Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Competitive Edge Motorsports wasn’t the first “field filler” to attempt the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Season. Nor was it the first NASCAR team to be founded by a famous name from the world of professional football. But it was among the few to find a major corporate sponsor, and with it, the chance to become a fixture in the sport.
PHOTOS
Bryan Hallman, BRH Racing Archives
INTERVIEWS
Kevin Lepage
SPECIAL THANKS
Tom Thomas, for his updates on CEM’s progress
Sean, for sharing his story of the team's diecast release
VIDEO CREDITS
youtube.com/watch?v=vOBAkS6M5Vk
MUSIC CREDITS
“Get Tough” – Track Tribe
“Come On Out” – Dan Lebowitz
ARTICLES
Blount, Rob. “Short Track Veteran Garvey: ‘It’s just time to stop driving,’” Speed51.com,
February 25, 2015, archived at web.archive.org/web/20150227195029/https://www.speed51.com/mike-garvey-its-just-time-to-stop-driving
Choe, Stan. “Race teams share secret of success,” The Charlotte Observer, May 28, 2005.
Clark, Cammy. “Tackling a new goal,” The Miami Herald, September 5, 2003.
Dutton, Monte. “Mayfield passes along his definition of what a real racer is,” Latrobe Bulletin, June 23, 2005.
Kendra, Tom. “Muskegon’s Mike Garvey entered in Daytona 500 field,” Mlive, February 7, 2009; mlive.com/sports/muskegon/2009/02/muskegons_mike_garvey_entered.html
Minter, Rick. “Georgian part-timer moves up in ranks,” The Atlanta Constitution, April 10, 2005.
Ruel, Troy. “Garvey sets sights on Nextel race,” The Muskegon Chronicle, April 22, 2004.
Stapleton, O.J. “Kirby goes from corpses to race courses,” The Park City Daily News, August 28, 2005.
Talalay, Sarah. “A natural connection,” South Florida Sun Sentinel, November 16, 2005.
Tatman, Phil. “Sunday reading,” The Orlando Sentinel, September 4, 2005.
UNCREDITED ARTICLES
Chronicle News Service, “Garvey to race at Berlin, MIS up in the air,” The Muskegon Chronicle, June 11, 2004.
Daily News. “Kirby qualifies for race,” The Park City Daily News, June 19, 2005.
Local Reports. “Muskegon native preparing for Nextel Cup run,” The Muskegon Chronicle, February 17, 2006.
Uncredited. “Truex takes Daytona pole; Garvey 48th,” The Muskegon Chronicle, February 17, 2006.
Uncredited. “Racecar Engineering Promotes Barry Haefele,” KARNAC.com, May 8, 2001.
UPI, “Pair of Falcons hanging ‘em up,” The Columbus Ledger, July 18, 1969.
OTHER SOURCES
Competitive Edge Motorsports, archived at: web.archive.org/web/20040218031227/http://cemotorsports.net/home.html
ICN at dobetterdeals.com
Jayski’s Silly Season Site
NegotiationsSeminar.com, archived at: web.archive.org/web/20040330071638/http://negotiationsseminar.com
Obituary – Joseph Auer III: dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/winter-park-fl/joseph-auer-8199184
Racing-reference.info
UltimateRacingHistory.com
CHAPTERS
0:00 – Intro
1:25 – Auer, Haefele, and Garvey
7:14 – Breaking into NASCAR
13:24 – 2004: The New Team
36:40 – 2005: Growing Pains
48:39 – Marketing
50:03 – 2006: Reunion
1:02:52 – End of the Line
1:04:17 – CEM’s Legacy
1:09:59 - Outro
Competitive Edge Motorsports wasn’t the first “field filler” to attempt the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Season. Nor was it the first NASCAR team to be founded by a famous name from the world of professional football. But it was among the few to find a major corporate sponsor, and with it, the chance to become a fixture in the sport.
PHOTOS
Bryan Hallman, BRH Racing Archives
INTERVIEWS
Kevin Lepage
SPECIAL THANKS
Tom Thomas, for his updates on CEM’s progress
Sean, for sharing his story of the team's diecast release
VIDEO CREDITS
youtube.com/watch?v=vOBAkS6M5Vk
MUSIC CREDITS
“Get Tough” – Track Tribe
“Come On Out” – Dan Lebowitz
ARTICLES
Blount, Rob. “Short Track Veteran Garvey: ‘It’s just time to stop driving,’” Speed51.com,
February 25, 2015, archived at web.archive.org/web/20150227195029/https://www.speed51.com/mike-garvey-its-just-time-to-stop-driving
Choe, Stan. “Race teams share secret of success,” The Charlotte Observer, May 28, 2005.
Clark, Cammy. “Tackling a new goal,” The Miami Herald, September 5, 2003.
Dutton, Monte. “Mayfield passes along his definition of what a real racer is,” Latrobe Bulletin, June 23, 2005.
Kendra, Tom. “Muskegon’s Mike Garvey entered in Daytona 500 field,” Mlive, February 7, 2009; mlive.com/sports/muskegon/2009/02/muskegons_mike_garvey_entered.html
Minter, Rick. “Georgian part-timer moves up in ranks,” The Atlanta Constitution, April 10, 2005.
Ruel, Troy. “Garvey sets sights on Nextel race,” The Muskegon Chronicle, April 22, 2004.
Stapleton, O.J. “Kirby goes from corpses to race courses,” The Park City Daily News, August 28, 2005.
Talalay, Sarah. “A natural connection,” South Florida Sun Sentinel, November 16, 2005.
Tatman, Phil. “Sunday reading,” The Orlando Sentinel, September 4, 2005.
UNCREDITED ARTICLES
Chronicle News Service, “Garvey to race at Berlin, MIS up in the air,” The Muskegon Chronicle, June 11, 2004.
Daily News. “Kirby qualifies for race,” The Park City Daily News, June 19, 2005.
Local Reports. “Muskegon native preparing for Nextel Cup run,” The Muskegon Chronicle, February 17, 2006.
Uncredited. “Truex takes Daytona pole; Garvey 48th,” The Muskegon Chronicle, February 17, 2006.
Uncredited. “Racecar Engineering Promotes Barry Haefele,” KARNAC.com, May 8, 2001.
UPI, “Pair of Falcons hanging ‘em up,” The Columbus Ledger, July 18, 1969.
OTHER SOURCES
Competitive Edge Motorsports, archived at: web.archive.org/web/20040218031227/http://cemotorsports.net/home.html
ICN at dobetterdeals.com
Jayski’s Silly Season Site
NegotiationsSeminar.com, archived at: web.archive.org/web/20040330071638/http://negotiationsseminar.com
Obituary – Joseph Auer III: dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/winter-park-fl/joseph-auer-8199184
Racing-reference.info
UltimateRacingHistory.com
CHAPTERS
0:00 – Intro
1:25 – Auer, Haefele, and Garvey
7:14 – Breaking into NASCAR
13:24 – 2004: The New Team
36:40 – 2005: Growing Pains
48:39 – Marketing
50:03 – 2006: Reunion
1:02:52 – End of the Line
1:04:17 – CEM’s Legacy
1:09:59 - Outro
