The Driver

Jess Williams began racing when he was 12 years old. His first laps were taken in a yard kart during intermission at the local dirt track. He won five of his first seven races.

The World Karting Association would soon be Jess's stomping ground, as he took his winning ways to a higher level. At age 14, he competed against men twice his age or older. This was not a problem as he racked up more than 25 happy endings in victory lane. Now it was time for the big boy cars and the rugged and highly competitive IMCA Modifieds were the chosen destination for this youngster. Six wins and six second place finishes later in this first year, Jess was not only crowned IMCA Champion at the age of 16, he also walked away with the Rookie of the Year Honors at Pine Ridge Speedway. Mike Maulden, promoter of Pine Ridge, says, "Jess is an exciting kid with a never give up attitude that makes for a promising future."

A 2004 honor roll graduate of West Union High School, and a member of Cornersville Baptist Church, Jess is a very well-balanced young man. Learning at an early age to be a winner off the track, he has given part of his winnings to Lebonheur Children's Medical Center. It doesn't take long to realize this young man is more than just another young racer.

Built like a linebacker and soft-spoken, Jess is now 22 and has competed several years racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at the Music City Motorplex in Nashville TN. In that time, Jess has recorded 2 wins and multiple tops 5's. Those stats are impressive considering Jess travels 5 hours one way each race day to race, and only his mother, dad, and he make the trip. The JWR team does not have the funding most teams at this level do, thus not as much help. Still Jess finds a way to be super competitive no matter what the obstacles, a true mark of a champion. According to Tupelo Daily Journal sportswriter Brad Locke," Jess has a bright future as a racecar driver with his unflagging confidence. He knows the dedication it takes to be a winner, and he's dedicated himself to making his racing career a success."

The Transition

During the transition year between the IMCA Modified on dirt, and the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Supertruck on pavement, Jess honed his asphalt craft at the Race-On Driving Experience in Memphis, TN. Then 17, Jess turned over a thousand laps in the school's NASCAR Busch Series cars, becoming certified as an instructor and gaining experience at the Memphis Motorsports Park, Bristol Motor Speedway, and the Fairgrounds in Nashville where he currently competes with the Truck. The team competed in a limited schedule of just five events in 2004 in order to maintain their "rookie" status for a full season of action in 2005.

"Going from the dirt to the pavement was a real adjustment," Jess said late in the season. "The truck handled a lot different from the IMCA Car and the track was bigger and faster than what I was used to. It's a blast out there though, and I'm looking forward to next year!"

A third generation racer, Jess and his father, Chuck, also had to learn to think about the chassis setups in the truck much differently than they had in years past racing on the dirt with the modified. Steady improvement was shown over the course of the five races they entered this season, and the team looks forward to 2005.

"I enjoy racing more than anything else in the world," said the youngster. "I work hard at it, and I know this is a giant step for me. But if I am going to meet my goal of racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, then this was a step that eventually I knew I was going to have to take. It's not easy to climb the racing ladder, but I am going to give it everything I have because it's all I want to do!"