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13th, 2000
Pletcher and Big Daddy's BBQ Ready For 2000 USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series
When the four most famous words in racing today, “Gentlemen Start Your Engines,” is broadcast in the 2000 USAR Hooters ProCup Series, a new face and team will be there competing for the series Championship and Rookie of the Year honors. Throughout the 1999 racing season, Mulbire Motorsports from Clearwater, Florida has been preparing driver David L. Pletcher for the 2000 season to step up and run a full season in the United Speed Alliance Racing Hooters ProCup Series, often called America’s most exciting short track series.. Pletcher, affectionately known as “Buggy” around his home state of Florida, ran four races in the ProCup series in 1999, putting on a very impressive run at each race, finishing fourth in the final race of the season at USA International Speedway in Lakeland after leading the race for a period of time before having to pit for fuel and tires. The Mulbire Motorsports team recently signed Big Daddy’s BBQ Sauce & Spices as their primary sponsor for the 2000 USAR Hooters ProCup season and beyond.
Pletcher began his racing career in 1990 in Mini-Stocks at Sunshine Speedway in Pinellas Park, winning the Mini-Stock Championship in 1992. The following year he graduated to the Open Wheel Modifieds, taking both the Rookie of the Year title and the Points Championship. In 1995 he won the Late Model Championship with nine feature wins and then came back in 1996 where he took the Late Model Championship with twelve feature wins. In 1997 the team moved up to the Florida Pro Series, a tough touring series that races throughout Florida, bringing the best talent in the state to each race. The Mulbire Motorsports Team appeared in 18 races in 5 different series during 1999 season, the preparation needed to build a team to run in the highly competitive USAR Hooters ProCup Series
Mulbire Motorsports began in 1996 when team owner, Mike Mulbire teamed-up with David L. Pletcher after Pletcher lost his Late Model ride while leading the points at Sunshine. Mulbire was a sponsor of Pletcher’s at the time. “He called me on a Tuesday in June and told me he had lost his ride. By Thursday we had bought a new car and we never missed a beat.” said Mulbire. The team was ready by Saturday, came in 8th and went on to win another Late Model Championship.
Mulbire stresses the importance of preparing with the details in mind. ”From arranging testing dates to getting a crew in the proper place at the proper time and hundreds of details in between, racing at this level can certainly separate the competition before the race even takes the green flag. With the level of competition on the ProCup tour the details that go into preparation for a two hour race are immense,” stated Mulbire. It is quite clear that Mulbire Motorsports and driver David L. Pletcher have done their homework and they are ready to give the competition a run for their money in the 2000 USAR Hooters ProCup Series. This year Pletcher will most certainly have the most grueling and competitive season of his racing career because there is a wealth of young talented drivers coming on the scene and many of the veteran ProCup drivers will be returning.
Mulbire Motorsports was recently named as the Official Race Team of the Suncoast Children’s Dream Fund. The Suncoast Children’s Dream Fund, founded in 1981, is the oldest wish granting organization in Florida. They serve children between the ages of 3-18 with life threatening illnesses
Mulbire Motorsports’ goal is to eventually run in the NASCAR Series. Mulbire decided on the USAR Hooters ProCup series as the next step because of excellent television coverage via Speedvision. “The fact that the cars are heavier, like the Busch Grand National and ARCA cars, combined with the fact that all the events are on Speedvision, and the high level of competition make it the top choice for the next step”, stated Mulbire.
In the first race of the season at Lakeland Florida on February 26, the Mulbire Motorsports team qualified 22nd in their new # 51 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. In final preparation for the race, they found a cracked piston in the engine only forty minutes before the command to “start your engines”. They quickly pulled the backup car out of the trailer and prepared it for the track as well as they could in such a short period of time. That car had not been run since the last race of the season at Lakeland in 1999. Pletcher had to drop to the back of the starting lineup because of changing cars but that would not stop him. Running with a car that had not been setup and tuned for the track, he patiently worked his way through the field. He eventually ran as high as 2nd and was in the third position with two laps to go after the final caution period. At the re-start, he was collected in the left rear quarter just enough to get him out of the main groove on the track .He collected the car and was able to salvage a fifth place finish. The drive by Pletcher has shown USAR Hooters ProCup officials and the fans that this rookie is one to watch this season and then wherever his racing carrier takes him from here.
For more information on the Mulbire Motorsports team, driver David L. Pletcher or for information concerning corporate sponsorship opportunities, visit their web site at
www.mulbiremotorsports.com
or call Inside Track Sports Marketing @ (727) 299-9222.
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