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Michael Pickens - USA 2007
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September 9 - Jefferson Speedway
Saturday night Pickens drove a Late Model on the ¼ mile Jefferson (WI) asphalt track. After qualifying 26th quick he won his heat race (19th-27th fastest qualifiers) then raced in the ‘last chance race’. Starting from grid 3 and finishing in that position, Pickens ‘missed the show’, only the top two finishers transferred into the nights 50 Lap Feature race.
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September 7 - Plymouth WI
Surprisingly, only 22 cars showed up for the USAC-BADGER co-sanctioned Stan Fox Memorial event at Plymouth Speedway tonight. After qualifying 5th quick Pickens started from grid 7 in his heat race and finished 4th behind Levi Jones, Kevin Swindell and fellow countryman Brad Mosen. With the top 8 qualifiers being inverted for the nights 30 lap Feature race, Pickens started from grid 5 and dropped back 3 spots to finish in 8th position
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September 1 - Angell Park - Firemen’s Nationals
Qualifying 5th quick, Pickens started from 6th spot in the trophy Dash race and finished in that position. In his heat race he started from grid 7 and transferred to the Fireman’s National Feature Race by finishing 3rd behind Darren Hagen and A.J Fike. Starting from grid 6, Pickens’ Feature Race ended on lap 1 of the 50 race when the Hans Lein car he was driving erupted in flames after the motor blew in the #2 Spike/Esslinger.
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August 31 - Dodge County Fairgrounds
Another disappointing night for Pickens tonight. After qualifying the Hans Lein #2 car in 3rd spot Pickens transferred to the nights Feature race by finishing 3rd in his heat race after starting from grid 8. Starting the 30 lap Feature from grid 6, Pickens withdrew from the race on lap 21.
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August 26 - Angell Park
Last night Pickens ended his record 32 USA race day start losing streak when he took out the 30 lap Feature race at Angell Park.
Qualifying 8th quick, Pickens transferred to the nights Feature race after finishing 2nd in his heat race from grid 7.
Starting from grid one in the Feature, Pickens lead the 30 lap race from green to chequered, beating home fellow Kiwi driver Brad Mosen and Jerry Coons.
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August 25 - Angell Park
Driving the Hans Lein #2, with a qualifying time of 15.019 Pickens was 18th quick of the 49 cars that time trailed.
Starting from grid 4 in his heat race Pickens finished 5th. With only the top 4 automatically transferring into the nights Feature race Pickens was forced to run the B Main event where he started from grid 11 and finished 19th, thus missing a start in the Feature race.
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August 20 - Bloomington - Putnamville
Pickens drove the Danny Roberts #21x Sprint car at Bloomington and Putnamville this past weekend. With 24 cars on hand at Friday night’s Bloomington show, Pickens started his heat race from grid 6, finishing 8th. Forced to run the B Main, Pickens beat the 6 other competitors then ran 4th in the nights Feature race behind Jeff Bland, Jimmy Light and Chris Babcock.
The following night at Putnamville in the same car, Pickens transferred into the Feature race by finishing 2nd in his heat race. Starting from grid 5, Pickens Feature race ended early when he flipped the Roberts car early in the race.
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August 13 - Wilmot - Angell Park
With the local ‘hot-shots’ Jerry Coons jnr, Brad Kuhn, Davey Ray and Danny Stratton electing to run with the big boys in Indiana at USAC’s Midget Week, rather than contest the two local Badger events, Pickens looked an odds on favourite to win both or at least one of the two Badger Midget Series events held over the weekend.
With just 21 cars lining up for qualifying at Wilmot, Pickens, driving the Hans Lein #2 was 3rd quick, after winning his heat race Pickens went on to run 2nd in the Feature race behind Fiscus Team driver Chad DeSelle.
Again driving the Lein #2 car the following night at Angell Park, and only 20 cars taking a qualifying time, Pickens was 4th quick. After winning his heat race Pickens started from grid 7 in the nights Feature race, his 5th appearance at the Sun Prairie this year.
