Jeff Fuller

Jeffrey Fuller (born March 27, 1957) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. Before joining NASCAR's major leagues, Fuller won the 1992 Winston Modified Tour championship, driving for Sheba Racing. The Massachusetts native has 31 wins on the Modified Tour and was named the series' most popular drivers for three consecutive seasons (1992–1994). He is the older brother of the fellow NASCAR driver Rick Fuller.

Racing career

Busch Series Fuller made his Busch Series career in 1992, making one start. Driving the No. 20 First Ade Oldsmobile for Dick Moroso, Fuller started 27th and finished 26th, twenty-nine laps down.

Three years later, in 1995, after a run in the Whelen Modified Series, Fuller moved to the Busch Series to compete for Rookie of the Year. His team would be the No. 47 Sunoco Chevy owned by ST Motorsports. His sole top-five was a fourth in the fall race at Charlotte. He also added on five other top-tens. His best start in the season was only a pair of tenths at New Hampshire and Rockingham. He also finished in the top-thirty in all but one race and only recorded five DNFs. This enabled him to finish tenth in points in just his first season in Busch Series, earning him Rookie of the Year honors.

Missing two races relegated Fuller back to seventeenth in points in 1996. In the same weekend at Bristol, Fuller won his first career pole, won his first career race and his wife Liz gave birth to a child. Fuller only managed three other top-tens in 1996. He made one of his starts in a Michael Ritch-owned car, driving the No. 02 ECU Pirates at Rockingham to a 38th place finish. That same year, Fuller won a race in a one-off start at Thompson Speedway in what was then the Busch North Series.

Fuller's team continued to struggle in early 1997. Fuller managed only two top-tens in his first fifteen races, (seventh at Darlington and third at New Hampshire) Fuller was released from the No. 47 after running eighteenth in points. Fuller missed the next two races, but then signed on to become the driver for the No. 45 Hunters Specialties Chevy for Mike Laughlin, earning finishes of seventh at Gateway and ninth at Bristol. However, Fuller was replaced for the last race by Greg Sacks, but drove the No. 5 Alka-Seltzer Chevy for Terry Labonte. After finishing 14th, he cemented a 21st-place finish in points.

In 1998, Fuller only made eleven starts, making races with five different teams. Most of the season was with the No. 89 Allerest Chevy owned by Meredith Ruark. His best finish with them was 25th at Charlotte. Overall, Fuller's best finish of 1998 was with Laughlin's racing team at Pikes Peak, where he finished eleventh. Fuller also paired with Joe Gibbs Racing in 1998. He drove their No. 42 Carolina Turkey Pontiac at Charlotte to a fifteenth-place finish. Fuller's other top-20 finish in 1998 was for Bill Elliott at Miami, where he finished fifteenth as well.

In 1999, Fuller made 27 of the season's 32 races, but did not record a single top-ten. Fuller ran the first twenty-two races with Ruark's team, earning a best finish of twelfth at Pikes Peak and IRP. While with the team, he also had a vicious accident a Dover when he spun and slammed into the pit road wall hard twice and breaking it after contact with Phil Parsons. Fuller made four starts for Joe Gibbs again, driving the No. 42 Circuit City Pontiac to a best of 12th at Darlington. Fuller also added on one more start with Lyndon Amick's team. He finished 33rd at Memphis Motorsports Park. Fuller's best start in 1999 was fifth at Pikes Peak, and he finished 22nd in points.

When Fuller went to Winston Cup racing, he only made one 2000 start. It was for Moy Racing, where he started 43rd on the field at Bristol, but came back to a 21st place finish.

Fuller only made one start in 2001, as well. Driving for NEMCO Motorsports, he started 40th at California and finished 42nd after only completing five laps.

Fuller made two more starts for NEMCO in 2002, running at Daytona and Talladega. However, despite a fifth place start at Daytona, he finished 42nd there and fortieth at Talladega due to large multi car crashes.

Fuller made thirteen starts overall in 2003, driving for assorted teams. Mainly, he split his time between NEMCO and Stanton Barrett's team. His best finishes on the year were a fifteenth at Bristol for NEMCO and 18th at Nashville for Barrett. He also had a 24th place run at Daytona for Bost Motorsports. He only finished three races that year.

