# Mike McLaughlin (racing driver)

Michael McLaughlin (born October 6, 1956) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. Nicknamed "Magic Shoes", McLaughlin was a perennial fan favorite, winning the Most Popular Driver award in 1997. He also scored several wins and top-5 points finishes in the points standings in the NASCAR Busch Series.

## Early career

McLaughlin grew up in New York State and began his professional career at a later stage than most other drivers, competing in his first race at age 20 in a dirt modified he built. He then ran regularly at his home track, Maple Grove Speedway, before moving up into the DIRT Modified series.
McLaughlin lived a few blocks from Maple Grove Speedway and built his first car in the garage at home. According to his mother, he drove the car to the track on his first night of racing.

## Move to NASCAR

In 1984, McLaughlin made his Busch Series debut at the Mello Yello 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, driving the No. 73 Pontiac home to a 14th-place finish. He ran one more race that season, the October Charlotte race. Unfortunately, mechanical problems ended his day early. He raced twice more the next season, posting an eleventh-place run.
He then advanced into the NASCAR Modified ranks for Sherwood Racing, owned by Bill Corazzo and run by Clyde McLeod. His crew included Corazzo's nephews, Paul Corazzo Jr who would go onto his own racing career in both open wheeled formula cars and Sprint car winning championships in both many times,Greg Zipadelli, who would later win Sprint Cup titles as crew chief, and Greg's younger brother Scott Zipadelli, who is also now a top level NASCAR crew chief. Mike won the 1988 championship in the Winston Modified Tour, now known as the Whelen Modified Tour. He has sixteen career wins in the modified series.
He also drove for Harry and Mike Greci in the Busch North Series, finishing 3rd in points in 1993. Mike became the first driver ever to win both ends of the Modified/Busch North doubleheader at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

## NASCAR Busch Series career

In 1990, Mike returned to the Busch Series, driving the No. 51 Coors Extra Gold Oldsmobile in six races. Despite two wrecks, McLaughlin had two top-five finishes and caught the eye of many in the sport. He ran eight races the following season, but was unable to duplicate his success. After part-time runs in 1992 and 1993, McLaughlin finally ran his first full-time schedule in the Busch Series in 1994, driving the No. 34 Fiddle Faddle Chevrolet for Cicci-Welliver Racing. Despite not making two races, McLaughlin posted three top-fives and finished 13th in points. He also ran two Winston Cup races for Cicci-Welliver that year, finishing 22nd and 27th at New Hampshire and Watkins Glen, respectively.
In 1995, McLaughlin got his first taste of Victory Lane, winning the GM Goodwrench/Delco 200 at Dover, and collected 13 additional top-tens on his way to a third place points run. After a winless 1996, McLaughlin won twice in 1997 (including at his hometrack at Watkins Glen) and was named the series' Most Popular Driver. 1998 saw him add Goulds Pumps as his primary sponsor, and he won two more races, and matched his career-best finish of third in points.
After going winless in 1999, McLaughlin shockingly announced he would depart from Cicci-Welliver at the season's end, citing a need for a change. He and Goulds left for the No. 48 Chevy fielded by Innovative Motorsports in 2000. Unfortunately, the season was a struggle and McLaughlin could not get the cars up to speed. Despite two fifth-place finishes, McLaughlin jumped ship just weeks before the start of the 2001 season to the unsponsored No. 20 owned by Joe Gibbs Racing. McLaughlin shocked the NASCAR world by winning the NASCAR Subway 300 at Talladega, albeit controversially. Despite the win, the team could not continue to run unsponsored, and McLaughlin moved over to the MBNA No. 18 for the remainder of the season. He finished seventh in points.
In 2001, McLaughlin was Tony Stewart's back-up driver for the Coca-Cola 600. Stewart was running the Indy 500 the same day and McLaughlin was to have started the race if Stewart did not arrive on time. Stewart eventually arrived in Charlotte just minutes before the command to start engines and finished third.

