GIC-Mixon Motorsports
Encyclopedia
GIC-Mixon Motorsports was a NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...

 team, owners of the #7 and the #24 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...

. At the end of 2005
2005 in NASCAR Busch Series
The 2005 season of the NASCAR Busch Series began with the Hershey's Take 5 300 at Daytona International Speedway and concluded with the Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Martin Truex Jr...

, they began to run a part-time schedule. As they did not run in 2006, it is presumed that this team has sold off its equipment..

Mike Harmon era

The team began with #44 and driver Mike Harmon
Mike Harmon
Mike Harmon is an American race car driver. Currently, he drives the #74 Mike Harmon Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. In the past, he drove in the NASCAR Slim Jim All Pro Series, finishing 8th in points in 1997...

. Although Gregg Mixon had some previous owning experience, his official debut as a Busch Series owner was at Nashville
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville Superspeedway is a motor racing complex located in Gladeville, Tennessee , United States, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville. On August 2, 2011, it was announced that Nashville Superspeedway will not host any NASCAR events in 2012. It is a concrete oval track 1 1/3 miles in...

. With sponsorship from Mixon's company GIC
GIC
The acronym GIC can refer to :* Guaranteed Investment Certificate, a financial instrument* Guaranteed Investment Contract, an insurance contract* Gender Identity Clinic, for the treatment of disorders related to gender variance...

, Harmon was able to qualify 41st. 68 laps into the event, Harmon crashed leaving the team's debut with a 40th place finish. The team returned at Nazareth
Nazareth Speedway
Nazareth Speedway was an auto racing track in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania which operated from 1910 to 2004. The track is often associated with local drivers Mario and Michael Andretti. It was associated with Frankie Schneider in its earlier dirt track history....

 bettering Nashville with a 37th place start and a 38th place finish, falling out with transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...

 troubles. After that came a 38th at Dover Downs
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...

, a 36th at Milwaukee
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....

, 40th at Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak International Raceway
Pikes Peak International Raceway, also known as PPIR, is a participant focused racetrack located in Fountain, Colorado, south of Colorado Springs and north of Pueblo...

 and 33rd at Gateway. The team had its best performance of 2001 at IRP. After starting 38th, Harmon completed 95% of the laps and finished in 28th position. Not only was it a new career high for Mixon's team, but it was the first race that they ever finished (and in fact the only one the team finished in 2001). The team ran 7 more races, with the best finish coming at Darlington.

In 2002, the team made plans to run the full schedule. The team made 25 of the 34 races, all with Harmon driving the car. Much like 2001, it was a very turbulent season for Mixon and Harmon. They only finished three races, did not qualify (DNQ) for nine. The most memorable part of the season for the team occurred during a Thursday practice at Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol Motor Speedway, formerly known as Bristol International Raceway and Bristol Raceway is a NASCAR short track venue located in Bristol, Tennessee. Constructed in 1960, it held its first NASCAR race on July 30, 1961...

. Harmon lost control of his Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...

 and hit the guardrail. The guardrail, not properly closed, split Harmon's car in half. Amazingly, Harmon walked away. After that, the team finished 43rd the following night. There were some bright spots for 2002, however. The team set its career best qualifying effort at Loudon
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...

 and matched its best effort of 28th at Fontana
California Speedway
Auto Club Speedway is a two-mile , low-banked, D-shaped oval superspeedway in Fontana, California which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since 1997. The track was also used for open wheel racing events until 2005. The racetrack is located near the former locations of Ontario Motor Speedway and...

. The team also had some support from COX Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...

 for 2002.

2003 was the best year of GIC-Mixon's career. Harmon set the team career best finish with a 23rd right of the bat at Daytona. The team gained sponsorship from FanZ Car for the second half of the season and that support immediately showed. Harmon qualified a team record 20th at Kentucky
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...

. Then a streak began in which Harmon finished in the top-28 for 5 races, stretching from July to August. That was capped with a 20th place finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Harmon made all but two races, and finished 23rd in points, the highest position for Mixon and crew.

With Justin Labonte's
Labonte Motorsports
Labonte Motorsports is a former part-time Winston Cup team and full-time Busch Series team. It was owned by the Labonte racing family from Corpus Christi, Texas and competed for several years under various incarnations.- 1980s :...

  team wanting the #44, Mike Harmon and Gregg Mixon switched numbers to #24. The team did not qualify for Daytona or Las Vegas
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...

, but did make 3 of the first 5 races, with a two-30s. However, the team began struggling to get into the field. By the eigthth race of the season, Harmon had only qualified for half the races and was let go.