In 2004, Fuller ran the most races in a season of his career since 1999 for NEMCO Motorsports. Unfortunately, his best finish was 35th at Nazareth, as he did not finish a race that year. He also caused controversy during the season as he rarely completed more than a handful of laps before pulling out of the race.

In 2005, Fuller started off the year driving two races for NEMCO, but he was quickly replaced by Kim Crosby, whose team bought the No. 7 NEMCO ride. Ironically, Fuller replaced Crosby later in the year, driving the No. 7 Big Boar Customs Chevy for GIC-Mixon Motorsports for the remainder of the year. Fuller qualified for fifteen races with the team, and his best finishes were at Dover, where he finished 24th in the fall and 25th in the spring. After Memphis, where Fuller finished 42nd, the team folded due to lack of funding, leaving Fuller without a ride.

Fuller returned to the Busch Series in 2006 at the June Nashville race. He was signed to drive the No. 34 GlowBuoy Chevrolet for Frank Cicci Racing where he started 38th and finishing 27th.

Kentucky Crash

Fuller was involved in an incredible accident at the Kentucky Speedway on June 17, 2006, when he swerved to avoid Jason Leffler's spinning car and ended up hitting the inside wall at almost full speed. The car practically imploded upon impact and then burst into flames briefly. Despite the car hitting the wall on the right side, the left side came apart. Amazingly, he never lost consciousness but the car's roof had to be cut off to extract him. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and amazingly only a broken wrist and finger. He was released the next day. They determined that the implosion of the car was due to a faulty roll cage which failed during the crash.

Fuller made a full recovery from the accident, but when Frank Cicci closed up the No. 34 team for the rest of the year, Fuller was again left without a ride and his status.

Return to racing For 2007, Fuller drove for Stanton Barrett Motorsports on a limited basis.

Fuller began the 2008 season looking for a ride. Meanwhile, Fuller remained in the garage area during most Nationwide Series races helping young drivers learn to handle their car and master new tracks. In February 2008, Fuller traveled to Afghanistan for a ten-day visit to six camps meeting soldiers, signing autographs and seeing first hand what the troops go through while deployed.

R3 Motorsports placed Fuller behind the wheel of their No. 23 Chevrolet for the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Darlington Raceway. Fuller replaced Robert Richardson, Jr. for the two-hundred-lap event. This was his first series start since the Montreal road course race in 2008, and he finished in thirtieth place.

Fuller planned to drive the No. 97 Chevrolet in the 2010 Nationwide Season opener at Daytona for NEMCO Motorsports, but he withdrew even though he would have made the race, after qualifying was cancelled due to rain. Fuller was one of five drivers to be paid by John Menard and team owner Jack Roush (the approximate amount for each driver was around $45,000, equivalent to a last-place finish) to drop out so John's son Paul could compete.

Sprint Cup Series Fuller made his Cup Series debut in 1992, running the No. 88 Pontiac for John and Scott Bandzul at Richmond. He started 30th and finished 29th in the 35-car field after he broke a water pump.

Fuller then made seven starts in 2000 after a number of years on the Busch Series. He was tapped to drive the No. 27 Viagra Pontiac for Eel River Racing. Fuller made six of the first seven races, having a best finish of 22nd at Atlanta and a best start of seventh at Texas, but was released in favor of Mike Bliss. The Eel River team would eventually go through several drivers to include Kenny Wallace and eventually folded due to lack of funding. Later in 2000, Fuller drove the No. 98 MacPherson Motorsports Ford at Charlotte. He made the race with them with a 27th-place start and 41st place finish. The team closed its doors before the 2001 Daytona 500.

Fuller tacked on three starts in 2004, running the No. 50 Arnold Motorsports Dodge in the later stages of the year. He was 43rd at California and Dover and then 42nd at Charlotte. Charlotte was his best start on the year with a 26th-place start.

Fuller made two starts in 2005, when he drove for Mach 1 Racing. However, Fuller finished 43rd in both the races. (Darlington and Dover) His best start was 40th at Darlington.

In 2007, Fuller tested the No. 80 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy at Daytona.

For 2008, Fuller tested the No. 87 of Front Row Motorsports for the 2008 Daytona 500. In February 2008, Fuller traveled to Afghanistan for a ten-day visit to six camps supporting the US and Coalition Forces.

