Mike Harmon
Encyclopedia
Mike Harmon is an American
race car driver. Currently, he drives the #74 Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In the past, he drove in the NASCAR
Slim Jim All Pro Series
, finishing 8th in points in 1997. He has also racked up 300 feature wins in short-track competition during his racing career.
to compete for NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors with Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce
sponsoring. Unfortunately, Big Daddy's never paid, and Harmon was reportedly fired from the team during preparation for that year's Daytona 500
when he refused to let another driver try to get more speed out of the car.
In 2001, Harmon returned to the Busch Series, driving fourteen races for Mixon Motorsports
in the #44 Pontiac Grand Prix
. Driving mostly with sponsorship from Pegasus
and Reliance Tool, his best finish was a 28th at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the only race he finished that year. He made an additional start for Moy Racing
at Talladega Superspeedway
, finishing 35th, and competed in two Craftsman Truck races for MB Motorsports
and Troxell Racing, respectively. He made 25 starts for Mixon in 2002, with a best finish of 22nd at Daytona. The following season, he competed in a career-high total of 32 races, and finished seventeen of them. With a new team partner in Global Industrial Contractors and picking up sponsorship from The FanZ Car later in the season, Harmon had his first career top-twenty finish at IRP and finished 23rd in points.
GIC-Mixon switched to the #24 in 2004 and after the Aaron's 312, he was released from the team and replaced by Shane Hmiel
. He made two more starts that season, his best finish being 33rd at Memphis Motorsports Park
for Oostlander Racing. In 2005, Harmon and Oostlander purchased part of the assets of Innovative Motorsports
and ran the first four races of the season in the #21 Global Pigeon Supply Chevrolet Silverado
, before focusing mainly on ARCA racing. Harmon attempted a Busch Series race later in the year at Memphis for Bobby Norfleet
, but did not qualify. Harmon returned to NASCAR in 2007, driving the #44/#48 car for Richardson-Netzloff Racing in the Busch Series. He made seven races with a best finish of 38th before handing the ride off to Jennifer Jo Cobb
late in the season. He attempted a full season in the #84 Chevrolet fielded by the new Elite 2 Racing team in 2008. Harmon posted his best finish in the Nationwide Series to date, finishing 17th at the Aaron's 312
.
In 2009, Harmon started racing in his own #84 car and then took over the #07 Chevrolet
for SK Motorsports. He would also start and park
in his own #24 in four Camping World Truck Series races. For 2010, Harmon has run part-time in the Truck Series for both Lafferty Motorsports
and Daisy Ramirez Motorsports.
Harmon will also drive his own #74 Chevrolet in the 2011 season
with sponsorship from Riverside Cafe.
in August 2002. Harmon was practicing his #44 car, when he crashed into the track's infield entry gate in Turn 2. The gate was improperly secured and swung open when Harmon crashed into it. Harmon's car then impacted the end of the concrete wall head-on. The impact was so violent, the car literally split in half. The remnants of the vehicle were then struck lightly by the car of Johnny Sauter
, but he hit the half that Harmon was not sitting in. Harmon later walked away from the crash unharmed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver. Currently, he drives the #74 Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In the past, he drove in the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Slim Jim All Pro Series
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series
The NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southeast Series was a NASCAR-sanctioned amateur/semi-pro racing series based in the Southeastern United States. The series was formerly known as the Slim Jim All Pro Series. The drivers who have graduated from this series include Shawna Robinson, Rick Crawford,...
, finishing 8th in points in 1997. He has also racked up 300 feature wins in short-track competition during his racing career.
NASCAR career
Harmon made his NASCAR debut in 1996 driving the #24 MedPartners Chevrolet at South Boston Speedway, where he finished 31st after a transmission failure. He ran seven more races in the car that season, with a best finish of 23rd, but a sponsorship struggle caused his team to close down. He was scheduled to return to NASCAR in 1999, when he signed with Donlavey RacingDonlavey Racing
Donlavey Racing is a stock car racing team that competed from 1950 until 2002 in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. It was owned by Junie Donlavey and ran a total of 863 races in NASCAR...
to compete for NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors with Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce
Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce
Big Daddy's BBQ Sauce is a company that produces barbecue sauce. Based in Yukon, Oklahoma.-History:The sauce came from the result of two friends merging their famous recipes together...
sponsoring. Unfortunately, Big Daddy's never paid, and Harmon was reportedly fired from the team during preparation for that year's Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
when he refused to let another driver try to get more speed out of the car.
In 2001, Harmon returned to the Busch Series, driving fourteen races for Mixon Motorsports
GIC-Mixon Motorsports
GIC-Mixon Motorsports was a NASCAR team, owners of the #7 and the #24 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Busch Series. At the end of 2005, they began to run a part-time schedule. As they did not run in 2006, it is presumed that this team has sold off its equipment.....
in the #44 Pontiac Grand Prix
Pontiac Grand Prix
Picking up where the Pontiac Ventura model left off, the Grand Prix first appeared in the Pontiac line for 1962. It was essentially a standard Pontiac Catalina coupe with minimal outside chrome trim and a sportier interior...
