Monday July 21st:
This weekend Michael took advantage of his weekend off from Steve Miller's # 22 and drove John Pinter's # 92 URC Sprint car at Big Diamond Raceway. URC had back to back night of racing this weekend and Michael only attended Friday since Saturday's race at Selinsgrove was already locked in by time trials from an earlier race. The opportunity to drive Pinter's car was a great experience and a great opportunity to shake the car down before he races his car again in August for the Kasey Kahne race at The Grove and a few more regular scheduled URC races. Big Diamond was a success after being handicapped due to no points Michael went into the night knowing he would have to start in the back and race his way into their invert. Although once making the invert he was again handicapped and would not be able to start any better then 12th in the AMain. Michael did just that he made the invert after starting 11th in his heat race he passed his way up to 4th lo cking into the invert. Michael felt very comfortable in Pinter's car and was able to pass on both the top and bottom. He would start 12th in the Amain where an early race encounter would leave him with heavy front end damage that he was unaware of until the end of the race. Michael did not stop in the initial caution and was able to continue. Later in the race Michael was in another caution and had to go the rear and work his way back up. Passing back up to 8th with what he would soon find out had a lot of broken parts from the original caution he and the team were very happy with the finish. Michael looks forward to the future events he will race for Pinter. Carber and Steve Miller Motorsports will be back in action this weekend with their regular schedule.
Upcoming URC Events Michael Will Attend:
August 16th URC Lincoln Speedway & Miller's 410
August 19th Kasey Kahne Foundation WG URC
August 22nd URC WG & Miller's 410
Monday July 14th:
This weekend Michael traveled to Central PA to his weekly tracks which both were having time trial events. Both races were also higher paying purses. He started off strong timing in the top ten at The Grove. This was a great success since he usually has trouble timing there. He was able to pass a car and transfer from his heat into the AMain. The AMain line up goes back to time if you qualified through your heat. He started 9th and was able to finish in the top ten finishing tenth. Saturday night was even a higher paying purse at Lincoln where we would have the same order of events as the night before. Lincoln's time trial were done a little bit different. You are set out onto the track with 3 other cars and you complete a series of "hot laps" and you best lap stands as your time. Michael was having a good set of laps until a broken rear wheel caused a flat tire slowing him a little. He was able to manage an eleventh place time trial before the tire flattened. In the heat race Michael started 3rd but ran a close second to Mike Bittenger. He started 11th in the AMain and rounded out the weekend with another 10th place finish. Unfortunately after the AMain Michael and the team discovered that the motor overheated. Michael will take this upcoming weekend off from The Grove and Lincoln.
Saturday July 5th:
Kicking off the Cindy Rowe Auto Glass PA Speedweek Saturday June 28th at Lincoln Speedway a bad time trial time would land us a bad starting spot of the feature. After a lengthy rain delay Michael's heat resumed where he restarted and finished 4th. Night two and three of speedweek the only seat time Michael would get was the 8 hours of drive time to a from Bedford Sunday and Monday to two RAIN OUTS. The rain cleared for Tuesday nights races at Grandview Speedway. Michael timed well enough to make the invert to share the front row of a heat race which he WON. Wednesday night Michael took the long trek out to Hagerstown for another night of Speedweek racing. He timed 9th out of 30 cars, Michael's best time trial run in his PA Speedweek experience. Starting 4th in the heat he jumped into second after the start but backed up to 4th where he would finish with motor trouble. Pulling into the pits after the heat the team thras hed with help from Thomas Rider of Rider Racing Engines to diagnose the problem. After the problem was solved he was able to start the A-Main in the 9th position where he would eventually pull in before the end of the race. Since Michael and the team had to thrash so much before the A-Main they didn't get the car quite right and Michael was fading through the field. Thursday we made the trip to Port Royal where we got some T-shirt sales in but thats about it before the RAIN fell yet again. Port eventually canceled, the same circumstances prevailed for Friday at The Grove RAIN OUT again. Michael and the Steve Miller Motorsports Team discussed the final two races of the Speedweek and decided to sit the last two out since rain was in the forcast yet again for both races. Michael will be back in action again next Friday night at The Grove.
