By:
Dennis Jones
Inside Track Sports Marketing/Public Relations
djonespr@aol.com

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 is proud to have 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.

Recent Race Update.

In the LUCAS Oil 250, held on 6/3/2000 at USA International Speedway, outside Lakeland Florida, Pletcher qualified 26th. On the second lap of the race, he was caught up in an accident involving cars in front of him, tearing the right front fender completely off the # 51 Big Daddy's BBQ Chevrolet Monte Carlo. He came into the pits to take away torn sheet metal and tape the hood down so it wouldn't fly up. When he returned to the race, he was running dead last in the field of 40. The accident didn't slow down the 30 year old rookie. Instead, he was more determined to be competitive than ever. By the half way mark, Pletcher had worked his way up to 5th. Shortly thereafter he came into the pits for fresh tires and a full tank of fuel. Upon returning to the track he immediately started working his way back toward the front of the field. At one point later in the race, Pletcher and the #73 car driven by Jeff Agnew were caught-up in a fierce battle for the third position. Running side-by-side for over ten laps, these two drivers gave the fans their money's worth. Everyone was on their feet watching these two go after the same position, neither willing to give an inch. Pletcher finally got by Agnew for the position where he started working on the #2 position. A lapped car spun in front of Pletcher and he had to get on the brakes to avoid being caught-up in the accident. At the restart, he was in the 5th spot on the track. His previous side-by-side duel with Agnew had heated up his tires and they no longer had the grip they needed to compete for a victory. Pletcher held on and finished in the 7th position, another top ten finish.

David Pletcher has moved into second place in the Miller Lite Rookie of the Year standings and fourth in overall Championship points. Pletcher trails the Rookie of the Year points leader by just 20 points. Pletcher has given the Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce & Spices team five top 10 finishes out of 6 races this season. His only finish out of the top 10 was at Florida Speedpark when his engine failed in March.
Members of the media in attendance awarded the W.J. Plemons Investments Crew Chief of the Race Award, along with a check for $500.00, to Bruce Rantz who leads the Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce & Spices Chevy crew for Pletcher. The #51 car carried one of the in-car cameras in this race so you can catch all the action from the driver's viewpoint behind the wheel of the Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce & Spices Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The race will be shown tape delayed on Speedvision June 9th at 8:00 P.M. Eastern and again at midnight. The following Monday, June 12th, the race will be re-broadcast at noon.

For more information on the Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce & Spices/Mulbire Motorsports team, driver David L. Pletcher or for information concerning corporate sponsorship opportunities, contact Dennis Jones at: djonespr@aol.com or call Inside Track Sports Marketing @ (727) 299-9222.

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