Born and
raised in Greensburg Indiana. Started racing Go-Karts at age 15 in 1993.
J.T. got the nickname as "The Tree City Tornado" on a local radio show in
2004. J.T. is single and a college graduate, with his Associates Degree in
Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. He plans to
further his education in the coming years.
He is
involved in several charity functions including the annual 3-hour enduro
benefit Go-Kart race at Fastimes in Indianapolis, IN. He has been involved
raising money for great causes like the Kenny Irwin Jr. Foundation, USAC
Benevolent Fund, and American Racing Ministries.
Team
Results are as follows:
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2002- Thunder at
Johansson's Co-Captain with Shane Hollingsworth finished 5th
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2003- Thunder at ProDrive
Co-Captain with Critter Malone finished 2nd
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2004- Fun at Fastimes
Co-Captain with Johnny Parsons Jr. finished 3rd
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2005- Fun at Fastimes J.T.
was the lone Captain finished as the Champions
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2006- Fun at Fastimes
Co-Captain with Johnny Heydenreich finished 3rd
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2007- Fun at Fastimes
Co-Captain with Ted Hines finished 4th
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2008- Fun at Fastimes
Co-Captain with Johnny Parsons Jr. finished 2nd
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2009- NO RACE
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2010- Fun at Fastimes
Co-Captain with Rex Norris III finished 4th
He is also
very involved in "A Race For A Cure" that started in 2005 to help fund
research to find a cure for Diabetes. This problem affects nearly 21
Million children and adults in the United States. J.T. has participated in
walks, bike rides, and in 2007 he even had a golf outing to raise money
for the American Diabetes Association. If you have any ideas for a local
function you would like to promote to benefit ADA or the Juvenile Diabetes
Foundation please use the contact page on this site and he will get back
with you. 2009 was the inaugural year for the Diabetes Challenge This
Rides 4 U Campaign to raise money for the American Diabetes Association
and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation to fund research to find a cure. Fans
get the opportunity to ride in an 800 horsepower fire breathing Sprint
Car, in one of the 2 seat cars that legendary car owner and builder Steve
Stapp has built and assembled. Fans will give a donation for the number of
laps they want to ride. The fan will ride in front and the driver will be
in the rear of the car! J.T. is looking forward to the opportunity to take
some lucky fans for rides and give them a thrill and raise money for a
cause that is very dear to his heart. He has also became involved in
another charity to raise money for the those who need assistance to get
blood glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and even pancreas transplants. It
will also raise awareness of the symptoms and the correct way to handle
Diabetes if you have been diagnosed. This charity is called the Marvel’s
Miracle Foundation.
Career Highlights
2010
J.T. Won
the American Sprint Car Tour “Tough as Steel” Championship driving the
Jeff and Josh Sweat owned Wee 3 Racing Team #Wee3 Sprint Car. His Car
Owners were also Champions and both J.T. and the Wee 3 Team finished 2nd
in the overall standings. He ran 21 races at 15 different tracks in 4
different states. Best A-Main finish was 2nd at Shady Hill and
it was the Top Feature finish ever for the Wee 3 Racing Team in their 17
year history. J.T. finished the year with 15 top 10s, 5 top 5s, 1 Heat
Race Win at Putnamville, 4 Earl’s Indy “Tough as Steel” Awards, and 2 Indy
Race Parts “Hard Charger” Awards. He had an average finish of an 8th
for the entire season.
2009
J.T. started the year off competing at the Prestigious Chili Bowl Midget
Nationals in Tulsa, OK. In the Friday Prelim he led the first half of his
heat race and ended up third, good enough to be in an A-Qualifier.
Finished the weekend in the top half of the 300 car field driving the Matt
Fox owned #23 Stealth Gaerte. J.T. again drove the Bryan Robinson owned
#57R Maxim in the SCORA Sprint Car Series. He captured the 20 lap A-Main
at the Clay Co. Speedway in Flora, IL. He also had several other top 5s
and top 10s including 3 heat race wins. One of those heat race Wins coming
at the Legendary Terre Haute Action Track. He led the point standings the
majority of the year ending the season 4th. He had an average
finish for the season of 3.5.
2008
J.T. drove the Bryan Robinson owned # 57R Sprint Car to several top ten
finishes. This includes a strong 7th place finish at the Historic
Putnamville Clash, at the Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville with nearly
40 cars in the pits.
2007
Ran several T.Q. Midget races in the #16 owned by Scott Brannin. He
competed in several sprint car races in the Axsom Racing #11. Had several
top 5's, top 10's, and heat race wins in both cars.
