Mike Neff

Born Dec. 19th, 1963, Mike was destined to be a racing fan from day one. His mother actually attended the 1963 Indianapolis 500 while he was kicking around in her womb. Mike attended St. Lawrence Grade School and Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, and tackled Mark Clayton (formerly of the Miami Dolphins) during a football practice his freshman year. Mike then attended Purdue University, graduating in 1988. He currently resides in Concord, NC.

Mike likes all forms of motorsports. He has attended races with motorcycles, funny cars, top fuel dragsters, go-karts, midgets, sprints, late models, stock 4s, mod 4s, street stocks, stock cars, Indy cars, dirt modifieds, pine wood derbies, and soap box derbies. He has been to races from Wisconsin to Florida; he has yet to attend a race west of the Mississippi, but that was only because his plans got screwed up when he was supposed to see the Outlaws in California.

Mike’s favorite race car drivers are A.J. Foyt, Curtis Turner, and Dale Earnhardt. He will reserve comment on his current favorites so that you’ll have to read his articles to find out.

Mike has three children – Courtney, Addison, and Austen. A Frontstretch writer since late 2005, when Mike isn’t watching racing or writing for FS, he is on the local lakes bass fishing, or in the fields hunting dove or deer. Mike also collects various things from shotglasses, to beer steins, to 1/64th die cast cars.

You can click here to email Mike

If you want to check out some of the places that Mike hangs out, (well, the PG-13 places anyway), try out THESE websites:

• Bassmasters
• Diecast Lounge
• Race Talk Radio
• Arena Racing USA

Past articles by Mike Neff

May 2008

05/17: Last In and First Out: The Joy And Sadness Of NASCAR Qualifying For The Underdogs

05/14: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Darlington

05/08: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Darlington Edition

05/07: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Richmond [2]

05/01: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Crown Royal 400

April 2008

04/30: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Talladega

04/24: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Aaron's 499 [2]

04/23: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 Drivers Still Winless in NASCAR [4]

04/15: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Phoenix

04/10: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Subway Fresh Fit 500

04/09: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Texas [4]

04/03: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Texas Edition

04/02: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Martinsville

March 2008

03/27: Roush Continues Grudge Match With Toyota ... But That's All It Is [1]

03/27: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Goody's Cool Orange 500 [1]

03/26: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 Drivers You Aren't Seeing on Sunday [1]

03/19: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Bristol

03/12: Fantasy Picks N Pans: Food City 500

03/12: Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings : Top 15 After Atlanta

03/06: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Kobalt Tools 500

03/05: Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Las Vegas [1]

February 2008

02/28: Picks N Pans: UAW Dodge 400

02/26: Frontstretch Top 15 Power Rankings: Top 15 after Fontana

02/25: Nationwide Breakdown: Stater Brothers 300

02/21: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Auto Club 500

02/20: Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings : Top 15 After Daytona [2]

02/14: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Daytona 500 Edition

02/12: Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings: After the Bud Shootout [1]

02/06: Frontstretch Sprint Cup Power Rankings : Preseason Top 15 [6]

January 2008

01/24: The Best Of The Frontstretch : Penske Preparing For Past Champion Provisional Sham With Hornish, Busch

01/22: An Amazing Event in the Desert : NASCAR's Connection To Barrett-Jackson [4]

01/21: The Best Of The Frontstretch : Budweiser's Big Blunder: Why The Driver Makes The Sponsor, Not The Other Way Around

01/15: A Modern Barnstormer Gets One More Ride [6]

01/08: News And Notes As The Winter Doldrums Reach An End

November 2007

11/20: Things That Make You Say Thanks - Taking Stock Of NASCAR At The End Of '07 [4]

11/19: Busch Breakdown : Ford 300 [1]

11/15: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Homestead Edition

11/12: Bye-Bye, Busch Series : Paying Tribute To One Of NASCAR's Loyal Sponsors [4]

11/10: Busch Breakdown : Arizona Travel 200

11/07: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Phoenix Edition

11/05: Penske Preparing For Past Champion Provisional Sham With Hornish, Busch [38]

11/03: Busch Breakdown - O'Reilly Challenge 300

October 2007

10/31: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Texas Edition [1]

10/30: A New Era Begins for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. [2]

10/27: Busch Breakdown : Sam's Town 250 [1]

10/24: Fantasy Picks ‘N' Pans : Atlanta Edition

10/22: Mayfield's Final Shot Could Be Green's Last Hurrah [9]

10/15: ESPN Putting More Into Their Race Broadcasts Than The Super Bowl? You'd Be Surprised [32]