Monday June 16th:
Friday THE 13th the All Star Sprints were in town. Making the trip out to the time trial event at The Grove to face to normal Central PA drivers as well as the traveling All Stars. Michael did not have a good time trial run forcing him to start deep in the heat. He finished 8th and they took 5 to the AMain. He scratched for the BMain where they would only take 4 to the AMain he was scheduled to start 14th. The team made a unanimous decision to figure out why their motor wasn't hitting like everyone else's. They found that a faulty fuel pump was the problem. With that solved they worked hard at the shop to get everything ready to go for night two of the All Stars at Lincoln. With rain in the forecast we knew it could be a wash. Just as the cars were getting ready for push offs the rain began. It continued for about an hour before stopping. Once the track was re-worked it was 11PM before anyone touched the track for hot l aps. It was going to be a LATE night and that it was. Michael went out early for time trials and held his third place time until half of the field had gone, but by then the track just kept getting better. Ending up timing 18th he started on the front row of a heat where he finished 2nd. Going back to times for the AMain he started 18th and finished 17th. The track was very fast and not a lot of passing. By the end of the feature it was already 2AM the time we usually would be getting home. It sure was a late night for all, Michael and some of the crew members didn't arrive home until 5AM Sunday morning. Better luck next week with motors will be the key to finishing well at The Grove.
Wednesday June 11th:
Friday night June 6th Michael made the trip out to Mechanicsburg to The Grove. Michael was able to start on the front row of his heat and pull away for the win. After winning the heat Michael and the team had to thrash to put a new rear end in after the one they started the night with broke. Since URC Sprints had a number of heats the team was able to successfully change the rear in time for the A-Main. Michael then was lined up next to AJ Michael for the start of the A-Main. AJ never missed a beat and kept the lead from Michael. Michael gave it all he had to catch him but fell short and AJ Michael lead green to checkered.
Saturday June 7th we raced two features at Lincoln. A makeup feature from May was added to the order of events for the night. The makeup feature already had some laps recorded so Michael restarted in 6th spot and finished 5th. He started 4th in his heat for the regular event and finished 2nd. Michael started 6th in the A-Main passing a few people early on the top he was able to grasp a few positions. On lap 6 he was able to pull a slider on Cory Haas to capture the race lead. He led up until lap 13 where Cris Eash passed him off the bottom. A few laps later he was unable to hold of Montieth and had to settle for 3rd. All in all the Team had an awesome weekend and was able to catch up a little more in the points at both Lincoln and The Grove.
Last weekend at The Grove Michael struggled through the heat race due to motor problems but was able to keep a transfer position. He started 18th in the A-Main and was able to pass up to 12th before the checkered. The next night at Lincoln the Team still struggled to determine the lack of power problem from the motor. They were able to solve it enough before the heat to be able to qualify. He won the heat race and started 7th in the feature. Micheal was up to 5th when a late race accident causing Cris Eash to stop in the middle of turn one and two Michael had no where to go because he had already committed to the top. He was able to get the car stopped before actually hitting Eash's stopped car, but had to stall to miss the wreck causing he to go to the rear. Restarting at the back with only a few laps remaining he finished 15th.
Congratulations to Cris Eash and the Eash Team on their double feature wins Saturday at Lincoln.
Sunday May 25th:
Wednesday May 21st Michael and the Steve Miller Motorsports crew headed to Grandview Speedway for Bob Miller's Thunder on The Hill event for the first night of the Keystone Cup. Michael likes going to Grandview because its close to home and there is always very competitive racing action. Also making the trip Wednesday were a hand full of top notch World of Outlaw teams. This made for event more competitive racing. All of the Keystone Cup races run time trials which line you up for the heat. Michael went out very early in the session and times 13th out of 28 cars. He was then set on the front row out side of Davey Sammons where he would finish where he started. Everything goes back to time for the Main events where he started 12th and finished 15th.
Friday May 23rd we raced the second night of the Keystone Cup at The Grove. Michael missed the gearing in time-trials and timed pretty far back. He started in the back of the heat and missed the transfer by one position. Yet again everything goes back to time so even though he was the 1st non qualifier for the A-Main he had to start 9th in the B-Main where he missed the transfer by one.