Hmiel takes the wheel

Shane Hmiel
Shane Hmiel
Shane Hmiel is a former American racecar driver. He was paralyzed in a near fatal racing accident on October 9, 2010...

, who was coming off a drug suspension, was driving in the Craftsman Truck Series
Craftsman Truck Series
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is a pickup truck racing series owned and operated by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing...

 for Billy Ballew Motorsports
Billy Ballew Motorsports
Billy Ballew Motorsports is a team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. They were formed in 1996 by Georgia businessman Billy Ballew. They currently field the #51 Bullet Liner F-150 for Colin Braun.- Fasscore Motorsports :...

. Hmiel was willing to take the wheel, however, of the GIC-Mixon car for some free weekends during the spring. This allowed the team to have its best runs ever. After qualifying 32nd and finishing there at Fontana, Hmiel qualified in 18th, setting a team record, at Gateway. He was running in the top-15 when his engine blew.

With Hmiel busy for a weekend, Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine
Todd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...

 got behind the wheel of the #24 at Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...

. The team had a new sponsor, as well. FanZ Car had left after 2003, and Quality Plus Services signed on to be the primary sponsor for the rest of the year. Bodine and the team had a good run at Richmond, qualifying 27th and finishing 24th.

Hmiel was back in the car for the next two races and qualifying well. He started 18th at Dover Downs and 19th at Charlotte. However, Hmiel wrecked out of both races while running mid-pack.

Aaron Fike
Aaron Fike
Aaron Fike is a former NASCAR and USAC driver from Galesburg, Illinois. Prior to a drug arrest, he was the driver of the #1 Toyota Tundra Craftsman Truck Series truck.He is the younger brother of former NASCAR driver A. J...

 took the wheel for a race at Nashville. Despite starting 43rd, Aaron, a relatively inexperienced rookie, completed 92 laps and was running well, before overheating took him to a 36th place finish.

Grissom Takes the Wheel

With Mixon's team still struggling to make races, Gregg Mixon hired Steve Grissom
Steve Grissom
Steve Grissom is a NASCAR driver. Grissom was the 1993 Busch Series champion and has eleven Busch wins in 185 starts. He turned down a scholarship to play quarterback at the University of Alabama to focus a career on racing....

. Grissom was the 1993 Busch Series Champion. Grissom then had the advantage of the past champion's provisional, which allowed the most recent champion of the series to start the race automatically. With all other recent champions not running the series or in other good rides, GIC-Mixon was practically guaranteed of making the rest of the races. The first race for Grissom went extremely well. Grissom used the past champion's provisional (43rd place start) and finished in 20th at Kentucky
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...

.

Thus began the team's strongest run during its career. Grissom was 26th at Milwaukee, 28th at Chicago
Chicagoland Speedway
Chicagoland Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Joliet, Illinois, USA, southwest of Chicago. The speedway opened in 2001 and currently hosts NASCAR racing including the opening event in the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup. Until 2011, the speedway also hosted the IZOD IndyCar Series, recording...

, 23rd at Loudon
New Hampshire International Speedway
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as an IndyCar weekend and the oldest motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic...

, 30th at Pikes Peak and 28th at IRP. Two weeks after IRP, Grissom finished 25th at Bristol. At Richmond, Mixon picked up Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...

 sponsorship, and Grissom finished 26th. However, after that the team struggled for the rest of the year. For four straight weeks, the team finished outside of the top-35. The last highlight for the team of 2004 was a 24th at Darlington. Also at Phoenix, the team had two cars in the race. One was for Jason Jefferson
Jason Jefferson
Jason Jefferson is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...

, who made his debut and Grissom made the race in the #93 Chevy with sponsorship from Red Cactus Salsa

Big Boar and Butt Paste

With Steve Grissom leaving to Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing
Jay Robinson Racing is a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Currently, they field the #28 MAXelence Chevrolet Impala for Derrike Cope. Formed in 1995, they moved to the Nationwide Series in 2000, where they have attempted both full-time and part-time schedules.- Car #28...

, the seat was open. Kim Crosby
Kim Crosby
Kim Crosby is a NASCAR Busch Series driver and professional driving instructor. Before she became a NASCAR driver, she served as a middle school principal, resigning in December 2004 to focus full-time on her racing career.Crosby originally was a drag racer, competing in the NHRA and IHRA for...

