Jeff Fuller (racing driver)

Jeff 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).

Jeff Fuller
Born (1957-03-27) March 27, 1957
Boylston, Massachusetts
Achievements1992 NASCAR Winston Modified Tour Champion
Awards1995 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Cup Series career
14 races run over 5 years
Best finish53rd (2000)
First race1992 Pontiac Excitement 400 (Richmond)
Last race2010 AMP Energy Juice 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
188 races run over 16 years
Best finish10th (1995)
First race1992 AC-Delco 200 (Rockingham)
Last race2009 Kroger On Track for the Cure 250 (Memphis)
First win1996 Food City 250 (Bristol)
Wins Top tens Poles
1 14 1
Statistics current as of January 10, 2007.

Racing career

Busch Series

Fuller made his Busch Series career in 1992, making one start. Driving the #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 #47 Sunoco Chevy owned by ST Motorsports. His sole top-5 was a fourth in the fall race at Charlotte. He also added on five other top-10s. His best start in the season was only a pair of tenths at New Hampshire and Rockingham. He also finished in the top-30 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 17th 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 3 other top-10s in 1996. He made one of his starts in a Michael Ritch-owned car, driving the #02 ECU Pirates at Rockingham to a 38th-place finish. To top off this great year, Fuller had a daughter named Tiffany Fuller. He had two more children, daughter Shannon and son Jeffrey Jr. 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-10s in his first fifteen races, (7th at Darlington and 3rd at New Hampshire) Fuller was released from the #47 after running eighteenth in points. Fuller missed the next two races, but then signed on to become the driver for the #45 Hunters Specialties Chevy for Mike Laughlin, earning finishes of 7th at Gateway and 9th at Bristol. However, Fuller was replaced for the last race by Greg Sacks, but drove the #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 #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 #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-10. Fuller ran the first twenty-two races with Ruark's team, earning a best finish of 12th 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 #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 5th 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 5th-place start at Daytona, he finished 42nd there and 40th 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 15th 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 3 races that year.

In 2004, he 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 #7 NEMCO ride. Ironically, Fuller replaced Crosby later in the year, driving the #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 #34 GlowBuoy Chevrolet for Frank Cicci Racing where he started 38th and finishing 27th.

During the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Nationwide Series Seasons, Fuller drove in a few races for NEMCO Motorsports and Stanton Barrett.

Fuller planned to drive the #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.

Kentucky crash

Jeff 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 #34 team for the rest of the year, Fuller was again left without a ride and his status.

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 10-day visit to 6 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 200-lap event. This was his first series start since the Montreal road course race in 2008, and he finished in 30th place.

Sprint Cup Series

Fuller made his Cup Series debut in 1992, running the #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 #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 7th 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 #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 #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 #80 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevy at Daytona.

For 2008, Fuller tested the #87 of Front Row Motorsports for the 2008 Daytona 500. In February 2008, Fuller traveled to Afghanistan for a 10-day visit to 6 camps supporting the US and Coalition Forces.

Fuller was going to drive the #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 #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 #97 HeatRedefined.com NEMCO Motorsports Toyota in 13th for the 2010 AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega. He finished 43rd after only completing 2 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.