Saturday May 24th the third night of the Keystone Cup was at Lincoln. Michael times 20th and made the inversion for the heat races. Michael started on the pole of his heat race and WON. Although locking into the A-Main from the heat after going back to time he would start 20th in the A. Caution after caution helped Michael to be able to pass some cars on the top of turn one and two on each restart. Although some cars crashed out in front of him he was able to keep on the move on each restart. Michael was up to 6th when a late race pass by Cory Haas off the bottom landed Michael the 7th place finish. Michael and the team were happy with the results from these races, but will not finish out the Keystone Cup at Selinsgrove or Port Royal
Friday May 9th:
Williams Grove was rained out due to excessive rain all day. With the night off on Friday we made the trip out Saturday to Lincoln. We were scheduled to run two features due to an earlier rain out. In the first feature we started 16th and were up to 10th when a right rear wheel gave out causing Michael to get a flat with less than 10 laps to go. After the makeup feature was a regular schedule of events. Michael started in the second row of the first heat and was take out on lap 3 by a racing incident with Cory Haas. Michael and the Steve Miller Motorsports Team thrashed to get the car ready for the feature event. They had a lot of work cut out for them having to change both the front and rear end along with a few minor things. There was no B-Main so since Michael didn't qualify through the heat and was scored as last he had to start 24th in the A-Main. Although 24th position is where no one likes to start in the A-Main, Michael was able to pass his way through up to the top 10 at one point before getting passed back. Michael held on to 11th for the finish of the second feature. Congratulations to Cody Darrah and the Darrah Motorsports Team on their first 410 Feature Win.
Sunday May 4th :
Friday night at Williams Grove Michael was having trouble in his heat race after starting in the second row he backed up and was able to hold on to the seventh place spot. Michael missed the transfer by one position so had to run the B-Main. Michael started up front in the consi and lead half way. A late race pass by Brian Leppo left Michael's car shaken up due to dirty air and Greg Hodnett was able to pass him before the checkered. Michael had to start deep in the field for the A-Main where the car still struggled. Saturday morning at the shop while doing routine maintenance Michael found he had suffered a broken shock Friday night. The crew did all of the regular maintenance as well as replaced the bad shock and made the trip to Lincoln Speedway for the Weldon Sterner Memorial Time Trial event Saturday. Michael was in a later group for time trials and times 7th our of 27 cars. The heats were inverted by time putting Micha el fourth in his heat, where he finished third. Michael started and finished sixth in the A-Main.
Tuesday April 29th:
Friday night April 25th Michael raced at Williams Grove. Michael was in the first of three heat races where he finished 6th. After his heat was down pour of rain that lasted about a half hour. After the rain stopped the track crew was able to get the track back into shape. After not qualifying in for the A-Main through the heat he had to race the B-Main. Michael pulled off and did not finish the race. Michael and the crew thought they did poor because of the setup, but Saturday proved another story. With the rain stopped went to Lincoln Speedway on Saturday where bad luck was on our side yet again. Michael suffered some problems within the ignition of the motor. Unable to push off for hot laps Michael and the crew thrashed trying to get the motor running for the heat. Michael was late out onto the track after switching some things around and had to start last in the heat. Considering no track so far that nig ht he was able to pass a few cars and finish 6th. Just before the feature event rain started and set in for the rest of the night cancelling the rest of the show. The feature will be made up a later date. The rain just seems to keep following us everywhere we go.
Sunday April 20th:
Friday night April 18th we were finally able to get a race in at The Grove without any rain in the forecast. Michael started 4th in his heat race while battling back and forth with Mike Erdley he was able to capture the 2nd place finish. Michael made the handicap and was in the top five for the start of the A-Main. Shortly after the start of the race there was clearly something wrong with Michael's car. By lap 10 Michael was backing up quickly. He was able to hold on to 17th and did not get lapped by winner Doug Esh. Michael entered the pits after the feature and the Steve Miller Motorsports Team was determined to find the problem. The conclusion was that Michael's right rear tire had shrunk throughout the feature leaving him with too little stagger to stay in the top ten and be competitive. Saturday night at Lincoln luck didn't fall on our side yet again. Michael ran a good heat filled with tough competition and made the handicap ther e as well. He then started 7th and was on the move until a mid race restart left him with a funny feeling about how his motor was running. Michael raced a few laps before suffering a blown motor mid race. Next weekend we are back at The Grove and Lincoln.
Sunday April 13th:
Friday night April 11th we made the trip out to Williams Grove with rain in the forecast. The rain seems to just keep coming. Friday after trying to wait out the weather, The Grove ended up with yet another RAIN OUT. Saturday despite the rain the night before Lincoln's track surface showed little sign of moisture. With the sun and the wind out all day the track was very dry, making it hard for anyone to pass. Michael started 5th in his heat race which started off with caution after caution. Everyone kept getting jumbled up in turn one as everyone tried to squeeze together on the bottom. Michael was in the last of the cautions before it finally went green. Finishing 6th in the heat placed him into the A-Main. Michael started 17th in the A-Main where he was able to pass a few cars earlier while running the top before the track went away and everyone started snugging the bottom. We look forward to next weekend and better weather in the forecast
.