Pickens spun on lap 13, restarted the race and 4 laps later withdrew from the event, his 4th DNF at Angell Park this season.
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August 5 - Angell Park
Due to the wet track conditions no qualifying was held and Feature starting grids were determined by finishing positions and passing points gained in the heat races.
Pickens, again driving the Fiscus #8 Spike/Esslinger started from grid 8 in his heat race and finished 8th.
Forced to run the B Main, and try and finish in the top 6 to qualify for the nights Feature race, Pickens started from grid 15 and finished 8th.
Pickens missed out on making the nights Feature race, the other 3 Fiscus team drivers all finished the race in the top 10, Aaron Fiscus 2nd, Chad DeSelle 4th and Tim Noble 8th.
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July 30 - Angell Park
Pickens was again back at Angell Park today driving the Fisus #8 car, the car he described a year ago as the “most scariest car I have ever driven”!
Qualifying 6th quick, Pickens started from grid 6 in his heat race and transferred to the Feature by finishing 3rd.
Starting off grid 5 in the Feature, Pickens withdrew early from the race.
After walking away from the fully funded pavement drive with the Urban Force Racing Team 4 weeks ago, Pickens said that he could see no future in going back to race on dirt at Angell Park. Ironically, Pickens seems to proven his own point as he has now had 3 Feature race starts at Angell Park this summer, recording 2 DNF’s and a 14th place finish - under performing his pavement results.
October 2006, Pickens arranged with Roush chassis builder Dave Dunlap to drive Dunlap’s Late Model Stock in North Carolina at selected meetings in 2007.
Pickens is still awaiting race dates to be confirmed, whenever this happens, it is expected that he will then head to NC to get back to pavement racing.
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July 29 - Belleville Midget Nationals
Finishing 3rd in his heat race, Pickens earned a transfer spot into the nights Feature race.
Pickens started from grid 15 in the 40 lap Belleville Nationals event and his finishing position was virtually determined by how many cars that started in front of him, dropped out of the race.
No fewer than 8 of the 14 cars that started in front of Pickens didn’t see-out the 40 lap race that was dominated by Jerry Coons Jnr, only 12 of the 26 starters took the chequered flag, Pickens finishing 7th.
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July 28 - Belleville Midget Nationals
After his qualifying time of 17.791, 4th quick, Pickens started from grip 9 in his 8 lap heat race. Finishing 6th, with only the top 4 automatically transferring to the nights Feature race, Pickens was forced to run the B main where he started from grid 2 and won the 12 lap race.
Starting from grid 19 in the Feature race Pickens made steady progress through the field, with 3 laps remaining he had worked his way up to 6th place and looked set to be lock himself into tomorrows Feature race, the top 6 finishers to start on the front 6 grids in the Belleville Nationals. Exiting turn two on the 3rd last lap Pickens overdid it and clipped the out side wall, forcing him back to 7th place where he finished the 25 lap Feature race.
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July 22
Pickens Woo’s Continue
Back racing on the dirt at Angell Park last night Pickens, drove the Jim Fiscus owned #8 Midget. Of the 26 cars that time-trialled Pickens qualified 8th quick.
Starting from grid 6 in his heat race Pickens was unable to make much head-way, by finishing 5th Pickens missed a transfer spot into the Feature and had to contest the B Main. Starting from grid 1 Pickens locked himself into the Feature by finishing 2nd to Joe Wipperfurth, Wipperfurth passing the Kiwi on the last lap.
Starting the 30 lap Feature race from grid 3 Pickens came unstuck on lap 18 when he spun in turn 1. Restarting from the ROF Pickens finished the race in 14th place.
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July 21
Pickens Heading Back to Dirt
Pickens has put his NASCAR aspirations on hold and is heading back to racing on dirt. The 24yr old Kiwi driver who went to the USA in March 2007 to pursue a pavement racing career, including racing an ASA Late Model car for the Urban Force Racing Team, split with the team 3 weeks ago.
