NASCAR: Father-son duo to run triple duty at ISM Raceway
By Mark Kristl
Father and son Joe and John Hunter Nemechek will compete in all three NASCAR series races at ISM Raceway throughout the weekend.
Joe Nemechek and John Hunter Nemechek will make history at ISM Raceway this weekend. They will be the first father-son duo to complete a NASCAR tripleheader, competing in all three main series races, in NASCAR history.
First up on their tripleheader schedule is the Truck Series race this evening. The Lucas Oil 150 will see them race as teammates driving for their family-owned team, NEMCO Motorsports, for the first time since the 2018 season finale.
John Hunter will drive the #8 Chevrolet and Joe will drive the #87 Chevrolet. In this race last year, Joe finished last while John Hunter finished 29th due to suspension issues.
More from NASCAR
- NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
- NASCAR: Will Kevin Harvick’s major record ever be broken?
- NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
- NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
- NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
In three career Truck Series starts at ISM Raceway, Joe has an average finish of 23.0, albeit with an eighth place finish. In 11 starts this season, he has only finished one race. Although it has not been confirmed, it is possible that he starts and then parks to continue helping to fund NEMCO Motorsports.
As for John Hunter, he will not start and park. He has raced six times in the Truck Series at ISM Raceway. He has two top five finishes and four top 10 finishes. Before his early exit from the race last year, he led 31 laps.
NEMCO Motorsports have not won a Truck Series race since John Hunter won the 2018 Alpha Energy Solutions 250 at Martinsville Speedway. The team have won at least one race in each season since 2015; can John Hunter continue that trend in the Lucas Oil 150?
On Saturday, November 9, John Hunter and Joe will battle in the Xfinity Series race. John Hunter will drive his full-time ride, the #23 GMS Racing Chevrolet. Joe will drive the #17 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet.
John Hunter took the pole position for this race last year. He led 33 laps and finished in fourth and second place in the first two stages, respectively. He ultimately finished in ninth in the race. GMS Racing are ready to compete for the win with him in the Desert Diamond Casino West Valley 200.
Ready and rarin’ to go... @jhnemechek | @romcoequipment #WeAreGMS #NASCAR #Team23 pic.twitter.com/THbGyf3itC
— GMS Racing (@GMSRacingLLC) November 2, 2019
His father Joe will not be in as good of equipment. Mike Harmon, who runs the #17 team, funds it off the race winnings. The #17 team sit in 44th place in the owner point standings, but only 38 drivers are entered in the race, so Joe will be guaranteed to qualify for the race.
This season, Joe has competed in eight races, but he only has one finish better than 30th place. Most likely, John Hunter will only be racing near his father when he laps him.
The Nemecheks will end their tripleheader race weekend with the Cup Series race on Sunday, November 10. John Hunter debuted in the Cup Series in this past Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. Driving the #36 Front Row Motorsports Ford, he stayed out of trouble and quietly finished in 21st place.
With rumors that GMS Racing may close the #23 team next year, Nemechek has been rumored to drive for Front Row Motorsports in 2020. The Bluegreen Vacations 500 is the second of three races in which he will guaranteed drive for the team. These three races may ultimately serve as his audition.
Joe will drive the #27 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet in the Cup Series race. He only has one top 10 finish at ISM Raceway in 28 career starts there. Furthermore, his average finish in five Cup Series races this season has been 31.0. The elder Nemechek has finished all of these races, however, so the Cup Series race is the race in which father and son may race each other for position.
John Hunter’s Cup Series debut marked the first time since 2005 that a father and son raced in the Cup Series together. Prior to his debut, both Nemecheks described it as a special day.
How could you make @JHNemechek's @NASCAR Cup Series debut sound cooler?
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 3, 2019
Put him on the same track as his dad! For the first time since 2005, a father-son duo will be racing today! @FrontRowJoe87 pic.twitter.com/8lUNRa4cgt
The primary storylines for all three NASCAR series will be which drivers advance to the Championship 4. However, for the Nemechek family, the ISM Raceway race weekend will be a family affair.
Next. Who is the greatest NASCAR driver of all-time?. dark
How would you feel about racing your parent? If you are a parent, how would you like to compete against your child? Furthermore, as a parent, how would you like it if your child bested you in a competition? You can catch Joe Nemechek and John Hunter Nemechek racing against each other at ISM Raceway from Friday, November 8 through Sunday, November 10.
The Truck Series race is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET this evening. The Xfinity Series race is set to be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET. on Saturday Finally, the Cup Series race is set to be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.