Jeff Gluck
{{Short description|American motorsports journalist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jeff Gluck
| image = File:NMPA 2010-2 163 Bob Pockrass (4285284275).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Gluck (right) with fellow NASCAR journalist Bob Pockrass in 2010
| other_names =
| birth_name = Jeffrey Gluck
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|09|19}}
| nationality = American
| alma_mater = University of Delaware
| occupation = Journalist
| years_active = 2004–present
| employer = The Athletic
JeffGluck.com (former)
USA Today (former)
NASCAR Scene (former)
| notable_works =
}}
Jeffrey Gluck{{Cite web|last=Garrett|first=Clayton|title=Economy Rips Parts Of NASCAR Fans Hearts Out.|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/320902-economy-rips-parts-of-nascar-fans-hearts-out|access-date=2022-01-03|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}} is an American motorsports journalist for The Athletic. Gluck is best known for his coverage of NASCAR races. He has a "12 Questions" interview column where he asks NASCAR and other motorsports drivers 12 different questions each season. He is also known for posting "Quiet Track" photos of empty racetracks and "Was it a good race?" polls on Twitter after races are done.{{Cite web|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|title='Was It A Good Race?' Poll Results|url=https://jeffgluck.com/was-it-a-good-race-poll-results/|access-date=2023-06-15|website=JeffGluck.com|date=28 February 2017 |language=en}} He has previously written for NASCAR Scene, USA Today, and his own reader-funded website.
Early life
While in college at the University of Delaware, Gluck would be intrigued by a sports writing class offered by the university. As an avid sports fan, he would take the class and would begin to write for the school's newspaper.{{Cite web|last=jed012788|date=2017-06-30|title=A Q&A with Jeff Gluck of JeffGluck.com on venturing out on his own, his connection with readers and covering NASCAR in 2017|url=https://30letter.wordpress.com/2017/06/30/a-qa-with-jeff-gluck-of-jeffgluck-com-on-venturing-out-on-his-own-his-connection-with-readers-and-covering-nascar-in-2017/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=The −30-|language=en}}
In his first newspaper job in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, he was asked to cover a race at the local Rockingham Speedway. This would spark Gluck's interest in NASCAR.{{Cite web|last=jed012788|date=2017-06-30|title=A Q&A with Jeff Gluck of JeffGluck.com on venturing out on his own, his connection with readers and covering NASCAR in 2017|url=https://30letter.wordpress.com/2017/06/30/a-qa-with-jeff-gluck-of-jeffgluck-com-on-venturing-out-on-his-own-his-connection-with-readers-and-covering-nascar-in-2017/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=The −30-|language=en}}
Career
In 2007, Gluck was hired by the NASCAR Scene as an associate editor.{{Cite web|date=|title=Blogs {{!}} SceneDaily.com – NASCAR News|url=http://www.scenedaily.com/opinions/blogs/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227075115/http://www.scenedaily.com/opinions/blogs/|archive-date=2009-02-27|access-date=2022-01-03|website=SceneDaily}}
In 2009, he was laid off from NASCAR Scene due to economic issues caused by the Great Recession.{{Cite web|last=Garrett|first=Clayton|title=Economy Rips Parts Of NASCAR Fans Hearts Out.|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/320902-economy-rips-parts-of-nascar-fans-hearts-out|access-date=2022-01-03|website=Bleacher Report|language=en}} At the same time, then-startup sports news blog SB Nation was looking for a NASCAR reporter to write for their website. CEO Jim Bankoff would proceed to hire Gluck, before leaving at the end of 2012 for USA Today.{{Cite web|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|date=2012-12-31|title=Goodbye SB Nation, and thanks|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2012/12/31/3793892/sb-nation-nascar-thank-you|access-date=2022-01-03|website=SBNation.com|language=en}}
In 2016, Gluck would come under fire from NASCAR after he wrote an article with the headline "NASCAR looks beyond declining attendance, TV ratings".{{Cite web|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|date=2016-07-01|title=NASCAR looks beyond declining attendance, TV ratings|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2016/07/01/nascar-declining-attendance-tv-ratings-fans-social-media/86573130/|access-date=2023-06-15|website=USA Today|language=en}} NASCAR, which had been experiencing declining rating and attendance, was worried about their public appearance in the media, and during a midseason update meeting, a high-ranking official told Gluck and drivers that Gluck's coverage was "killing the sport." In a meeting without Gluck, someone held a copy of the article as an example of unneeded and unaffordable negative coverage at the time. Some drivers, including Carl Edwards, were also angry at Gluck, and one driver, who had not read the article, confronted Gluck at the racetrack.{{Cite web|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|date=2017-06-30|title=An unpleasant anniversary|url=https://jeffgluck.com/nascar-journalism-usa-today-attendance-story-reaction/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=JeffGluck.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2017-06-30|title=Jeff Gluck says NASCAR exec told drivers his story was "coverage killing the sport"|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/racing/jeff-gluck-says-nascar-exec-told-drivers-his-story-was-coverage-killing-the-sport.html|access-date=2022-01-03|website=Awful Announcing|language=en-US}}
In 2017, Gluck would leave USA Today due to "family-related reasons" and would instead start up his own site that was funded by his own readers. According to Gluck, his wife, Sarah, was trying to become a Child Life Specialist, which would need the Gluck family to have flexibility on moving around the country.{{Cite web|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|date=2017-01-23|title=What's Next|url=https://jeffgluck.com/whats-next/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=JeffGluck.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2017-02-16|title=Jeff Gluck still on NASCAR beat under different format|url=https://www.dailynews.com/sports/20170216/jeff-gluck-still-on-nascar-beat-under-different-format|access-date=2022-01-03|website=Daily News|language=en-US}}
In 2019, Gluck joined The Athletic when the sports website expanded to cover motorsports.{{Cite news|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|title=Jeff Gluck: We're here to give you stories about motorsports that you won't find elsewhere|url=https://theathletic.com/986020/2019/05/22/what-to-expect-from-the-athletics-motorsports-coverage/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=The Athletic|language=en}}
Personal life
Gluck is currently married to Sarah Gluck. The two welcomed their second daughter in March 2021.{{Cite web|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|date=2021-03-17|title=Where did Jeff go?|url=https://jeffgluck.com/where-did-jeff-go/|access-date=2022-01-03|website=JeffGluck.com|language=en-US}}