## Struggles and retirement from driving

In 2002, McLaughlin went winless once again, but was able to muster a fourth-place finish in points. However, Gibbs wanted to move his son Coy into the No. 18, and McLaughlin was forced to find a new job. In October 2002, McLaughlin announced he would run with a new team, Angela's Motorsports in the 2003 season. The team showed up at that season's Speedweeks, and their Ford Taurus was the fastest in testing. After that, problems began arising, and weeks before the season started, Angela's Motorsports closed its doors. It turned out that the team's owners had been behind in paying their bills, and their debtors took over the operation and shut everything down. McLaughlin appeared to be out of a job, but after word leaked out, fans began donating money to allow McLaughlin to run the Daytona race, and with sponsorship from XM Radio and with Darrell Waltrip's DWStore.com, McLaughlin drove the No. 39 Jay Robinson Racing Ford at the season-opening event, qualifying 4th but finishing 29th after a wreck in the closing laps. The financial windfall could not get McLaughlin a full-time ride, although he returned to Cicci Racing to run seven races, posting one top-ten finish. McLaughlin went unemployed in 2004 until the end of the season, when he replaced Bobby Hamilton Jr. at Team Rensi Motorsports after Hamilton left to join Nextel Cup team PPI Racing, posting a second-place run at the Stacker 200 Presented by YJ Stinger.
McLaughlin became a test driver and development driver coach for Joe Gibbs Racing, and opened his own racing fabrication business. As of 2009, McLaughlin is also building bobsleds for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, supplier of sleds to the US Olympic team.

## Personal life

McLaughlin's son Max currently races in the Super DIRTcar Series and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series driving the No. 96 for FRS Racing. Max formerly competed for Hattori Racing Enterprises in the ARCA Menards Series East, winning a race in 2019 at Watkins Glen International.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | NWCC | Pts | Ref |
| 1994 | Team 34 | 34 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | SON | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | DAY | NHA 22 | POC | TAL | IND | GLN 27 | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO | ATL | 55th | 179 | |
| 1996 | Team 34 | 34 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | SON | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | DAY | NHA | POC | TAL | IND | GLN DNQ | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO | ATL | NA | - | |

