J.J. backs up Copper World
midget win - By Dick Jordan - January 30, 2005 - ...Avondale, AZ.
Defending USAC Midget "Copper World Classic" champ J.J.
Yeley used a pair of slower cars to make the winning move and defend
his 2004 triumph in Sunday's 25-lap "Fast Signs 25," part of the 28th
Annual "Copper World Classic" at Phoenix International Raceway in Avondale,
Ariz. The event afforded points toward the National and Western Midget
Car Series championships. Yeley's led only the final lap of the contest
in his ASE/Ford Beast/Pink Ford, making a bold move in traffic to beat
Jay Drake, Nine Racing teammate Bobby East, Dave Steele and Tracy Hines
to the twin checkered flags. "I knew I could make the move, even though
there was a transition of the banking coming through there," said Yeley
who will make limited USAC starts in 2005. "I've been in races where I've
won and lost at the line, and I feel for Bobby. We just had the better
luck today. I came here as a kid and watched how it was done." Michael
Lewis was the pacesetter during the first 15 laps of the caution-marred
event. Lewis held advantages of over a second at times before being brought
in during a caution period, which started following the completion of
15 laps, for removal of a loose rear sway bar. East inherited the lead
and held off Yeley and Drake until Turn 4 of the final lap. East went
high to avoid running into slower traffic, while Yeley split the middle
and Drake dived low. The final margin of victory was .049 seconds. Lewis
secured the pole for the event Saturday after practice times determined
the field. Following his misfortune on lap 15, East took over the point
from laps 16-24 before Yeley jumped ahead. The USAC National Midget Car
Series is idle until May 7 when it visits the Raceway @ Powercom Park
in Beaver Dam, Wisc., while the Western Midget Car Series resumes action
March 5 at Altamont Motorsports Park in Tracy, Calif. (Summary)
In 2003, J.J.
Yeley and Tracy Hines each earned $10,000 as Earl's Fast Qualifier
Champions, while Michael Lewis also earned a $5,000 bonus as a
result of this program.
Yeley takes "Copper World"
Midget 25-lapper - PHOENIX, Ariz.
(March 21, 2004) J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. scored his 51st USAC National
feature victory Saturday afternoon at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway,
winning the 27th Annual "Copper World Classic" 25-miler at the 1-mile
paved oval. Yeley started second in the 33-car field and led the first
15 laps before yielding to new track record holder Dave Steele. Steele
then led through lap 23, but Yeley regained the lead on the white-flag
lap and led to the checkered flag in his ASE/Ford Beast/Pink Ford. (more)
Joe
Gibbs Racing Signs J.J. Yeley HUNTERSVILLE,
N.C., (Nov. 20, 2003) - In one of the worst kept secrets in motor
racing, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), winner of two NASCAR Winston Cup Series
championships and 40 Winston Cup victories since its inception in 1992,
solidified its future by signing United States Auto Club (USAC) standout
J.J Yeley to a multi-year contract. Beginning with the 2004 racing season,
Yeley will run an A-B-C schedule, consisting of seven to eight ARCA races,
10-12 NASCAR Busch Series races and two to three NASCAR Nextel Cup Series
races. MBNA, the world's largest independent credit card issuer and longtime
JGR supporter, will back Yeley's effort as an associate sponsor. A primary
sponsor has yet to be secured. "J.J. Yeley is a very talented racer who
everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing is excited to have," said team owner Joe
Gibbs. "He has accomplished a lot in a very short period of time in many
different racing disciplines. His track record in USAC mirrors Tony Stewart's
before he came to NASCAR, and Tony's time spent driving stock cars for
JGR has worked out very well for him and for us. We're hoping the same
is true with J.J."
USAC National Midget
Series point leader J.J. Yeley finished second in the most recent
race at South Boston and closed in on the elusive USAC "Triple Crown" as
a result. Tracy Hines, the series point runner-up, was involved in
an early-race accident and now trails Yeley by 121 points going into the
final two races on the calendar. A total of 138 points are available in
the Nov. 22 and 27 events at Tucson, Ariz. and Irwindale, Calif.
Yeley Closes In on USAC
Triple Crown - By Dick Jordan - 10/13/03 ...The battle for the
USAC National Midget Car Championship and a possible USAC "Triple Crown"
title continues this Saturday night as the series visits Big Daddy's South
Boston Speedway in South Boston, Va. The USAC "Mini-Indy Midget" program
at the 4/10-mile paved oval showcases a pair of drivers chasing the elusive
USAC "Triple Crown" and a sensational youngster in a three-way fight for
the series championship. J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. leads the standings
in quest of a race single-season "Triple Crown." He already owns the 2003
USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown and 2003 USAC National Sprint Car titles and
could become only the second driver in USAC history to win all three National
championships in a single year. Tony Stewart earned all three in 1995. Tracy
Hines of New Castle, Ind. trails Yeley by 75 points and would like to add
the Midget title to his previous Silver Crown and Sprint titles to become
only the fourth USAC career "Triple Crown" titlist. Stewart, Pancho Carter
and Dave Darland each own a title in all three series. Bobby East of Brownsburg,
Ind., at age 18, could play the spoiler. He trails Hines by 10 and in 2001
he became USAC's youngest-ever feature race winner at the age of 16. East
is Yeley's teammate for this Saturday night's race! All three might keep
an eye on 19-year-old Teddy Beach of Donnelsville, Ohio, who recorded his
lone USAC feature victory in last year's South Boston race. Beach was USAC's
2002 National Midget Car "Rookie of the Year."
J.J. Yeley Caps Championship
Season with Silver Crown Glory at Syracuse - By Dick Jordan - Syracuse,
N.Y. - (October 11) ...J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. put the lid on his
tremendous 2003 USAC racing season Saturday afternoon, winning the USAC
Weld Racing Silver Crown Series finale at the New York State Fairgrounds
in Syracuse. He led the final 76 miles of the "Ferris Salt City 100" to
solidify his series title as he continues his pursuit of the USAC "Triple
Crown." Yeley's record 24th USAC feature victory of the year (fourth in
Silver Crown), came in a spirited drive from the 12th starting spot to the
lead in just 25 laps! He was third at the end of just four laps and caught
pole starter Dave Darland for second on lap 11. He trailed Rich Tobias,
Jr. until the 25th lap, then pulled away to a 10-second advantage. That
advantage was erased by late cautions and he finally won by 1.2 seconds.
(read it all)
J.J. Yeley HammerDown!
at Terre Haute -- (More)
J.J. Yeley Number One in
National Sprint Car Poll Non Wing Edition - KNOXVILLE, IOWA (August
3, 2003) - Over forty years ago, “A.J.” was the hottest driver in sprint
car racing. Today, “J.J.” has unanimously been named the number one driver
in traditional (non-winged) sprint car racing by the National Non-Winged
Sprint Car Poll voting panel of manufacturers, media members, sanctioning
officials and promoters. J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Arizona, the defending “Non-Winged
Driver of the Year”, received all 16 first-place ballots cast in the summer
edition of the seasonal poll. Yeley wheels the Tony Stewart-owned, Mopar-powered
Twister sprint car in United States Auto Club (USAC) competition. He is
the USAC point leader and has recently clinched that sanction’s Valvoline-sponsored
Indiana Sprint Week title. (read it all)
J.J. Yeley Getting it On
- By Dick Jordan 07/28/03 - J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. stands
on the threshold of one of USAC's most significant all-time records. In
48 years of racing only four drivers have earned 19 feature victories in
a single season. Yeley is now one of them after his victory in Friday night's
"Larry Rice Classic" Sprint Car race at the Bloomington (Ind.) Speedway.
