JJ Yeley News

 Event/Date: Coca-Cola 600 – May 26, 2013

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway (NC)

Track Length: 1.5 mile

Race Distance: 400 laps/600 miles

Tune in: NASCAR on FOX at 5:30 p.m. (ET)

Mooresville, NC (May 22, 2013) - The Coca-Cola 600 is not only a home race for all of NASCAR but it is also the longest race of the season. This weekend’s race is not only a fan favorite, but also one where NASCAR Welcomes Home the Troops. Both Yeley and Blaney will be participating in hosting an honorary guest this weekend as part of the Memorial Day weekend festivities.

Tommy Baldwin Racing’s No. 36 Chevy is proud to announce that World TradeX has signed on for one more race as an associate sponsor for JJ Yeley. World TradeX is a corporate barter company recently formed by executives with over 40 years of experience. The company’s headquarters is based in Florida, and operates nationwide in over 27 countries worldwide.

Blaney’s history at Charlotte: Blaney has 25 starts at the 1.5 mile track with an average finish of 27.2.

Yeley’s history at Charlotte: Yeley has 10 starts, with an impressive second place finish in 2007. His average finish is 28.5.

Blaney on the 600: "Last weekend was a great opportunity for us to get the No. 7 SANY America Chevy SS ready for this weekend’s race. We learned a lot during the practice session and showdown; we have some good notes and are ready to go for 600 long miles on Sunday afternoon."

Yeley on the 600: "It's been nice being home this week, not just for myself, but for the entire TBR team. These guys at the shop have been working very hard to get the No. 36 Chevy SS ready to go for the Coca-Cola 600. We are also looking forward to having the guys from World TradeX back on the car again this weekend. It’s going to be a long race on Sunday, but we are energized and ready to go!"

Crew Chief/Team Owner Tommy Baldwin on racing in the Coca-Cola 600: "This is a long grueling race for not only the drivers and crew members but for our cars as well. The goal of a solid finish at the end of 600 miles is taking care of your equipment – I know my drivers can do just that."

TBR by the numbers: Heading into the longest race of the 2013 season, Dave Blaney is currently 30th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings while teammate JJ Yeley currently sits 32nd.

Event/Date:  All-Star Race, May 18, 2013

Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway (NC)

Track Length: 1.5 mile

Race Distance: 20 lap Shootout 

Tune in: NASCAR on FOX at 7:30 p.m. (ET)

Mooresville, NC (May 16, 2013) - For the Tommy Baldwin Racing teams, racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway means not only a quick drive up the road but a time to race in front of your family, friends and crew members. For drivers Dave Blaney and JJ Yeley this weekend's Sprint All-Star Shootout will offer valuable information towards next week's Coca-Cola 600.

Featuring a unique format, the qualifying event for the All-Star race is comprised of two 20-lap segments with an optional pit stop. The top two finishers will transfer to the All-Star race immediately following the Showdown. In addition, the winner of the fan vote will also transfer.

JJ Yeley, driver of the No. 36 Chevy SS, has added World TradeX as an associate sponsor for the All-Star race weekend. World TradeX is a corporate barter company, recently formed by executives with over 40 years experience of in the industry. Based in Florida, the company's presence is nationwide, and in over 27 countries worldwide.  

Blaney on the All-Star Race: "We are looking forward to the All-Star Race Showdown on Saturday evening. It will be a great opportunity to race for fun without having to worry about points."  

Yeley on the All-Star Race: "I am really excited to have World TradeX joining us this weekend. I am happy to be home for the next two weeks and racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This weekend is all about putting on a show for the fans and having a good times, of course the $1 million would be awesome too. "  

Keep up with TBR: Keep up with the TBR team by following us on Twitter and Facebook. Also follow JJ on Facebook and Twitter.

Date:  May 5, 2013

Event: Aaron's 499 (Race 10 of 36)

Track:  Talladega Superspeedway 

Started/Finished: 43rd/31st

Point Standing: 32nd

Talladega, AL (May 5, 2013) - Golden Corral returned to the hood of JJ Yeley's No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway providing another opportunity for kids to eat free with "JJ's Mondays" if the driver could score a top-10 finish.

The starting lineup was set by the NASCAR rulebook on Saturday after qualifying was rained out. The unfortunate turn of events would force the team to battle back from the 43rd starting position.

