Mason Mingus teams with Gardner
and Barnes, Jr. in CRA this season
Dynamic trio to compete next at
Winchester in The Manning Service 100
Experience met talent when veteran race team owner
Kevin Gardner and former CRA Super Series Champion Chuck Barnes, Jr.
teamed with CRA 15-year-old rookie sensation, Mason Mingus.
The trio will compete against some of the best Late
Model drivers in the world this weekend at Winchester Speedway
in the CRA Super Series Manning Service 100. The entry list includes
former Winchester CRA winners Rick Turner, Tommy St. Johns and Jeff
Lane as well as CRA season opener winner Johnny VanDoorn. Also entered
is Chase Elliot, son of NASCAR legend Bill Elliot.
Mingus, who hails from Brentwood, TN, teamed with
Gardner last season for his first venture into the Late Model ranks of
racing, after winning several championships in the popular and
competitive Baby Grand Series. The partnership proved to be successful
when Mingus, who at 14-years-old, won a Ken-Ten Late Model event at
Whitesville, KY and finished eighth in the Ken-Ten Points race.
Gardner, who, as an owner, has multiple Salem
Speedway Late Model Championships, and Mingus competed in a few CRA
events last season, testing the waters for a possible run at the CRA
Rookie-of-the-Year title this season.
"We learned a lot last season and have definitely
stepped up our game this year," Mingus said shortly before competing
in the Anderson Speedway CRA event recently.
A key ingredient in stepping up their racing program
was the addition of championship driver Chuck Barnes, Jr., who helps
prepare the car and serves as Mingus’ driver coach.
"I can’t say enough about what Chuck has brought to
the table," Mingus said. "He and Kevin have known each other for a
long time and that makes it easier for all of us to work well
together."
Barnes said he is enjoying working with Gardner and
Mingus this season.
"Mason is an extremely talented young driver,"
Barnes, Jr. said shortly after Mingus qualified at Anderson Speedway.
"He drove a great lap and should have qualified in the top ten, but
I’m afraid we set the car up a little loose. But the neat thing is
that he adjusted to it and still got in a decent lap. That shows
talent."
Barnes, Jr. said his role with the team is to help
get things done and coach Mingus at tracks with which he is familiar.
"Kevin runs the team and I help with things from
turning wrenches to offering set up suggestions and, of course,
helping Mason adjust his driving to tracks quicker," Barnes, Jr. said.
"Mason is a natural athlete and that certainly helps, but he is also
very competitive and extremely smart, so he picks up things very
quickly. I believe he has a fine future in racing."
