J. R. Norris

J. R. Norris (born January 9, 1980) is a former part-time NASCAR driver from Hueytown, Alabama. He is the 2006 champion of the AutoZone Elite Divison, Southeast Series and will compete on a part-time basis in the #15 Billy Ballew Motorsports Chevy in 2007. Norris made his debut with that team at Gateway in 2007, starting 13th and driving his way to a solid 16th place finish, a lead lap effort, He currently works for Bill McAnally Racing as the crew chief for Dylan Lupton in the No. 4 Ford in the ARCA Menards Series.

Biography
Norris, the 2006 NASCAR Southeast Series Champion, made his career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut at the Gateway International Raceway starting in the 13 place position and posting a 16th place finish. Norris piloted the No. 15 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in the 146 laps, 219 miles on the 1.5-mile race track at Texas Motor Speedway

Primary sponsor for Norris was a Texas-based McKinney Pipe & Steel. McKinney Pipe and Steel is owned by a big supporter of Norris, Jan Richardson. Her son Robert raced with him in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division and are still good friends. Robert Richardson, Sr. told Norris if he ever had the opportunity every racer hopes to get a shot at, he'd see what he could do to help. Well, Norris had the opportunity with Ballew for Texas and Richardson kept his word. The Richardson's are no strangers to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as they were 2006 team owners of the No. 1 Chevrolet Silverado team. Robert Richardson, Jr., made his debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2006 and in 2007, races the No. 28 Jay Robinson Racing NASCAR Busch Series car.

"I have to thank the whole Richardson family for their support," Norris said. "I had this opportunity with Billy and they were right there to make it happen. Robert and I became friends racing together in the Elite Series. Rob's family is very kind and I really am thankful for the opportunity they are giving me with McKinney Pipe & Steel sponsoring the No. 15. I plan on giving it my all to bring home a good finish for them on Friday night. I am really looking forward to racing this weekend making my second start for Billy Ballew Motorsports. Coming off the win with Kyle (Busch) in the No. 51 last week, everyone is still pumped up so I think that we'll both have some pretty stout trucks. I know in Texas you will see a lot of side by side racing because of the multiple grooves so it should be an exciting race for both the fans and drivers."

Norris got off to a good start in the scheduled 147 lap event at Texas Motor Speedway until an accident ahead of him forced him through the grass on lap ten taking off a part of the front valance of the truck. Norris came into the pits under the caution to evaluate the minimal damage going back out for the restart in the 34th place position but quickly began moving up through the field finding confidence with each lap he took.

By lap 44, Norris had advanced to the 23rd place position and had received the lucky dog award after being lapped by the leader and teammate Kyle Busch shortly before the caution. Norris noted his truck was tight into the center of the corner and came down pit road for tires and fuel then dashing back into the pits before the green flag again waved on lap 45 to top off with fuel.

Again the young Billy Ballew Motorsports Developmental driver moved through the pack calling into crew chief, Doug George that the truck was still tight on lap 58. Norris got into the grove of the race and advanced to his highest position of the day in 9th at the halfway mark of the race.

Norris, in the 14th place position, started to feel a vibration in the truck. Not taking any chances, crew chief, Doug George called him into the pits. The No. 15 McKinney Pipe & Steel truck came down for four Goodyear tires and fuel on lap 123 but was called back in due to all the lug nuts not being tight on the left front tire losing ten positions for the restart on lap 128.

With only ten trucks on the lead lap, Norris felt the downforce from the early run through the grass had hurt the aerodynamics in the truck but had moved to the 21st place position on the restart on lap 143 when the leaders had crashed ahead of him. Norris almost missed the entire event but was tagged by another truck causing some damage to the No. 15 Billy Ballew Motorsports entry. The field was stopped under a red flag and prepared for a green/white/checkered finish. Again on the restart, the two leaders got together ending the race under the yellow flag with Norris posting a 20th place finish in his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event.

"I was a little disappointed with going through the grass on that early caution," Norris said. "I had to go somewhere to avoid Johnny (Benson) so I went low and caused some front splitter damage to the truck. I really hated it for those guys because we had an awesome truck all day. We had moved back up and I thought we could grab a top-10 finish but we had a lugnut get hung up on the stop that sent us backwards. It's disappointing but I know that with each lap I take in these trucks, I gain more valuable experience. We had a lot of close calls out there and my spotter Tom Busch was excellent getting me through all of the incidents. I have to thank Billy Ballew for the opportunity to drive this equipment and especially to the Richardson family for sponsoring the truck with McKinney Pipe & Steel."

Norris also notched some stout statistics during the Silverado 350k improving his position on the track 19 times with 32 green flag passes, fourth amongst the 36 drivers in the field. Norris's highest position in the race was ninth with his lowest position in 34th. Norris spent 50 laps in the top-15 averaging a 19th place position in the 23rd race of the 25 race 2007 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.

Crew chief
Norris also became crew chief for Bill McAnally Racing piloting Dylan Lupton while Rich Woodland handled spotter duties.

NASCAR
(key) ( Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )

ARCA Racing Series
(key) ( Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )