Contents

Jimmy Means

Means at Texas Motor Speedway in 2019

James Bradford Means
(1950-05-29) May 29, 1950 (age 74)
Texarkana, Arkansas, U.S.

11th (1982)

1976 Daytona 500 (Daytona)

1993 AC Delco 500 (Rockingham)

17

0

65th (1989)

1989 Goody's 300 (Daytona)

1989 Gatorade 200 (Darlington)

1

0

James Means (born May 29, 1950) is a retired American racing driver and owner, who competed in the Winston Cup Series as an owner-driver. He is currently an adviser for Front Row Motorsports and a former owner of NASCAR Xfinity Series team Jimmy Means Racing.

He competed in NASCAR for eighteen years in mostly his own equipment, posting seventeen career top-tens. He made three career Busch Series starts in 1989, finishing 10th at Darlington Raceway. Following his retirement, Means worked as a crew chief in NASCAR, working for Bud Moore Engineering and Moy Racing. Means was part the Alabama Gang which included Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Neil Bonnett and Red Farmer and later Davey Allison, Hut Stricklin, Steve Grissom and Mike Alexander.

Means' nickname "Smut" originated from his admiration for mechanic Smokey Yunick. Since the nickname "Smokey" was already taken in racing circles, Means' crew nicknamed him "Smut", the residue left behind by smoke.^[1]

He is the father of Brad Means.

Local track career[edit]

Means won dozens of late model races in Alabama and Tennessee in the early 1970s, including track championships at Huntsville Speedway and the historic Nashville Speedway USA.

Driving career[edit]

Means made his Cup debut in 1976 at the Daytona 500, driving the number five Chevrolet for Bill Gray. He led one lap but finished 40th after an engine failure. He ran an additional eighteen races for Gray in the number 52 car with sponsorship from WIXC, finishing in eleventh place twice. The following season, Means drove twenty-six races and had a career-best six top-ten finishes, but due to twelve DNFs, he finished nineteenth in points.

In1978, Means began running as an independent driver, except for the Winston 500, where he drove for Bill Champion. He had two top-tens and improved three spots to finish sixteenth in points. He received new sponsorship from Mr. Transmission, but only had one top-ten in 1979, forcing him to fall to 23rd in points. After a sponsorship change to Thompson Industries for 1980, Means failed to finish higher than 12th, but he was still able to move up to 17th in the standings. Broadway Motors became his new sponsor in 1981, and after two top-tens, he continued to move up to fourteenth in points. In 1982, he was able to garner an additional pair of ninth-place runs, and finished a career-best 11th in points. It also marked the first time in his career he ran every race on the schedule.

Means had the highest finish of his career in 1983, when he had a seventh-place run at Talladega. Combined with two other top-tens, he dropped seven spots in the standings. During the 1984, Means suffered injuries in a crash at Talladega Superspeedway, forcing him to miss several races. He did not have a top-ten finish over the next two years, and he lost his Broadway sponsorship, picking up funding from Voyles Auto Savage in late 1986. He also switched his manufacturer to Pontiac.

In1987, Eureka Vacuum Cleaners became Means' new sponsor, and he had the last top-ten of his career at Richmond International Raceway. He dropped to what was at the time the lowest points finish of his career (30th) in 1988, and continued to struggle in 1989, failing to qualify for several races and dropping another spot in the standings despite a new sponsor in Alka-Seltzer. Means had already chosen to skip two races in favor of Bobby Hillin Jr.in1991 after being involved with J. D. McDuffie's fatal crash; he continued to relinquish the ride to Mike Wallace at the end of the season.

After losing the Alka-Seltzer sponsorship, Means continued to drive a part-time schedule. After getting part-time funding from NAPA and Hurley Limo, Means ran eighteen races in 1993.

Means had planned to race again in 1994 for his own team. Speedweeks 1994 was marred by the deaths of fellow Alabama driver Neil Bonnett, and reigning Goody's Dash Series Champion Rodney Orr. The deaths of Bonnett and Orr convinced Means that he had no more reason to be racing. Means announced his retirement in the days following qualifying for the 1994 Daytona 500. He was winless in 455 starts.

In 1995 he had a brief stint as team manager for the Bud Moore-owned, Lake Speed-driven No. 15 Ford Quality Care Thunderbird.

Car owner[edit]

Means continued to own NASCAR cars through the 1990s and 2000s, primarily in the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). In 2012, he was a part-owner of the new Hamilton Means Racing team, which fielded his traditional number 52.^[2]

Motorsports career results[edit]

NASCAR[edit]

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led)

Winston Cup Series[edit]

Team

No.

