All American Champ racing 300 tough laps Saturday in Jegs/CRA All Stars Tour Pro Late Model 100 and ARCA Menards Series East Crosley Record Pressing 200

 

It’s shaping up to be a very busy weekend of racing for Brentwood, TN native Mason Mingus.

Mingus, who currently competes at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway in the Pro Late Model Davison, will be doing double duty this weekend at the historic 5/8th-mile track when he races in the Jegs/CRA All Stars Tour 100-lap event as well as the ARCA Menards Series East Crosley Record Pressing 200. Both races are scheduled for Saturday evening so that equates to 300 tough laps for Mingus.

But that shouldn’t be too tough for the winner of the prestigious All American 400 at the Fairgrounds in 2019. Mingus finished second in the regular ARCA Series points chase to legendary ARCA driver Frank Kimmel in 2013. He also competed for several seasons in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series as well as racing in selected Xfinity races. So, 300-laps on Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway’s high banked short track, competing against some of the nation’s best Late Model and ARCA East drivers….no problem….right? Mingus smiles and says to ask him that question after the ARCA Menards Series East Crosley Record Pressing 200 ends on Saturday night.

“I was already looking forward to racing with the Pro Late Model drivers and this kind of late deal we put together with Jeff McClure to race in the ARCA East race is really exciting to me,” Mingus says. “With my job, I have to work racing in whenever I can, so to get to drive in two events on the same day is going to be a lot of fun, especially knowing that we have cars in both events that are capable of winning. Our Late Model is really good. We finished third at Salem a few weeks ago and know it’s capable of a good finish at the Fairgrounds.”

Mingus and former NASCAR driver and Fairgrounds champion, Mike Alexander, have teamed up to compete in the Fairgrounds Pro Late Model Division as well as competing at several other tracks during the 2021 season for, as Mingus says, “the fun of it”. Fun, Mingus clarifies, means being competitive and winning.

Veteran crew chief and car owner, Jeff McClure from Mooresville, North Carolina, will field Mingus’ ARCA ride for the ARCA East event.

“I know Jeff from my ARCA days,” Mingus says. “This deal was literally put together this week so we haven’t had any practice time in the car but hopefully we’ll get enough to get it set up. He definitely knows what he’s doing and typically brings good cars to the track. If we can keep our nose clean and be there at the end, we’ll have a great chance at a good finish.”

McClure says that while Mingus hasn’t driven for his team before, he is familiar with him from his days in ARCA.

“With a few minor twists and turns Mason could have, and probably should have, won the ARCA championship in 2013,” McClure says. “He is a competitor that gives

his team a chance to win when he straps in. Give him a decent car and he gets the best out of it.”

McClure has been a crew chief in a number of series including NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Truck. He has been involved in the ARCA Series as a crew chief for several top teams over the years. When he had a chance at the beginning of the season to get a car from successful ARCA team owner Chad Bryant he didn’t hesitate.

“I got the car from Chad and he has helped in setting it up,” he says. “We’ve got all new stuff in the car so we expect to be competitive, especially with Mason driving at Nashville, a track he is extremely familiar with.”

“Doing double duty will keep us busy,” Mingus says. “But, it will be fun and even more fun if we have good finishes in both races.”

 

Story – Terrell Davis, Middle Tennessee Racing News

Photo – Paradigm Racing