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NASCAR BGN: There's No Place Like Home

2 April 1999

Nashville, Tennessee native and resident Jeff White has been looking forward to returning to Nashville Speedway USA for Saturday's BellSouth Mobility 320 NASCAR Busch Series race since the day he joined the Timber Wolf/Brewco Motorsports team in December.

White, the car chief on the No. 37 Timber Wolf Chevrolet with driver Kevin Grubb, spent most of his racing career and all of his life in Music City USA and cherishes the opportunity to compete in front of a hometown crowd.

Since 1970, White has been attending races at Nashville Speedway USA. He and his father, who built race engines for NASCAR Grand National Series (now Winston Cup Series) teams, were fixtures at the historic short-track. He knew early on a racing career was in his future.

While earning a mechanical engineering degree at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, White focused his attention on motorsports. He gained experience working for a late- model stock division team and an IHRA Funny Car drag racing team.

"While going to school, I read every technical book I could find about race car setups," reminisced White. "What I was learning in college allowed me to better understand the geometry of race cars. I took that knowledge and went racing."

In 1996, White teamed with late model (now Busch Series) driver Andy Kirby and handled the crew chief duties for his team which competed weekly at Nashville Speedway USA. The duo hit it off immediately, winning the track championship in their first season together.

The success continued. Kirby won the 1997 NASCAR Winston Racing Series Heartland Regional championship, 1997 Nashville Speedway USA late model stock division track championship and finished second in the points championship in 1998.

"Nashville has always been my home," said White. "Competing in front of a hometown crowd is a great feeling. It's very rewarding to have friends and family in the stands watching.

"Nashville Speedway is one of the toughest, if not the toughest short tracks in the country," continued White. "My experience and notes will hopefully make Kevin's tough job a little bit easier."

RACE FACT: The BellSouth Mobility 320 is Kevin Grubb's first NASCAR Busch Series race at Nashville Speedway USA.

THE NASHVILLE CONNECTION: Jeff White isn't the only Timber Wolf/Brewco Motorsports team member who has racing experience at Nashville Speedway USA. General Manager Todd Wilkerson raced for several seasons in the mini-stock division and also owned a late model team until joining Brewco Motorsports in 1995, while crew chief Terry Shirley raced in a few late model races in the early 1970's.

ASSOCIATE SPONSOR: Discount Tobacco Outlet is an associate sponsor on the No. 37 Timber Wolf Chevrolet Monte Carlo for the BellSouth Mobility 320 at Nashville Speedway USA.

COME SEE ME: Kevin Grubb will sign autographs at Hooters Restaurant in Johnson City, TN from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on April 8 and at the Chop House Restaurant in Kingsport, Tennessee from 7:00-9:00 p.m. on April 9.

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot photos and racing art, please visit The Racing Image Galleries and The Visions of Speed Art Gallery

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