Sunday April 6th:
This season so far has been full of rain, rain, and more rain. Friday was another RAIN OUT at Williams Grove which canceled our regularly scheduled Friday event. Saturday was still overcast, but NO rain. The night started off well. Michael and the crew changed a few things at the shop for this week hoping to get things back on track after a few rough nights. The adjustments they made for Saturday night at Lincoln were for the better. Michael felt very good about their hot lap session, which continued to a Heat Race WIN after starting 4th. Michael locked himself into the handicap for the A-Main where he started 9th. It took a few restarts after the initial green to get things rolling. The night was full of caution in the qualifying event which continued to the start of the feature. Lap 3 of the feature found Michael in the first turn wall needing the assistance of a wrecker. A racing incident with fellow dr iver, Doug Esh, landed him there. They collided with each other entering the first turn. After Michael's car bicycled it slammed the outside guard-rail head on. Michael was unable to restart due to the intensity of the damage from the wreck. Michael and the Steve Miller Motorsports Team were very disappointed with the outcome of Saturday's Feature. This week will be more work than usual at the shop to get ready for this weekend.
Sunday March 23rd:
This weekend was the first week of night racing. Michael and the Team worked hard both nights of racing, but just couldn't get the setup right. Michael was able to qualify through the heats at both Williams Grove and Lincoln to make the A-Main. It was a good effort by all but they just couldn't get things going for them in either feature event. Michael scored a 18th and a 20th place finish this weekend. We look forward to a better weekend next week.
Sunday March 16th:
The sun was out over Lincoln Speedway and we were able to get our second race of the season there in and completed. This week yet again was based on passing points gathered from the heat races. Michael started 4th and finished 3rd in the heat. We were about average as far as the passing point played out. Michael's finish in the heat locked him into the A-Main bypassing two very tough consolation events. Carber started 12th in the A- Main and was able to make some early race passes to take over the 8th position while running both the top and bottom grooves before it slicked off and became single file. Michael and the Steve Miller Motorsports Team are happy with the Top 10 finish this weekend with multiple WoO drivers in competition. The weekend was rounded out with yet another Cancellation at The Grove due to the weather.
Carber and the Team would also like to welcome K&N Filters to our list of Sponsors for the 2008 Season.
Wednesday March 12th:
Rain put a stop on racing action Saturday March 8th at Lincoln, but the weather cleared up and we were able to get our Season Opener in at Williams Grove on Sunday. Michael started seventh in his heat race and was able to take over the fourth position to lock him into the feature. After there was a pill draw for the invert of the A-Main resulting with a zero pulled Michael had to start tenth. Michael was able to hold the position for most of the race, but finished 14th.
Saturday February 23rd:
After suffering a broken rocker arm on the motor during push-off Michael was unable to get things back going before the heat races. Michael was scheduled to go out in the first heat but was unable to get things going. Michael was ready to go for the B-Main starting last due to no passing points gained in the heat. He was on the charge and was able to finish fourth and make it into the A-Main. Michael started deep in the field for the "A" but was on a charge and had reached Lance and was up to 13th when a late race racing incident cause Michael to get a left rear flat. With only a few laps remaining Michael was able to restart at the tail of the field and passed a few more cars to finish 16th.
January 29th, 2008 Michael Carber releases re-designed website
Michael Carber and the entire Steve Miller Motorsports team are proud to announce the re-launch of their WRT-designed http://michaelcarber.com. Michael and the 22z team look to build upon their two trips to victory lane in 2007 with an even more aggressive 2008 campaign. Michael will be a regular at Williams Grove and Lincoln, as well as running the full Keystone Cup and Speed Week schedules.
The new site will allow Michael’s fans to get a closer look at the young wheelman and his team as well to keep up with the latest news, results, and photos from the season. Take a look around, add it to your favorites, and before you leave, let Michael know you stopped in by signing his guestbook. Check back soon for 2008 photos, a complete schedule, and new merchandise to be available in the near future.
January 7th, 2008 Carber Scores Podium Finish at BIS
Michael Carber of Pipersville, PA competed in USA Sprint Cars Night 3 at Brisbane International Speedway, QLD after Night 2 was cancelled due to rain.
After timing in the top 10 Michael had to start quite deep in his first heat race attempt, where he would finish 3rd. Carber took the checkered on the 2nd heat race he was in, placing him in the Dash. He then went on to win the Dash after starting outside Cameron Gessner.
This lined him up for the pole position for the start of the A-Main event. A racing incident with Gessner that resulted in some damage, he feels he might have been able to contend for the win. Even though this occurred early in the race Carber was able to hold his off the hard charging pack and settle in for a 3rd place finish placing him on the podium for the first time this year driving the Motorguard Motorsports USA #1. Michael would like to thank Car Owner John Wheatherall and the Crew; Chris, Jason, and John-John for all of their efforts.