Make

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

NWCC

Pts

Ref

Jimmy Means Racing

5

Chevy

RSD

DAY
40

CAR

RCH

BRI

24th

1752

^[3]

ATL
34

NWS

DAR

MAR

TAL
31

NSV
15

DOV

CLT
39

RSD

MCH
23

DAY
11

NSV
24

POC
23

TAL
11

MCH
24

BRI
19

DAR
18

RCH
24

DOV
27

MAR
20

NWS
27

CLT

CAR
23

ATL
17

ONT
DNQ

RSD

DAY
8

RCH
29

CAR
28

ATL
20

NWS
27

DAR
20

BRI
9

MAR
8

TAL
34

NSV
9

DOV
29

CLT
19

RSD

MCH
14

DAY
20

NSV
29

POC
20

MCH
17

BRI
27

DAR

RCH
10

DOV
14

MAR
9

NWS
11

CLT
28

CAR
22

ATL
40

ONT
DNQ

19th

2640

^[4]

98

Chevy

TAL
36

Jimmy Means Racing

52

Chevy

RSD

DAY
35

RCH
12

CAR
10

ATL
32

BRI
23

DAR
12

NWS
14

MAR
10

DOV
17

CLT
37

NSV
30

RSD

MCH
15

DAY
13

NSV
24

POC
13

TAL
32

MCH
15

BRI
19

DAR
11

RCH
13

DOV
32

MAR
23

NWS
23

CLT

CAR
13

ATL
23

ONT
22

16th

2756

^[5]

10

Ford

TAL
26

Jimmy Means Racing

52

Chevy

RSD

DAY
DNQ

CAR
24

RCH
27

ATL
33

NWS
30

BRI
28

DAR
30

MAR
28

TAL
12

NSV
11

DOV
31

CLT

TWS
23

RSD
31

MCH
16

DAY
22

NSV
10

POC
16

TAL
13

MCH
22

BRI
19

DAR
16

RCH
20

DOV
16

MAR
17

NWS
24

CAR
31

ATL
19

ONT

23rd

2575

^[6]

14

Chevy

CLT
40

Jimmy Means Racing

52

Chevy

RSD
21

RCH
30

CAR
20

ATL
12

BRI
24

DAR
28

NWS
14

MAR
12

TAL

NSV
12

DOV
27

CLT
14

TWS
19

RSD

MCH
22

NSV
16

POC
14

TAL
15

MCH
14

BRI
22

DAR
16

RCH
13

DOV
27

NWS
12

CAR
13

ATL
20

ONT
31

17th

2947

^[7]

DAY
15

DAY
26

45

Chevy

MAR
30

CLT

Jimmy Means Racing

52

Chevy

RSD
18

BRI
14

NWS
14

NSV
14

NWS
9

14th

3142

^[8]

DAY
21

RCH
14

CAR
29

ATL
21

DAR
23

MAR
12

TAL
27

DOV
9

CLT
23

TWS
19

RSD
28

MCH
28

DAY
18

POC
19

TAL
16

MCH
25

BRI
12

DAR
38

RCH
16

DOV
19

MAR
15

CAR
20

ATL
35

RSD

NSV
15

8

Dodge

CLT
12

Jimmy Means Racing

52

Buick

DAY
17

ATL
16

DAR
11

NWS
18

MAR
13

TAL
9

CLT
14

POC
24

RSD
18

MCH
20

DAY
21

TAL
17

MCH
11

RCH
19

CLT
11

11th

3423

^[9]

RCH
18

NSV
14

BRI
14

MAR
9

CAR
15

ATL
13

BRI
16

CAR
17

NSV
23

DOV
31

POC
17

DAR
23

DOV
17

NWS
14

RSD
12

Buick

DAY
14

ATL
32

TAL
7

CLT
38

MCH
21

DAY
36

18th

2983

^[10]

RCH
16

NWS
14

MAR
10

NSV
12

BRI
14

RSD
18

POC
20

NSV
12

BRI
26

DAR
20

RCH
24

DOV
21

MAR
15

NWS
22

CLT
23

CAR
9

ATL
18

RSD
16

CAR
14

DAR
12

DOV
12

POC
35

TAL

MCH

Chevy

DAY
17

RCH
28

NWS
25

TAL
40

NSV
22

MCH
26

RCH
18

DOV
15

25th

2218

^[11]

CAR
13

ATL

BRI
17

DAR
14

MAR

DOV
16

CLT
27

RSD

POC

MCH

DAY

NSV

POC
25

TAL

BRI
30

DAR
18

MAR
15

CLT
19

NWS
16

CAR
18

ATL
16

RSD
21

Chevy

DAY
14

RCH
21

ATL
28

BRI
12

TAL
12

RSD
37

DAY
32

DAR
27

23rd

2548

^[12]

CAR
30

DAR
15

NWS
17

MAR
14

DOV
30

CLT
32

POC
22

MCH
35

POC
23

TAL
42

MCH
15

BRI
27

RCH
23

DOV
13

MAR
13

NWS
21

CLT
38

CAR
18

ATL
41

RSD
20

DAY
39

RCH
11

CAR
19

ATL
41

BRI
DNQ

DAR
25

NWS
20

MAR
12

DOV
24

CLT
DNQ

RSD
22

POC
22

MCH
DNQ

DAY
24

POC
13

TAL
15

GLN
21

MCH
25

BRI
27

DAR
15

RCH
26

DOV
24

MAR
22

NWS
27

CLT
18

CAR
22

ATL
29

RSD
17

22nd

2495

^[13]