Fuller was going to drive the No. 97 FrontRowJoe.com Toyota as a second car for NEMCO Motorsports in the 2010 Daytona 500 as a safety-net car for team owner Joe Nemechek should his No. 87 not make the race. When Nemechek's car made the race, Fuller started the duel and quickly pulled it behind the wall. Fuller was also entered in the No. 97 for the 2010 Drive 4 COPD 300, and was in the field after qualifying was washed out, but was paid to withdraw when several cars running the full schedule were locked out of the race.

Fuller was entered for the Aarons 499, but withdrew before qualifying with rain threatening qualifying. Fuller and the 97 were not entered for the Coke Zero 400.

Fuller qualified the No. 97 HeatRedefined.com NEMCO Motorsports Toyota in thirteenth for the 2010 AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega. He finished 43rd after only completing two laps. Again, this car was entered as both a safety net car, as well as a financial gain for the 87 as with both cars making the race, and a fully sponsored 87, allowed Nemechek to run the race to completion.

Personal life Fuller has a daughter named Tiffany Fuller. He then had two more children, daughter Shannon and son Jeffrey Jr.

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.)

Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Sprint Cup 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 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 1992 Bandzul Racing 88 Pontiac DAY CAR RCH29 ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO 77th 76 08 ATLDNQ 2000 Eel River Racing 27 Pontiac DAYDNQ CAR42 LVS36 ATL22 DAR36 BRI37 TEX38 MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV MCH POC SON DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR 53rd 390 MacPherson Motorsports 98 Ford CLT41 TAL CAR PHO HOM ATL 2004 Arnold Motorsports 50 Dodge DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL43 RCH NHA DOV43 TAL KAN CLT42 MAR ATL PHO DAR HOM 75th 105 2005 Buddy Sisco Racing 61 Dodge DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MARDNQ TEX PHO TAL 78th 68 Mach 1 Motorsports 34 Chevy DAR43 RCHDNQ CLTDNQ DOV43 POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV TAL KAN CLT MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 2010 NEMCO Motorsports 97 Toyota DAYDNQ CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT POC MCH SON NHA DAY CHI IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH NHA DOV KAN CAL CLT MAR TAL43 TEX PHO HOM 74th 34

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 2000 Eel River Racing Pontiac DNQ 2010 NEMCO Motorsports Toyota DNQ

