_________________________________________________________

It’s “ShoTime” in Super Cup Stock Car Series Return to Ona

Ona, West Virginia (August 3, 2025) – The winning battles and range of emotions from the long-awaited Super Cup Stock Car Series return to Ona Speedway did not disappoint the impressive turnout of fans in attendance for Putnam County Bank Throwback Night.

The first points acquired during the Saturday filled with warm but pleasant West Virginia weather were by a first-time Pole Award winner.  In his 20th try as a driver dating back to the inaugural season in 2008, “ShoTime” Mike from Denver, North Carolina achieved a new SCSCS track record of 18.198 seconds, nearly a full second quicker than the prior mark, as to be expected by the new patches of asphalt put down recently around the 0.438-mile oval and different tire compounds since the last visit in 2013.

Attrition unfortunately turned out to be the name of the game for some equipment in the field on hand, the first sidelining local favorite Jeremy Cooper’s SCSCS debut following the initial practice session when the No. 57 Velocita-USA / Nitro Construction Services / Patriot Meat / Ashton Racing Chevrolet encountered issues under the hood.

The redraw from qualifying saw two-time previous Ona starter Brent Nelson start out front, but it was “ShoTime” Mike getting the advantage from the outside by the time the roar of full-bodied stock cars came around to complete lap one.  JJ Pack, making his first series appearance in nearly two years, had a throwback ride of his own with the No. 6 IceBoxx Customs / JPR Ford closely resembling that of Mark Martin’s 1990s NASCAR Cup Series campaign.  He was competitively pressuring Nelson for second place until trouble struck for the No. 80 Precision Auto Collision / JEBCO / QH Design / RAM Trucking / Snap-On Tools / Nelson Motorsports Chevrolet on the ninth circuit of the 40-lap distance.

Smoke billowed from the rear of the Petersburg, West Virginia driver’s machine and went pit side for the remainder of the night, further setting back efforts for a defense of his SCSCS title a year ago.  On the restart, Pack continued searching high and low for any chance he could to capitalize in his pursuit for the top spot.  “ShoTime” Mike held off every single one of those attempts to claim his first series victory in a little over 10 years.

“JJ is a tough competitor,” “ShoTime” Mike noted.  “He raced me absolutely clean.  I wasn’t giving him anything.  I hugged the bottom for 40 laps.  If JJ was passing me, he was going to have to go the hard way, and he was a real pro.  Never felt him.  I expected to feel him a couple times, and never did.  Late in the race I got a little bit tight and started to open up the bottom, but he was still a professional gentleman.”

It was an emotional win for “ShoTime” Mike, who would have sat out the most recently scheduled Veterans Classic event at Shenandoah if it had not been postponed due to rain.

“It’s been a real tough month, working on cars,” “ShoTime” Mike continued.  “Had a lot of things not go my way.  A lot of my family I did this racing with, but my son Jamie, my right-hand man in the Hooters Pro Cup deal and Super Cup and all that stuff.  We lost him almost seven years ago today.  I miss him so much.  I dedicate this race to Jamie for all that he has done for me.  I used to tell Jamie all the time, this business is 90% work and 10% fun and he said ‘dad, when am I ever going to see the 10% fun.’  It’s here; it just comes far and few between.”

Following “ShoTime” Mike to the stripe was Pack with points leader Mitch Gibson finishing third, and Bill Ashton and Larry Frame rounding out the top five.

“I was making a couple moves on Mike, trying to see if I could peek on the outside of him,” Pack from Midland, Virginia said.  “Each time I tried to go on the outside I felt like I couldn’t get it to stick up there.  I just kept trying to bide my time, see if I could catch him off guard.  He held the bottom really well.”

Sadly, Pack’s evening was over prior to getting to the next main event’s green flag, but considering the circumstances it was a valiant runner-up.

“Engine was running a little flat too,” the 2014 SCSCS champion indicated.  “We lost a cylinder when a spark plug wire came off, so I was overdriving it for that reason.  With two laps to go, I ended up breaking a lower front control arm on the right side, which put us basically out to try and win the race.”

