Bliss revived career, team with unlikely title

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- There's a saying in racing that you have to go slow to go fast.

For Mike Bliss, the racing almost stopped entirely.

FORD 200 Mike Bliss celebrates his first Craftsman Truck Series title. Play video Ron Hornaday gets his 26th Truck Series victory. Play video  •  Results  •  Standings

Instead, Bliss put everything in fast-forward motion this year and captured his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship.

Not a bad way to bounce back from a 2001 season that saw him attempt Winston Cup Series racing after being let go from two teams.

None of that matters now. He is a NASCAR champion.

"Unbelievable, this is just unbelievable," Bliss said. "I didn't want to think about this, I've tried not to think about being a champion.

"We're a champion and this feels great. I started tingling with about two laps to go and I told Dave (Fuge, crew chief) that I was getting a funny feeling.

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"He told me to just keep going because I had two more laps."

Sealing the deal at Miami-Homestead Speedway, the 37-year-old Bliss becomes only the fifth different champion since the series inaugural in 1995.

With the strength of five wins, 13 top-fives and 18 top-10 finishes this year, Bliss was able to hold off charges from Rick Crawford and Ted Musgrave.

Bliss' team -- No. 16 IWX Motor Freight Chevy -- was almost shut down last year, and a shutdown was discussed several times in 2002.

	Bliss finished fifth in the Ford 200 for his 13th top-five of the season. Credit: Autostock

It made the championship even better.

"This IWX team was just about done last year halfway into the season," Bliss said. "Steve Coulthard (team owner) only wanted to run one or two truck races this year.

"Then, we go out and blow up during the first race and had to get him all excited to want to run some more races. We started to run better and that really helped a lot."

During that forgettable 2001, Bliss was faced without a ride, paying for a new motorcoach and providing for his wife and young daughter. What looked like a promising year instead turned to disappointment.

Bliss drove in selected midget and USAC races to keep his competitive edge.

	Credit: Autostock

"Steve does this out of his own pocket because he loves racing," Bliss said. "IWX Motor Freight is his business, but he pays for the race team with his own money. I don't want to say we were a bunch of misfits, but nobody wanted to hire us.

"Now, we're a bunch of champions."

While the newly-crowned champion was handing out compliments and credits, he took time to thank his parents.

"My parents spent a lot of money on my racing when I was a kid," Bliss said. "If they hadn't brought home a quarter midget when I was 11-years-old, I don't think I'd be here today.

"Really, they were and always have been very supportive. We were fortunate to have parents like that."