J. R. Heffner
{{short description|American racing driver (born 1972)}}
{{Infobox NASCAR driver
| name = J. R. Heffner
| image = 74 JR Heffner Hard Clay Open.jpg
| caption = Heffner's No. 74 modified race car in 2015 at the Orange County (NY) Fairgrounds
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|3|31}}
| birth_place = Stephentown, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| height =
| weight =
| achievements =
| awards =
| Total_Truck_Races = 4
| Years_In_Truck = 3
| Truck_Car_Team =
| Prev_Truck_Pos = 75th
| Prev_Truck_Year = 2018
| Best_Truck_Pos = 52nd (2014)
| First_Truck_Race = 2014 Mudsummer Classic (Eldora)
| Last_Truck_Race = 2018 Eldora Dirt Derby (Eldora)
| First_Truck_Win =
| Last_Truck_Win =
| Truck_Wins = 0
| Truck_Top_Tens = 0
| Truck_Poles = 0
| updated = December 31, 2021
}}
J. R. Heffner (born March 31, 1972) is an American professional dirt and asphalt stock car driver. He currently competes in various dirt racing events.
Heffner has also raced in the ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Racing career
Heffner's interest in racing started at the age of five, when he and his parents attended races at Lebanon Valley Speedway. In his teen years, he raced three-wheelers and eventually started racing in Lebanon Valley's Sportsman's Division, winning the championship in 1990. He moved up to the Big Block Modified division, winning his first race in the division in 1994. In 1997, he acquired sponsorship from A. Colarusso & Son, Inc.,{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Tim|url=http://www.columbiagreenemedia.com/river_chronicle/article_f4f5038e-51b4-11e5-aeba-ab9f5ae35d1c.html|title='Mr. Dirt Track' JR Heffner has seen it all|newspaper=River Chronicle|agency=Columbia-Greene Media|date=September 6, 2015|access-date=July 14, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} a highway construction firm.{{cite web|url=http://www.arcaracing.com/articles/1981152-j-r-heffner-among-daytona-testers|title=J.R. Heffner Among Daytona Testers|work=ARCA Racing Series|date=December 19, 2007|access-date=July 17, 2016}} Heffner and Colarusso have developed a longterm relationship. Heffner joined the company in 2003, becoming the Vice President of Operations, a role he still holds today.
In 2007, Heffner made his debut in the ARCA Re/Max Series at Daytona International Speedway for DGM Racing, where he finished 35th after crashing.{{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2007_ARCA_200_at_Daytona/A|title=2007 ARCA 200 at Daytona|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=July 19, 2016}} From 2007 to 2011, he ran eight ARCA races, with his last start being at Lucas Oil Raceway.{{cite web|last=Caraviello|first=David|url=http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/07/18/nascar-camping-world-truck-eldora-entry-list-scott-bloomquist.html|title=Bloomquist leads list of dirt aces at Eldora|publisher=NASCAR|date=July 18, 2013|access-date=September 6, 2013|archive-date=August 22, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822113025/http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/07/18/nascar-camping-world-truck-eldora-entry-list-scott-bloomquist.html|url-status=dead}} His best finish in the series is 14th at Kentucky Speedway in 2009.{{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2009_Click_It_or_Ticket_Buckle-Up_Kentucky_150/A|title=2009 Click It or Ticket Buckle-Up Kentucky 150|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=July 20, 2016}}
In 2013, Heffner entered the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway, the first dirt track race in a NASCAR national series since 1970.{{cite web|last=Bruce|first=Kenny|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/richard-petty-recalls-last-nascar-132030292--nascar.html|title=Richard Petty recalls NASCAR dirt race|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|date=July 23, 2013|access-date=September 6, 2013|archive-date=September 26, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926125204/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/richard-petty-recalls-last-nascar-132030292--nascar.html|url-status=dead}} In the event, Heffner qualified eighth and finished second in his heat race to Ken Schrader,{{cite web|url=https://www.sbnation.com/2013/7/25/4555236/nascar-truck-series-eldora-speedway-mudsummer-classic-results|title=NASCAR Eldora 2013: Austin Dillon holds off Kyle Larson to win NASCAR's return to dirt|work=SB Nation|date=July 25, 2013|access-date=July 19, 2016}} but was relegated to the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). Despite starting first, he lost fourth gear and retired from the LCQ,{{cite web|last=Allaway|first=Phil|url=https://frontstretch.com/2016/06/19/jr-heffner-partners-with-martins-motorsports-for-eldora/|title=JR Heffner Partners with Martins Motorsports for Eldora|publisher=Frontstretch|date=June 19, 2016|access-date=June 19, 2016}} finishing last after completing just one lap and failing to make the Feature.{{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2013-23/X|title=2013 Mudsummer Classic Last Chance Qualifier|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=July 19, 2016}} The following year, Heffner made the feature after finishing fourth in his heat,{{cite news|last=Ryan|first=Nate|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/07/23/nascar-eldora-speedway-2014-results-live-coverage-streaming-blog/13069167/|title=Pay dirt: Darrell Wallace Jr. wins truck race at Eldora|newspaper=USA Today|date=July 24, 2014|access-date=July 19, 2016}} finishing 18th in the final.{{cite web|last=Lautenschlager|first=Tyson|url=http://www.onpitroad.com/?p=32077|title=Dirt Ringer J.R. Heffner Returns to Trucks at Eldora|publisher=OnPitRoad.com|date=July 11, 2016|access-date=July 19, 2016}} Heffner also ran the Truck race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, finishing 23rd after crashing on lap 137.{{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2014_UNOH_175/C|title=2014 UNOH 175|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=July 19, 2016}} Heffner skipped the 2015 race at Eldora due to the race clashing with his schedule at Lebanon Valley, loaning the truck to Bobby Pierce, who finished second. In 2016, Heffner returned to Eldora, driving the No. 44 for Martins Motorsports. After winning his heat race from the pole to start fourth in the feature, he finished 15th.{{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2016-20/X|title=2016 Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby Heat Race #4|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=July 29, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/race/2016_Aspen_Dental_Eldora_Dirt_Derby/C|title=2016 Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=July 29, 2016}} A year later, Heffner crashed during practice and with no backup, he withdrew from the race. Heffner would return to the Dirt Derby in 2018, securing a ride with Premium Motorsports. He qualified for the main event by finishing fourth in his heat race, and finished 24th in the feature after fading from a top 15 position late with handling problems.
