Joe Nemechek

Joe Nemechek began his racing career in the motocross ranks at the age of 13. In six years he took home more than 300 trophies. He made the switch to stock cars in 1986, and along the way has posted victories in every series in which he has raced. Nemechek won championships and rookie of the year honors in three different series in three straight years -- the Southeastern Mini Stock Series in 1987, the U.S.A.R. series in 1988 and the All Pro series in 1989. He followed that with Busch Series Rookie of the Year honors in 1990.

He led his family-owned team to the Busch Series championship in 1992, as well as back-to-back most popular driver awards in 1992 and 1993. He continues to operate NEMCO Motorsports with longtime crew chief Brian Pattie, which fields part-time efforts in NASCAR's three premier series for Nemechek and selected drivers.

Nemechek made the jump to the Cup Series in 1994. His first win came in the 1999 Jiffy Lube 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. He found Victory Lane again in 2001 at Rockingham and at Richmond in May of 2003.

Throughout his racing career, he has drawn on the mechanical engineering knowledge gained when he attended the Florida Institute of Technology before turning to racing full-time. A native of Lakeland, Fla., Nemechek now lives in Mooresville, N.C., with his wife Andrea and children John Hunter and Blair.