Mike McLaughlin

Michael McLaughlin (born October 6, 1956) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. Nicknamed Magic Shoes, McLaughlin was a perennial fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award in 1997. He also scored several wins and top-5 points finishes in the points standings in the NASCAR Busch Series.

Mike McLaughlin
BornMichael McLaughlin
(1956-10-06) October 6, 1956
Waterloo, New York
Achievements1988 Winston Modified Tour Champion
Awards1997 Busch Series Most Popular Driver
1992, 1993 Busch North Series Most Popular Driver
1985 Winston Modified Tour Most Popular Driver
2013 Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame.[1]
2015 Eastern Motorsports Press Association.[2]
NASCAR Cup Series career
2 races run over 1 year
Best finish55th (1994)
First race1994 Slick 50 300 Loudon)
Last race1994 The Bud At The Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
314 races run over 17 years
Best finish3rd (1995, 1998)
First race1984 Mello Yello 300 (Charlotte)
Last race2004 Ford 300 (Homestead)
First win1995 GM Goodwrench/Delco 200 (Dover)
Last win2001 Subway 300 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
6 110 5
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
2 races run over 1 year
Best finish91st (1996, 1997)
First race1996 Cummins 200 (IRP)
Last race1997 Cummins 200 (IRP)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0
Statistics current as of April 4, 2014.

Early career

Dirt Modified in 1979 or 1980

McLaughlin grew up in New York State and began his professional career at a later stage than most other drivers, competing in his first race at age 20 in a dirt modified he built. He then ran regularly at his home track, Maple Grove Speedway, before moving up into the DIRT Modified series.

McLaughlin lived a few blocks from Maple Grove Speedway and built his first car in the garage at home. According to his mother, he drove the car to the track on his first night of racing.

Move to NASCAR

In 1984, McLaughlin made his Busch Series debut at the Mello Yello 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, driving the No. 73 Pontiac home to a 14th-place finish. He ran one more race that season, the October Charlotte race. Unfortunately, mechanical problems ended his day early. He raced twice more the next season, posting an eleventh-place run.

He then advanced into the NASCAR Modified ranks for Sherwood Racing, owned by Bill Corazzo and run by Clyde McLeod. His crew included Corazzo's nephew, Greg Zipadelli, who would later win Sprint Cup titles as crew chief, and Greg's younger brother Scott Zipadelli, who is also now a top level NASCAR crew chief. Mike won the 1988 championship in the Winston Modified Tour, now known as the Whelen Modified Tour. He has sixteen career wins in the modified series.

He also drove for Harry and Mike Greci in the Busch North Series, finishing 3rd in points in 1993. Mike became the first driver ever to win both ends of the Modified/Busch North doubleheader at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Busch Series career

In 1990, Mike returned to the Busch Series, driving the No. 51 Coors Extra Gold Oldsmobile in six races. Despite two wrecks, McLaughlin had two top-five finishes and caught the eye of many in the sport. He ran eight races the following season, but was unable to duplicate his success. After part-time runs in 1992 and 1993, McLaughlin finally ran his first full-time schedule in the Busch Series in 1994, driving the No. 34 Fiddle Faddle Chevrolet for Cicci-Welliver Racing. Despite not making two races, McLaughlin posted three top-fives and finished 13th in points. He also ran two Winston Cup races for Cicci-Welliver that year, finishing 22nd and 27th at New Hampshire and Watkins Glen, respectively.

In 1995, McLaughlin got his first taste of Victory Lane, winning the GM Goodwrench/Delco 200 at Dover, and collected 13 additional top-tens on his way to a third place points run. After a winless 1996, McLaughlin won twice in 1997 (including at his hometrack at Watkins Glen) and was named the series' Most Popular Driver. 1998 saw him add Goulds Pumps as his primary sponsor, and he won two more races, and matched his career-best finish of third in points.