He drove the Tony Stewart Racing Twister/Mopar to the 30-lap triumph. (read
it all)
J.J. Yeley is the hottest dirt driver in
the world - Photo by Jim Fisher
YELEY WINS HOOSIER 100, EARNS 50 GRAND
BONUS! - By Dick Jordan - 05/23/03
- Indianpolis, IN. ...J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. completed a "sweep" of
USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown races with his wire-to-wire victory in Friday
night's 51st "Hoosier Hundred" at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The win
earned him a $50,000 cash bonus, bringing his two-night prize money total
to a whopping $70,900! Yeley won the pole for the second leg of the Kroger
Pavement/Dirt Showdown presented by the Dellen Automotive Family, then led
every lap of the 100-mile race on the 1-mile dirt oval in his Ford/Power
Stroke Diesel Chevy. "I was worrying about tires and it was a big relief
when Darland had his problem. This was a brand-new car and Bob East (car
owner with NASCAR Winston Cup Champ Tony Stewart) had it set up great. We
changed a tire and dropped in some fuel during the red flag, so that helped.
This bonus ($50,000) ranks right up there with making the Indy 500 as far
as a career highlight." (read it all)
Yeley Wins Wild IRP Race, Has Good Shot
at 50 G's - By Dick Jordan,
Claremont, IN. 05/22/03...J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. scored a spectacular
victory in Thursday night's "Hoosier Twin 50s" at Indianapolis Raceway Park,
coming from fourth place in the final four laps to win the 100-lap USAC
Weld Racing Silver Crown race. The victory gives Yeley a change at a $50,000
cash bonus if he can also win Friday night's "Hoosier Hundred" at the Indiana
State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Yeley was fourth on a restart after a
lap 97 accident involving four cars, but he passed Dave Darland and Brian
Tyler before catching leader Dave Steele in the final turn on the last lap!
(read it all)
Yeley Zeros In On Steele with Springfield
Win - By Dick Jordan, Springfield,
IL. 08/17/02 ...J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. sliced into Dave Steele's USAC
Weld Racing Silver Crown point lead with his victory in Saturday's "Tony
Bettenhausen 100" at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. He now
trails Steele by only 11 points going into the September 1 "Ted Horn 100"
at the DuQuoin (Ill.) State Fairgrounds. Steele failed to finish Saturday's
race and was listed 17th in the official finish after suffering tire problems.
(read the whole deal)
J.J. Yeley Wins, Hewitt Injured at N.
Vernon - HD Staff, 07/22/02
- North Vernon, IN. ...J.J. Yeley, the number one ranked non-wing sprint
car driver in the world, was the winner of Monday's round #4 of Indiana
Sprint Week. Yeley's USAC victory at Twin Cities Raceway Park, came aboard
the GT Racing #76. Jack Hewitt flipped during the semi and was transported
to Jennings Community Hospital in North Vernon for evaluation of undisclosed
injuries. (summary)
Late Spring 2002 -
...J.J. Yeley continues
to win in every machine he gets into. Midgets or sprints on pavement or
dirt, Silver Crown cars, it doesn't matter. If I had a BIG MONEY Indy team,
or NASCAR deal, I'd be all over J.J. Yeley. Given the success of
Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, etc..., J.J. should
have next.
Yeley Sweeps Hawkeye
Downs - By Dick Jordan 05/03/02 Cedar Rapids, IA.
... J.J. Yeley of Phoenix, Ariz. won Friday night's 30-lap USAC
National Midget Car feature at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Cedar Rapids, IA,
leading the final 23 laps after passing early leader Teddy Beach. He later
won the 30-lap Stoops Freightliner Sprint Car race and became the first
driver to "sweep" a pavement USAC National Sprint/Midget Car "doubleheader"
since Doug Kalitta did it at Winchester, Ind. in 1995.
SCRA Perris Opener to Yeley
- Lake Perris, CA. 02/09/02 - HD
Staff - Phoenix, Arizona's J.J. Yeley captured
the 25-lap SCRA season opener at Perris Auto Speedway, Saturday afternoon.
Yeley took the lead from Indiana's Tony Elliott on lap 20.
It was the first day race ever
held at the Southern California speedplant. (read
the BF & Steve-O updates)