Carber would also like to announce he and Steve Miller Motorsports have brought APS Powder Coating, and Fastener Supply of Souderton, PA on board for the upcoming 2008 Season. Be su re to check out www.michaelcarber.com for the latest news and results.
December 29th, 2007 CARBER to CENTRAL PA FULL TIME in 2008
Michael Carber is proud to announce that he will team with Steve Miller in the upcoming Central PA 410 Season. Once returning to the U.S. at the end of January from a months’ stay in Queensland Australia, Michael and The Steve Miller Motorsports Team will compete weekly at Williams Grove and Lincoln, along with The Keystone Cup and Cindy Rowe Auto Glass Speedweek events.
“I am looking forward to getting started in February. With backing from Lost Creek Carts, Lost Creek Graphics, and Lost Creek Truck N Trailer, we have all the pieces in place to be competitive nightly in the upcoming 2008 season. In addition we have a great group of product sponsors on board:
Bell Race Products, Bob Hilbert Racewear, Butlerbuilt Seats, CnB Mushroom Farms, DMI, Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic, ISC Racers Tape, Keizer Racing Wheels, Leaf Racewear, MAXIM Chassis, Rider Racing Engines, Robison Race Products, Seegers Auto Body, SPY Optics, VRP Shocks, and Wings Unlimited. These all feature state of the art products that make it possible to compete at this level.”
Thanks to all of our local fans who support me as a driver and Steve Miller Motorsports as a Team. We look forward to an exciting 2008 Season. Remember to check out www.michaelcarber.com for latest news and results. 2008 Merchandise is in the process and will be available at the beginning of the season.
December 28th, 2007 Mike Carber’s Exciting Debut for Motorguard Motorsports
Press Release from Motorguard Motorsports
Twenty year old Michael Carber from Pipersville Pennsylvania earned himself a new set of Australian fans in an exciting debut for the Motorguard Motorsport team at Brisbane International Speedway on Boxing Night, storming his way through the pack during the Feature event to finish fourth in his first run in the team's USA #1 Maxim.
With light showers throughout the afternoon affecting the racetrack, the track officials cancelled the scheduled timed hot lap sessions and opted for a draw and invert based on Club averages to determine the Heat race grids instead. A fuel problem, which otherwise may have been found during the timed sessions, ended Mike's run in his first qualifying Heat race before it even began with Mike bringing the car to a stop on the infield before the greens came on. With assistance from Kenny McNamara (KRE Racing Engines) and the problem rectified, Mike finished fourth in his remaining Heat race to sit well down the order in nineteenth position ahead of the main events.
From seventh grid position in the B-Main, and in a preview of what was to come later in the evening, Mike then earned himself a much needed transfer to the Feature event by finishing second in the fifteen lapper to Richard Morgan.
A Feature race winner in Brisbane during his previous visit to Australia twelve months ago, Mike tapped into the knowledge gained during that tour by using both the top and the bottom of the racetrack to move from his seventh row start to sixth position in just the first four laps of the Feature! Running with local hot-shoes Todd Wanless, Andrew Scheuerle, Darren Jensen and Cameron Gessne r through most of the middle stages of the race as compatriot Daryn Pittman controlled proceedings up front, Mike had worked his way into third place by lap twenty-six and looked set for a podium finish in his first race with the team. However, a yellow light stoppage on the white flag lap bunched the field once more and as Mike saw an opportunity to grab second place from Gessner in the race to the checkered, he slipped back a spot to be fourth at the flag.
Team owner John Weatherall was full of praise for Mike's drive in the Feature. "To overcome the fuel problem we had early in the night which really put us behind the eight ball, to transfer out of the B-Main and then come from the back of the pack and just miss out on a podium finish says a lot about Mike's determination and ability in a sprintcar. We raced against him last year when he was here and he ran well so when John (Kelly, BIS Promoter) approached us about running him in the car this year we knew he would be ok, but that really was a great drive tonight. Sure it's a bit disappointing to get to third and then lose a spot but he was having a go (for second place) and that says a lot. I'm really looking forward to the next couple of weeks Mike will be here driving for us, as I'm sure the whole team is."
Qld sprintcar fans get another opportunity to see Mike and the Motorguard Motorsport team in action this coming Tuesday night, January 1 when they again take on Daryn Pittman and a host of Qld stars in the second International Sprintcar event of the season at Archerfield. Remember to check out www.MichaelCarber.com for latest news and results.