Pickens is expected to drive for the Fiscus Racing Team at Angell Park on Sunday and has been entered by the Hans Lein Team to pilot the #2x Midget at the two day Belleville Nationals event, July 27- 28.
The Hans Lein team have come close to winning the prestigious event the last two years with regular team driver Danny Stratton finishing 4th in 2005 and 2nd in 2006. Stratton will steer the #2 Midget for the team this year.
Before leaving for the USA Pickens is reported to have said the primarily reason he didn’t want to run dirt, as well as pavement, was because, “The race craft required is a lot different and I think that chopping between the two could easily set you back.”
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July 11
Moving on
After Michael Pickens fans heard the news that he and the Urban Force Team had parted company, many have been asking, “where to from here for Pickens”.
In the USA it’s an everyday occurrence that drivers get hired, fired, they quit, or whatever but life goes on and a driver moves on.
With Pickens no longer part of the Urban Force Team he now has a golden opportunity to pursue other pavement opportunities in the USA.
Pickens is based in Janesville Wisconsin and is in the fortunate position to seek other drives at one of the 7 race tracks within ‘close proximity’ to Janesville that run Late Model races on a weekly bases.
Other options open to Pickens include him travelling to North Carolina to drive a Late Model Stockcar at Caraway Speedway, before leaving NZ last March Pickens had plans of contesting up to 10 races at Caraway.
With race rides being available for $1000 - $1500 per race Pickens is in the fortunate position to be able to ‘buy a ride’ for the remainder of the season.
It is understood that the current NZ Midget Champion has been offered Midget drives in the WI area but Pickens has told friends in NZ that he is focused on pursuing a pavement career and that going back to race on the dirt at the likes of Angell Park is not really an option.
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Pickens and Urban Force Racing Team Split
Beloit, WI July 7 - Current New Zealand Midget Champion Michael Pickens NASCAR dreams have suffered a blow with news that he has parted company with the Urban Force Racing Team.
FULL STORY
Saturday night Pickens drove a Late Model on the ¼ mile Jefferson (WI) asphalt track. After qualifying 26th quick he won his heat race (19th-27th fastest qualifiers) then raced in the ‘last chance race’. Starting from grid 3 and finishing in that position, Pickens ‘missed the show’, only the top two finishers transferred into the nights 50 Lap Feature race.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
September 7 - Plymouth WI
Surprisingly, only 22 cars showed up for the USAC-BADGER co-sanctioned Stan Fox Memorial event at Plymouth Speedway tonight. After qualifying 5th quick Pickens started from grid 7 in his heat race and finished 4th behind Levi Jones, Kevin Swindell and fellow countryman Brad Mosen. With the top 8 qualifiers being inverted for the nights 30 lap Feature race, Pickens started from grid 5 and dropped back 3 spots to finish in 8th position
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September 1 - Angell Park - Firemen’s Nationals
Qualifying 5th quick, Pickens started from 6th spot in the trophy Dash race and finished in that position. In his heat race he started from grid 7 and transferred to the Fireman’s National Feature Race by finishing 3rd behind Darren Hagen and A.J Fike. Starting from grid 6, Pickens’ Feature Race ended on lap 1 of the 50 race when the Hans Lein car he was driving erupted in flames after the motor blew in the #2 Spike/Esslinger.
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August 31 - Dodge County Fairgrounds
Another disappointing night for Pickens tonight. After qualifying the Hans Lein #2 car in 3rd spot Pickens transferred to the nights Feature race by finishing 3rd in his heat race after starting from grid 8. Starting the 30 lap Feature from grid 6, Pickens withdrew from the race on lap 21.
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August 26 - Angell Park
Last night Pickens ended his record 32 USA race day start losing streak when he took out the 30 lap Feature race at Angell Park.
Qualifying 8th quick, Pickens transferred to the nights Feature race after finishing 2nd in his heat race from grid 7.