10/13: Busch Breakdown - Dollar General 300

10/13: Martin Truex joins the philanthropic side of NASCAR

10/13: A Synopsis of the Driver's Meeting [2]

10/12: Newman Does It Again At Lowe's; Frontstretch Tidbits From The Track [2]

10/12: You Think You Hate Missed Restarts? ESPN Hates Them Even More [16]

10/12: Sitting Down With Jason Keller On The Verge Of History

10/08: Time For Concord To Stop Pulling Bruton Smith's Chain [17]

10/04: The Impact Of Nationwide And NASCAR [6]

10/01: Bailey's 300: The Daytona for Late Models

September 2007

09/30: Busch Breakdown: Yellow Transportation 300

09/26: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Kansas Edition

09/24: Roush Fenway Done Playing Catch Up With The CoT [1]

09/23: Busch Breakdown - Roadloans.com 200 [1]

09/19: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Dover Edition

09/17: "Kahne" The New Face of Budweiser Pull It Off? [16]

09/12: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : New Hampshire Edition

09/10: Open Wheel Drivers Becoming The Choice Du Jour Of NASCAR Owners...At The Expense Of Everyone Else [14]

August 2007

08/30: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : California Edition [1]

08/30: Sponsor Dollars Buying More Than Hood Space On Cars? Jack Roush Says So [6]

08/25: Busch Breakdown: Food City 250 [2]

08/22: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Sharpie 500 Edition

08/19: Junior's Stepmother and the State of the Sport Spoils the Happy Ending For the No. 8 [37]

08/18: Busch Breakdown: Carfax 250

08/15: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: 3M Performance 400 Edition

08/13: Go Or Go Home Cars Qualifying Together? It's About Time [12]

08/12: Busch Breakdown: Zippo 200

08/08: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Watkins Glen Edition [1]

July 2007

07/29: Busch Series Breakdown : Kroger 200

07/25: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Indianapolis Edition

07/23: Could Cracks Be Forming In The Foundation Of Junior Nation? [37]

07/16: Budweiser's Big Blunder: Why The Driver Makes The Sponsor, Not The Other Way Around [21]

07/14: Busch Breakdown : USG Durock 300

07/11: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Chicagoland Edition

07/09: NASCAR Teammates : For Good, Or For Evil? [16]

07/07: Busch Breakdown: Winn-Dixie 250 Presented By PepsiCo

07/04: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Pepsi 400 Edition [1]

07/02: How Quickly A Rising NASCAR Star Can Fade [10]

June 2007

06/30: Busch Breakdown - Camping World 200 Presented by RVs.com

06/27: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Lenox Industrial Tools 300

06/25: NASCAR Sponsors Forcing Decisions That Impact Drivers' Futures [4]

06/23: Busch Breakdown: AT&T 250 [5]

06/20: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Toyota / SaveMart 350

06/18: Why Junior And Gordon Give Hendrick All The Merchandise He'll Ever Need

06/17: Busch Breakdown - Meijer 300 presented by Oreo [1]

06/13: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Citizens Bank 400

06/13: It's Official : Dale Earnhardt, Jr. To Hendrick In 2008 [3]

06/11: NASCAR's Pocono Sunday Sham Was Just Like Kissing Your Sister [13]

06/06: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Pocono Edition

06/04: Introducing...The Real Kurt Busch [26]

May 2007

05/30: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Autism Speaks 400 Edition

05/28: Mears' Win Gives Hendrick's No. 25 A Major Boost...But Can It Continue? [2]

05/23: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Coca-Cola 600 Edition [1]

05/21: Is Speeding Really That Hard To Avoid? [6]

05/14: Is There Really Preferential Treatment In NASCAR? [19]

05/09: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Darlington Edition

05/07: Hendrick Domination May Not Translate Into Chase Success [3]

05/02: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Richmond "1" Edition

April 2007

04/30: Full Throttle: Is D.E.I. Spreading Itself Too Thin? [11]

04/25: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Talladega "1" Edition

04/23: Are Empty Seats At Saturday's Busch Race A Sign Of Things To Come? [7]

04/18: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Phoenix "1" Edition

04/16: Full Throttle: Is SPEED Speeding Away With Jimmy Spencer's Freedom Of Speech? [8]

04/11: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Texas "1" Edition

04/09: Toyota Struggles No Reason to Get Cocky [2]

04/02: Car of Tomorrow Released Too Soon? Safety Problems Signal Yes [1]

