If you watched the Xfinity Series race yesterday, your mouth probably dropped open when you witnessed the #34 car run into the #54 race-leading vehicle who was staying behind the pace car while the track was under yellow.
We have all heard of the driver of the #54 Joe Gibb’s Racing Toyota, Ty Gibbs. The coach’s grandson has quite the racing resume. Ty has been winning races since the age of fourteen. This year is his second in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and he already has earned seven wins, fourteen top-fives, and eighteen top-ten finishes.
... that was weird ...
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 4, 2022
"What was he thinking?"- @jamiemcmurray
Jesse Iwuji will be penalized two laps for turning the leader (Ty Gibbs) under caution. pic.twitter.com/4C0osMDYDy
However, what do you know of Jesse Iwuji?
Biography
Jess was born on August 12, 1987, in Carrollton, Texas.
Iwuji graduated in 2010 as a Bachelor of Science and became a surface warfare officer. After working as a football coach at the Naval Academy Preparatory School, he entered active service. Iwuji worked in mine countermeasures with Mine Countermeasures Crew Exultant and was deployed to Bahrain in 2012. He was later deployed on the USS Comstock, a ship whose name would later appear on a NASCAR Xfinity Series car when it was featured on Darrell Wallace Jr.’s No. 6 Ford Mustang in 2016. In May 2017, he moved to the Navy Reserve.zzz
While attending the Naval Academy, Iwuji first expressed interest in motorsports when the Midshipmen visited the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina before the 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl, during which the players rode around the track. During his senior year, he started drag racing at Capitol Speedway in Crofton, Maryland, driving a Chrysler 300. After his graduation, he raced a Dodge Challenger. Four years later, he participated in the Mojave Mile speed trial; for the event, he upgraded his Challenger’s engine to a horsepower of 1,100. With the new engine, Iwuji ran at a speed of 200.9 miles per hour (323.3 km/h), becoming the fifth modern Mopar driver to accomplish the feat at the Mojave Mile. Afterwards, he joined the Naval Postgraduate School staff in southern California, where he was involved in road racing – driving a Chevrolet Corvette – before making the transition to stock cars.
Most recently, Jesse Iwuji and Emmitt Smith joined in the endeavor of a full-time Xfinity team in 2022.
Okay, so all that is very positive and productive. However, what has prepared Jesse Iwuji to race on the “big stage?”
He competed in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West (now known as the ARCA West) in 2015 through 2018. In thirty-five races, he marked no wins, no top-fives and one top-ten finish.
Jesse finished off 2018 by competing in six ARCA Menard Series Events. His results were similar: no wins, no top-fives and no top-ten finishes.
Jesse then moved on to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. (2018 – 2022). His stats for that series are also no wins, no top-fives and no top-ten finishes in sixteen attempts.
In his eleven Xfinity Series attempts (2020 – present), Mr. Iwuji’s stats remain constant - no wins, no top-fives and no top-ten finishes.
In regards to the on track incident today, I'll take full responsibility for the miscommunication that led to this @TyGibbs_ . I apologize 🙏🏾. pic.twitter.com/y8y6eVP0eN
— Jesse Iwuji (@Jesse_Iwuji) June 5, 2022
Social Media is a buzz regarding the legitimacy of Mr. Iwuji on the Xfinity Track. (Relax NASCAR Fans – this is not the first nor the last bad move you will behold.)
Personally, I would like to see a bit more on his racing resume before his participation at such a high level of racing. Racing might look easy on television or be straightforward on the game simulator; however, in reality your well-being and more importantly the safety of fellow drivers rely on your experience and ability to analyze the racing environment (such as wet due to rain) in an instant and react accordingly.
Jessie and team should consider spending a bit more time in the lower levels of NASCAR Racing. With their funding and more practice, they would probably be able to enjoy the sweetness of success more quickly.
Yet, Jesse Iwuji worked hard and networked his way into an advantageous position with a full-time Xfinity Series ride filled with fantastic partners. He did not do anything wrong. . . . it is up to the series sanctioning body to make the rules . . . . . .
That is just my two cents . . . . . and I am no expert. What is your opinion?
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