Forum: SCRAFAN.COM Forum (go)
Moderators: ljennings

A unknown to most, he towed a Sprinter down to the Copper World Classic in 1986 from the Pacific Northwest and beat all the "big boys", Vogler and that group... He went on to become Silver crown champ and he's still running 23 years later with the big dogs of NASCAR.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

Gary Bettenhausen?

Gotta' be Mike Bliss

Courtesy of the most amazing online resource of open wheel racing -

Kevin Eckert - Open Wheel Times

http://www.openwheeltimes.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=47

I was hoping you wouldn't look at that post for awhile Scott, you and a few others.

When I was up in the Portland area Mike was a up and comer and a bright spot for me, even if it was paved.... I was used to seeing guy's come along at Ascot, and Manzy, but Mike was easy to spot when I first saw him in a open comp outlaw late model that would run on Portland speedways paved 1/2 mile most every Sunday. They ran for 3 grand to win... I saw him the first time he jumped in a Sprinters against the Western States guy's, and he would have won that race if he hadn't of got a flat. I think that was 84.Mike had "it" no two ways... I was back in AZ in 86, and I was probably one of the few who wasn't all that suprised that the young man from Milwalkee Oregon beat the "big boy's". A true upset if there ever was one at the Copper in a open wheel car.. Stevie Reeves might have came close, but he was in a 9 car, and was known to the National drivers.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

I think Scott knew it, and didn't look it up... how about you? I was looking for what you knew,not what you could look up..LOL

I can't find my program, do you know what they timed in at?

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

And so is second place Joe McCarthy running a 360 sprint out of Colorado.

The 360's had a weight advantage and Bob Frey ( the grave digger) out of Wickenburg AZ won his share on pavement with that yellow number 20.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

I agree Mike Bliss......but wait.........his Silver Crown Championship was questionable. Ron Shuman, # 14 was the points leader and pitted on a red flag at Sacramento. The then USAC Chief Johnny Capels got into an argument with Shuman next to K-rail about where he pitted and what do you think? Johnny penalized Shuman just enouth points in what was called a incorrect pit on a red????. Ron I believe lost to 2 points to the up and coming and that the then up an coming USAC Mike Bliss by 2 points Nationally. Bliss was declaired the winner of the Championship. Being next to k-rail at the time I always felt Ron got screwed, pitted correctly and really was the Silver Crown Champion. Where did Johnny Capels come up with points he deducted from Shuman? Winning that Championship help Bliss to the next level which USAC needed at the time. Keep those USAC guy going toward Winston Cup. And poor Ron ended up at Perris. An we all know the end of that story. 24

Not sure what USAC's motives were, but one must remember, Ronnie was past his 40th birthday at the time and Bliss was still in his 20's. Even back then, NASCAR had already been looking at youth over talent. Even if they had taken Ronnie, how would he have done? On talent alone, he probably could have been a star, but it all depends on what would have been put underneath him. Remember Steve Kinser's foray into NASCAR? He joined a once decent team that was in serious decline and near its end. It proved to be a huge disaster.

Look, I was born and raised a dirt non wing traditional kind of guy, and those who know me at all, know that. I also lived in both AZ and Cali for most of my life, and that meant Ascot and Manzy for the most part. I was so excited to get back to Manzy after being gone, I hit my head on the arches going in.

Mike didn't make that decision, Caples did. That said, Ron was one of the best I've ever seen at either of those track's and that's a fact, but Bliss was better on asphalt... Look at his record at IRP... Mike was raised on a tricky and fairy fast 1/2 mile paved track in Portland, and didn't really have much dirt experience at all. With Ron, it was just the opposite. The fact that Mike is still there after all these years, without the attributes that NASCAR looks for say's it all, and I'm damn glad I got to see him come up.

Oh, one more thing..It was 2 more years before Mike got in a truck, and he was not a good looking youngster that spoke well, he was 30... but he did win, and as far as I'm concerned, one of our's.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true. 

You mention $3K to win in '84 for a weekly show..................remember that race fans when you ask "where have all the cars gone?".

Next week is the big USAC Calistoga race (and 25 years later), what does it pay? A measly $3K. And the pit passes are no longer $5 and the bleachers $4.

Trust me, there are a lot of us who have been around for awhile that are very aware of how the purse has stayed the same or dropped, and that would be way before the economic down turn.

One big problem though, even with a decent purse... The cost of running a sprinter nowaday's, and that includes a competitive 360. Only one car wins regardless, so the overall purse and how it's distributed is big.

Half the lies they tell about me aren't true.