Mulkern Racing: PASS North Series
Oxford Plains Speedway Race Report
Scott Mulkern of Falmouth, Maine, posted a season-high finish of sixth in the PASS North Series Dunkin Donuts 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, on Saturday, July 21. Mulkern, making only his fourth start in 2012, was part of a two-car effort at Oxford as teammate Lonnie Sommerville of Saint John, New Brunswick, finished 16th. Sommerville started sixth in the 31-car field, but he brought out a caution just two laps into the event when a loose part inside of his race car inadvertently shut off the engine. Mulkern started deep on the grid in 20th and had moved into the Top-10 by the halfway mark of the race, but his forward progress stalled out after a long green flag run.
WHO: Scott Mulkern, Falmouth, Maine
TEAM: Mulkern Racing No. 84 Southern Maine Motors/Community Pharmacies Dodge
CREW CHIEF: Seth Holbrook, Turner, Maine
WHAT: PASS North Series Dunkin Donuts 150
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile flat oval)
STARTED: 20th
FINISHED: 6th
WHO: Lonnie Sommerville, Saint John, New Brunswick
TEAM: Mulkern Racing No. 48 A.E. McKay Builders/Southern Maine Motors Chevrolet
CREW CHIEF: Gary Crooks, Mooresville, N.C.
WHAT: PASS North Series Dunkin Donuts 150
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile flat oval)
STARTED: 6th
FINISHED: 16th
SCOTT, DID IT FEEL LIKE A STRUGGLE TO FINISH AS WELl AS YOU DID?
“We just missed it today a little bit. We’ve been struggling with that car to get it to feel the way it was last year.”
WHERE DID YOU NEED TO BE BETTER?
“We’re struggling with consistency with these tires. I hate blaming anything on anything, but I knew it when I scuffed two sets of tires. I wouldn’t normally by two (sets) here, but I figured we’d buy two sets and run the best set. They both ran about the same times (in practice), and these still felt a little loose in the heat of the day.
“I told (crew chief Seth Holbrook), ‘I don’t care which ones (we use).’ We ran a little faster with these in practice, but I think we might have been a little faster with the other ones (in the race). I don’t know. That’s racing.”
LONNIE, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE START OF THE RACE?
“The water bottle holder came disconnected and it went back and hit the master switch that shut the ignition off. I just hit the gas on the start and it started to quit. I pulled up high, because I knew I was going to get run over. So I got up as fast as I could. I had no power, so I was just trying to get it going.
“I looked and went to reach for the master switch, and the bottle was laying on the master switch. I turned it on, the caution was out, I fired it up and drove off.
“I knew it was obviously battery (related), because all the lights went out on the gauges and everything. I knew it had to be the battery or something with the main power.
HOW GOOD A CAR DID YOU HAVE FOR THE RACE?
“The car was good. It was really good. We were just riding for the first 40 laps – we were rolling. You just can’t pass 30 cars and expect to have everything left at the end with the caliber of cars that are here. It’s tough. It’s just the way our season is going.”