Crew Chiefs
JJ Yeley: Biography
Birthdate: October 5, 1976
Marital Status: Wife - Kristen
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Children: Faith Anne
After finishing 11th in points in his first full season in the Busch Series, J.J. Yeley gets the nod to pilot Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 18 Chevrolet in the Cup Series in 2006.
Yeley drove Gibbs' No. 11 Chevrolet for four races in 2005, finishing a best 25th in September at Dover. In 35 Busch starts, Yeley had four top fives, including a career-best second, at Memphis, and 12 top-10s.
Yeley is a multi-facted racer, having become the youngest driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 when in 1998, at the age of 21, he finished ninth. In 2003 Yeley broke a USAC record held by A.J. Foyt for victories in a season with 24. Foyt had 19 victories in 1961.
Yeley first got behind the wheel of a Quarter Midget when he was 10, later raced go-karts and by 14 was racing Midgets. In 1991 he was the Arizona Midget Racing Association rookie of the year.
In 1992, at age 16, Yeley became the youngest driver to receive his USAC driver's license. In '93, he became the youngest driver to be invited to participate in the International Midget Contest for Team USA.
By 1994 Yeley was setting SCRA track records, two of five which still stand, in earning rookie of the year honors.
Yeley's SCRA success continued in the next few years, setting track records and becoming the youngest driver to win a main event in the series. In '97 he opened by winning A.J. Foyt's Calvacade of Sprints starting from the 16th position, an SCRA record. That season he was also named USAC National Sprint Car rookie of the year.
More victories came, and by 2001 Yeley had won the USAC Sprint Car championship. He finished third in the Midget standings and fourth in the Silver Crown, the only driver to finish in the top five in all three series.
In 2003 Yeley was setting more track records and became the second driver in history to win the USAC Triple Crown.
In 2004 Yeley made his Busch Series debut, competing in 17 races for Gibbs. He finished with four top-10s. Yeley also made two Cup starts that season, finishing 27th in the fall race at Atlanta.