#### Busch Series

NASCAR Busch Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | NBSC | Pts |
| 1984 | Boehler's Racing | 73 | Pontiac | DAY | RCH | CAR | HCY | MAR | DAR | ROU | NSV | LGY | MLW | DOV | CLT 14 | SBO | HCY | ROU | SBO | ROU | HCY | IRP | LGY | SBO | BRI | DAR | RCH | NWS | CLT 36 | HCY | CAR | MAR | | | | | | 67th | 176 |
| 1985 | Boehler's Racing | 73 | Pontiac | DAY 33 | CAR | HCY | BRI | MAR | DAR | SBO | LGY | DOV | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 62nd | 194 |
| 1985 | Boehler's Racing | 03 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | CLT 11 | SBO | HCY | ROU | IRP | SBO | LGY | HCY | MLW | BRI | DAR | RCH | NWS | ROU | CLT | HCY | CAR | MAR | | | | | | | | | | | 62nd | 194 |
| 1990 | H&H Motorsports | 51 | Olds | DAY 39 | RCH | CAR | MAR | HCY | DAR | BRI | LAN | SBO | NZH | HCY | CLT | DOV DNQ | ROU | VOL | MYB | OXF DNQ | NHA 6 | SBO | DUB | IRP | ROU | BRI | DAR | RCH 29 | DOV | MAR | CLT 17 | NHA 3 | CAR | MAR 4 | | | | 47th | 633 |
| 1991 | H&H Motorsports | 51 | Olds | DAY 37 | RCH | CAR | MAR | VOL | HCY | DAR | BRI | LAN | SBO | NZH | CLT 41 | | | | | GLN 19 | OXF 39 | NHA 14 | SBO | DUB | IRP | ROU | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT 32 | NHA 12 | CAR | MAR | | | | 45th | 620 |
| 1991 | Shoemaker Racing | 64 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | DOV 34 | ROU | HCY | MYB | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 45th | 620 |
| 1992 | H&H Motorsports | 51 | Olds | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | MAR | DAR | BRI | HCY | LAN | DUB | NZH 30 | CLT | DOV | ROU | MYB | GLN 13 | VOL | NHA 30 | TAL | IRP | ROU | MCH | NHA 29 | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT 14 | MAR | CAR | HCY 27 | | | | 49th | 549 |
| 1993 | H&H Motorsports | 51 | Olds | DAY | CAR | RCH | DAR | BRI | HCY | ROU | MAR | NZH 9 | CLT | DOV | MYB | GLN 12 | MLW | TAL | IRP | MCH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NC$^2$ | 0 |
| 1993 | H&H Motorsports | 51 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 22 | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | ROU | CLT | MAR | CAR | HCY | ATL | | | | | | | | | NC$^2$ | 0 | |
| 1994 | Team 34 | 34 | Chevy | DAY 29 | CAR 22 | RCH 11 | ATL 39 | MAR 21 | DAR 21 | HCY 12 | BRI DNQ | ROU 16 | NHA 10 | NZH 5 | CLT 9 | DOV 18 | MYB 31 | GLN 19 | MLW 6 | SBO 15 | TAL 7 | HCY 16 | IRP 3 | MCH 4 | BRI DNQ | DAR 6 | RCH 11 | DOV 28 | CLT 27 | MAR 11 | CAR 35 | | | | | | | 13th | 2986 |
| 1995 | Team 34 | 34 | Chevy | DAY 37 | CAR 13 | RCH 4 | ATL 31 | NSV 7 | DAR 16 | BRI 30 | HCY 3 | NHA 4 | NZH 31 | CLT 20 | DOV 1* | MYB 8 | GLN 4 | MLW 5 | TAL 32 | SBO 2 | IRP 3 | MCH 10 | BRI 21 | DAR 10 | RCH 17 | DOV 7 | CLT 5 | CAR 13 | HOM 24 | | | | | | | | | 3rd | 3273 |
| 1996 | Team 34 | 34 | Chevy | DAY 31 | CAR 2 | RCH 38 | ATL 11 | NSV 30 | DAR 41* | BRI 27 | HCY 25 | NZH 29 | CLT 35 | DOV 32 | SBO 2 | MYB 6 | GLN 3 | MLW 2 | NHA 9 | TAL 25 | IRP 2 | MCH 13 | BRI 38 | DAR 38 | RCH 11 | DOV 6 | CLT 5 | CAR 4 | HOM 27 | | | | | | | | | 10th | 2853 |
| 1997 | Team 34 | 34 | Chevy | DAY 33 | CAR 8 | RCH 27 | ATL 17 | LVS 24 | DAR 33 | HCY 10 | TEX 5* | BRI 2 | NSV 13 | TAL 35 | NHA 1 | NZH 8 | CLT 33 | DOV 23 | SBO 8 | GLN 1 | MLW 13 | MYB 2 | GTY 5 | IRP 37 | MCH 13 | BRI 16 | DAR 2 | RCH 32 | DOV 10 | CLT 13 | CAL 9 | CAR 7 | HOM 22 | | | | | 4th | 3614 |
| 1998 | Team 34 | 34 | Chevy | DAY 18 | CAR 5 | LVS 27 | NSV 1 | DAR 8 | BRI 6 | TEX 11 | HCY 21 | TAL 3 | NHA 7 | NZH 3 | CLT 7 | DOV 5 | RCH 34 | PPR 20 | GLN 2 | MLW 6 | MYB 3 | CAL 24 | SBO 3 | IRP 18 | MCH 15 | BRI 17 | DAR 3* | RCH 28 | DOV 4 | CLT 1 | GTY 12 | CAR 41 | ATL 29 | HOM 18 | | | | 3rd | 4045 |