That's exactly what Yeley would do from the start of the Aaron's 499, working through the field and quickly obtaining a spot in the top-10 for much of the first half - "JJ's Monday's" was looking like a reality for the No. 36 Golden Corral Chevrolet. It was after the first half that rain caused a near four hour delay and a lot of time to think about strategy for the conclusion of the race.

When the race resumed with 60 laps to go, crew chief Joe Lax brought the car down pit road to grab four tires and fuel and would have to make another charge from the back of the pack. Yeley, an experienced restrictor plate driver, once again sliced his way through the field and was sitting in second when he was caught in a huge multi-car accident on lap 182.

The damage sustained to the Golden Corral Chevy SS was too much to overcome and the team was forced to retire early, finishing in the 31st position.

Despite the outcome, Yeley was optimistic about the team's performance and overall speed of his race car. He believes he had a shot at competing for the victory and was poised to take the lead before the accident occurred.

"My car was really bad on the bottom all day long, so I just stayed to the outside," Yeley said. "Everyone kept getting jammed up in the middle. I could carry a ton of momentum, and pushed the No. 51 (Reagan Smith) to the lead there.

I thought I was going to take the lead myself down the back straightaway. I just kind of stalled out there from a side draft from Reagan, and the No. 17 (Ricky Stenhouse) thought he could stick it on the outside there, and there wasn't enough room. He hit me in the right rear, and got me lose, and sent me back across the field. Very disappointing. I definitely thought we had at least a shot at a top-five, but we were definitely going for the win."

Yeley hopes to carry the momentum from a competitive race into Darlington Raceway in the prestigious Southern 500. Yeley has a best finish of 18th at the Speedway and will look to best it when he dances with the "Lady in Black" on Saturday night.

About Tommy Baldwin Racing

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) Crew Chief Tommy Baldwin formed Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) in 2009. Baldwin utilized a declining economy to open a NSCS team with a stringent budget. The team worked to build to full-time competition, and by the 2011 season, the team's third season, TBR competed in every race and locked the No. 36 Chevrolet in the top-35 in NSCS Owner Points. Dave Blaney drove the No. 36 Chevrolet to TBR's highest finish of third in the October 2011 event at Talladega Superspeedway. In 2012 both cars fielded by TBR finished in the top-35 in points.

Based in Mooresville, N.C., TBR will compete in the NSCS in 2013 with NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney driving the No. 7 Chevy SS and JJ Yeley piloting the No. 36. 

Event/Date: Aaron’s 499 – May 5, 2013

Track: Talladega Superspeedway (AL)

Track Length: 2.66 miles

Race Distance: 188 laps/500.08 miles

Tune in: NASCAR on FOX at 1:00 p.m. (ET)

Mooresville, NC - Heading to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway, JJ Yeley and the No. 36 team are bringing back the popular Golden Corral paint scheme in hopes of another “Top 10 Kids Eat Free” celebration on Monday.

Yeley’s history at Talladega: In six previous Sprint Cup starts at Talladega, Yeley’s best finish was 11th place in the May race of 2006. His average finish is 25.2.

Yeley on Talladega: “We had a great finish with Golden Corral at Daytona and lots of kids ate free with my Top-10 finish. We are looking to do the same this time around and feed some more kids!”

Yeley by the numbers: Heading into Talladega, Yeley is 32nd in the Sprint Cup points standings.

Did you know?: Yeley is the proud father of Faith Anne, who can often be found at the race track with her daddy.

Date:  April 27, 2013

Event: Toyota Owners 400 (Race 9 of 36)

Track:  Richmond International Raceway

Started/Finished: 39th/32nd

Point Standing: 32nd

Richmond, VA (April 27, 2013) - Heading into Saturday night's race at Richmond International Raceway (RIR), JJ Yeley's No. 36 Chevy SS sported a new paint scheme honoring the upcoming NASCAR Day. On May 17th NASCAR fans and supporters will join in the day of giving back to the community in the best display of teamwork you will ever see. 

Friday's full schedule on track started out with two practice sessions followed up by qualifying. Leaving the grid mid-pack, Yeley's qualifying efforts did not reflect the amount of work the team had put into the car. 