. Driving mostly with sponsorship from Pegasus
Pegasus
Pegasus is one of the best known fantastical as well as mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing...
and Reliance Tool, his best finish was a 28th at Indianapolis Raceway Park, the only race he finished that year. He made an additional start for Moy Racing
Moy Racing
Moy Racing was an auto racing team owned by former Ford Motor Company employee Joseph Reilly which fielded entries in the NASCAR Busch Series. Drivers who piloted the Moy Racing Ford included Jimmy Kitchens, Andy Kirby, Carl Long , Bruce Bechtel, Dana White, Brad Teague, Ed Berrier, Donnie...
at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
, finishing 35th, and competed in two Craftsman Truck races for MB Motorsports
MB Motorsports
MB Motorsports is a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team based in Foristell, Missouri owned by Mike Mittler. The team is one of few to field entries every year since the Series' inception in 1995...
and Troxell Racing, respectively. He made 25 starts for Mixon in 2002, with a best finish of 22nd at Daytona. The following season, he competed in a career-high total of 32 races, and finished seventeen of them. With a new team partner in Global Industrial Contractors and picking up sponsorship from The FanZ Car later in the season, Harmon had his first career top-twenty finish at IRP and finished 23rd in points.
GIC-Mixon switched to the #24 in 2004 and after the Aaron's 312, he was released from the team and replaced by Shane Hmiel
Shane Hmiel
Shane Hmiel is a former American racecar driver. He was paralyzed in a near fatal racing accident on October 9, 2010...
. He made two more starts that season, his best finish being 33rd at Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis International Raceway is an auto racing park located across the Loosahatchie River from Memphis, Tennessee, approximately ten miles south of Millington, Tennessee. The facility opened in 1987 with a drag strip and 1.8-mile road course...
for Oostlander Racing. In 2005, Harmon and Oostlander purchased part of the assets of Innovative Motorsports
Innovative Motorsports
Innovative Motorsports is a former NASCAR team. It was owned by George DeBidart and began racing in the Busch North Series in the mid-90's, before moving to the Busch Series in 1998.- Winston Cup :Innovative ran four Cup races during its tenure...
and ran the first four races of the season in the #21 Global Pigeon Supply Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
, before focusing mainly on ARCA racing. Harmon attempted a Busch Series race later in the year at Memphis for Bobby Norfleet
Bobby Norfleet
Bobby Norfleet is an African American race car driver. He has raced motorcycles, drag cars, and stock cars .-Crew member for Kulwicki's 1992 NASCAR championship:...
, but did not qualify. Harmon returned to NASCAR in 2007, driving the #44/#48 car for Richardson-Netzloff Racing in the Busch Series. He made seven races with a best finish of 38th before handing the ride off to Jennifer Jo Cobb
Jennifer Jo Cobb
Jennifer Jo Cobb is a race car driver and team owner. She has competed in the NASCAR Nationwide Series along with the ARCA Remax Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. She drives the 13 Ford Mustang for her own team Jennifer Jo Cobb Racing in the Nationwide Series-History:She started...
late in the season. He attempted a full season in the #84 Chevrolet fielded by the new Elite 2 Racing team in 2008. Harmon posted his best finish in the Nationwide Series to date, finishing 17th at the Aaron's 312
Aaron's 312
The Aaron's 312 is a NASCAR Nationwide Series race held at Talladega Superspeedway. The race's sponsor, Aaron's, is a lease-to-own retailer. The twelve extra miles are tacked on to what would normally be a race for targeted advertising purposes....
.
In 2009, Harmon started racing in his own #84 car and then took over the #07 Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
for SK Motorsports. He would also start and park
Start and park
Start and park is a term used in NASCAR-sanctioned and other auto racing sanctioning bodies to describe the practice of racing teams starting races but pulling the car off the track after just a few laps in order to collect prize money while avoiding expenses such as replacement tires, engine wear...
in his own #24 in four Camping World Truck Series races. For 2010, Harmon has run part-time in the Truck Series for both Lafferty Motorsports
Lafferty Motorsports
Lafferty Motorsports is an American auto racing team based in Concord, North Carolina. It is owned by driver and crew chief Chris Lafferty along with his wife Tracy, and co-crew chief Calvin Wood. Currently, Lafferty Motorsports fields the #89 Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for...
and Daisy Ramirez Motorsports.
Harmon will also drive his own #74 Chevrolet in the 2011 season
2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series
The 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series season was the thirtieth season of semi-professional stock car racing in the United States. The season included thirty-four races, beginning with the DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway and ending with the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway...
with sponsorship from Riverside Cafe.
Bristol Crash
Harmon is also famous for an incident at Bristol Motor SpeedwayBristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...
in August 2002. Harmon was practicing his #44 car, when he crashed into the track's infield entry gate in Turn 2. The gate was improperly secured and swung open when Harmon crashed into it. Harmon's car then impacted the end of the concrete wall head-on. The impact was so violent, the car literally split in half. The remnants of the vehicle were then struck lightly by the car of Johnny Sauter
Johnny Sauter
Johnathan Joseph Sauter is a NASCAR driver from Wisconsin. Sauter is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and the brother of NASCAR drivers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter...
, but he hit the half that Harmon was not sitting in. Harmon later walked away from the crash unharmed.