After going winless in 1999, McLaughlin shockingly announced he would depart from Cicci-Welliver at the season's end, citing a need for a change. He and Goulds left for the No. 48 Chevy fielded by Innovative Motorsports in 2000. Unfortunately, the season was a struggle and McLaughlin could not get the cars up to speed. Despite two fifth-place finishes, McLaughlin jumped ship just weeks before the start of the 2001 season to the unsponsored No. 20 owned by Joe Gibbs Racing. McLaughlin shocked the NASCAR world by winning the NASCAR Subway 300 at Talladega, albeit controversially. Despite the win, the team could not continue to run unsponsored, and McLaughlin moved over to the MBNA No. 18 for the remainder of the season. He finished seventh in points.

In 2001, McLaughlin was Tony Stewart's back-up driver for the Coca-Cola 600. Stewart was running the Indy 500 the same day and McLaughlin was to have started the race if Stewart did not arrive on time. Stewart eventually arrived in Charlotte just minutes before the command to start engines and finished third.

Struggles and retirement from driving

McLaughlin smokes his tires while leaving the pits in his No. 25 car during the 2004 California race.

In 2002, McLaughlin went winless once again, but was able to muster a fourth-place finish in points. However, Gibbs wanted to move his son Coy into the No. 18, and McLaughlin was forced to find a new job. In October 2002, McLaughlin announced he would run with a new team, Angela's Motorsports in the 2003 season. The team showed up at that season's Speedweeks, and their Ford Taurus was the fastest in testing. After that, problems began arising, and weeks before the season started, Angela's Motorsports closed its doors. It turned out that the team's owners had been behind in paying their bills, and their debtors took over the operation and shut everything down. McLaughlin appeared to be out of a job, but after word leaked out, fans began donating money to allow McLaughlin to run the Daytona race, and with sponsorship from XM Radio and with Darrell Waltrip's DWStore.com, McLaughlin drove the No. 39 Jay Robinson Racing Ford at the season-opening event, qualifying 4th but finishing 29th after a wreck in the closing laps. The financial windfall could not get McLaughlin a full-time ride, although he returned to Cicci Racing to run seven races, posting one top-ten finish. McLaughlin went unemployed in 2004 until the end of the season, when he replaced Bobby Hamilton, Jr. at Team Rensi Motorsports after Hamilton left to join Nextel Cup team PPI Racing, posting a second-place run at the Stacker 200 Presented by YJ Stinger.

McLaughlin became a test driver and development driver coach for Joe Gibbs Racing, and opened his own racing fabrication business. As of 2009, McLaughlin is also building bobsleds for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, supplier of sleds to the US Olympic team.

Personal life

McLaughlin's son Max is a Hattori Racing Enterprises development driver and currently races in the Super DIRTcar Series and ARCA Menards Series East. [3]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1994 Team 34 34 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA
22
POC TAL IND GLN
27
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 55th 179 [4]
1996 Team 34 34 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL SON CLT DOV POC MCH DAY NHA POC TAL IND GLN
DNQ
MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL NA - [5]

