Mike

Catchfence.com spoke with Mike McLaughlin today only to find he was in the process of having a wrist x-rayed. McLaughlin is fairly sure the wrist is fractured as a result of the accident on lap 118, just 2 laps short of the complete Koolerz 300 that was run last Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. McLaughlin suffered a similar injury to the other wrist some time ago and recognizes the discomfort. "I'm sure that's what this is. My wife, Katie, was pretty persistent in this, but, there's not much they can do." Mike wants to be sure the fans who helped support his Daytona effort and Darrell Waltrip know just how much their efforts and loyalty meant to him and his wife. "It just doesn't get any better than that," Mike added. "I want to really cherish that." Mike will attempt to qualify for the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 1st. (Catchfence)(02-21-03)

UPDATE: Katie tells BGNRacing.com that no broken bones were found. (02-21-03)

<BACK

McLaughlin faces uncertain future
By ALAN BRIGNALL -Sports Editor - Fingerlakes Times - Geneva, NY

2-20-03
Less than a month ago, Mike McLaughlin eagerly anticipated his 10th NASCAR Busch Grand National Series season. A new team with seemingly limitless resources gave the veteran racer reason to be optimistic. As February arrived, the promise of a new year evaporated. Angela’s Motorsports stopped paying the bills. Robert Yates repossessed the equipment. Suddenly, McLaughlin was dealing with a reality that terrifies drivers more than turning a 180 mph lap at Daytona: He was out of a job. Thousands of dollars in donations allowed McLaughlin to lease a ride from Jay Robinson and run in the season-opening Koolerz 300. However, barring a last-second development that McLaughlin didn’t expect, he won’t compete in Saturday’s Rockingham 200. It will mark only his fourth missed start since arriving on the Busch scene in 1994. McLaughlin will return to the track for next Saturday’s Las Vegas race, but after that he faces the possibility of lengthy inactivity. “It’s definitely going to be a different year, because it’s the first time I’ve not been 100 percent into the series,” he said by telephone from his North Carolina residence Wednesday evening, more than a hint of disappointment evident in his tone. “Everything’s pretty much spoken for right now. There are not a lot of new deals at this point.” While McLaughlin relishes the extra time he’ll get to spend with his wife Katie and their three children, the 46-year-old said he’s not ready to walk away from the sport just yet. “I can take some time off, but I definitely can’t afford to take too much time off,” he said. McLaughlin has thought about starting his own race team, though not seriously. Hooking a major sponsor has become increasingly difficult in today’s economic climate. He’s not interested in overseeing his own operation, either. “That’s just way too much responsibility for me,” he said. McLaughlin has been amazed at the outpouring of support from his friends back home as well as those within NASCAR. “It’s overwhelming, incredible, totally awesome, from people just offering their time to their money,” McLaughlin said. He thanked everyone from his hometown who has donated, singling out Sessler’s and Houtenbrink’s on the corporate front. Prior to Daytona, McLaughlin had planned on trips to Rockingham and Las Vegas before exploring other options, but the first half of that equation changed early this week. His deal to race at Rockingham fell through, and he couldn’t work out an agreement with Robinson. Robinson is leasing another car to McLaughlin for next weekend, and the six-time winner on the Busch series said the remaining donations will help foot the bill. “It’s allowed us to go out and take another shot at it,” he said. While he knows a win in Vegas might help his 2003 prospects, McLaughlin doesn’t plan to be reckless in his quest for career victory No. 7. McLaughlin wound up 29th last weekend, with an accident on the second-to-last lap costing him a top-20 finish and some extra prize money. “We missed the race setup a little bit, and that hurt us, but even still we should have a had a decent finish,” McLaughlin remembered. “It came to a sudden end.” His hometown fans are hoping the latter description doesn’t apply to his career as a Busch series regular. Donations can be sent to the Mike McLaughlin Fan Club, P.O. Box 45, Waterloo, N.Y. 13165. Secure donations can be made online through www.paypal.com and sending the donation to katermclaughlin@aol.com.(2-20-03)

<BACK

From Mike & Katie

Foxsports.com

Feb 5, 2003:BREAKING NEWS: Winston Cup driver and long time friend Todd Bodine has pledged his pit crew for Mike's run in the Koolerz 300 and Todd has also pledged to pay Mike's Daytona tire tab. Extra Special Thanks, Todd !! More Details as we get them -Denny

McLAUGHLIN: Winning Daytona drives dream

Editor's note: After turning the 10th-fastest lap during Busch testing at Daytona a little over a week ago, driver Mike McLaughlin's team closed its doors. But McLaughlin's dream of returning to Daytona to race continues. For more on the story and how fans, friends and total strangers are helping McLaughlin, read his wife Katie's column.

