2016 was Jim's 20th year of driving sprint cars and will mark the turning point for the veteran moving into 2017. JBMotorsports team had a rough start to 2016 with two tough weekends of finishes at both Devils Bowl Speedway and Jackson. Crew Chief Bob Thompson found out a bent drive shaft was the cause of a vibration that stalled the teams good start. The month of May brought the team back to one of their favorite places to race, Ohio. A great run at Limaland and Eldora with NRA sprints was followed up with a solid 410 run at Atomic. Jim's first World of Outlaw race of 2016 at Lawrenceburg would not end as well. A rough track led to Jim jumping the cushion coming out of turn four and smacking the wall hard, ending their night. Riverside would be next and was not kind to the team as Jim turned the car on its side in the feature. The team would regroup in August and the highlight of the year was making the World of Outlaw A main for the Iron Man 55. The team would venture up to Brownstown Speedway for a first time visit. Jim showed his ability to run with the 410 All Stars and knew this should be the direction of the team for 2017. The team called it a year in September and Jim has just announced his partnership with Gaerte 410 Racing Engines for 2017. The team will focus on 410 racing and commit to running with the World of Outlaws and Arctic Cat All Star Sprints. The team would like to thank some sponsors who made a difference in 2016. A new J&J Auto Racing chassis had the team much more competitive. A new shock program with Derek Hagar Racing (DHR) really improved our handling. Motor assistance from Ronny Howard and our other partners K&N, Butlerbuilt Seats, Bell Helmets, Hinchman Indy suits, Don Krietz Oval Parts, Wings Unlimited and Dead-A-Head Designs.
- James Perricone on Nov 07, 2016
- Article Date: 11/7/2016