Jimmy "smut" Means

S

SilverRam

Guest
Well I spoke to my pop about where that nickname came from and he can't remember. He has a buddy who knows and will try to find out.

I guess Jimmy Means is a pit crew chief on a Busch car, no not the woman Kurt Busch, but a Busch car as in grand national.

Anyway, Jimmy Means was a good driver but had no money like some of the big names of his time. He was one of the last "do it yourselfers" Nascar had.

My daddy helped him a lot here on the California tracks, and over the years they have lost contact.
 
Jimmy is bit more than CC. He owns the #52 Busch series Ford.

Has started a dozen races or so this season with Mike Potter behind the wheel for the most part, Brad Teague has driven two or three times.

I don't recall a sponsor for the car so he may be running the team completely unsponsored, not sure about that. But the results have reflect it. I don't thnk the team has managed to get a finish better than 30 something so far.
 
I'll ask Bob Rahilly about the nick name. Bob still talks to Jimmy. Jimmy calls running the Busch car grocery money. the driver is suppose to run the car as to not wreck it & bring it home in one piece. Which hasn't happened a few times this year.
Bob said the same engine is used every race.
So basically it's just a field filler entery.
 
The #77 car is owned by MOY /Means Racing and Jimmy is the owner/ crew chief/ general manager. Jimmy is one of the hardest workers in NASCAR and one of the most popular and a true gentleman. I have followed his career since he started in NASCAR in 1976.

Brad Teague, at 56 years of age, has a long history with Jimmy Means Racing and knows Bristol well. Teague has driven both the #77 and the #52 this year in a total of 15 races to date with three 23rd place finishes.

Mike "the Milkman" Potter has driven the #52 in 9 races with an average finish of 40.5. The #52 car is mainly a field filler and the finishes should not be used as an indication of Potter's ability.

Dana White, Bruce Bechtel, Jimmy Kitchens and Donnie Neuenburger have been other drivers in the #52 or the #77 car this year. Of these Dana White has produced the second best result with a 21st place finish at New Hampshire. Neuenburger has the best finish in a Means prepared car at the season opener in Daytona, finishing 20th.

For those who are interested in where Jimmy got his nickname "Smut", a name he does not like, I'll relay what Jimmy himself, told me.

When Jimmy first started out racing on tracks in the Huntsville area, Means built an engine designed by Smokey Yunick from plans in a popular racing magazine of the day. In the presence of Bobby Allison, Jimmy smiled and said, "when I get this engine finished I'll be another Smokey" (sic).

Bobby jokingly replied, "Another Smokey?? You won't even be a "smut" ".
For those who might not understand, a "smut" is an old-timey term for a spot of dirt or grease. Some of the other guys in the garage at the time picked up on the joke Bobby Allison made and carried it forward.

Thus the nickname "Smut" was born from a joking comment made by Jimmy, expanded on by Bobby Allison and generally used by those who do not know Jimmy doesn't care for it.
Since the term "Smut" is commonly used as a derogatory comment indicating sexually explicit material, it is obvious why Jimmy Means prefers to be called "Jimmy".

I worked with Jimmy Means Racing for six years, having had the opportunity offered to be a regular crew member but being a coward and not wishing to stand on pit road, chose working in other areas of the operation. At that time I was fifty years old, retired and my wife and I traveled by motorhome over almost the entire circuit for several years until it got old, the pits were not exciting anymore, the crowds too much, but mostly our children got married and grandchildren came along placing a different priority in our lives.
We now choose to sit in the comfort of our home and watch the other people deal with the crowds. We had our fun for a lotta years and it has been a great time all the way around. I guess you could say, "we really have been there and done that".
So now you know. I don't claim to know everything in racing and the technical stuff in my case is best left to those who understand it. Faiure to know the technical aspects of racing did not dimish my interest nor enthusiasm.
My interest in NASCAR began in 1958 and in auto racing in 1948 at the age of 12 at a stock car race at Sorrento Speedway in Morristown, NJ.
Driving my own car, starting stock car races, and in the early sixties I worked with a USAC late model.
In discussions on this or any forum, there are things that make sense, some that are not worth discussing and some that might sound as if I am dealing in rhetoric (there's that word again Hardscrabble), but I try to respect others opinions and can only ask they do the same. :cheers:
 
Interesting read, Whizzer. Thanks.:)

Always wondered where the nickname came from. I knew the word smut referred to grease spots, but wondered how it applied to Jimmy.
 
Whizzer,
Thanks for your post. Very interesting. My dad knew Jimmy about the 1976 through 84 area's. Were you involved around that time? Did you Know D.K. Ulrich or Tim Richmond at all? I enjoy reading about others racing experiences. My family has had some very good times with racing, and some very hard lessons and tagedy's. All in all, like my younger Rock Star brother says, "you know it's all about racing" (actually putting his own career in music behind the sport of racing)..... We just never had the money we needed to do what we wanted.

With money my Dad could have done very well, and my brother is an excelent driver but without the funds your only as good as your equipment, by the way, I put my brother on the trailor every time we get a chance to go for it. He would tell ya different!

Hardscrabble,
I got your personal message and I truelly understand. I just can't seem to ignore the temptations that go along with message boards, the fun I have is very entertaining sometimes. I'll try to honor your wishes.

Ive been around a lot of racing in my life, and I was bitter about some things for years, and that kept me away from it. Now I'm a family man and must not sacrifice them for my enjoyment of racing, and so I just watch.

