Name: Joe Bethea Jr
Year / Make / Model Car: 1984 Chevy Malibu
Number: 33
Class: Street Stock
Years Racing: 7
Job: Nalco Specialty Chemicals

 
1. How did you get into racing?

JR: Grew up around it and helping my cousin Bill.

2. What would you be doing if you were not driving a race car?

JR: Fishing.

3. People who have inspired you the most while you have raced?

JR: Joe Bethea Sr and Lamar Hodge.

4. What is the biggest obstacle you are facing in your quest to succeed in racing?

JR: Time (twin 2yr old twin girls lol).

5. What driver are you a fan of?

JR: Augie Grill.

6. Out of all the race cars you have driven, which one was your favorite and why?

JR: My first OS car. It was Charlie Bradberry’s old car and my first late model. Won a few races and currently holds the track record at Montgomery.

7. Pick one : CD player, I pod, 8-Track or Record player, and who do you listen to?

JR: CD, little bit of everything.

8. What have you been doing during the off season?

JR: Deer hunting.

9. Is there any other type of race car that you’d like to drive that you haven’t yet?

JR: I would love to run Pro or Super late model.

10. Your best and worst moment in racing?

JR: Best moment was my first win. Worst was wrecking my OS car.

11. Any local legends that you admired while coming up in Short Track Racing?

JR: Duwayne Middlebrooks and Lamar Hodge.

12. What motivates you to be the best in your racing division?

JR: Can’t stand to be beat.

13. Favorite smell at the track : race gas or burning rubber?

JR: race gas for sure.

14. What’s the funniest thing you have ever seen on the race track?

JR: Jason Mayhan and David Wood going at it with their race cars.

15. What local driver do you have the most respect for and why?

JR: Justin Caton. He and his dad are about as good as you will meet.

16. Do you have another sport you enjoy to watch or participate in?

JR: love college football.

17. What’s more important … racing for points or racing for the win?

JR: Racing for the win!

18. Your favorite track and why?

JR: Montgomery, Fast and close to home.

19. Which describes you best : calculating driver or kamikaze driver?

JR: calculating driver, always thinking about my next move.

20. Last Lap, you’re in a side by side dash for the win… who would you want to beat and why?

JR: Augie Grill. In my opinion he is the best and to be the best you have to beat the best.

 
I would like to thank Brad Edwards, my Dad and Homer Nelson. A big thanks to my Mom, Wife and Mother- in- law for keeping our 2 yr old twin girls safe at the track. God knows they are busy! And thanks to all of my fans, you are the reason we have a place to race.

I would like to thank Joe for providing us with this information, and if anyone else would like to be featured here please contact me at ShortTrackTalk@gmail.com