Starting 39th for the Toyota Owners 400, Yeley had his work cut out for him. Throughout the night, pit stops got the best of the No. 36 NASCAR Day Chevy SS. Having to come back down under green flag pit stops for a pass through penalty, Yeley was several laps down late in the race. A late race caution set up for a green-white-checkered finish and drivers scrambling on the restart.

Making in through the craziness, Yeley crossed the finish line in 32nd.

"It was a tough night for the No. 36 NASCAR Day Chevy," Yeley commented. "I am so proud to support a cause like the NASCAR Foundation and NASCAR Day and I hope to hear that all my fans get involved on May 17th."

Currently JJ Yeley is 32nd in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings. Next weekend the team heads to Talladega Super Speedway for an action packed weekend.

Mooresville, NC - Tommy Baldwin Racing's JJ Yeley joins The NASCAR Foundation as the industry celebrates the 10th Annual NASCAR Day on Friday, May 17.  Yeley is running a special 'NASCAR Day' paint scheme on his #36 Chevrolet SS in Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway.

For the first time, The Foundation will launch a "Ten Days of Giving" tour, beginning May 8, which will include philanthropic activities in Atlanta, Ga., Charlotte, N.C., Winston-Salem, N.C.; Brooklyn, Mich.; Darlington, S.C.; Kansas City, Kan.; New York, N.Y.; and Daytona Beach, Fla.      

Camping World, the Official Outdoor and RV Retailer of NASCAR, has joined the cause this year and will make available the limited-edition NASCAR Day pin, designed by NASCAR's first officially licensed artist Sam Bass, until May 17 at Camping World SuperCenters nationwide for a $10 donation to The NASCAR Foundation. Visit CampingWorld.com/stores to find a location near you.

NASCAR fans and supporters also can pick up their collectible pins at tracks during select race weekends or online at NASCAR.com/foundation. Fans and supporters are encouraged to join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag: #NASCARDay.

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Kansas City, MO - Bright and early Friday morning, JJ Yeley arrived at Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospital to play the role of "shoe fairy" for three families of seriously ill children. While most drivers were still in their motor coaches enjoying a quiet morning, Yeley was spending time with three children who each received a hand painted pair of Converse sneakers as part of his work with the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation in conjunction with Peach's Neet Feet.

The morning started off with JJ getting to meet with each of the children, Hudson (2), Madison (5), and Avery (8), as well as their families. He sat down and drew pictures with the kids and got to know a little bit about each one. When speaking with the families Yeley gave words of encouragement and hope to each, "I couldn't imagine having to go through what you do every day as a parent. My heart and hope is with each of you that you continue the good fight and hang in there, and hopefully good things will be coming your way soon."

Afterwards, Yeley presented each child with a hand painted pair of Converse. The smiles on their faces were priceless. Yeley commented, "It is such a great feeling seeing the smiles on their faces. To be able to come out here and give them a pair of shoes that brings them happiness means a lot to me, as well as their families."

Children's Mercy Hospital is located in the heart of Kansas City, MO. The hospital is one of the most prestigious children's hospitals in the country and the first in the state to earn the award for excellence in patient care by the American Nurses Credentialing Centers. With over 700 medical staff and specialists on hand, Children's Mercy is a top of the line care facility for children and young adults.

JJ's ongoing involvement with the Random Acts of Kindness organization brought him to a new opportunity with Peach's Neet Feet (PNF). PNF is a non-profit organization that started in 2011, and has continued to grow over the past two years. The organization is best known for their hand painted shoes that are given to children with disabilities or fighting a serious illness. PNF has given away hundreds of "one of a kind" shoes that continue to put a smile on a child's face daily.

Kansas City was just the first stop for JJ Yeley. Throughout the remainder of the NASCAR season, Yeley will be visiting several other Children's Hospitals and playing "shoe fairy." Make sure you check out Tommy Baldwin Racing's Twitter and Facebook page for more pictures and upcoming events.

Date:  April 21, 2013

Event: STP 400 (Race 8 of 36)

Track:  Kansas Speedway

Started/Finished: 40th/35th

Point Standing: 30th 

Kansas City, KS (April 21, 2013) - JJ Yeley's weekend in Kansas started off by playing "shoe fairy" at Kansas City's Children's Mercy Hospital as part of his work with the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. Partnering with Peach's Neet Feet, he gave away three pairs of hand painted shoes to children who have been diagnosed with a serious illness.  

