addition to Davis, Herman will also spot for NASCAR Whelen
Northern Modified Tour driver Ryan Preece in the Ole Blue #3 for Boehler
Racing Enterprises. The New Hampshire 100 is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
"I'm disappointed to miss my first Southern Mod Tour start of the
year," said Herman. "I'm especially disappointed for Fireside Hearth &
Home, since this was a big race for their Raleigh office. Fireside has
been a great partner for 14 years and I'll definitely make it up to
them."
Herman's next scheduled race is October 4th at Caraway Speedway.