Starting from grid one in the Feature, Pickens lead the 30 lap race from green to chequered, beating home fellow Kiwi driver Brad Mosen and Jerry Coons.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
August 25 - Angell Park
Driving the Hans Lein #2, with a qualifying time of 15.019 Pickens was 18th quick of the 49 cars that time trailed.
Starting from grid 4 in his heat race Pickens finished 5th. With only the top 4 automatically transferring into the nights Feature race Pickens was forced to run the B Main event where he started from grid 11 and finished 19th, thus missing a start in the Feature race.
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August 20 - Bloomington - Putnamville
Pickens drove the Danny Roberts #21x Sprint car at Bloomington and Putnamville this past weekend. With 24 cars on hand at Friday night’s Bloomington show, Pickens started his heat race from grid 6, finishing 8th. Forced to run the B Main, Pickens beat the 6 other competitors then ran 4th in the nights Feature race behind Jeff Bland, Jimmy Light and Chris Babcock.
The following night at Putnamville in the same car, Pickens transferred into the Feature race by finishing 2nd in his heat race. Starting from grid 5, Pickens Feature race ended early when he flipped the Roberts car early in the race.
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August 13 - Wilmot - Angell Park
With the local ‘hot-shots’ Jerry Coons jnr, Brad Kuhn, Davey Ray and Danny Stratton electing to run with the big boys in Indiana at USAC’s Midget Week, rather than contest the two local Badger events, Pickens looked an odds on favourite to win both or at least one of the two Badger Midget Series events held over the weekend.
With just 21 cars lining up for qualifying at Wilmot, Pickens, driving the Hans Lein #2 was 3rd quick, after winning his heat race Pickens went on to run 2nd in the Feature race behind Fiscus Team driver Chad DeSelle.
Again driving the Lein #2 car the following night at Angell Park, and only 20 cars taking a qualifying time, Pickens was 4th quick. After winning his heat race Pickens started from grid 7 in the nights Feature race, his 5th appearance at the Sun Prairie this year.
Pickens spun on lap 13, restarted the race and 4 laps later withdrew from the event, his 4th DNF at Angell Park this season.
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August 5 - Angell Park
Due to the wet track conditions no qualifying was held and Feature starting grids were determined by finishing positions and passing points gained in the heat races.
Pickens, again driving the Fiscus #8 Spike/Esslinger started from grid 8 in his heat race and finished 8th.
Forced to run the B Main, and try and finish in the top 6 to qualify for the nights Feature race, Pickens started from grid 15 and finished 8th.
Pickens missed out on making the nights Feature race, the other 3 Fiscus team drivers all finished the race in the top 10, Aaron Fiscus 2nd, Chad DeSelle 4th and Tim Noble 8th.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 30 - Angell Park
Pickens was again back at Angell Park today driving the Fisus #8 car, the car he described a year ago as the “most scariest car I have ever driven”!
Qualifying 6th quick, Pickens started from grid 6 in his heat race and transferred to the Feature by finishing 3rd.
Starting off grid 5 in the Feature, Pickens withdrew early from the race.
After walking away from the fully funded pavement drive with the Urban Force Racing Team 4 weeks ago, Pickens said that he could see no future in going back to race on dirt at Angell Park. Ironically, Pickens seems to proven his own point as he has now had 3 Feature race starts at Angell Park this summer, recording 2 DNF’s and a 14th place finish - under performing his pavement results.
October 2006, Pickens arranged with Roush chassis builder Dave Dunlap to drive Dunlap’s Late Model Stock in North Carolina at selected meetings in 2007.
Pickens is still awaiting race dates to be confirmed, whenever this happens, it is expected that he will then head to NC to get back to pavement racing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 29 - Belleville Midget Nationals
Finishing 3rd in his heat race, Pickens earned a transfer spot into the nights Feature race.
Pickens started from grid 15 in the 40 lap Belleville Nationals event and his finishing position was virtually determined by how many cars that started in front of him, dropped out of the race.