Heffner made his return to the Truck Series in March 2021 when he joined Jordan Anderson Racing for the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race.{{cite press release|url=http://jordanandersonracing.com/j-r-heffner-partners-with-jordan-anderson-racing-for-bristol-dirt-nascar-camping-world-truck-series-race/|title=J.R. Heffner Partners with Jordan Anderson Racing for Bristol Dirt NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race|work=Jordan Anderson Racing|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=March 18, 2021}} However, he withdrew after crashing in the final practice session.{{cite news|last=Estrada|first=Chris|url=https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2021/03/27/john-hunter-nemechek-austin-hill-sheldon-creed-matt-crafton-stewart-friesen-bristol-truck-dirt-race-starting-lineup/|title=Bristol Truck dirt race starting lineup|publisher=NBC Sports|date=March 27, 2021|access-date=March 27, 2021}}
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.)
==Camping World Truck Series==
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%" |
colspan=45| NASCAR Camping World 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 ! {{Tooltip|NCWTC|NASCAR Camping World Truck classification}} ! Pts ! Ref |
2013
! 44 ! Chevy | DAY | MAR | CAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | KEN | IOW | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | IOW | CHI | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | ! 120th ! – |
2014
! 63 ! Chevy | DAY | MAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | GTW | KEN | IOW | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | CHI | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM | ! 52nd ! 47 |
2016
! rowspan=2| Martins Motorsports ! rowspan=2| 44 ! rowspan=2| Chevy | DAY | ATL | MAR | KAN | DOV | CLT | TEX | IOW | GTW | KEN | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ELD | POC | BRI | MCH | MSP | CHI | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM ! 56th ! 18 |
2017
| DAY | ATL | MAR | KAN | CLT | DOV | TEX | GTW | IOW | KEN | style="background:#DFC484;"| ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | CHI | NHA | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM ! NA ! – |
2018
! 15 ! Chevy | DAY | ATL | LVS | MAR | DOV | KAN | CLT | TEX | IOW | GTW | CHI | KEN | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ELD | POC | MCH | BRI | MSP | LVS | TAL | MAR | TEX | PHO | HOM ! 75th ! 13 |
2021
! 3 ! Chevy | DAY | DAY | LVS | ATL | style="background:#DFC484;"| BRI | RCH | KAN | DAR | COA | CLT | TEX | NSH | POC | KNX | GLN | GTW | DAR | BRI | LVS | TAL | MAR | PHO | ! NA ! – |
{{sup|*}} Season still in progress
{{sup|1}} Ineligible for series points
=ARCA Racing Series=
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%"
! colspan="32" | ARCA Racing 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 ! {{Tooltip|ARSC|ARCA Racing Series classification}} ! Pts ! Ref |
---|
2007
! 72 ! Chevy | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAY | USA | NSH | SLM | KAN | WIN | KEN | TOL | IOW | POC | MCH | BLN | KEN | POC | NSH | ISF | MIL | GTW | DSF | CHI | SLM | TAL | TOL ! 175th ! 55 |
rowspan=2| 2008
! 39 ! Chevy | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DAY | SLM | IOW | KAN | CAR | KEN | TOL | POC | MCH | CAY | colspan=13| ! rowspan=2| 77th ! rowspan=2| 300 |
Darrell Basham Racing
! 94 ! Chevy | colspan=10| | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| KEN | BLN | POC | NSH | ISF | DSF | CHI | SLM | NJE | TAL | TOL | colspan=2| |
2009
! 74 ! Chevy | style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DAY | SLM | CAR | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TAL | style="background:#EFCFFF;"| KEN | TOL | POC | MCH | MFD | IOW | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| KEN | BLN | POC | ISF | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CHI | TOL | DSF | NJE | SLM | KAN | CAR | colspan=2| ! 60th ! 510 |
2011
! 99 ! Chevy | DAY | TAL | SLM | TOL | NJE | CHI | POC | MCH | WIN | BLN | IOW | style="background:#DFFFDF;"| IRP | POC | ISF | MAD | DSF | SLM | KAN | TOL | colspan=4| ! 106th ! 165 |
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official|1=http://www.jrheffnerracing.com/}}
- {{Racing-Reference driver|J_R_Heffner}}
{{Jordan Anderson Racing}}
{{JRR}}
{{Martins Motorsports}}
{{MB Motorsports}}
{{Darrell Basham Racing}}
{{Roulo Brothers Racing}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heffner, J. R.}}
Category:People from Stephentown, New York
Category:Sportspeople from Rensselaer County, New York