“ShoTime” Mike hinted at contemplating retiring immediately after victory lane ceremonies concluded but ultimately decided on coming back for the next one.  Despite some of the outcomes being the same as the first, the story was definitely different.

Gibson redrew the pole, but yet again “ShoTime” Mike was able to get out front on the opening lap.  Almost all of the next 39 laps was a tooth and nail battle from the eyes of the fans in the stands with the No. 2 Eric Barber Enterprises Chevrolet yet again persevering for the win.

Nevertheless, the tone had certainly changed during this victory lane interview and celebration.

“Had a great first race; raced with some people that respect one another,” “ShoTime” Mike commented.  “I was warned about the 35 car, because he’s had issues with some of our other competitors.  He banged on me three times and knocked me sideways in three and four, because he doesn’t have enough talent to pass on the outside.  I left him the outside for 40 laps and he never went there.  We don’t race like that here in Super Cup.  But anyhow, we pulled it off, I was able to save it, collected it up, back-to-back wins, swept the night.  What a joyous night for me.”

Ona Speedway’s history of stock car racing dates back to the 1960s, in which “The King” Richard Petty won on a few occasions.  “ShoTime” Mike mentioned earlier in the day that one of the signature bucket hats he wore in the past was in the infamous shade of the No. 43 cars for decades and expanded upon that about the series he raced in when he won a Rookie of the Year award back in 1983 and went by a different nickname at the time.

“My ASA cars used to have a Petty blue chassis.  It was a shade off.  We called it ‘Muttly’ blue.  Enough said about that.”

Uniontown, Pennsylvania’s Ashton accomplished a podium result behind Gibson in the No. 44 Good Frames, LLC / Ashton Racing Ford that Ben Ebeling won both races in at the season opener at Kingsport Speedway.  Yellow Spring, West Virginia’s Frame made it to his goal of seeing both checkered flags, concluding with a fourth-place finish in his No. 80x Precision Auto Collision / Nelson Motorsports Chevrolet and moves up to fifth in the season-long standings.  Eric Barber, celebrating his birthday weekend at the track closest to his home in Parkersburg, West Virginia, had some struggles with the No. 83 WeAreJ6.com / Eric Barber Enterprises Chevrolet but was credited with rounding out the top five and remains fourth in points.

Gibson had a rollercoaster of an experience that included all hands on deck, including help from fellow racer Barber, fine tuning on the No. 35 Moyer Brothers Company / LDW Technologies / Superior Welding / 1500channels.com / Jeffrey Salyers Realty / Trevor’s Life / Ashton Racing Ford.  He went on to describe that process as well as his perspective trying to get to first in the second Putnam County Bank Throwback Classic Twin 40.

“We went with the wrong gear to start the day,” the Weyers Cave, Virginia resident explained.  “After qualifying we changed to a better gear and it sure showed in the second one.  Pretty much got blocked the whole second race.  I think I got to the guy’s bumper four or five times, could have moved him and turned him sideways a couple times, and didn’t do it.”

With Nelson’s misfortune, Gibson expanded his advantage but “ShoTime” Mike now sits second, a total of 44 back with the bonus points earned from leading both races flag-to-flag.  Gibson remains confident heading into the next event a few weeks away.

“Good points day for us, overall,” the winner at his home track Lonesome Pine Motorsports Park in June added.  “We extended our points lead (on Nelson) so that’s a good thing.  Going to Shenandoah, of course we went there and practiced.  I feel really good about that.  We’re going to pull our car down again after this race and get the speed out of it again.  Tonight was a guessing game, but Shenandoah is not.  We’ll get it right.”

The Super Cup Stock Car Series drivers and teams will now race for the prestigious Veterans Classic trophies on Saturday, August 30th.  Series officials are additionally working on details regarding how the 2025 season will be closed out with more information to be released soon.

Details can all be found on the Super Cup Stock Car Series official website supercupstockcarseries.com, on Facebook (search Super Cup Stock Car Series), Twitter (@SCSCSRacing), Instagram (SCSCS_Racing), and https://www.youtube.com/SCSCSRacing.

_________________________________________________________