Busch Series

NASCAR Busch Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 NBSC Pts Ref
1984 Boehler's Racing 73 Pontiac DAY RCH CAR HCY MAR DAR ROU NSV LGY MLW DOV CLT
14
SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU HCY IRP LGY SBO BRI DAR RCH NWS CLT
36
HCY CAR MAR 67th 176 [6]
1985 DAY
33
CAR HCY BRI MAR DAR SBO LGY DOV 62nd 194 [7]
03 CLT
11
SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO LGY HCY MLW BRI DAR RCH NWS ROU CLT HCY CAR MAR
1990 H&H Motorsports 51 Olds DAY
39
RCH CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT DOV
DNQ
ROU VOL MYB OXF
DNQ
NHA
6
SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH
29
DOV MAR CLT
17
NHA
3
CAR MAR
4
47th 633 [8]
1991 DAY
37
RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT
41
GLN
19
OXF
39
NHA
14
SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT
32
NHA
12
CAR MAR 45th 620 [9]
Shoemaker Racing 64 Pontiac DOV
34
ROU HCY MYB
1992 H&H Motorsports 51 Olds DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH
30
CLT DOV ROU MYB GLN
13
VOL NHA
30
TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA
29
BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT
14
MAR CAR HCY
27
49th 549 [10]
1993 DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY ROU MAR NZH
9
CLT DOV MYB GLN
12
MLW TAL IRP MCH NC2 0 [11]
Chevy NHA
22
BRI DAR RCH DOV ROU CLT MAR CAR HCY ATL
1994 Team 34 34 Chevy DAY
29
CAR
22
RCH
11
ATL
39
MAR
21
DAR
21
HCY
12
BRI
DNQ
ROU
16
NHA
10
NZH
5
CLT
9
DOV
18
MYB
31
GLN
19
MLW
6
SBO
15
TAL
7
HCY
16
IRP
3
MCH
4
BRI
DNQ
DAR
6
RCH
11
DOV
28
CLT
27
MAR
11
CAR
35
13th 2986 [12]
1995 DAY
37
CAR
13
RCH
4
ATL
31
NSV
7
DAR
16
BRI
30
HCY
3
NHA
4
NZH
31
CLT
20
DOV
1*
MYB
8
GLN
4
MLW
5
TAL
32
SBO
2
IRP
3
MCH
10
BRI
21
DAR
10
RCH
17
DOV
7
CLT
5
CAR
13
HOM
24
3rd 3273 [13]
1996 DAY
31
CAR
2
RCH
38
ATL
11
NSV
30
DAR
41*
BRI
27
HCY
25
NZH
29
CLT
35
DOV
32
SBO
2
MYB
6
GLN
3
MLW
2
NHA
9
TAL
25
IRP
2
MCH
13
BRI
38
DAR
38
RCH
11
DOV
6
CLT
5
CAR
4
HOM
27
10th 2853 [14]
1997 DAY
33
CAR
8
RCH
27
ATL
17
LVS
24
DAR
33
HCY
10
TEX
5*
BRI
2
NSV
13
TAL
35
NHA
1
NZH
8
CLT
33
DOV
23
SBO
8
GLN
1
MLW
13
MYB
2
GTY
5
IRP
37
MCH
13
BRI
16
DAR
2
RCH
32
DOV
10
CLT
13
CAL
9
CAR
7
HOM
22
4th 3614 [15]
1998 DAY
18
CAR
5
LVS
27
NSV
1
DAR
8
BRI
6
TEX
11
HCY
21
TAL
3
NHA
7
NZH
3
CLT
7
DOV
5
RCH
34
PPR
20
GLN
2
MLW
6
MYB
3
CAL
24
SBO
3
IRP
18
MCH
15
BRI
17
DAR
3*
RCH
28
DOV
4
CLT
1
GTY
12
CAR
41
ATL
29
HOM
18
3rd 4045 [16]
1999 Cicci-Welliver Racing DAY
15
CAR
6
LVS
19
ATL
12
DAR
16
TEX
4
NSV
7
BRI
27
TAL
21
CAL
41
NHA
40
RCH
14
NZH
28
CLT
27
DOV
28
SBO
15
GLN
3
MLW
11
MYB
12
PPR
15
GTY
9
IRP
17
MCH
24
BRI
39
DAR
38
RCH
43
DOV
9
CLT
3
CAR
16
MEM
7
PHO
16
HOM
20
9th 3478 [17]
2000 Innovative Motorsports 48 Chevy DAY
26
CAR
15
LVS
43
ATL
21
DAR
33
BRI
42
TEX
40
NSV
2
TAL
14
CAL
41
RCH
25
NHA
33
CLT
32
DOV
10
SBO
24
MYB
30
GLN
5
MLW
28
NZH
34
PPR
8
GTY
36
IRP
34
MCH
5
BRI
28
DAR RCH
30
DOV
34
CLT
39
CAR
16
MEM
24
PHO
15
HOM
31
24th 2690 [18]
2001 Joe Gibbs Racing 20 Pontiac DAY
6
CAR
14
LVS
9
ATL
11
DAR
5
BRI
13
TEX
37
NSH
9
TAL
1
CAL
10
RCH
22
NHA
10
NZH
17
CLT
11
DOV
21
KEN
25
MLW
18
GLN
17
GTY
12
IRP
23
MCH
5
DAR
3
7th 3962 [19]
18 CHI
25
PPR
14
BRI
16
RCH
32
DOV
31
KAN
10
CLT
19
MEM
10
PHO
31
CAR
3
HOM
12
2002 DAY
38
CAR
5
LVS
12
DAR
6
BRI
2
TEX
18
NSH
20
CAL
6
RCH
14
NHA
5
NZH
9
CLT
4
DOV
8
NSH
33
KEN
39
MLW
8
DAY
7
CHI
27
GTY
7
PPR
7
IRP
14
MCH
17
BRI
4
DAR
8
RCH
19
DOV
2
KAN
31
CLT
8
MEM
16
ATL
3
CAR
13
PHO
19
HOM
20
4th 4253 [20]
Chevy TAL
24
2003 Jay Robinson Racing 39 Ford DAY
29
CAR 61st 615 [21]
Santerre Racing 01 Ford LVS
DNQ
DAR BRI TEX
Frank Cicci Racing 34 Chevy TAL
39
RCH
13
GTY NZH CLT
30
DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY
9
CHI
30
NHA
26
PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL PHO CAR HOM
Herzog-Jackson Motorsports 92 Chevy NSH
QL
CAL
2004 Roush Racing 60 Ford DAY CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL GTY RCH NZH
QL
CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR
QL
IRP MCH 38th 1140 [22]
Team Rensi Motorsports 25 Ford BRI
12
CAL
11
RCH
24
DOV
2
KAN
11
CLT
12
MEM
18
ATL
41
PHO
36
DAR
39
HOM
16
- Qualified for Todd Bodine · - Qualified for Greg Biffle

