Mike Bliss

Nine Racing Driver 1994–1995, 2001

Mike Bliss gathered four wins while ripping around tracks in the #9 midget. He won three pavement-surface races in 1994—at Winchester Speedway, Louisville Motor Speedway, and Indianapolis Raceway Park—and one event in 1995, again at Winchester Speedway.

Born in Milwaukie, Oregon, Mike began racing at age 10. In 1993, he earned the USAC Silver Crown National Championship. Mike, who's considered one of the first open wheel racers to find success in NASCAR, began racing in the Craftsman Truck Series in 1995. In 1998, he made his debut in the Cup Series and in 2002, Mike picked up five wins and won the Truck Series championship. He signed to drive the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Nationwide Series the following year, posting 14 top-10s and finishing 10th in points. That same year, he competed in the International Race of Champions, winning at Chicagoland Speedway. In 2004, Mike picked up his first career Busch win at Lowe's Motor Speedway and finished fifth in points. After departing from Gibbs' Cup program, Mike replaced Ward Burton at Haas CNC Racing's Cup ride, posting a 10th place run at Darlington Raceway.

In 2008, Phoenix Racing signed Mike to drive the #1 Miccosukee Resorts and Gaming Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series. The O'Reilly 300 on April 5 was the first race for Mike in the Miccosukee Chevrolet.