Nationwide Series NASCAR Nationwide 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 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 1992 Moroso Racing 20 Olds DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU MYB GLN VOL NHA TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR26 HCY 114th 85 1995 ST Motorsports 47 Chevy DAY11 CAR30 RCH16 ATL27 NSV20 DAR22 BRI14 HCY7 NHA22 NZH9 CLT15 DOV28 MYB28 GLN15 MLW22 TAL14 SBO11 IRP10 MCH28 BRI10 DAR18 RCH23 DOV21 CLT4 CAR38 HOM8 10th 2845 1996 DAY35 CARDNQ RCH24 ATLDNQ NSV24 DAR25 BRI10 HCY14 CLT16 DOV27 SBO12 MYB15 GLN33 MLW9 NHA22 TAL8 IRP20 MCH26 BRI1* DAR15 RCH24 DOV20 CLTDNQ CAR20 HOM33 17th 2399 Ken Wilson 02 Chevy ATL38 ST Motorsports 17 Chevy NZH42 1997 47 DAY26 CAR17 RCH35 ATL12 LVS36 DAR7 HCY12 TEX32 BRI29 NSV31 TAL26 NHA3 NZH31 CLT34 DOV26 SBO GLN 21st 2515 Laughin Racing 45 Chevy MLW30 MYB33 GTY7 IRP22 MCH14 BRI9 DAR41 RCH34 DOV35 CLT43 CAL11 Taylor Motorsports 40 Chevy CAR40 Labonte Motorsports 5 Chevy HOM14 1998 NorthStar Motorsports 89 Ford DAY CAR LVS NSV DAR BRI TEX HCY TAL NHA NZH CLT25 DOV35 RCH40 PPR11 GLN18 MLW29 MYB CAL40 SBO IRP32 MCH BRI 48th 899 Charles Prince 90 Chevy DAR38 RCH DOV Joe Gibbs Racing 42 Pontiac CLT15 GTY CAR ATL Bill Elliott Racing 94 Chevy HOM15 1999 NorthStar Motorsports 89 Chevy DAY23 CAR42 LVS27 ATLDNQ DAR19 TEX26 NSV20 BRI19 TAL32 CAL12 NHA39 RCH41 NZH19 CLTDNQ DOV31 SBO20 GLN15 MLW32 MYB PPR12 GTY37 IRP12 MCH17 RCH30 DOV43 22nd 2280 Joe Gibbs Racing 42 Pontiac BRI20 DAR13 CLT37 CAR HOM36 Team Amick 88 Chevy MEM33 PHO 2000 SABCO Racing 82 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEXDNQ NSV TAL CAL RCH NHA CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH 96th 100 PRW Racing 77 Ford BRI21 DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM 2001 NEMCO Motorsports 88 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL42 RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV KEN MLW GLN CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM PHO CAR HOM 147th 37 2002 DAY42 CAR LVSDNQ DAR BRI TEX NSH 105th 80 Pontiac TAL40 CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM ATL CAR PHO HOM 2003 Bost Motorsports 22 Chevy DAY24 CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX 54th 688 NEMCO Motorsports 88 Pontiac TAL43 DAY43 CHI NHA Stanton Barrett Motorsports 91 Pontiac NSH18 CAL RCH GTY NZH NEMCO Motorsports 88 Chevy CLT43 DOV 87 NSH43 KEN MLW PPR38 IRP MCH BRI15 DAR RCH Stanton Barrett Motorsports 97 Chevy DOV41 KAN43 CLT43 MEM40 PHODNQ CAR43 HOM 91 ATLDNQ 2004 NEMCO Motorsports 88 Chevy DAY CAR43 LVS43 DAR43 BRI37 TEX39 NSH37 TAL42 CAL40 GTY37 RCH38 NZH35 CLT37 DOV43 NSH43 KEN42 MLW41 CHIDNQ NHA43 PPR42 IRP39 MCH41 BRI41 CAL42 RCH42 DOV43 KAN43 CLT MEM43 ATL40 PHO43 DAR38 HOMDNQ 37th 1221 Pontiac DAY43 2005 7 Chevy DAY43 CAL43 MXC 51st 929 GIC-Mixon Motorsports 24 Chevy LVSDNQ ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL 7 DAR38 RCHDNQ CLTDNQ DOV25 NSH30 KEN35 MLW41 DAYDNQ CHIDNQ NHA42 PPR31 GTY35 IRP42 GLN MCH39 BRIDNQ CALDNQ RCH43 DOV24 KAN34 CLT27 MEM42 TEXDNQ PHO HOM 2006 Frank Cicci Racing 34 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH27 KEN41 MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 107th 122 2007 Stanton Barrett Motorsports 31 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL38 RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 146th 49 2008 SKI Motorsports DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV36 GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 136th 55 2009 R3 Motorsports 23 Chevy DAY CAL LVS BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR30 CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP 100th 186 NEMCO Motorsports 87 Chevy IOW36 GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM35 TEX PHO HOM 2010 97 DAYWth CAL LVS BRI NSH PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP IOW GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM NA -

Busch North Series NASCAR Busch North 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 Pts Ref 1988 6 Olds DAY CAR DAR NZH MND OXF OXF DOV OXF JEN CNB EPP TIO OXF JEN TMP11 IRP OXF28 RPS17 DAR RCH DOV OXF OXF EPP 40th 348 1994 Greci Motorsports 51 Chevy NHA NHA MND NZH SPE HOL GLN JEN EPP GLN NHA WIS STA TMP8 MND WMM RPS LEE NHA LRP 63rd 142 1996 ST Motorsports 94 Chevy DAY LEE JEN NZH HOL NHA TIO BEE TMP NZH NHA STA GLN EPP RPS LEE NHA NHA BEE TMP1 LRP 71st 180 1997 Ocean Spray Racing 60 Chevy DAY LEE JEN NHA NZH HOL NHA STA BEE TMP NZH TIO NHA STA THU GLN EPP RPS BEE TMP30 NHA LRP 92nd 73 1999 81 LEE RPS NHADNQ TMP NZH HOL BEE JEN GLN STA NHA NZH STA NHA GLNDNQ EPP THU BEE NHA LRP N/A -

Whelen Southern Modified Tour NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour results Year Car owner No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 2011 Ed Marceau 66 Ford CRW HCY SBO CRW CRW BGS BRI CRW LGY THO22 TRI CRW CLT CRW 45th 97