TAL
16

Pontiac

DAY
24

CAR
22

RCH
14

ATL
32

DAR
36

NWS
30

BRI
29

MAR
14

TAL
33

CLT
15

DOV
13

POC
19

RSD
23

MCH
DNQ

GLN
19

BRI
13

RCH
9

DOV
22

MAR
30

NWS
21

CAR
20

RSD
27

ATL
29

23rd

2483

^[14]

DAY
29

POC
38

TAL
36

MCH
37

DAR
22

CLT
40

Jimmy Means Racing

DAY
25

RCH
24

30th

2045

^[15]

CAR
40

ATL
42

DAR
35

BRI
32

NWS
30

MAR
DNQ

TAL
23

CLT
12

DOV
27

RSD
43

POC
20

MCH
36

DAY
27

POC
39

TAL
23

GLN
14

MCH
38

BRI
DNQ

DAR
24

RCH
29

DOV
19

MAR
23

CLT
42

NWS
DNQ

CAR
39

PHO
24

ATL
38

90

Ford

NWS
24

Jimmy Means Racing

52

Pontiac

DAY
DNQ

CAR
33

ATL
18

RCH
DNQ

DAR
38

BRI
DNQ

NWS
32

MAR
DNQ

TAL
41

CLT
41

DOV
24

SON
DNQ

POC
29

MCH
28

DAY
12

POC
24

TAL
39

GLN
33

MCH
27

BRI
DNQ

DAR
26

RCH
19

DOV
21

MAR
31

CLT
37

NWS
22

CAR
31

PHO
25

ATL
DNQ

31st

1698

^[16]

DAY
29

RCH
18

CAR
21

ATL
31

DAR
31

BRI
29

NWS
28

MAR
19

TAL
21

CLT
DNQ

DOV
22

SON
DNQ

POC
27

MCH
39

DAY
12

POC
21

TAL
30

GLN
39

MCH
27

BRI
22

DAR
36

RCH
18

DOV
24

MAR
16

NWS
30

CLT
39

CAR
28

PHO
25

ATL
28

29th

2271

^[17]

DAY
39

RCH
31

CAR
27

ATL
31

DAR
23

BRI
DNQ

NWS
DNQ

MAR
DNQ

TAL
20

CLT
38

DOV

SON

POC
26

MCH
27

DAY
26

POC
21

TAL
23

GLN
39

MCH
27

BRI
DNQ

DAR
28

RCH
35

DOV
23

MAR
DNQ

CLT
24

CAR
35

PHO

ATL

33rd

1562

^[18]

NWS
28

Pontiac

DAY
DNQ

CAR
33

RCH
35

ATL
38

DAR
20

BRI

NWS
32

MAR
30

TAL
34

CLT
42

DOV
31

SON

POC
35

MCH
23

DAY
39

POC
39

TAL
32

GLN

MCH
39

BRI
24

DAR
22

RCH
29

DOV
23

MAR
DNQ

NWS
DNQ

CLT
38

CAR
26

PHO

32nd

1531

^[19]

ATL
21

DAY

CAR

RCH

ATL
22

DAR
31

BRI
16

NWS
27

MAR
DNQ

TAL
32

SON

CLT
38

DOV
26

POC
22

MCH
28

DAY
36

NHA
34

POC
DNQ

TAL
25

GLN

MCH
25

BRI
18

RCH
26

DOV
17

MAR
DNQ

NWS
DNQ

CLT

CAR
29

PHO

ATL
DNQ

36th

1471

^[20]

DAR
39

Daytona 500[edit]

Start

Finish

Jimmy Means Racing

Chevrolet

20

40

23

8

39

35

DNQ

Buick

26

15

Pontiac

26

21

Buick

40

17

42

14

Chevrolet

41

17

25

14

Pontiac

42

39

40

24

Chevrolet

37

25

Pontiac

DNQ

37

29

39

39

DNQ

Busch Series[edit]

Team

No.

Make

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

NBSC

Pts

Ref

Mac Martin Racing

92

Pontiac

DAY
30

CAR

MAR

HCY

DAR

BRI

NZH

SBO

LAN

NSV

CLT
30

DOV

ROU

LVL

VOL

MYB

SBO

HCY

DUB

IRP

ROU

BRI

DAR
10

RCH

DOV

MAR

CLT

CAR

MAR

65th

280

^[21]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Jimmy Means driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Jimmy Means owner statistics at Racing-Reference
• Jimmy Means crew chief statistics at Racing-Reference
• Jimmy Means NASCAR Owner