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 NSCC Pts
1992 Bandzul Racing 88 Pontiac DAY CAR RCH
29
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 ATL
DNQ
2000 Eel River Racing 27 Pontiac DAY
DNQ
CAR
42
LVS
36
ATL
22
DAR
36
BRI
37
TEX
38
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 CLT
41
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 CAL
43
RCH NHA DOV
43
TAL KAN CLT
42
MAR ATL PHO DAR HOM 75th 105
2005 Buddy Sisco Racing 61 Dodge DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR
DNQ
TEX PHO TAL 78th 68
Mach 1 Motorsports 34 Chevy DAR
43
RCH
DNQ
CLT
DNQ
DOV
43
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 DAY
DNQ
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 TAL
43
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 NNSC Pts
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 CAR
26
HCY 114th 85
1995 ST Motorsports 47 Chevy DAY
11
CAR
30
RCH
16
ATL
27
NSV
20
DAR
22
BRI
14
HCY
7
NHA
22
NZH
9
CLT
15
DOV
28
MYB
28
GLN
15
MLW
22
TAL
14
SBO
11
IRP
10
MCH
28
BRI
10
DAR
18
RCH
23
DOV
21
CLT
4
CAR
38
HOM
8
10th 2845
1996 DAY
35
CAR
DNQ
RCH
24
ATL
DNQ
NSV
24
DAR
25
BRI
10
HCY
14
NZH
42
CLT
16
DOV
27
SBO
12
MYB
15
GLN
33
MLW
9
NHA
22
TAL
8
IRP
20
MCH
26
BRI
1*
DAR
15
RCH
24
DOV
20
CLT
DNQ
CAR
20
HOM
33
17th 2399
Ken Wilson 02 Chevy ATL
38
1997 ST Motorsports 47 Chevy DAY
26
CAR
17
RCH
35
ATL
12
LVS
36
DAR
7
HCY
12
TEX
32
BRI
29
NSV
31
TAL
26
NHA
3
NZH
31
CLT
34
DOV
26
SBO GLN 21st 2515
Laughin Racing 45 Chevy MLW
30
MYB
33
GTY
7
IRP
22
MCH
14
BRI
9
DAR
41
RCH
34
DOV
35
CLT
43
CAL
11
Taylor Motorsports 40 Chevy CAR
40
Labonte Motorsports 5 Chevy HOM
14
1998 NorthStar Motorsports 89 Ford DAY CAR LVS NSV DAR BRI TEX HCY TAL NHA NZH CLT
25
DOV
35
RCH
40
PPR
11
GLN
18
MLW
29
MYB CAL
40
SBO IRP
32
MCH BRI 48th 899
Charles Prince 90 Chevy DAR
38
RCH DOV
Joe Gibbs Racing 42 Pontiac CLT
15
GTY CAR ATL
Bill Elliott Racing 94 Chevy HOM
15
1999 NorthStar Motorsports 89 Chevy DAY
23
CAR
42
LVS
27
ATL
DNQ
DAR
19
TEX
26
NSV
20
BRI
19
TAL
32
CAL
12
NHA
39
RCH
41
NZH
19
CLT
DNQ
DOV
31
SBO
20
GLN
15
MLW
32
MYB PPR
12
GTY
37
IRP
12
MCH
17
RCH
30
DOV
43
22nd 2280
Joe Gibbs Racing 42 Pontiac BRI
20
DAR
13
CLT
37
CAR HOM
36
Team Amick 88 Chevy MEM
33
PHO
2000 SABCO Racing 82 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX
DNQ
NSV TAL CAL RCH NHA CLT DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH 96th 100
PRW Racing 77 Ford BRI
21
DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR MEM PHO HOM
2001 NEMCO Motorsports 88 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL
42
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 DAY
42
CAR LVS
DNQ
DAR BRI TEX NSH 105th 80
Pontiac TAL
40
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 DAY
24
CAR LVS DAR BRI TEX 54th 688
NEMCO Motorsports 88 Pontiac TAL
43
DAY
43
CHI NHA
Stanton Barrett Motorsports 91 Pontiac NSH
18
CAL RCH GTY NZH
NEMCO Motorsports 88 Chevy CLT
43
DOV
87 NSH
43
KEN MLW PPR
38
IRP MCH BRI
15
DAR RCH
Stanton Barrett Motorsports 97 Chevy DOV
41
KAN
43
CLT
43
MEM
40
PHO
DNQ
CAR
43
HOM
91 ATL
DNQ
2004 NEMCO Motorsports 88 Chevy DAY CAR
43
LVS
43
DAR
43
BRI
37
TEX
39
NSH
37
TAL
42
CAL
40
GTY
37
RCH
38
NZH
35
CLT
37
DOV
43
NSH
43
KEN
42
MLW
41
CHI
DNQ
NHA
43
PPR
42
IRP
39
MCH
41
BRI
41
CAL
42
RCH
42
DOV
43
KAN
43
CLT MEM
43
ATL
40
PHO
43
DAR
38
HOM
DNQ
37th 1221
Pontiac DAY
43
2005 7 Chevy DAY
43
CAL
43
MXC 51st 929
GIC-Mixon Motorsports 24 Chevy LVS
DNQ
ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL
7 DAR
38
RCH
DNQ
CLT
DNQ
DOV
25
NSH
30
KEN
35
MLW
41
DAY
DNQ
CHI
DNQ
NHA
42
PPR
31
GTY
35
IRP
42
GLN MCH
39
BRI
DNQ
CAL
DNQ
RCH
43
DOV
24
KAN
34
CLT
27
MEM
42
TEX
DNQ
PHO HOM
2006 Frank Cicci Racing 34 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH
27
KEN
41
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 CAL
38
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 CGV
36
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 DAR
30
CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP 100th 186
NEMCO Motorsports 87 Chevy IOW
36
GLN MCH BRI CGV ATL RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT MEM
35
TEX PHO HOM
2010 97 DAY
Wth
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 NBNSC Pts
1988 6 Olds DAY CAR DAR NZH MND OXF OXF DOV OXF JEN CNB EPP TIO OXF JEN TMP
11
IRP OXF
28
RPS
17
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 TMP
8
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 TMP
1
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 TMP
30
NHA LRP 92nd 73
1999 81 LEE RPS NHA
DNQ
TMP NZH HOL BEE JEN GLN STA NHA NZH STA NHA GLN
DNQ
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 NSWMTC Pts
2011 Ed Marceau 66 Ford CRW HCY SBO CRW CRW BGS BRI CRW LGY THO
22
TRI CRW CLT CRW 45th 97

References

    Sporting positions
    Preceded by
    Mike Stefanik
    NASCAR Winston Modified Tour Champion
    1992
    Succeeded by
    Rick Fuller
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