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PRESENTS THIS WEEKS DRIVER PROFILE

Mike Barnett
One night MikeBarnett came to Saugus to watch some of his friends
rac e , He later said to himself .•• "Self, if they can do it, so can I
That was in 1977, the first time Mr. Barnett ever set foot in a race
car. At the end of that first season, Mike walked away with "Rookie
of the year" honors in the street stock class.
Born and raised within 20 miles of Saugus, Mike's graduate of Hart
High in Newhall, class of •71 . Come to think of it, he never mentioned
the year he graduated. I just added 18 years to his birthdate, January
24, 1953, and came up with '71! Mike's been a plumber for the past six
years with Newhall/Valencia Plumbing. Wife Arleen and Mike have three
childre ••• Michelle, 9, John, 7, and Jamie, 2.
The number 84 Sport man Mike is driving is owned by Eleanor Pfleuger.
The new car is a 74 Camara with a 350 C.I. Chevy engine under the hood. It's on its fourth
engine so far this year, so obviously, Mike is not having an easy season in 1980. Crew
chief is Bill Morton and Richard, Pollock, Animal, Doug and Bill make up the rest of the team.
When I asked the question concerning unfortunate experiences, Mike simply says he hasn' had
any. No flips or totaled cars in his racing career and having raced at Lancaster, Pearsonville,
Ascot, Bakersfield and Corona as well as Saugus, I call that incredibly good luck. Even though
money, (lack of it) and equipment have been letting him down, it would seem lady luck has been
with him behind the wheel. There's always a brighter side, right, Mike?
I mentioned the lack of money! That's something that has happened to Mike, to me, and to
many people for many years. Mike has run out o.f money two years in a row. He ran only half
the '78 season and finished 9th in Street Stocks. In '79 he moved up to Sportsman and still
ran only half the year and finished 7th. Who knows what he might do running the entire season,
competing in very race. With the right support and financial backing, he'd love to drive a
Modified and maybe go on to NASCAR.
OUR BEST OF LUCK TO, MIKE, AND KEEP THE "SHINY SIDE UP!"
"Irish"

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