MY Dad sacrificed a lot to get very close, and a lot of people have knocked him for not making it, but at least he tried.

I'm amazed that Jimmy Means has not picked up a strong sponsor all these years.
 
SilverRam, know what you mean about sacrificing to go racing. The hubby and I did the short-track dirt for 4 years back in the 70s, but had to give it up. Couldn't afford it. Had a great time doing it, though.
 
Good read Whizzer. Jimmy is a good Samaritan too. He showed me the short cut out of Dover once...drive through a little field to the shopping mall/center next door, and you're on your way!!! At least back in the 80s.
 
I have met Jimmy a few times too Windsor.Met most of the old time 'bama(huntsville) drivers at one time or the other.Still have an old alka seltzer racing team cap that Smut signed for me.Seemed like a real down to earth kind of guy...very humble.

Speaking of the old Alabama drivers...does anybody remember Stanley Smith?The driver who had a very similar crash to the one that killed Dale Sr.?Drove a few BGN and( I think) a couple of WC races?Occasionally he is still mentioned in the local papers...never fully recovered after that wreck,it seems.


And Whiz...VERY interesting (and a little scary ;) ) that you worked with Jimmy around Huntsville...you MIGHT even know an old buddy of mine who was(and still is) a big figure amongst the 'Bama tracks from BIR to Huntsville.He is at least your age:B.J(Burvell to us)Parker?Once Nascar's dirt track co-ordinator in the late seventies?I know Jimmy knew him at least fairly well.Just curious.

Man...the world is getting smaller and smaller....
 
Texasracelady,

I grew up on Orange county raceway in California (drag racing). We used to go to Ascot in Gardena and watch the sprint cars.

I grew up dreaming of driving a funny car or sprint car. Never have fulfilled it though. MY brother is good friends with Ron Capps, and he often drives a sprint car, he also is a driving instructor for Derek Daily.

I'm glad for him to do all that, but I have to admit I am a bit jealous. If not me, then I'm all for my brother.

The sacrifices were emense in my childhood, but Dad came very close to making a drivers career.
 
Originally posted by 97forever@Aug 23 2003, 01:00 AM
And Whiz...VERY interesting (and a little scary ;) ) that you worked with Jimmy around Huntsville...you MIGHT even know an old buddy of mine who was(and still is) a
Man...the world is getting smaller and smaller....
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I never had any association with Jimmy when he was racing out of Huntsville. I knew of him and followed his career at that point in his career, but my contact and association came after he moved to North Carolina.

Jimmy was one of those guys who built his place in Winston Cup on spit and baling wire, and he did a large part of it alone.

Jimmy did what he had to do to fulfill his dream of racing for a living and there were some pretty lean years. Because of his talent and tenacity on the bullrings in Alabama and Tennessee, he gained respect. He raced with the Allison's, Farmer, Bonnett, and while competing against them won the track championship at Nashville.

There are a ton of stories of how he struggled and how he survived. But mostly he survived because the people who supported him knew he could do the job.
In racing, if the talent is there, people recognize it and support it.
One reason is they want to be a part of it, secondly, they see the desire and lastly, real racers know who is and who isn't going to make it.

From day one, Jimmy, like every other beginning driver, has had parts and advice offered to help them compete. But it wasn't just Jimmy, I have seen teams offer tires, parts, help, no matter who the driver or thier past experience. I pesonally never saw any team who needed anything, ignored.

Jimmy is genuinely humble. I have seen him sign autographs for extended periods of time and never turn anyone away. He always has time for a fan and when sponsored by Alka-Seltzer he was quite popular within the corporate circle. Jimmy can get along with the prince or the beggar, he is that kind of person.

As for Stanley Smith, wasn't he thinking of making a comeback in Winston Cup at one time? I think he was in the crash at Talledega with Jimmy Horton when Horton went over the fence and down the bank emerging uninjured.
Back to Stan Smith, I don't recall he ever did try again as his sheet rock business was calling and his injuries from that wreck were pretty severe.
:D
 
Originally posted by SilverRam@Aug 22 2003, 06:38 PM
Did you Know D.K. Ulrich or Tim Richmond at all? I enjoy reading about others racing experiences. My family has had some very good times with racing, and some very hard lessons and tagedy's.
Click to expand...
Silver Ram, I'm not sure how you mean "do you know D.K. Ulrich or Tim Richmond".

Did I know them to pass them in the garage, yes. Did I know them to talk to them, yes. Did I know the them to have a sit down talk and would they know me, the answer is , "no".

I have met many personalities, but am not friends not even casual aquaintances with them. I shook hands with Cale Yarborough, and Richard Petty, spoken a few words to them, but I don't know them.
I've met the governor of the state I lived in twenty years ago, had a one hour discussion with him, but if you asked him, he most likely doesn't remember me, so I can safely say, I had met him, talked with him, but I don't know him.

My experience of who I do or do not know is simple. If we have contact and talk a few times, to the point where if I met the same person ten years from now they would remember me, then I guess you could say I know them, mostly because they know me too.
Meeting someone and having a few pleasant words does not, in my opinion, constitute knowing them. And this is subjective. Others might feel differently so try to understand my logic. Not everyone has the same opinion of what another means by "knowing " somebody.

I'm sorry about the tragedies in your family. I hope these sad occurances are overcome, and soon.
 
You're right 97. The world is a smaller place...and kinda cool!
 
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