March 2007

03/28: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Martinsville Edition

03/26: No More Resting On Their Laurels, Top 35 Is Now Using This Year's Points [1]

03/21: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Bristol "1" Edition

03/19: Is Montoya The Real Deal...Or Is Ganassi Finally Getting Their Act Together? [2]

03/14: Fantasy Picks N Pans: Atlanta

03/12: A Second Date For Vegas? [4]

03/07: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Las Vegas Edition

03/05: Where Did The Old ESPN Go? [17]

February 2007

02/26: Signs Of Trouble For Both The Busch And Craftsman Truck Series [9]

02/21: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : California Edition

02/19: Does A Great Finish Make Up For A Bad Race? [3]

02/14: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Daytona 500

02/13: Where Are All The Purists Now? [12]

02/05: Cars Going In Circles

January 2007

01/31: Voices From The Relocated Heartland [3]

01/18: Best of Mike Neff : A Fond Farewell

01/14: Frontstretch Review : Back In The Day DVD, Season #1

01/11: Best of Mike Neff : Spending Time With One of NASCAR's Pioneers

01/09: Goodbye, Bobby [1]

December 2006

12/14: Best of Full Throttle : A Different Kind Of Silly Season

12/07: Best of Full Throttle : Spending Time With One Of NASCAR's Pioneers

November 2006

11/30: Is A Week In NY Necessary? [7]

11/19: Marlin's Engine Seals His Fate, While Petty Locks In Spot For Daytona 500...And Beyond [7]

11/17: Johnson's Impending Coronation [4]

11/16: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Homestead Edition

11/12: Marlin Misses Golden Opportunity, Locking Stremme In Top 35 [5]

11/09: Overly Cautious [6]

11/08: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Phoenix Edition

11/05: Kyle Petty Charges Back In Top 35 While Marlin's Team Tumbles Out [3]

11/02: A Fond Farewell [2]

11/01: Fantasy Picks N Pans: Texas '2' Edition

October 2006

10/20: What A Charlotte Race Week Can Be Like

10/15: Raines Makes Big Gains For No. 96 Team While Schrader Takes Huge Hit

10/12: Gordon vs. Earnhardt, Jr. - Let the Slings And Arrows Fly [16]

10/11: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Charlotte "2" Edition

10/08: Green Scores Big In Top 35 Battle While Yeley's Bad Luck Continues

10/05: A Different Kind of Silly Season [4]

10/04: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Talladega Edition

10/01: Sadler's Pit Road Bobble Costs Him In Top 35; Marlin Pads Lead Over Petty [3]

September 2006

09/28: Can Someone Let the Air Out of the Cookies? [3]

09/27: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Kansas Edition

09/24: Labonte Back In The Saddle, Robby Gordon Falling Fast After Dover [1]

09/21: A New Track On the Landscape

09/20: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Dover "2" Edition

09/17: Yeley, Gordon Move Up in Top 35 Battle; Labonte Takes Huge Hit In The Points [2]

09/14: Salute to You III?

09/13: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Loudon "2" Edition [5]

09/10: Blaney Excels at RIR; Green Tumbles Into The Danger Zone [4]

09/07: Was Junior Right? [5]

09/06: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Richmond "2" [1]

09/04: Marlin Squeezes In, Petty Bumped Out In Top 35 Scramble [1]

August 2006

08/31: History Still Matters to Some NASCAR Fans [13]

08/31: Fantasy Picks N Pans: California '2'

08/27: Marlin, Nemechek Continue Top 35 Slide While Schrader Forges Ahead

08/24: Toyota in NASCAR? You Better Believe It [1]

08/23: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Bristol "2" [4]

08/20: Sadler Muscles 19 Team Into Top 35 At Michigan; Marlin Out

08/17: What Does Under the Influence REALLY Mean? [8]

08/13: Pruett Pushes Ganassi Further Up Top 35 Ladder

08/10: Loyalty in NASCAR a Thing of the Past? [17]

08/09: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans : Watkins Glen [5]

08/07: Silly Season Brings Out the Passion In All of Us [12]

08/06: Stremme's Season Takes Step Up Into Top 35, Waltrip Takes Step Back [1]

08/02: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Indianapolis [3]

July 2006

07/27: It's the Busch Regulars Week To Shine

07/23: Schrader Salvages 15th, Spot in Top 35 [1]

07/20: How Dumb is Too Dumb? [43]

07/19: Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: Pocono "2" [1]

07/16: Marlin Pulls Out of Danger, Schrader in Jeopardy of Having to Qualify On Speed [6]

07/13: Maybe the Northwest Isn't Ready For NASCAR [11]

