John Nemechek

John Frank Nemechek (March 12, 1970 – March 21, 1997) was an American race car driver who most notably competed in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

For his namesake, the son of Joe Nemechek, see John Hunter Nemechek.
John Nemechek
Nemechek in 1996
BornJohn Frank Nemechek
(1970-03-12)March 12, 1970
Lakeland, Florida, U.S.
DiedMarch 21, 1997(1997-03-21) (aged 27)
Homestead, Florida, U.S.
Cause of deathMajor head injuries from racing accident at Homestead-Miami Speedway
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish92nd (1994)
First race1994 Kroger 200 (IRP)
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
43 races run over 3 years
Best finish13th (1996)
First race1995 Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic (Phoenix)
Last race1997 Florida Dodge Dealers 400 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 4 0

Life and racing career
Nemechek's 1996 truck

The younger brother of four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winner Joe Nemechek, John followed his brother into racing, participating in his first race at the age of twelve in an 80 class dirtbike race. After a quick progression to the 250cc class, he moved onto mini-stock cars, where he raced against his brother, and eventually late-model stocks.

When he was not racing, Nemechek served as the front-tire changer on Joe's pit crew, and was on Joe's 1992 NASCAR Busch Series championship-winning team. He would begin attempting NASCAR races himself, and ran one Busch race at IRP in 1994.[1] He finished 30th after his No. 89 Chevrolet suffered an engine failure. The following season, he began racing in the new Craftsman Truck Series, driving at first for Redding Motorsports,[2] and then for his brother's NEMCO Motorsports. In the first year of competition, Nemechek ran 16 races and had two top-ten finishes. He followed that up with two more top-tens in 1996 and a thirteenth-place finish in points, running a single truck he built himself titled the War Wagon under his own team, Chek Racing.

Death

On March 16, 1997, Nemechek was running a Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway when with 25 laps to go, he lost control and struck the first-turn wall, driver's-side first, and hit his head on the wall, suffering head injuries. He was extricated and transported to hospital, where died on March 21. At the time of his death, a company had agreed to fully sponsor his truck team beginning at the next race. It was meant to be surprise for him at the end of the race.

Legacy

Following the incident, Homestead was reconfigured into a true oval with a six-degree banking to reduce the possibility of the type of crash that killed Nemechek. His brother Joe was able to pay tribute to his brother by winning a Busch Series race that November at the now-reconfigured circuit; he later named his son John Hunter after his late brother.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

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

Busch Series
NASCAR Busch Series results
Year 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 NBGNC Pts
1994 NEMCO Motorsports 89 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR HCY BRI ROU NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW SBO TAL HCY IRP
30		 MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR 92nd 73
1996 NEMCO Motorsports 89 Chevy DAY CAR
DNQ		 RCH
DNQ		 ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NZH CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM NA 0

Craftsman Truck Series
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year 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 NCTC Pts
1995 Redding Motorsports 89 Chevy PHO
13		 TUS SGS 16th 1674
NEMCO Motorsports 87 Chevy MMR
26		 POR
14		 EVG
27		 I70
23		 LVL
22		 BRI
29		 MLW
17		 CNS
15		 HPT IRP
8		 FLM
20		 RCH
19		 MAR
9		 NWS
22		 SON MMR
30		 PHO
19
1996 Chek Racing 8 Chevy HOM
7		 PHO
14		 POR
12		 EVG
20		 TUS
17		 CNS
12		 HPT
21		 BRI
20		 NZH
20		 MLW
29		 LVL
10		 I70
16		 IRP
26		 FLM
14		 GLN
16		 NSV
21		 RCH
27		 NHA
20		 MAR
14		 NWS
19		 SON
16		 MMR
19		 PHO
17		 LVS
27		 13th 2615
1997 WDW
36		 TUS
20		 HOM
21		 PHO POR EVG I70 NHA TEX BRI NZH MLW LVL CNS HPT IRP FLM NSV GLN RCH MAR SON MMR CAL PHO LVS 71st 258

References
  1. Barker, John (August 5, 1994). "Third Sportsman 100 tonight at L.I.S." The Ledger. Lakeland, FL. p. 2D. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  2. Barker, John (December 13, 1994). "Younger Nemechek to drive Super Truck Series". The Ledger. Lakeland, FL. p. 3D. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
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