Jimmy Means

James Means (born May 29, 1950) is an American former 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.

Means 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 tenth 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.

Means is the father of crew chief and racing driver Brad Means.

Local track career 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 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 fortieth after an engine failure. He ran an additional eighteen races for Gray in the No. 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.

In 1978, 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 twelfth, but he was still able to move up to seventeenth 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 eleventh 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.

In 1987, 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 (thirtieth) 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. in 1991 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, Means had a brief stint as team manager for the Bud Moore-owned, Lake Speed-driven No. 15 Ford Quality Care Thunderbird.

Car owner 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 No. 52.

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)

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston 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 Pts Ref 1976 Bill Gray 5 Chevy RSD DAY40 CAR RCH BRI 24th 1752 52 ATL34 NWS DAR MAR TAL31 NSV15 DOV CLT39 RSD MCH23 DAY11 NSV24 POC23 TAL11 MCH24 BRI19 DAR18 RCH24 DOV27 MAR20 NWS27 CLT CAR23 ATL17 ONTDNQ 1977 RSD DAY8 RCH29 CAR28 ATL20 NWS27 DAR20 BRI9 MAR8 TAL34 NSV9 DOV29 CLT19 RSD MCH14 DAY20 NSV29 POC20 MCH17 BRI27 DAR RCH10 DOV14 MAR9 NWS11 CLT28 CAR22 ATL40 ONTDNQ 19th 2640 Osterlund Racing 98 Chevy TAL36 1978 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Chevy RSD DAY35 RCH12 CAR10 ATL32 BRI23 DAR12 NWS14 MAR10 DOV17 CLT37 NSV30 RSD MCH15 DAY13 NSV24 POC13 TAL32 MCH15 BRI19 DAR11 RCH13 DOV32 MAR23 NWS23 CLT CAR13 ATL23 ONT22 16th 2756 Champion Racing 10 Ford TAL26 1979 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Chevy RSD DAYDNQ CAR24 RCH27 ATL33 NWS30 BRI28 DAR30 MAR28 TAL12 NSV11 DOV31 CLT TWS23 RSD31 MCH16 DAY22 NSV10 POC16 TAL13 MCH22 BRI19 DAR16 RCH20 DOV16 MAR17 NWS24 CAR31 ATL19 ONT 23rd 2575 Cunningham-Kelley Racing 14 Chevy CLT40 1980 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Chevy RSD21 RCH30 CAR20 ATL12 BRI24 DAR28 NWS14 MAR12 TAL NSV12 DOV27 CLT14 TWS19 RSD MCH22 NSV16 POC14 MCH14 BRI22 DAR16 RCH13 DOV27 NWS12 CAR13 ATL20 ONT31 17th 2947 Buick DAY15 DAY26 TAL15 Price Racing 45 Chevy MAR30 CLT 1981 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Chevy RSD18 BRI14 NWS14 NSV14 DOV9 NWS9 14th 3142 Pontiac DAY21 RCH14 CAR29 ATL21 DAR23 MAR12 TAL27 CLT23 TWS19 RSD28 MCH28 DAY18 POC19 TAL16 MCH25 BRI12 DAR38 RCH16 DOV19 MAR15 CAR20 ATL35 RSD Buick NSV15 Negre Racing 8 Dodge CLT12 1982 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Buick DAY17 ATL16 DAR11 NWS18 MAR13 TAL9 CLT14 POC24 RSD18 MCH20 DAY21 TAL17 MCH11 CLT11 11th 3423 Chevy RCH18 