Mike Colsten

Michael Colsten (January 18, 1949 – January 3, 2020) was an American dirt modified racing driver, credited with over 150 career feature event wins, driving a Ford powered stock car in a sport dominated by Chevrolets.^[3]

Mike Colsten
Born	Michael Francis Colsten, Sr. January 18, 1949 Binghamton, New York
Died	January 3, 2020(2020-01-03) (aged 70)[1]
Retired	2018 [2]
Debut season	1969
Modified racing
Years active	1976-2018
Car number	51
Championships	5
Wins	150+
Previous series
1969-1975 Championships	Late model 9

Racing career

Mike Colsten began his racing career in 1969 in the Late Model division, winning class titles in New York at Rolling Wheels Raceway in Elbridge, Weedsport Speedway, and Twin Valley Speedway in Chenango, and in Pennsylvania at Herb Harvey Speedway in Lemon. He moved up into the Modified ranks in 1976, winning his first feature event the following year at Weedsport, and ultimately claiming the track championships in 1988, 1990, 1991, 2013 and 2014 at the Five Mile Point Speedway in Kirkwood, New York.^[2][3][4]

Colsten was inducted into the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame in 2013, and the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame in 2014.^[3][5][6]

Personal life

In 2012, Mike Colsten was diagnosed with mesothelioma. During surgeries, treatment and recovery, he continued to compete and claimed two of his five track championships at Five Mile Point Speedway.^[3][4][7]

Colsten's son, Joey, began competing with and against his father in 2003, and has continued the racing tradition.^[8]