Everybody out there has dreams of winning. That's why we race. We all want to win. Unfortunately there's only one winner per week, and there are only a handful that win through the course of a season. Dreams put me into the sport. I love it, and I never dreamed of making it this far in my career.

I've had a lot of good opportunities. I love the series, and Daytona is like the Mack Daddy. That's the one to win. I've always had that dream of winning Daytona, and I'm this close. I'm not going to stop now.

Tony Stewart and Mike McLaughlin discuss strategy during final practice for the 2001 Coca-Cola 600
Craig Jones /Getty Images

Fans power the dream

McLAUGHLIN: Zipadelli, friends and fans keep husband's Hopes and Dreams alive

I chanced upon the Mike Mclaughlin forum on Motorsports lounge, and could not believe what I was reading. The team of Angela Motorsports pulled the plug, packed up and pulled out, leaving behind a stunned team of 17, devastated fans, and a heart broken driver, who deserved so much better. This was to be Mike’s best chance of living his dream of wining the Daytona 500 Busch race. He would have been in the #03 Ford Taurus. How could this happen? Who could be that low?

Owning a race team is more than just having names and numbers on paper. It is more than payroll, profit or loss, or spreadsheets. It is about people and souls and heart and families and dreams. Someone should tell Angela Harkness or co-owner Gary Jones that. Closing doors to a race shop on a whim for something “else to excite me” is more than just cruel, it is asinine. It is un-American; it is unfair, unreal, and hopefully unconstitutional. Many good families were effected, driver Mike McLaughlin and wife, Katie were affected. Auto Racing in general was affected. Angela Motorsports gave America and NASCAR a black eye. But, one thing about us race fans and Americans; We Never give up!!!!!

What seemed like gloom and doom a week ago is now taking on the glimmer of that “silver lining” that Mike “magic shoes” McLaughlin talked about. People rallied to his side. He never knew just how many fans he had until this happened and his career lay in shambles for a time and his life in limbo. His fan club is raising money, you can visit http://www.mike-mclaughlin.com/ to contribute or send donations to Mike McLaughlin Fan Club, PO Box 45, Waterloo, NY 13165. From what I am reading over on his forum, Daytona 300 in the Busch race is now a reality. The power of persistence and prayer and never ending faith that good will overcome evil has prevailed again.

Mike “Magic Shoes” has been in the Busch series for 10 years. He ended with Joe Gibbs racing last year but not before ending up 4^th in the year-end standing points for that series. He was 7^th in 2001. 2002 season produced no wins, but two seconds at Bristol and Dover contributing to his 17 top 10 finishes. His background in modifieds and supermodifieds is contributing to his successes. He always has a smile for his fans and cares deeply about the sport. Through all this he has had a positive attitude” in every cloud there is a silver lining and this cloud's silver lining is the overwhelming groundswell of support from the fans that have already donated to the effort.” Mike was more concerned about the members of his crew, than his lost Daytona dreams. Jobs ended for those who had mouths to feed. The loyalty people have to this man is astounding. If you measured success in friendships, this man would be a 20 time Champion. Wife, Katie, has been captured on camera doing her “ worrying thing” when Mike is in the thick of battle many times. No one can doubt how much she loves her husband or has faith in his ability. I shed a tear just watching her anxiety level peak. Wives of racecar drivers belong to a special group of women who have to possess the strength of Hercules, the compassion of Ghandi, and the patience of Job. They all have my utmost respect and admiration. I do not know if I could do it.

I am still a die hard Wallace fan, but I do respect Mike and know he will be giving all he has to win that KoolerZ 300 at Daytona. Dreams can come true, but it takes loyal fans and dear, loving friends, that Mike McLaughlin seems to have so abundantly, to make them happen. All that glitters is not gold and Angela will soon find that out the hard way. The saying is true, “What goes around, comes around”. I have no doubt that will happen someday. Mike’s fans are all fired up now for a storybook ending to this tale. Will Mike “ Magicshoes” win the KoolerZ 300? Only a fool would say that is not possible. It could happen, and for many loyal Mike McLaughlin fans, maybe it will. For one thing I am sure, Magic Shoes will be giving all he has and knows in his heart, this was all made possible by those who truly loved and had faith in him. Safe race everyone.