2006
Ran the #92 T.Q. Midget for Billy Reeves again. Competed in several Sprint
Car races in the Greg Axsom #11 and the Glenn Scott owned Taterhead
Motorsports #16x. Finished the year with several top 5's, top 10's, and
heat race wins, including a start in the prestigious Mike Johnson Memorial
Sprint Car race at Paragon.
2005
Ran several T.Q. Midget races in the Reeves #92 car before getting hurt in
a serious automobile accident in Indianapolis. He made a comeback later in
the season. J.T. finished with several top 5's, top 10's, and heat race
wins. He also competed in a sprint car.
2004
Ran several UMRA T.Q. Midget races driving for long time car owner Billy
Reeves. He had several good finishes.
2003
Ran about 20 sprint car races; including local, USAC, and the Midwest
Sprint Car Series shows. He had several top 5's, top 10's, heat race wins
and 2 non-qualifier's race wins during Indiana Sprintweek at North Vernon
and Bloomington. J.T. had a fast time award at Bloomington Speedway over a
tough 40 car field. He competed in the Mopar Million at Eldora Speedway.
It was the highest paying race in Sprint Car history and 140 cars showed
up for it. J.T. also competed several times both live and taped on Speed
Channel.
2002
J.T. raced several times in a full midget with USAC and NAMARS including
the inaugural Pepsi Mt. Dew Challenge at Knoxville Raceway. Made several
Sprint Car starts for the legendary Steve Stapp and the Hurst Brothers.
Getting several top 5's & 10's and heat races wins.
2001
J.T.’s first year in Sprint Car. Raced at North Vernon, Bloomington,
Paragon, Lawrenceburg, and Gas City and practiced at Florence, KY. Got a
heat win at Bloomington and North Vernon. Had 13 A-main starts, 2 top 5's,
with 3rd being his best finish, 3 top 10's, 7 top 12's, 10 top 15's.He got
rookie of the year at North Vernon and finished 6th in points only 20
points out of the top 5. J.T. ended the season at Bloomington 13th in
points, just a few markers out of 10th. He made the USAC Sprint week show
at Bloomington. He qualified 26th quick out of 58 cars and ran 3rd in his
heat race. J.T. started 17th in the feature and moved up to 12th before
fighting handling problems. He also raced a Micro Sprint and Won the heat
race and feature at North Vernon.
2000
Ran another season of T.Q. Midgets and had 6 heat wins, 2 top 5's, 7 top
10's and 9 top 15's in 13 feature starts. Made 5 feature starts in 6 races
attended, running a full midget on pavement. Ran 2nd first time in it at
the Indianapolis Speedrome and had 2 top 10's. He finished 2nd in first
and only start in Micro Sprint. He finished 10th in a Kenyon Midget at RCA
Dome after starting 19th in the shortened 12 lap feature.
1999
Ran second season with T.Q. and had a turn around season, going from 33rd
to 8th in point standings out of 100 drivers. He won 4 heats and 2
semi-features. Had 20 top 15's, 14 of those were top 10's and 3 of those
were top 5's. This happened in 23 starts of the 24 made. Was one of three
drivers to make every A-Main. Ran the Kenyon Midget a few times picking up
a heat win at the Indianapolis Speedrome and several top 5's and top 10's
on dirt and pavement. Ran the only indoor midget race ever held at Fargo,
ND and finished 13th of the 23 starters in the 100 lap contest.
1998
Ran first season in T.Q. Midget. Had several mechanical problems but
salvaged 1 heat race win and 5 top 15's in 7 feature starts. J.T. also
made first start in Kenyon Midget finishing 2nd in first race and 5th in
the other at the Indianapolis Speedrome.
1997
Ran second season of Mini-Sprints ending up with 3 feature wins including
2 at the Legendary Lawrenceburg Speedway and one at the Sullivan Speedway.
He also had 4 heat race wins, 1 B-main win, 2 fast times, 1 track record
and 13 top 5's out of 19 races. J.T. was ranked as one of the top 600cc
Mini-Sprint drivers in the Midwest.
1996
Ran first full season of 600cc Winged Mini-Sprints, ended the season with
19 top tens in 23 races. Seven of those were top 5's. He finished 6th
in his first start at Mini-Sprint World Nationals at Chillicothe, OH.
1995
Ran second and final full season of karts, ending the season with 35 wins
in 2 cycle and 4 cycle competition. Had a few more wins in selected races
in '96 and '97. He ended Go-Kart career with over 50 wins.
1994
Ran first full season of karts, ending the season with 12 wins.
1993
Made first start in a Go-Kart at age 15 and finished 4th.
