Oregon native Mike Bliss was one of the first open-wheel racers to find success in NASCAR.
Starting in midgets, Bliss won the USAC Silver Crown championship in 1993. He has 23-career USAC victories — 10 Silver Crown, eight sprint car and five midget.
He graduated to the Craftsman Truck Series in 1995. Bliss has won 13 Truck Series races in 185 career starts. He claimed the series championship on the strength of a five-win season in 2002.
Bliss also owns one Busch Series victory in 100 starts in that series and has made 81 starts in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
Bliss, who started racing quarter midgets at age 10, has also competed in the International Race of Champions.
Featured here (clockwise from top left): Giving a young fan a ride; Chatting with Boris Said (right) in 1998; Catching up with Ron Hornaday, Jr. (left) in 1998;  At the track in 1996; Doing a burnout after his lone Busch Series victory at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 2004; In victory lane after a USAC score in 1993; Cooling off in 1994; Celebrating a Craftsman Truck win at California Speedway in 1997.
— NSSN Archives