| Mary Green: Making Believers of the Skeptics | One More Reason To Watch The Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series
By Jack Smith
 The Mini Stock Challenge Series has in four races had four winners. And this is not a series where the new wave of youngsters are storming to the front and stealing the thunder of veterans. This is a series where experience and the ability to be patient and then take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves translates into success.
One of those veteran race car drivers finding success on the FMSC series tour is Mary Green, driver of the Low Ball Custom Cycles number 11x mini stock from Clearwater Florida. "I think it has to do with talent, the mini stocks themselves are a little bit harder to race I believe, than the late models and the trucks. It's not a series or a car that you can just run it up to the front," Mary explains.
Mary Green rightfully points out that drivers such Rick Sirmans, Ronnie Larson, Robbie Yoakum, Robbie Storer are very tough competition. In fact there is as much overall talent and experience, if not more, in this series than any series in the state of Florida, including the super late model tour. Drivers with years of experience at the tight and tough 1/4 mile tracks like Sunshine Speedway, Citrus and Auburndale, coupled with well built cars such as the Eagles Nest outfit produces, make this a series where the inexperienced cannot expect to jump to the head of the class.
These days Mary Green drives a car owned by Alan Mitchell, who also is her crew chief. She started racing at Sunshine Speedway 14 years ago because of a longtime friend. That friend was Macky Mongold, a racer at Sunshine, who as it happened had two cars, put Mary Green in one, and the die was cast. "After that I got the racing bug and have not been able to get it out of my system since", she laughs. "Actually Macky is retired, he doesn't race anymore, But I'm still racing". From there she bought her own car and raced at Sunshine for several years. Mary started racing at Auburndale Speedway in 2003, until September 2003, when a motorcycle accident sidelined her racing career until late 2004.
Mary Green is not a female racer who just goes out and runs laps with the boys. I caught up with her at the conclusion of the 35 lap feature at the 3/4 mile USA International Speedway, and all I can tell you is she was still going 100 miles an hour as she was catching her breath, still mentally fighting her way to the front.
The competitive spirit runs in her veins and there is no mistaking the drive in the pilot of the 11x. Which is why, after starting in the 29th position, she was riding in 10th when the checkered flag waved.
On Women in Racing
Mary Green is a person who speaks her mind, minces no words when it comes to women's role in the racing picture. Asked if women can compete on equal footing with men, "Oh most definitely, I believe that. The only thing I find that is not there, is that they won't give us the opportunity to do it," she says, adding without hesitation, "I'm sure I could race a late model with the best of them. It just takes seat time."
The ever present money factor isn't lost on Mary Green either, "But naturally in racing everybody knows it takes money, and it just doesn't seem to be there for the women drivers", but she admits, "I do see it starting to open up more than 10-15 years ago."
She talks about the marketability of racers like Danica Patrick, and believes this will open up more doors for women racers in the future. Though there are more women, especially young women than ever before, Mary Green feels "It is just a shame that there is not funds there and the backing for the women yet." When challenged with the concept that women may not be aggressive enough to win races and compete with men and win on a consistent basis, once again the fire can be felt in Mary Green, "I don't believe that at all," she says. "I believe that they are just as aggressive, if not more because they know they have to be as good as possible".
This particular lady, again racing against very tough competitors, proved that point very strongly, at least in her case, at USA International Speedway last Saturday. Late in the race and having patiently worked her way through traffic and having missed all the wrecks, jumped into a five wide situation, beat the others to the first turn corner and gained five spots." It was as aggressive a racing move as you will see at Lakeland. "If I had not started in the rear on Saturday, I would have probably have been up in the top five," Green explained, "But unfortunately I had to start in the rear and had to go through all the accidents, made my way through, and I was determined I was going to finish the race, so I don't think that is a problem", referring again to the aggressiveness of women in racing.
 But the marketing qualities that women in racing, especially racers who can perform on the track at the same level as their male counterparts, are what bring the dollars that make their racing possible. This racer was surrounded by fans of all ages, but particularly youngsters. We have said many times, if you want to know where the marketing dollars should go, watch who draws the crowds during the on track autograph sessions. Mary Green more that pulled her share of the race fans at Lakeland, which speaks for itself in this game.
Currently Mary Green is fifth in the Championship points race in the Florida Mini Stock Challenge Series . In the month of May there are two dates to see the wealth of talent in the FMSC and watch Mary Green wheel the number 11x around short tracks. DeSoto Super Speedway on the 13th and Bronson Motor Speedway on the 27.
We asked Mary Green what advice she had for young ladies coming into the sport. No surprise here, as any veteran race car driver will tell you, Mary Green also will tell you, "Be patient, be very patient."
After what this writer saw a Lakeland we would not be surprised at all to see that number 11x in the winners circle before the book is closed on the 2006 FMSC series season.
The complete interview with Mary Green with the hosts of Short Track America can be heard at this link:
 MARY GREEN, FMSC RACER. Give it a listen.
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