This team finished outside the top 25 in exactly half of the 32 races it made last year and Nemechek fell outside of the season's top 25 by 10 points. If it seems like a long way from there to contender status, that's because it is. Team Sabco is down from three to two teams this year, so maybe that will provide a boost.
Career
Benefitted from pairing with Tony Glover in 1997, manager of
three SABCO teams in 1998, after Robby Gordon's tantrums forced crew switch.
Eggleston promoted from within. Death of brother, John, in truck race an
emotional loss last year. If the new collegial atmosphere among SABCO teams
is for real, team's race performance could benefit. It needs to.
Almost single-handedly kept Team SABCO's 1997 season from total
disaster by earning nickname "Front Row Joe" with qualifying efforts. Won
poles at California and Pocono and started in top 10 a total of 12 times.
Race performance couldn't match that, with just three top-10 finishes and
28th-place standing in final points.
This is his first year with team Sabco after owning his own team for two seasons. He sold his team to Felix Sabates in the latter part of 1996 season.
Scored two top-10 finishes, at Rockingham and Watkins Glen, but finished the season 34th in driver points' standings after missing races at Darlington and Charlotte.
Began his racing career at age 13 as a motocross racer and scored more than 300
wins in a six-year span. Turned to stock cars in late 1986. Southeastern
Mini-Stock Series Rookie of the Year and series champion in 1987. United
Stockcar Alliance Series Rookie of the Year and series champion in 1988. All
Pro Late Model Rookie of the Year and Short Track Drive of the Year in 1989.
Began Busch Grand National career in 1990, winning Rookie of the Year honors.
With his own team in 1992, won Busch Grand National championship and Busch
Series Most Popular Driver in '92 and '93.
Nemechek moved to the Winston Cup Series on a full-time basis in 1994 as driver
of the Larry Hedrick-owned Chevrolet. And while he had a successful rookie of
the year season with the Hedrick team, Nemechek decided that he was just more
comfortable owning and running his own team.
Won $389,565 while driving 29 races for Larry Hedrick in '94, posting three top
10 finishes and finished 27th in Winston Cup points. Finished third in NASCAR
Rookie of the Year competition in '94, just 13 points behind winner Jeff
Burton. Made Winston Cup debut in 1993 at Loudon, N.H., event in NEMCO
Motorsports car.
'95 was an interesting year for this new owner. With only one top-10 finish in
the first half of the season, Mike Boerschinger was name crew chief in June.
The second half brought in three more top-10 finishes with his best at MBNA 500
with fourth, ended 28th in final standings.
In 1997, he almost single-handedly kept Team SABCO's season from total
disaster by earning nickname "Front Row Joe" with qualifying efforts. Won
poles at California and Pocono and started in top 10 a total of 12 times.
Race performance couldn't match that, with just three top-10 finishes and
28th-place standing in final points.
"Alan Kulwicki is one of my heroes -- my dad is the other, and Alan proved that
you can win the Winston Cup championship doing things your own way, especially
when the family helps out," said Nemechek, the youngest car owner on the NASCAR
Winston Cup curcuit.
In 10 years of racing he has gone from "junkyard Pinto" to owner and driver of
the Burger King Chevrolet Monte Carlo on the premier auto racing series. Now he
wants to take the next step up the Winston Cup success ladder. And like his
hero Kulwicki, Nemechek believes he an reach the championship level.
Inspired by Bob Hannah, motocross champion. Majored in mechancial engineering
at Florida Institute of Technology. Most memorable race was beating Dale
Earnhardt by inches in the '92 Loudon Busch Grand National event. Enjoys Clint
Eastwood and James Bond movies, snow skiing and fishing. Spouse: Andrea.
Sources: NASCAR Press Guides, Star and News staff reports.