, one of the few female drivers in NASCAR, got the job. She would drive the #24 Boudreaux's Butt Paste
Boudreaux's Butt Paste
Boudreaux's Butt Paste is a skin cream used to treat skin ailments such as diaper rash, minor burns and insect bites.The product is made by Blairex Industries, which is not based in Louisiana, but in Columbus, Indiana.- Ingredients :The combination of ingredients is:*16 percent zinc oxide*a...

 Chevy for 2005.

However, that deal quickly fell south. Crosby did not qualify for the first three races of the season. Faced with a tough schedule, Mixon contacted Joe Nemechek
Joe Nemechek
Joseph Frank Nemechek III is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and owner of NEMCO Motorsports. He won the 1992 Busch Series championship...

 about buying the #7 Chevy. The #7 was guaranteed in the field for two more races, and Crosby would be able to race. At Las Vegas
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...

, Crosby was in the #7 with Butt Paste sponsorship. Jeff Fuller attempted to qualify for that race in the typical #24. However, the Big Boar Customs Chevy did not qualify. Crosby did race. She qualified 42nd and finished 39th after she wrecked on the 78th lap. The next week at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...

, Crosby had transmission problems, finishing 35th.

With the guarantee of being in the field gone, Crosby was released and Mark Green
Mark Green (NASCAR)
Mark Green is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #49 Chevrolet for Jay Robinson Racing in the Nationwide Series on a part time basis. He is the brother of drivers, Jeff Green and David Green.- Beginnings :...

 was asked to drive the car. Green had considerable experience and Mixon viewed Green as the best driver for the team. Green qualified for his two races with the team. He finished 40th at Nashville and then a solid 23rd finish at Bristol.

With Mark moving onto other opportunities, Mixon looked for a new driver of the #7 Butt Paste Chevy. Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks
Greg Sacks is a NASCAR driver. He is married to his wife Vicky and lives in Ormond Beach, Florida. Together they had three children: Paul, Brian, and Rachel. He and his sons are partners in Grand Touring Vodka.Sacks has spent most of his career as a Research & Development driver for many NASCAR...

 did not qualify for Talladega and at Phoenix
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...

, Scott Gaylord
Scott Gaylord
Scott Gaylord is an American race car driver. He has competed in four NASCAR Winston Cup Series races, all at Sears Point Raceway , most recently in 1996. He has been a long time competitor in the NASCAR Camping World West Series...

 raced the #7.

Jeff Fuller was then brought in for the rest of the year. With new sponsor, Big Boar, back on the cars Jeff qualified for the majority of the races he tried. In most, he outstarted some drivers with better funding. At Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...

 in October, he started inside of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeff also had some good finishes. He was 25th and 24th in two races at Dover Downs. At Charlotte in October, he finished 27th. Also, Brad Teague
Brad Teague
Brad Teague is a veteran of the NASCAR Busch Series and the Nextel Cup Series. He was born November 9, 1947 in Buladean, North Carolina. He resides in Johnson City, Tennessee.- Nationwide Series :...

 drove a 2nd Mixon car, the #24 Eagle Jet International Chevy at Milwaukee and New Hampshire. In both those races, the team started and parked, finishing 43rd in both.

However, Big Boar wasn't able to fully finance the team. With some issues beginning to show in the money department, Gregg Mixon made the tough decision. The team was moving to a limited schedule. After the race at Memphis
Memphis Motorsports Park
Memphis International Raceway is an auto racing park located across the Loosahatchie River from Memphis, Tennessee, approximately ten miles south of Millington, Tennessee. The facility opened in 1987 with a drag strip and 1.8-mile road course...

, the team made one attempt and did not qualify.

Cup Program

During 2002, Gregg Mixon began at looking to start a NEXTEL Cup Series team with Harmon driving. The #93 GIC Ford took to the track for the first time at Phoenix. They did not qualify for that race. Nor did they qualify for the following race at Homestead-Miami
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...

.

With the Busch program struggling to stay afloat, Mixon scaled the Cup operation down. They would refrain from attempting any Cup races until sponsorship problems were cleared up,

In 2004, Mixon was ready to try again. Geoffrey Bodine attempted the #93 in the last 3 races of the 2004 season. However, he had the same result as with Harmon. The team made none of those races.

In 2005, the team used Bodine to get into the Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, generally referred to as the Bud Shootout, is an annual invitation-only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. It is the first competitive event of the season and serves as a...

, an all-star race for pole winners. Bodine was locked in and guaranteed in the show. However, the race did not go well. Bodine immediately lost the lead draft and finished last in the event.

That would be the only race the Cup team would ever make. Since Mixon and GIC never made the show, they are not considered to be Cup owners. With the Busch team falling apart, by 2006, it appears the Shootout would the be only time the car would be on the track.
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