116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Iowa native Mitchell wins ARCA race at Iowa Speedway
Jul. 18, 2015 12:34 am
NEWTON - An Iowan, with an Iowa car dealership sponsoring his racecar, became just the second Iowa native to win a race at Iowa Speedway on Friday night in the ARCA Racing Series #ThisIsMySpeedway150.
West Des Moines native Mason Mitchell got the restart he needed on the white flag lap, cleared pole sitter Kyle Weatherman and took the checkered flag to a raucous ovation from the crowd.
His celebration, including lying on the start/finish line with the checkered flag in hand, told everyone all they needed to know about what a win at his home track meant. But he took it a step further.
'It means so much to me to win here. I'm super pumped. This is my Daytona 500. This is bigger than the damn championship,” an emotional Mitchell said after the race. 'This is huge. I don't know what will happen in the future, I just know we're going to celebrate like animals tonight.”
Mitchell only led two laps all night, once on Lap 121, and the final lap, Lap 159. He took the final restart - a green and white flag together after the first green-white-checker finish was halted by a caution on the white flag lap, per the ARCA rule of always finishing under green - in second, cleared Weatherman in Turn 1 and set sail.
The season after a championship campaign in ARCA last year has been a disappointing one overall, with a major lack of funding keeping him on the sidelines for a good portion of the schedule. So in his few opportunities this season, the 21-year-old is taking no prisoners.
The final restarts, and a few before that, proved just how little he cared about simply getting a good finish.
As the old saying goes, for Mitchell is was checkers or wreckers.
'I laid it all out there on the line. This is the whole reason we came to this race. These guys work too damn hard to come home second and lose,” Mitchell said. 'After winning the championship and taking a setback, it's taken a huge toll on me mentally, just knowing there's other people out there racing and I'm not. Every time I get the opportunity, I realize I need to do everything I can. I don't care how many people I piss off. It's all about going after the checkered flag.”
One person he didn't exactly endear himself to was 16-year-old Austin Cindric, who was making his first career start in the No. 99 Ford.
On a restart with 18 laps to go, Cindric and Mitchell restarted side by side on the front row. Cindric moved down to try to pinch Mitchell down and prevent him from getting a good run, and Mitchell, in turn, moved Cindric back up the track. That allowed Weatherman to sneak around both and take the lead. Mitchell obviously recovered, but Cindric had to settle for fourth at the finish.
'I am pretty bummed. We led a lot of laps and on a restart there got used up by Mason,” Cindric said. 'I didn't appreciate that, because I would've raced him respectfully. I was looking forward to a fun race. But I guess that's how it works. I learned my lesson there to expect respectful racing. It's frustrating, but it's a great first start and the team gave me a great car.”
Mitchell didn't much care after the race what any other racer though.
He was physically exhausted, and even had to make a trip to the infield care center after his winner's news conference for fluids. What he cared about most - other than how happy his family and sponsor, Ankeny dealership Karl's Chevrolet, were in Victory Lane - was the reaction he got from the crowd.
The Iowa crowd gave their Iowa driver a standing ovation and stayed in their seats as he celebrated.
'That is what it's all about, honestly. So many times here, we've been solid, just couldn't close the deal,” Mitchell said. 'I wanted to give the crowd the best racing I could and let them know I wasn't going to give up on them. To hear their reaction means they have my back every day. To get out of that car and hear them scream - I've never heard a cheer that loud. And them all staying there through the victory lap and the celebration - it's an amazing feeling.”
What's certain for Mitchell: the party he planned to throw after the race.
What's less certain for Mitchell: the future. Whatever comes next, though, the Iowan said he plans to drive like he did at Iowa Speedway on Friday night. If he does that, he said, someone just might take notice.
'As of now I have no clue what the hell's going on. I'm going to work hard every single day of my life and keep putting stuff together. I know every time I get behind the wheel I'm going to drive like I did tonight,” Mitchell said. 'I didn't want to disappoint (Friday night). I knew I had to do everything I can to put on a show. Hopefully that opens some eyes and see what that brings.”
l Comments: (319) 368-8884; jeremiah.davis@thegazette.com
Mason Mitchell (78) of West Des Moines celebrates winning the ARCA Racing Series Menards #ThisIsMySpeedway 150 at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Friday, July 17, 2015. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)
Mason Mitchell (78) of West Des Moines pulls into the winner's circle after winning the ARCA Racing Series Menards #ThisIsMySpeedway 150 at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Friday, July 17, 2015. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)
Mason Mitchell (78) of West Des Moines wins the ARCA Racing Series Menards #ThisIsMySpeedway 150 at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Friday, July 17, 2015. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)
Mason Mitchell (78) of West Des Moines wins the ARCA Racing Series Menards #ThisIsMySpeedway 150 at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Friday, July 17, 2015. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)