<BACK

by Dawn Starek, OWR Staff

Mike McLaughin has a dream. He wants to win the NASCAR Busch Series race at Daytona on February 15, 2003, but first he has to get there. While it seems that obstacle after obstacle stands in his way, nothing is going to keep him down -- especially if his family, friends and fans have their way. McLaughlin, who drove for Joe Gibbs Racing for two seasons, began a rollercoaster ride when it was announced last October that he would not be returning to Gibbs Racing in 2003 (he finished 4^th in the points standing in 2002). However, sadness quickly turned to happiness when it was announced soon after that Mike had signed to drive the #03 Ford for a new team, Angela’s Motorsports with WiredFlyer as the sponsor. This was going to be a powerhouse venture as they started assembling a team of racing veterans including Harold Holley, as crew chief, and Clyde McLeod, as team manager and cars powered by Robert Yates engines. Mike and his team dedicated their off-season preparing the car, and in doing so, they sacrificed time that they could have been spending with their families. This fierce dedication paid off as Mike had a strong showing during Daytona testing last week. The 2003 season looked nothing but promising, and there was a definite buzz surrounding this team.

However, early last week, rumors started surfacing that Angela’s Motorsports was closing its doors. News further leaked out about some unethical business practices by the team owners. Nobody wanted to believe that it could be true, but unfortunately, it was. The team folded, and the rollercoaster ride that everybody thought was over was once again beginning anew. Besides Mike, 17 other employees were all out of jobs and everybody was devastated. It felt as though things had hit rock bottom. On Mike’s official discussion forum at http://www.motorsportslounge.com, fans were posting their feelings of sadness and anger and offered unrelenting support to Mike and the entire race team as well as their families. Mike’s wife Katie has been posting regularly on the message board, along with many other family members to tell of their shock and disbelief, and in doing so they have also shown their strength and dedication to Mike and his team. His fans pledged an allegiance to Mike that they would not let his dream die and offered to send donations. On Friday, Hopes and Dreams 2003 was launched with an announcement on Mike’s website at www.mike-mclaughlin.com. Mike has been able to secure the car that he tested so well in from Jay Robinson Racing, who purchased the assets from his former team. He plans to race it at Daytona on February 15th in the Koolerz 300 with money donated by friends, family, fans and other members of the racing community. They are not asking people to send a large amount of money – every dollar helps. Donations can be mailed to the Mike McLaughlin Fan Club, PO Box 45, Waterloo, NY 13165 or secure donations may be made online by visiting www.paypal.com and sending the donation to katermclaughlin@aol.com.

The response to Hopes and Dreams 2003 has been so overwhelming as it garners more and more publicity. What started as a very sad situation has now turned into a feel good story. It is very heartwarming to see what length people will go to in support of their favorite driver. Good luck Magic Shoes, and this fan hopes that all of your hopes and dreams come true.

(I would like to thank John LeVan for posting this story on OpenWheelRacing.com. I have been a fan of Mike McLaughlin’s for a couple of years, and want to see him achieve his dream.)

<BACK

2003 Fan Club Update

WOW! What a roller coaster ride everyone has been on these last 2 months! When I say everyone I mean first and foremost Mike and his entire team. They are the true “victims” in this deal gone bad. And then there’s Mike’s family and those closest to him. They have had a very rough couple of weeks dealing with the fact that someone is “sucker punching” one of the people they care most about, and they can’t do anything about it. But the biggest group of people who have been affected are Mike’s fans. I’m sure all of you have felt the same frustration that Mike and his family have. The outpouring of support from across the country was the reason “Hopes and Dreams 2003” was started. Mike would not be going to Daytona without you, the fans……plain and simple. We would especially like to thank everyone who has joined Mike’s Fan Club this year. We truly appreciate your support over the years. We have already received numerous requests from members telling us to contribute their membership money to the “Hopes and Dreams 2003” campaign. We are very touched by this generous gesture. We can’t tell you how much it means to Mike and his family. Thank You!

Because of all the requests we’ve received, we made the following decision. Before we waste money sending a refund to someone who would like to contribute, we are giving all Fan Club Members the choice to :

° Receive a refund for the amount you sent us for membership, or

° Contribute that money to “Hopes and Dreams 2003”

If you would like to contribute your membership fees to Mike’s cause, you can email us at laketolake@earthlink.net (please put “donation” in the subject line). Those we do not hear from will receive a letter.

Again, thank you, to all of you. You have been fantastic during these last couple months, as you always are. It really warms our hearts to know we have “friends” like you on our side.

The Fan Club

After the announcement of Mike McLaughlin losing his ride due to financial mishandlings not within his control, XM Radio DJs began receiving a barrage of phone calls from people listening in their vehicles. The callers wanted to help Mike out in any way they could. Offers included monetary donations and truckers offering their equipment and services to haul a race team to Daytona. The station decided to call Mike and inform him of the piqued interest. After hearing from XM Mike's wife, Katie, agreed to be interviewed on the radio. The response swelled even more. Hopes and Dreams 2003 was born. From then to now has happened very quickly. Katie has been contacted to be interviewed a second time soon. Too Cool!

Fans power the dream

Friends give team hope

Frank Cicci Racing with Jim Kelly Taps Mike McLaughlin to Replace Clay Rogers in LesCare Kitchens Chevrolet