Getting down to business at Kansas Speedway, Yeley and the No. 36 Accell Construction team had one morning practice prior to qualifying for Sunday's race. Yeley qualified for the STP 400 in 40th position. This gave the team an opportunity to make adjustments to the car before Saturday's two rounds of practice.

Rolling off the track Sunday afternoon, Yeley and the Accell Construction Chevy SS were ready to go. He began his climb to the front, avoiding single car cautions, and making a steady gain in positions. However, on Lap 145, bad luck struck, and the drive shaft broke. Pulling the car into the garage the team went to work swapping out parts to try and get the car back out onto the track. With 51 laps down, Yeley returned to the race, and managed to finish the race in 35th. 

"Bad luck again this weekend for the No. 36 Accell Construction Chevy." Yeley commented, "We broke a drive shaft half way through the race, but I'm proud of the hard work these guys put into the car to get me back out to finish and gain a couple positions. Tough break, but we'll head back to the shop and get ready for next week."

Tommy Baldwin Racing is heading up to Richmond International Raceway next weekend for some night racing. Currently JJ Yeley is 30th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Points, 188 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.

Date: April 13, 2013
Event: NRA 500 (Race 7 of 36)
Track: Texas Motor Speedway Speedway
Started/Finished: 36th/39th
Point Standing: 29th, 155 points behind Jimmie Johnson 

(Fort Worth, TX) - JJ Yeley's weekend to Wild Asphalt Circus started out on Friday morning at Texas Motor Speedway, when the crew unloaded the No. 36 Accell Construction Chevy SS. Immediately the crew went to work getting the prepared for a full weekend of racing.

Qualifying 36th, Yeley's crew went to work making adjustments to the car, getting ready for some night racing. Coming into the weekend with an Earnhardt Childress Racing (ECR) engine, the team had some power behind the wheel.

From the drop of the green flag, the No. 36 Accell Construction Chevy was not handling as well as the team had wished. The car was loose coming off the turns, and caused Yeley to go laps down early on. Through pit strategy and several cautions, Yeley gained back some laps, and started to climb in the position. However, on lap 300, the right rear axle broke, leaving the team to be finished for the remainder of the race. Yeley ended the race in 39th position. 

"Tough break this weekend for the No. 36 Accell Construction Chevy and Tommy Baldwin Racing," Yeley said. "We'll pack up and head back to the shop and get ready for Kansas, where we can hopefully pick up some positions in the points that we lost this weekend." 

JJ Yeley finished the weekend at Texas Motor Speedway NRA 500 in 39th. He is currently 155 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson in the race for the Sprint Cup Championship. Next weekend the Tommy Baldwin Racing No. 36 Accell Construction Chevy heads to Kansas Motor Speedway.

Event/Date:  NRA 500 - April 13, 2013

Track: Texas Motor Speedway

Track Length: 1.5 mile

Race Distance: 334 laps/500.5 miles

Tune in: NASCAR on FOX at 7:00 p.m. (ET)

JJ Yeley and the No. 36 Accell Construction Chevy SS team are heading to the circus this weekend, there will be no lions or elephants but instead the roar of 43 stock cars under the big top at Texas Motor Speedway.

Accell Construction is running a limited Primary sponsorship with Yeley and Tommy Baldwin Racing. This is Accell's third race with TBR out of seven.

Yeley's history at Texas: Yeley has 9 starts at the mile and a half oval in Texas. His average finish is 35.1

Yeley on Texas: "I love racing at Texas Motor Speedway - there is nothing not to love about this track and the show that Eddie Gossage puts on. As we head into Texas we are hoping to gain some positions in the points this weekend with a solid finish. We have a good car for this weekend and I'm glad to be back racing on the mile and a half tracks."

Crew Chief Joe Lax on TMS: "We are happy to be going back to Texas. We have a great car for this weekend, so we are hoping for a solid finish and a climb in the points."

Yeley by the numbers: Heading into Texas, JJ Yeley is 27th in the points standings. He is 122 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.

Did you know?: JJ currently holds the title for Most Single Season wins in the USAC series. JJ won 24 races, beating racing legend A.J. Foyt with 19 wins.