BRI16 NSV14 BRI14 RCH19 MAR9 CAR15 ATL13 Pontiac CAR17 NSV23 DOV31 POC17 DAR23 DOV17 NWS14 RSD12 1983 Buick DAY14 ATL32 TAL7 CLT38 MCH21 DAY36 18th 2983 Chevy RCH16 NWS14 MAR10 NSV12 BRI14 RSD18 POC20 NSV12 BRI26 DAR20 RCH24 DOV21 MAR15 NWS22 CLT23 CAR9 ATL18 RSD16 Pontiac CAR14 DAR12 DOV12 POC35 TAL MCH 1984 Chevy DAY17 RCH28 NWS25 TAL40 NSV22 MCH26 RCH18 DOV15 25th 2218 Pontiac CAR13 ATL BRI17 DAR14 MAR DOV16 CLT27 RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC25 TAL BRI30 DAR18 MAR15 CLT19 NWS16 CAR18 ATL16 RSD21 1985 Chevy DAY14 RCH21 ATL28 BRI12 TAL12 RSD37 DAY32 DAR27 23rd 2548 Pontiac CAR30 DAR15 NWS17 MAR14 DOV30 CLT32 POC22 MCH35 POC23 TAL42 MCH15 BRI27 RCH23 DOV13 MAR13 NWS21 CLT38 CAR18 ATL41 RSD20 1986 DAY39 RCH11 CAR19 ATL41 BRIDNQ DAR25 NWS20 MAR12 DOV24 CLTDNQ RSD22 POC22 MCHDNQ DAY24 POC13 TAL15 GLN21 MCH25 BRI27 DAR15 RCH26 DOV24 MAR22 NWS27 CLT18 CAR22 ATL29 RSD17 22nd 2495 Chevy TAL16 1987 Pontiac DAY24 CAR22 RCH14 ATL32 DAR36 NWS30 BRI29 MAR14 TAL33 CLT15 DOV13 POC19 RSD23 MCHDNQ GLN19 BRI13 RCH9 DOV22 MAR30 NWS21 CAR20 RSD27 ATL29 23rd 2483 Chevy DAY29 POC38 TAL36 MCH37 DAR22 Hendrick Motorsports CLT40 1988 Jimmy Means Racing DAY25 RCH24 30th 2045 Pontiac CAR40 ATL42 DAR35 BRI32 NWS30 MARDNQ TAL23 CLT12 DOV27 RSD43 POC20 MCH36 DAY27 POC39 TAL23 GLN14 MCH38 BRIDNQ DAR24 RCH29 DOV19 MAR23 CLT42 NWSDNQ CAR39 PHO24 ATL38 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford NWS24 1989 Jimmy Means Racing 52 Pontiac DAYDNQ CAR33 ATL18 RCHDNQ DAR38 BRIDNQ NWS32 MARDNQ TAL41 CLT41 DOV24 SONDNQ POC29 MCH28 DAY12 POC24 TAL39 GLN33 MCH27 BRIDNQ DAR26 RCH19 DOV21 MAR31 CLT37 NWS22 CAR31 PHO25 ATLDNQ 31st 1698 1990 DAY29 RCH18 CAR21 ATL31 DAR31 BRI29 NWS28 MAR19 TAL21 CLTDNQ DOV22 SONDNQ POC27 MCH39 DAY12 POC21 TAL30 GLN39 MCH27 BRI22 DAR36 RCH18 DOV24 MAR16 NWS30 CLT39 CAR28 PHO25 ATL28 29th 2271 1991 DAY39 RCH31 CAR27 ATL31 DAR23 BRIDNQ NWSDNQ MARDNQ TAL20 CLT38 DOV SON POC26 MCH27 DAY26 POC21 TAL23 GLN39 MCH27 BRIDNQ DAR28 RCH35 DOV23 MARDNQ CAR35 PHO ATL 33rd 1562 Olds NWS28 CLT24 1992 Pontiac DAYDNQ CAR33 RCH35 ATL38 DAR20 BRI NWS32 MAR30 TAL34 CLT42 DOV31 SON POC35 MCH23 DAY39 POC39 TAL32 GLN MCH39 BRI24 DAR22 RCH29 DOV23 MARDNQ NWSDNQ CLT38 CAR26 PHO 32nd 1531 Ford ATL21 1993 DAY CAR RCH ATL22 DAR31 BRI16 NWS27 MARDNQ TAL32 SON CLT38 DOV26 POC22 MCH28 DAY36 NHA34 POCDNQ TAL25 GLN MCH25 BRI18 RCH26 DOV17 MARDNQ NWSDNQ CLT CAR29 PHO ATLDNQ 36th 1471 53 DAR39

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1976 Bill Gray Chevrolet 20 40 1977 23 8 1978 Jimmy Means Racing Chevrolet 39 35 1979 DNQ 1980 Buick 26 15 1981 Pontiac 26 21 1982 Buick 40 17 1983 42 14 1984 Chevrolet 41 17 1985 25 14 1986 Pontiac 42 39 1987 40 24 1988 Chevrolet 37 25 1989 Pontiac DNQ 1990 37 29 1991 39 39 1992 DNQ

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 29 Pts Ref 1989 Mac Martin Racing 92 Pontiac DAY30 CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI NZH SBO LAN NSV CLT30 DOV ROU LVL VOL MYB SBO HCY DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR10 RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR 65th 280