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 NCTC Pts Ref
1996 Chesrown Racing 66 Chevy HOM PHO POR EVG TUS CNS HPT BRI NZH MLW LVL I70 IRP
9
FLM GLN NSV RCH NHA MAR NWS SON MMR PHO LVS 91st 138 [23]
1997 Ken Schrader Racing 53 Chevy WDW TUS HOM PHO POR EVG I70 NHA TEX BRI NZH MLW LVL CNS HPT IRP
5
FLM NSV GLN RCH MAR SON MMR CAL PHO LVS 91st 155 [24]

2 Competed only in companion events with Busch North Series as BNS driver and ineligible for Busch Series points

References

  1. "Hall of Fame honors new class of legends". Syracuse.com. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  2. EMPAonline.org
  3. "Max McLaughlin to Make Truck Series Debut at Eldora". Jayski's Silly Season Site. ESPN. May 22, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  4. "Mike McLaughlin – 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  5. "Mike McLaughlin – 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  6. "Mike McLaughlin – 1984 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  7. "Mike McLaughlin – 1985 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  8. "Mike McLaughlin – 1990 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  9. "Mike McLaughlin – 1991 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  10. "Mike McLaughlin – 1992 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  11. "Mike McLaughlin – 1993 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  12. "Mike McLaughlin – 1994 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  13. "Mike McLaughlin – 1995 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  14. "Mike McLaughlin – 1996 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  15. "Mike McLaughlin – 1997 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  16. "Mike McLaughlin – 1998 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  17. "Mike McLaughlin – 1999 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  18. "Mike McLaughlin – 2000 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  19. "Mike McLaughlin – 2001 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  20. "Mike McLaughlin – 2002 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  21. "Mike McLaughlin – 2003 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  22. "Mike McLaughlin – 2004 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  23. "Mike McLaughlin – 1996 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  24. "Mike McLaughlin – 1997 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Jimmy Spencer
NASCAR Winston Modified Tour Champion
1988
Succeeded by
Mike Stefanik
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