Looking for news on Mesa Marin Raceway? A number of drivers have taken the time to answer the following questions for their fans. Want to learn more about a driver? Click their name to travel to their personal website! More drivers will be added soon for this event.
RacingWest: What do you enjoy most about Mesa Marin Raceway?
Johnny Borneman: It's our crew chief's home track which should give us a good idea on what set up will work best.
Brendan Gaughan: Mesa is a real fast track. When I first started running the West someone told me that it was the fastest 1/2 mile in the west, and I believe it!!
Joe Bean (New site coming soon!): Nice track. You can race three wide off the corners
Austin Cameron: I enjoy the fans a bunch because everyone is so involved with their favorite drivers and teams.
Hershel McGriff: The Promoters.
RacingWest: Is there something you try to conserve at Mesa such as brakes?
Johnny Borneman: Brakes, tires, body parts, Mesa Marin is a pretty high contact track.
Brendan Gaughan: Tires for one. Last year when we won, I really tried to be conscious about the tires. The way the tires have been so far this year I would say that tires will be a BIG factor!! Brakes, I'm not really concerned about for two reasons: 1) I have always been pretty easy on brakes and 2) My crew chief Shane Wilson has chosen to run Brembo brakes this year and so far the brake system has been awesome!
Joe Bean: You always try to conserve your brakes and tires. It's like a marathon race, you need something for the end.
Austin Cameron: Tires and Brakes are both big concerns at Mesa Marin and they are conserved by being patient and not driving the car harder that it will let you. It's important to stay on the lead lap and not worry about the position you are in until 25-50 laps are left.
Hershel McGriff: No. I just go for it.
RacingWest: What have you found to be the key to passing at Mesa and do you have a favorite place to pass?
Johnny Borneman: Having a car that will work well on the bottom.
Brendan Gaughan: The key to passing at Mesa is the ability to set the pass up at least one turn early. You have to think one turn ahead of time at Mesa, and then have a set-up that enables you to be able to turn underneath them exiting and beat them to the next corner.
Joe Bean: Passing at Mesa Marin is easy if you have a good car.
Austin Cameron: No favorite place to pass but if you can get your car to stick on the high side as well as the low you are going to be tough to handle!
Hershel McGriff: I haven't run there in a while, so I'm not sure I can answer this. I hear that the condition of the blacktop changes, so I guess if it is slick, I'll be up high.
RacingWest: Any set up information you would care to share for the new drivers that may be seeing the track for the first time?
Johnny Borneman: Hold on.
Brendan Gaughan: Set-up?? This is me your talking to. I've gotten better at knowing some things, but Shane and the boys do the hard stuff and make the magic, I just take what they give me and try to turn left!!
Hershel McGriff: Every driver is different; every car is different. We come with a base-line set-up and then adjust to the driver at the track.
RacingWest: What is it that you enjoy most about competing in the NASCAR Winston West Series?
Johnny Borneman: When we ran a late model we would maybe see 2 or 3 tracks a year. In the NASCAR Winston West we will visit 12 different events at multiple tracks in 2001; plus being able to meet that many more NASCAR fans.
Austin Cameron: I enjoy the vision that someday I will win a championship and move on to the Busch Series or Winston Cup.
Hershel McGriff: It is a fun series and I'm having fun. I especially enjoy being competitive with guys that I'm 3 times older than, or at least twice as old.
RacingWest: Who is your current engine builder?
Johnny Borneman: Gary Meier (Premonition Engines). Gary does a great job giving our Ford Taurus tons of H.P.
Brendan Gaughan: My current engine builder is the same one that I have had since I was 15 years old. Kevin Kroyer of Kroyer Racing Engines. He was the 2000 Winston West Engine Builder of the Year. He worked for Walker Evans Racing for something like 12 years. Was responsible for almost al the Dodge motor production for almost ten years and has built Ford, Dodge, and Chevy engines that have all finished top five in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
Austin Cameron: Bill Maropulos
Hershel McGriff: Kroyer Racing Engines
RacingWest: Besides the upcoming TV coverage of the NWWS events, what other benefits are you able to offer a sponsor or potential sponsor?
Johnny Borneman: Signing cards at the track, our Featherlite trailer is a traveling Billboard. We are also available to entertain corporate clients with hospitality tents, show car and driver appearances. RacingWest supports us and we would love to share content from our web site, BornemanMotorsports.com to promote our sponsors.
Austin Cameron: We are able to provide show cars at the sponsors place of business as well as hospitality tents at many of the races.
RacingWest: If you had the time to take a break from your regular work schedule in August, what would you most enjoy doing?
Johnny Borneman: Going to the river and doing some water skiing but I think we will be going to some ARCA races.
Brendan Gaughan: Keep on racing! In August we will be running some CTS races and I will probably run a desert race in August.
Austin Cameron: Racing something!
Hershel McGriff: I really enjoy boating. I used to boat twice a week. I also enjoy driving my quad runners.
RacingWest: Where can fans meet you and the team in Bakersfield?
Johnny Borneman: Most of the time Saturday will be spent at Mike Harvick's shop going over the car. We can always be found in the pits after the race so stop by and say "Hi".
Brendan Gaughan: I will be at the Craftsman Truck series golf tournament on Friday. After that its time to race, but I know I will be going over t0 the NAPA hospitality tent at some time during the weekend.
Austin Cameron: In the stands for the autograph session before the race and at the AC Motorsports hauler after the event.
RacingWest: Thinking of competing in any other divisions at Mesa Marin over the weekend?
Brendan Gaughan: Of course! The Orleans Racing Team will be running the Craftsman Trucks on Saturday. We will have the #62 NAPA Truck and Shane and the team think that we can really do well at Mesa after a 13th place finish last year!
