With just a couple of months to prepare for the 2014 NNS season, James Whitener joined forces with former partners Denise and Gregg Mixon to form JGL Racing. Penske Dodges, equipment and everything needed to begin the 2014 NNS season was purchased. Veteran racer, Mike Wallace, was hired as the driver for the #28 Dodge and Matt Carter, son of well known, past Cup team owner Travis Carter was hired to pilot the #93. Employees were hired and the mad rush began to get the cars ready to pass inspection for the inaugural NNS 2014 Daytona race.
This was a huge undertaking to say the least, yet with plenty of long hours, knowledge, hard work and determination everyone involved banded together as if they were a seasoned, long established race team to make it all happen. Wallace qualified the #28 Unker’s Multi-Purpose Medicated Salve Dodge in the 24th position of the starting grid, a field that included a few Cup drivers like Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Brad Keselowski, Danika Patrick and Matt Kennseth. Unfortunately Carter failed to get the #93 in the field with the new qualifying format. That stiff competition only served to heighten the team and Wallace’s determination to lay it all on the track.
Wallace finished an incredible 13th. That finish is quite respectable for any team at Daytona, but accomplishing that great run and finish in the first race of the season has given these owners, drivers and team even more pride and determination to accomplish greater results.
Co-owner Gregg Mixon offered this, “It was wonderful to practice 7th fastest in the second practice & to qualify 24th, but now it’s over & back to work preparing for Phoenix, Mike Wallace will be driving the #28 again and Matt Carter will be back in the #93. Matt did a good job in the 93 car at Daytona. He had a good car and practiced 24th, but with the new qualifying procedures he fell victim to not having good cars around him. We now have a better idea of how to qualify in Talladega. Daytona qualifying was intense and nobody knew what to expect. We hope for Matt to rebound in Phoenix.”
Co-owner James Whitener said, “I am very proud of the team that Gregg has assembled. They did a great job and came to the track prepared to race. We finished 13th at Daytona” he said, “and I’m going to Disney World.” He did just that and took his family to Disney World Sunday.
Driver Mike Wallace proudly added, “It is a great compliment to JGL Racing for their first race as a new team and by making the top 24 in qualifying. Had the remaining part of qualifying not been rained out we would have moved into the knock out qualifying for the race. That is a great accomplishment for a new team at Daytona.”
“Finishing in 13th was a great finish for JGL Racing and myself considering just a couple of months ago this team was just putting parts and pieces together and just a few weeks before the race moving into a new shop. The team members did a great job and we were able to have Unker’s come on board for a sponsor. All in all, I don’t think things could have gone any better at Daytona. Now on to Phoenix and Vegas and hopefully continue on from there. The team is 13th in owners points and I am 8th in Driver points.”
Whitener sized up the entire Daytona experience as this, “When we owned the Busch team before we were the little guys but we want to be one of the big guys now, I think we showed with the right people and Penke cars and engines we can make that happen. ”
Next up is the Blue Jeans Go Green 200 Presented By Cotton, The Fabric Of Our Lives on Saturday, March 1st, at Phoenix International Raceway at 3:35 PM EST. You can also watch the race live on your local ABC station.
Look for great things from this team this season. Be sure to check out their website at www.JGLracing.com for more information. Interested sponsors can contact Whitener at [email protected]