No fewer than 8 of the 14 cars that started in front of Pickens didn’t see-out the 40 lap race that was dominated by Jerry Coons Jnr, only 12 of the 26 starters took the chequered flag, Pickens finishing 7th.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 28 - Belleville Midget Nationals
After his qualifying time of 17.791, 4th quick, Pickens started from grip 9 in his 8 lap heat race. Finishing 6th, with only the top 4 automatically transferring to the nights Feature race, Pickens was forced to run the B main where he started from grid 2 and won the 12 lap race.
Starting from grid 19 in the Feature race Pickens made steady progress through the field, with 3 laps remaining he had worked his way up to 6th place and looked set to be lock himself into tomorrows Feature race, the top 6 finishers to start on the front 6 grids in the Belleville Nationals. Exiting turn two on the 3rd last lap Pickens overdid it and clipped the out side wall, forcing him back to 7th place where he finished the 25 lap Feature race.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 22
Pickens Woo’s Continue
Back racing on the dirt at Angell Park last night Pickens, drove the Jim Fiscus owned #8 Midget. Of the 26 cars that time-trialled Pickens qualified 8th quick.
Starting from grid 6 in his heat race Pickens was unable to make much head-way, by finishing 5th Pickens missed a transfer spot into the Feature and had to contest the B Main. Starting from grid 1 Pickens locked himself into the Feature by finishing 2nd to Joe Wipperfurth, Wipperfurth passing the Kiwi on the last lap.
Starting the 30 lap Feature race from grid 3 Pickens came unstuck on lap 18 when he spun in turn 1. Restarting from the ROF Pickens finished the race in 14th place.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 21
Pickens Heading Back to Dirt
Pickens has put his NASCAR aspirations on hold and is heading back to racing on dirt. The 24yr old Kiwi driver who went to the USA in March 2007 to pursue a pavement racing career, including racing an ASA Late Model car for the Urban Force Racing Team, split with the team 3 weeks ago.
Pickens is expected to drive for the Fiscus Racing Team at Angell Park on Sunday and has been entered by the Hans Lein Team to pilot the #2x Midget at the two day Belleville Nationals event, July 27- 28.
The Hans Lein team have come close to winning the prestigious event the last two years with regular team driver Danny Stratton finishing 4th in 2005 and 2nd in 2006. Stratton will steer the #2 Midget for the team this year.
Before leaving for the USA Pickens is reported to have said the primarily reason he didn’t want to run dirt, as well as pavement, was because, “The race craft required is a lot different and I think that chopping between the two could easily set you back.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 11
Moving on
After Michael Pickens fans heard the news that he and the Urban Force Team had parted company, many have been asking, “where to from here for Pickens”.
In the USA it’s an everyday occurrence that drivers get hired, fired, they quit, or whatever but life goes on and a driver moves on.
With Pickens no longer part of the Urban Force Team he now has a golden opportunity to pursue other pavement opportunities in the USA.
Pickens is based in Janesville Wisconsin and is in the fortunate position to seek other drives at one of the 7 race tracks within ‘close proximity’ to Janesville that run Late Model races on a weekly bases.
Other options open to Pickens include him travelling to North Carolina to drive a Late Model Stockcar at Caraway Speedway, before leaving NZ last March Pickens had plans of contesting up to 10 races at Caraway.
With race rides being available for $1000 - $1500 per race Pickens is in the fortunate position to be able to ‘buy a ride’ for the remainder of the season.
It is understood that the current NZ Midget Champion has been offered Midget drives in the WI area but Pickens has told friends in NZ that he is focused on pursuing a pavement career and that going back to race on the dirt at the likes of Angell Park is not really an option.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pickens and Urban Force Racing Team Split
Beloit, WI July 7 - Current New Zealand Midget Champion Michael Pickens NASCAR dreams have suffered a blow with news that he has parted company with the Urban Force Racing Team.
FULL STORY