Joe Nemechek

Born Joseph Frank Nemechek III in Lakeland, FL, on September 26, 1963, the driver commonly known as Joe Nemechek has become a true legend in racing circles. “Front Row Joe”, as his teammate Wally Dallenbach dubbed him, began making a name for himself at age thirteen in motocross, winning an extraordinary six hundred races over the following six years. Always on the lookout for new challenges, he switched direction and decided to enter the world of NASCAR competitions, making his debut in 1989 at the North Carolina Speedway.

He moved up to the Busch Series the following year, posting two top-fives and winning the Rookie of the Year distinction. In 1992, he obtained sponsorship from Texas Pete Sauces, winning his first career wins and by doing so, defeating Bobby Labonte for the Busch championship, by a narrow 3 points. Tragedy struck in 1997, when he lost his younger brother John, who had become a constant presence in his pit crew, in March 1997 during a truck race at the Miami-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex. As a tribute to his late brother, Joe would win a Busch Series race in that very same track the following November.

After racing the next few years with several different teams, including Andy Petree Racing, Hass-Carter Motorsports, and Hendrick Motorsports, Nemechek finally settled in 2004 with MB2 Motorsports and currently drives the #01 U.S Army Chevrolet Monte Carlo. In October of that year, Nemechek won his most recent victory at the 2004 Banquet 400 at the Kansas Speedway which, coupled with a win the previous day at a Busch race, made him the first racer to pull a Busch-Cup win at the track.