Faulk is a second-generation...
Faulk is a second-generation racer from Florida, where he was 2003Rookie of the Year in the Florida Pro Late Model Series.
You may have read of the "Law Firm of Reutimann, Overstreet, andKennedy" in "Fast Floridians" (Dec. '04 SCR) where the Craftsman TruckSeries team of David Reutimann was profiled. Now there's a juniorpartner--Mike Faulk--with the ever-present Buzzie Reutimann.
Faulk, 22, was Rookie of the Year and winner of two races in the 2003Florida Pro Late Model Series. Then, in 2004 he went to the NASCAR KodakElite Southeast Series with the double-zero Pennzoil car of WakelyMotorsports where David Reutimann's dad, Buzzie, called the shots. ButFaulk experienced some rough times, as racers often do.
Faulk is moving to Michael Burton's MB3 Motorsports and the HootersProCup Series where he will compete for Rookie of the Year in 2005.Buzzie and Faulk's dad, Lee, will still be involved, the former ascrewchief.
Mike Faulk, shown with his...
Mike Faulk, shown with his '04 NASCAR Southeast Series car, will competefor Rookie of the Year in Hooters ProCup in 2005.
Yes, 2004 was a learning experience, but let Faulk tell it:
"I appreciate the opportunity given to me by Michael Wakely, Pennzoil,and the Wakely Motorsports team. Unfortunately, 2004 has not been whatwe hoped for. Our motor program let us down in several races, and weweren't able to recover.
"Running in the NASCAR Kodak Southeast Elite Touring Division has been agreat learning experience, and we were competitive in all other aspects,but six DNFs due to engine failures kept us out of the points race, andthat's not acceptable for us. We felt we were close to a couple of winsand the car was capable of several Top 5s, but we weren't able to keepthe motor together to seal the deal.
"After talking to my dad and Buzzie about the offer from MB3 MotorSportsand determining Michael Burton's commitment to winning, we felt it wasbest for us to make the move over to the Hooters ProCup Series and tocompete for the 2005 Rookie of the Year."
The Details
More on that and his No. 53 car in a minute. First, about Faulk. Just ashe vowed last season, his goals are still to graduate from theUniversity of Florida in public relations, hopefully after two moresemesters, and to move up in his racing career.
To lighten his load, he sold the lawn care business which he'd startedin his Gainesville, Florida, hometown.