ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Mike Mittler, a veteran team owner in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 67 years old.

Mittler and his MB Motorsports team served as starting point for many of NASCAR’s biggest stars. Among those who have driven for Mittler included Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski and Jamie McMurray.

Despite 301 starts as an owner in the Truck Series, Mittler never found victory lane. He came close in 2015 at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway as dirt late model driver Bobby Pierce nearly put the team in victory lane with a runner-up finish. Pierce won two-straight poles at Eldora in Mittler’s No. 63 truck.

Besides owning a team in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Mittler also owned Mittler Brothers, a metal working tools and metal fabrication equipment business.

“It is with heavy heart that we say goodbye to Mike Mittler,” said Curtis Francois, owner and CEO of World Wide Technology Raceway. “In the earliest days of my ownership of Gateway, Mike was there, offering to help however he could. He was selfless, loyal, honest and as fine of a man as I’ve ever met. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. I will miss him; the racetrack will miss him – but our lives are all the better for knowing him.”