Racing Legends - Mike Trower
“I wanted to say thanks for your help and support with your products over the years. Homestead will be the end of my NASCAR racing career, and I know without a doubt it would not have lasted 27 years if I had to wear volleyball kneepads and baseball gloves as I did, and most others did, in the early years of my career. The knees and hands simply would not have lasted! Whenever we talked at the track you always checked to see if things were OK and asked if I needed anything, and I appreciate that.”
- Mike Trower
This Sunday marks the 27th and final season Mike Trower will be over the wall pitting for a NASCAR team. Every sport has its icon, and Crewmen have Mike Trower. In a Pit Talks article Mike reflects on his beginnings, “Some friends from Iowa had moved down to get into racing. I was helping them out at night and ended up getting a job with Dave Marcis. I started the season out Catch Canning and by the first Pocono race of 86’ I was changing tires.” The Dave Marcis deal would run from 1986-1992. The last race of the 1992 season was Jeff Gordon’s first race. I ended up pitting that last race of 92’ with Jeff and stayed at Hendricks from 93’-99’.” That’s right folks. Mike Trower was a key player on one of the most famed pit crews of all time; the Rainbow Warriors.
In 2005 Mike took top individual honors at the annual Pit Competition as a Front Tire Changer 20 years after his first race.
He went on to win 3 Championships with Jeff Gordon and left the volleyball kneepads and baseball gloves at home. The rest is racing history. Mike Trower is as humble as they come and he will be the first to deny his iconic status as a legendary NASCAR Crewman. Well Mike, Mechanix Wear appreciates everything you have done for the sport and bids you farewell and a happy retirement.
Career Stats:
4 Daytona Victories
3 Brickyard 400’s
4 Southern 500’s
3 All Star Race Wins
1994 Unocal Pit Competition Winner
1997 Winston Million Winner
2005 Pit Comp. Individual Winner
5 Championships
18 Rings Total
Check out "The Mike Trower Story" on www.pittalks.com
