Mike Bliss will make his 38th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series start when the green flag drops for the UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 March 13th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
BLISS ON THE UAW-DAIMLER CHRYSLER 400."Our test in Las Vegas went a lot better than the one we had in Fontana and our weekend there went pretty well, so we're pretty excited about getting to the track. It's hard to have a weekend off so early in the year. I know the logistics of getting from Fontana to North Carolina and then back to Las Vegas make it just about impossible not to put one in there, but you gear up for the season, spend so much time in Daytona and then turn around and head to California and you're just ready to keep going, especially when you've had two pretty good races to start of the season. If it was up to us, we'd have just shown up in Vegas and been ready to race. Las Vegas Motor Speedway is one of those tracks you don't hear too many complaints about. It's fun to get back on the mile and a half ovals and obviously the atmosphere surrounding the race is always exciting. We spend a lot of time on this size track and you can use Vegas to see what kind of work you you've got ahead of you when you get home. Mainly though, it will just be good to get there and keep our momentum going. In the late stages of the season, we'll be begging for a weekend off, but right now, it just came too early."
LAS VEGAS NOTES OF INTEREST
The Haas CNC Racing team will utilize chassis 017 for the running of the 2005 UAW-DAIMLER CHRYSLER 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The team tested this car in Las Vegas in January and it has returned to compete this weekend. This car was also utilized in 2004 on several occasions, including in the second event at New Hampshire International Speedway and at Phoenix International Raceway.
Though Bliss has not competed in any NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events in Las Vegas, he has plenty of experience at the 1.5-mile oval. Bliss has two Busch Series starts under his belt as well as five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts. Last season, Bliss started from the pole position during the Busch Series event. He also started from the outside of the front row three times during his Truck Series days. In all, Bliss has never started outside the Top seven at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and has finished outside the Top 12 only once in seven starts.
Bliss will sign autographs at the Best Buy store located at 2050 N. Rainbow Blvd. from 6:30 pm until 8 pm local time on March 11. He will also make a short appearance at the Best Buy Fun Zone, located on Speedway grounds, from 12:30 pm to 1 pm Saturday afternoon.
MIKE BLISS NEXTEL CUP CAREER STATS -
TOTAL STARTS: 37
FIRST CAREER START: 1998 NAPA Autocare 500, Martinsville (Va.)
No. 96 Caterpillar Chevrolet
Started 25th, Finished 25th - Running
BEST QUALIFYING: 7th
2004 Chicagoland Speedway
No. 80 ConAgra/Slim Jim Chevrolet
BEST FINISH: 4th 2004 Richmond (Va.) (Fall)
No. 80 ConAgra/Slim Jim Chevrolet
MOST RECENT START: Auto Club 500 - California Speedway
Started 10th, Finished 12th - Running
No. 0 NetZero Best Buy Chevrolet
CAREER EARNINGS: $1,800,481
MIKE BLISS LAS VEGAS CAREER STATS -
Busch Series
2003 Sam's Town 300 Start 5th, Finish 3rd Running
2004 Sam's Town 300 Start 1st, Finish 12th Running
Truck Series
1996 CarQuest 420k Start 7th, Finish 12 Running
1997 CarQuest 420k Start 2nd Finish 5th Running
1998 Sam's Town 250 Start 2nd, Finish 6th Running
1999 The Orleans 250 Start 2nd, Finish 30th Accident
2002 Las Vegas 350 Start 6th, Finish 2nd Running
Bliss has led 230 laps in five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
MIKE BLISS 2005 NETZERO BEST BUY RACING STATS -
Daytona 500 Start 35th Finish 18th $237,250
Auto Club 500 Start 10th Finish 12th 94,500
