Racing action, update with ’88 Mike’ Morgan’s Mack race truck

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Updated Jul 14, 2017

In the 6th race of the inaugural Minimizer Bandit Big Rig racing series, the 88 Mack of “88 Mike” Morgan ran away with the win in the main event at what amounts to the Wartrace, Tenn., resident’s home track. In the video above, he walks through some of the modifications he’s made to the 1999 Mack CH since my last close look at it nearly three years ago now. You can catch a little bit of the racing action in the vid, too.

At this the first quarter-mile oval (the shortest by a lot) the Bandits had run on this year, after splitting the field for two heats with each group, Morgan and fan favorite Chris Kikelhan (in the 01 General Lee truck) sat in the front row for the final race.

Morgan and Kiklehan at the front of the starting pack for the final race. Catch the action in the Bandit Series live feed from Highland Rim embedded at the bottom of this post.Morgan and Kiklehan at the front of the starting pack for the final race. Catch the action in the Bandit Series live feed from Highland Rim embedded at the bottom of this post.

Morgan ran behind Kikelhan and another racer for the first few laps, when disaster struck for the No. 01.

Kikelhan’s truck in the infield following the first crash of the last race.Kikelhan’s truck in the infield following the first crash of the last race.

After re-setting, Morgan pulled to the front and was well out ahead of his closest challenger when, with a just a few laps left in the race, the caution flag came out. That put him and the points leader in the Bandit series, Ricky “Rude” Proffitt, one and two in the running order and with a dead heat set to take place. Morgan’s truck, which was catching a lot of speed on the high line out of the turns, jumped out ahead and then held off Proffitt for two final laps under green, ultimately, to take the win.

Proffitt (left) and Morgan during the post-race interview in victory lane.Proffitt (left) and Morgan during the post-race interview in victory lane. Morgan was presented with a custom-designed guitar by Highland Rim event emcees, as well as the big ol’ check for the win.Morgan was presented with a custom-designed guitar by Highland Rim event emcees, as well as the big ol’ check for the win.

This was the first Southern short track race in the new Minimizer Bandit series I’d had the opportunity to attend. Though rain in the region delayed the event, once it got started it quickly became clear that the Bandits and their local partners at Highland Rim knew well how to put on a show for all. If you get a chance to attend one of these races, take it! And if you’re well far afield, the series, as I noted in my Saturday post, makes a habit of streaming the event live on its Facebook page. You can run through the heats, local stock-car races and the main event via the embedded vids from that stream below:

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