07/10: Chicagoland Tightens Up Race For Top 35 : Blaney, Yeley Ahead of the Curve [1]

07/02: Schrader's Strong Run Helps Solidify Place in Top 35

June 2006

06/29: Changing the Chase [5]

06/25: Labonte, Hall of Fame Racing Big Gainers in Top 35 Battle

06/22: Biggest Upset of All Time? [1]

06/18: Rain Didn't Stop Top 35 Race From Tightening Up

06/18: Frontstretch Breakdown : Con-Way Freight 200

06/16: Is the Grass Really Greener on the Other Side of Hendrick's Fence? [1]

06/11: Marlin, Wimmer Take Big Hits in Battle For Top 35

06/11: Frontstretch Breakdown : Sam's Town 400

06/08: Too Far Away [2]

May 2006

05/25: What Can Charlotte Do?

05/25: A View From Craftsman for a Cure [1]

05/21: Frontstretch breakdown â€" Quaker Steak and Lube 200

05/18: A Real Saturday Night Race In the Cup Series [1]

05/17: Second Groove at Charlotte Possible After All?

05/16: Life at the Track: A Long Day in Indianapolis

05/14: On the Edge: The Fight For the Top 35 in Nextel Cup Owner Points

05/12: Spending Time with One of NASCAR's Pioneers

05/10: Same Story, Different Series At Lowe's Testing [1]

05/07: On the Edge â€" The Fight for the top 35 in Nextel Owner's Points

05/07: Frontstretch Breakdown: Crown Royal 400 [1]

05/04: How Much Is Too Much Extracurricular Activity? [1]

05/04: What Will the Tires Do At Lowe's? Nextel Cup Teams Explore Their Options

05/03: Hamlin Tripped Up After Lowe's Testing [1]

05/01: Top 35 Update : Waltrip's Tough Finish Keeps Him On the Outside Looking In [1]

April 2006

04/30: Frontstretch Breakdown: Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers Ram Tough 200

04/27: Black Means Everything to Earnhardt Fans This Weekend [2]

04/23: Top 35 Goes Topsy Turvy at Phoenix

04/20: NASCAR's Question of the Week: What Have You Done For Me Lately?

04/18: Sneaking into Indy...Back in the Day [2]

04/14: Is Martin Truex Jr. Better Than Dale Earnhardt Jr.? [19]

04/11: NASCAR: The Redneck Sport [4]

04/09: Mayfield, Wimmer, Stremme Have Tough Jobs Still Ahead of Them After Texas

04/02: On the Edge: The Fight For the Top 35 in Nextel Cup Owner Points

04/02: Frontstretch Breakdown : Kroger 250

March 2006

03/30: My, How Racing Has Changed [4]

03/29: News and Notes from Charlotte Tire Test

03/26: On the Edge: The Fight for the Top 35 in Nextel Cup Owner's Points [2]

03/23: New Driver Deserves Some Props [3]

03/21: On the Edge: The Fight for the Top 35 in Nextel Cup Owner's Points

03/19: Frontstretch Breakdown: John Deere 200 [2]

03/16: Full Throttle: At Least Bruton Smith Tries to Please the Fans [5]

03/12: On the Edge : The Fight for 35th in NEXTEL Cup Points [5]

03/10: Full Throttle â€" Now the REAL Hall of Fame selection begins.

03/05: On the Edge: The Fight for 35th in Nextel Cup Points [6]

03/02: Full Throttle : Buenos Dias El Busch Series [3]

February 2006

02/26: On the Edge: The Fight for 35th in Nextel Cup Points [6]

02/26: Frontstretch Breakdown â€" Racetickets.com 200 [1]

02/23: Full Throttle: The Daytona Melting Pot [3]

02/20: Top 35 â€" Who's in, Who's Out

02/16: Full Throttle â€" Remembering lost loved ones [1]

02/12: Top 35 â€" Who's In, Who's Out

02/09: Full Throttle: NASCAR Best Learn a Lesson From the NFL [2]

02/02: Full Throttle: Shootout is the Last Chance to Honor Stars of the Past

January 2006

01/22: Full Throttle: Any Race Fan Can Now Own a Piece of History

01/12: NASCAR Championships Aren't Always Won by Finishing Up Front [2]

December 2005

12/25: Smith and Bahre Simply Asking Too Much For North Wilkesboro [17]

12/12: Northwest Needs NASCAR to Show Them the Money Before A Track Can Get Off the Ground [3]

12/07: Where is Dr. Jerry Punch? [7]