| 1999 | Cicci-Welliver Racing | 34 | Chevy | DAY 15 | CAR 6 | LVS 19 | ATL 12 | DAR 16 | TEX 4 | NSV 7 | BRI 27 | TAL 21 | CAL 41 | NHA 40 | RCH 14 | NZH 28 | CLT 27 | DOV 28 | SBO 15 | GLN 3 | MLW 11 | MYB 12 | PPR 15 | GTY 9 | IRP 17 | MCH 24 | BRI 39 | DAR 38 | RCH 43 | DOV 9 | CLT 3 | CAR 16 | MEM 7 | PHO 16 | HOM 20 | | | 9th | 3478 |
| 2000 | Innovative Motorsports | 48 | Chevy | DAY 26 | CAR 15 | LVS 43 | ATL 21 | DAR 33 | BRI 42 | TEX 40 | NSV 2 | TAL 14 | CAL 41 | RCH 25 | NHA 33 | CLT 32 | DOV 10 | SBO 24 | MYB 30 | GLN 5 | MLW 28 | NZH 34 | PPR 8 | GTY 36 | IRP 34 | MCH 5 | BRI 28 | DAR | RCH 30 | DOV 34 | CLT 39 | CAR 16 | MEM 24 | PHO 15 | HOM 31 | | | 24th | 2690 |
| 2001 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 20 | Pontiac | DAY 6 | CAR 14 | LVS 9 | ATL 11 | DAR 5 | BRI 13 | TEX 37 | NSH 9 | TAL 1 | CAL 10 | RCH 22 | NHA 10 | NZH 17 | CLT 11 | DOV 21 | KEN 25 | MLW 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | 3962 |
| 2001 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | GLN 17 | CHI 25 | GTY 12 | PPR 14 | IRP 23 | MCH 5 | BRI 16 | DAR 3 | RCH 32 | DOV 31 | KAN 10 | CLT 19 | MEM 10 | PHO 31 | CAR 3 | HOM 12 | | 7th | 3962 |
| 2002 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Pontiac | DAY 38 | CAR 5 | LVS 12 | DAR 6 | BRI 2 | TEX 18 | NSH 20 | | CAL 6 | RCH 14 | NHA 5 | NZH 9 | CLT 4 | DOV 8 | NSH 33 | KEN 39 | MLW 8 | DAY 7 | CHI 27 | GTY 7 | PPR 7 | IRP 14 | MCH 17 | BRI 4 | DAR 8 | RCH 19 | DOV 2 | KAN 31 | CLT 8 | MEM 16 | ATL 3 | CAR 13 | PHO 19 | HOM 20 | 4th | 4253 |
| 2002 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 18 | Chevy | | | | | | | | TAL 24 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4th | 4253 | |
| 2003 | Jay Robinson Racing | 39 | Ford | DAY 29 | CAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 61st | 615 |
| 2003 | Santerre Racing | 01 | Ford | | | LVS DNQ | DAR | BRI | TEX | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 61st | 615 |
| 2003 | Frank Cicci Racing | 34 | Chevy | | | | | | | TAL 39 | | | RCH 13 | GTY | NZH | CLT 30 | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | DAY 9 | CHI 30 | NHA 26 | PPR | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | ATL | PHO | CAR | HOM | 61st | 615 |
| 2003 | Herzog-Jackson Motorsports | 92 | Chevy | | | | | | | | NSH QL$^†$ | CAL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 61st | 615 | |
| 2004 | Roush Racing | 60 | Ford | DAY | CAR | LVS | DAR | BRI | TEX | NSH | TAL | CAL | GTY | RCH | NZH QL$^‡$ | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | DAY | CHI | NHA | PPR QL$^‡$ | IRP | MCH | | | | | | | | | | | | 38th | 1140 |
| 2004 | Team Rensi Motorsports | 25 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | BRI 12 | CAL 11 | RCH 24 | DOV 2 | KAN 11 | CLT 12 | MEM 18 | ATL 41 | PHO 36 | DAR 39 | HOM 16 | 38th | 1140 |
| $^†$ - Qualified for Todd Bodine · $^‡$ - Qualified for Greg Biffle |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

#### Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | NCTC | Pts | Ref |
| 1996 | Chesrown Racing | 66 | Chevy | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | TUS | CNS | HPT | BRI | NZH | MLW | LVL | I70 | IRP 9 | FLM | GLN | NSV | RCH | NHA | MAR | NWS | SON | MMR | PHO | LVS | | | 91st | 138 | |
| 1997 | Ken Schrader Racing | 53 | Chevy | WDW | TUS | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | I70 | NHA | TEX | BRI | NZH | MLW | LVL | CNS | HPT | IRP 5 | FLM | NSV | GLN | RCH | MAR | SON | MMR | CAL | PHO | LVS | 91st | 155 | |
$^2$ Competed only in companion events with Busch North Series as BNS driver and ineligible for Busch Series points