By Doc Lehman
For Mike Balzano, known by his multitude of fans as ‘Blazo’, the 2005 will be a season of change for the well-known championship dirt Late Model racer. After more than 15 years Balzano, although reluctant to do so, will not be a regular on any sanctioning body’s roster full time. With ever growing commitments to his family business as well as his wife and two daughters, Mike Balzano will run an independent schedule in 2005, his 26th season, aboard his Smoker Friendly, Biscotti’s Restaurant, Eddie’s Auto Parts, Rocket Chassis, Russell Baker Chevrolet Monte Carlo #E1.
After many years on the STARS/Renegade series (including championship seasons) and spending 2004 as a member of the Dirty Dozen with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Balzano has elected to not commit to any series due to an ever-increasing workload and responsibilities at his business. But the decision came after weeks of careful thought and consideration.
“I am not going to re-sign and be a member of the Dirty Dozen,” Balzano flatly stated. “I want to, I want to be a part of that organization and I want to be a part of DIRT Motorsports and I want to be apart of the World of Outlaws series. But my work schedule, as far as my family business, does not allow me to run such an expanded and extensive schedule. The schedule they have is great. I think it’s perfect for full time racers. I am a full time racer, but I also have a job. A lot of the full time racers don’t have (outside) jobs.”
“I think what DIRT Motorsports and the World of Outlaws is doing for the dirt Late Model world is probably the best thing to come along in my 26 years of racing. Not that I’m old and can’t keep up with it, I think anyone in dirt racing that is capable of keeping up with the schedule they have, it’s the best series to race with.”
With the World of Outlaws Late Model Series slated to run even more races and spend more time on the road, Balzano found it prohibitive due to business responsibilities at home. However, Balzano will run as many World of Outlaw Late Model Series events as he can that are logistically feasible.
“My plans are to run all the World of Outlaw races that I can that are within reason of my traveling capabilities and work and family,” explained Balzano. “When I can’t run a World of Outlaw race I will run as many of the MACS races as I can. If MACS or World of Outlaws is not in the area I plan to run some of the NARA races.”
Balzano and team will head to Florida although as this was being put together Balzano was unsure exactly when he would start racing down south. “We’ll decide Monday (February 7) exactly where and when we’ll be racing down there,” said Balzano. “We might run the last two or three at East Bay or go to Volusia all week for the World of Outlaws and UMP races. We’ll know for sure Monday and put it on our website.”
Balzano has always been a firm supporter in sanctions and that hasn’t changed. If you see Balzano racing it will be with a sanctioning body-run event.
“For the last 15 years I have ran with a sanctioning body and I am a 110% believer in a sanctioning series,” commented Balzano. “I think that no matter what the series is they have rules and guidelines they go by and I have always supported those series and I plan to continue that. I wish that I could run a full schedule with the World of Outlaws but with the schedule they have I don’t think that I can.”
“I want to spend more time with my family and more time at the family business and race as much as I can. I’m used to doing 60 or 70 races and I may only be at 40 or 50 this year. But when I show up at a race I am going to go there to win.”
Balzano isn’t making any changes in chassis other than new Rocket Chassis for the arsenal and his crew and program will stay as it was in 2004.
“My crew and sponsors are still intact from last year,” confirmed Balzano. “Smoker Friendly is deciding what direction they want to take in racing. They have purchased 20 more stores and they are trying to figure out where racing figures in. Joe McLaughlin of Biscotti’s Restaurant is staying on board and is going to be one of my major sponsors for the year.”
Balzano’s crew consists of Lou Balzano, Joe Longmire, Mike ‘Dexter’ Deem and Jim Ault.
“I guess the bottom line is I want to race, I enjoy racing, it’s probably a bigger part of my life than I realize,” continued Balzano. “But the bottom line is I’m going to spend as much time working and as much time as I can with my family and do as much racing as I can as long as its feasible and within reason for me to do it.”
Balzano once again echoed his regrets in not being able to run a full World of Outlaws Late Model Series schedule in 2005.
“The World of Outlaw series and the leader of the pack, Bobby Hartslief, is a good friend of mine and anytime that I can do anything t help the World of Outlaws Late Model Series I will do it,” reiterated Balzano. “I wish that, not that I’m old or the guys that I do and have raced with are. Scott (Bloomquist), Chub (Frank), (Steve) Francis and (Rick) Eckert, none of us are old, but I wish that 15 years ago when I was really getting into being a dirt Late Model racer, I wish the opportunity that the World of Outlaws is giving now came along then.”
“I think the MACS series and I think the NARA series, I think those series are great and I want to be part of all of them. My goal this year is to race as many races as I can closer to home without the traveling I did last year and try and win as many races as I can and be successful with it.”
For more on Mike Balzano visit: www.MikeBalzano.com
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
For Mike Balzano, known by his multitude of fans as ‘Blazo’, the 2005 will be a season of change for the well-known championship dirt Late Model racer. After more than 15 years Balzano, although reluctant to do so, will not be a regular on any sanctioning body’s roster full time. With ever growing commitments to his family business as well as his wife and two daughters, Mike Balzano will run an independent schedule in 2005, his 26th season, aboard his Smoker Friendly, Biscotti’s Restaurant, Eddie’s Auto Parts, Rocket Chassis, Russell Baker Chevrolet Monte Carlo #E1.
After many years on the STARS/Renegade series (including championship seasons) and spending 2004 as a member of the Dirty Dozen with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Balzano has elected to not commit to any series due to an ever-increasing workload and responsibilities at his business. But the decision came after weeks of careful thought and consideration.
“I am not going to re-sign and be a member of the Dirty Dozen,” Balzano flatly stated. “I want to, I want to be a part of that organization and I want to be a part of DIRT Motorsports and I want to be apart of the World of Outlaws series. But my work schedule, as far as my family business, does not allow me to run such an expanded and extensive schedule. The schedule they have is great. I think it’s perfect for full time racers. I am a full time racer, but I also have a job. A lot of the full time racers don’t have (outside) jobs.”
“I think what DIRT Motorsports and the World of Outlaws is doing for the dirt Late Model world is probably the best thing to come along in my 26 years of racing. Not that I’m old and can’t keep up with it, I think anyone in dirt racing that is capable of keeping up with the schedule they have, it’s the best series to race with.”
With the World of Outlaws Late Model Series slated to run even more races and spend more time on the road, Balzano found it prohibitive due to business responsibilities at home. However, Balzano will run as many World of Outlaw Late Model Series events as he can that are logistically feasible.
“My plans are to run all the World of Outlaw races that I can that are within reason of my traveling capabilities and work and family,” explained Balzano. “When I can’t run a World of Outlaw race I will run as many of the MACS races as I can. If MACS or World of Outlaws is not in the area I plan to run some of the NARA races.”
Balzano and team will head to Florida although as this was being put together Balzano was unsure exactly when he would start racing down south. “We’ll decide Monday (February 7) exactly where and when we’ll be racing down there,” said Balzano. “We might run the last two or three at East Bay or go to Volusia all week for the World of Outlaws and UMP races. We’ll know for sure Monday and put it on our website.”
Balzano has always been a firm supporter in sanctions and that hasn’t changed. If you see Balzano racing it will be with a sanctioning body-run event.
“For the last 15 years I have ran with a sanctioning body and I am a 110% believer in a sanctioning series,” commented Balzano. “I think that no matter what the series is they have rules and guidelines they go by and I have always supported those series and I plan to continue that. I wish that I could run a full schedule with the World of Outlaws but with the schedule they have I don’t think that I can.”
“I want to spend more time with my family and more time at the family business and race as much as I can. I’m used to doing 60 or 70 races and I may only be at 40 or 50 this year. But when I show up at a race I am going to go there to win.”
Balzano isn’t making any changes in chassis other than new Rocket Chassis for the arsenal and his crew and program will stay as it was in 2004.
“My crew and sponsors are still intact from last year,” confirmed Balzano. “Smoker Friendly is deciding what direction they want to take in racing. They have purchased 20 more stores and they are trying to figure out where racing figures in. Joe McLaughlin of Biscotti’s Restaurant is staying on board and is going to be one of my major sponsors for the year.”
Balzano’s crew consists of Lou Balzano, Joe Longmire, Mike ‘Dexter’ Deem and Jim Ault.
“I guess the bottom line is I want to race, I enjoy racing, it’s probably a bigger part of my life than I realize,” continued Balzano. “But the bottom line is I’m going to spend as much time working and as much time as I can with my family and do as much racing as I can as long as its feasible and within reason for me to do it.”
Balzano once again echoed his regrets in not being able to run a full World of Outlaws Late Model Series schedule in 2005.
“The World of Outlaw series and the leader of the pack, Bobby Hartslief, is a good friend of mine and anytime that I can do anything t help the World of Outlaws Late Model Series I will do it,” reiterated Balzano. “I wish that, not that I’m old or the guys that I do and have raced with are. Scott (Bloomquist), Chub (Frank), (Steve) Francis and (Rick) Eckert, none of us are old, but I wish that 15 years ago when I was really getting into being a dirt Late Model racer, I wish the opportunity that the World of Outlaws is giving now came along then.”
“I think the MACS series and I think the NARA series, I think those series are great and I want to be part of all of them. My goal this year is to race as many races as I can closer to home without the traveling I did last year and try and win as many races as I can and be successful with it.”
For more on Mike Balzano visit: www.MikeBalzano.com
-Prepared by Lehman Motorsports Services
