# Jimmy Means

James Means (born May 29, 1950) is an American former racing driver and owner, who competed in the Winston Cup Series as an owner-driver. He is currently an adviser for Front Row Motorsports and a former owner of NASCAR Xfinity Series team Jimmy Means Racing.
He competed in NASCAR for eighteen years in mostly his own equipment, posting seventeen career top-tens. He made three career Busch Series starts in 1989, finishing 10th at Darlington Raceway. Following his retirement, Means worked as a crew chief in NASCAR, working for Bud Moore Engineering and Moy Racing. Means was part the Alabama Gang which included Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Neil Bonnett and Red Farmer and later Davey Allison, Hut Stricklin, Steve Grissom and Mike Alexander.
Means' nickname "Smut" originated from his admiration for mechanic Smokey Yunick. Since the nickname "Smokey" was already taken in racing circles, Means' crew nicknamed him "Smut", the residue left behind by smoke.
He is the father of Brad Means.

## Local track career

Means won dozens of late model races in Alabama and Tennessee in the early 1970s, including track championships at Huntsville Speedway and the historic Nashville Speedway USA.

## Driving career

Means made his Cup debut in 1976 at the Daytona 500, driving the number five Chevrolet for Bill Gray. He led one lap but finished 40th after an engine failure. He ran an additional eighteen races for Gray in the number 52 car with sponsorship from WIXC, finishing in eleventh place twice. The following season, Means drove twenty-six races and had a career-best six top-ten finishes, but due to twelve DNFs, he finished nineteenth in points.
In 1978, Means began running as an independent driver, except for the Winston 500, where he drove for Bill Champion. He had two top-tens and improved three spots to finish sixteenth in points. He received new sponsorship from Mr. Transmission, but only had one top-ten in 1979, forcing him to fall to 23rd in points. After a sponsorship change to Thompson Industries for 1980, Means failed to finish higher than 12th, but he was still able to move up to 17th in the standings. Broadway Motors became his new sponsor in 1981, and after two top-tens, he continued to move up to fourteenth in points. In 1982, he was able to garner an additional pair of ninth-place runs, and finished a career-best 11th in points. It also marked the first time in his career he ran every race on the schedule.
Means had the highest finish of his career in 1983, when he had a seventh-place run at Talladega. Combined with two other top-tens, he dropped seven spots in the standings. During the 1984, Means suffered injuries in a crash at Talladega Superspeedway, forcing him to miss several races. He did not have a top-ten finish over the next two years, and he lost his Broadway sponsorship, picking up funding from Voyles Auto Savage in late 1986. He also switched his manufacturer to Pontiac.
In 1987, Eureka Vacuum Cleaners became Means' new sponsor, and he had the last top-ten of his career at Richmond International Raceway. He dropped to what was at the time the lowest points finish of his career (30th) in 1988, and continued to struggle in 1989, failing to qualify for several races and dropping another spot in the standings despite a new sponsor in Alka-Seltzer. Means had already chosen to skip two races in favor of Bobby Hillin Jr. in 1991 after being involved with J. D. McDuffie's fatal crash; he continued to relinquish the ride to Mike Wallace at the end of the season.
After losing the Alka-Seltzer sponsorship, Means continued to drive a part-time schedule. After getting part-time funding from NAPA and Hurley Limo, Means ran eighteen races in 1993.
Means had planned to race again in 1994 for his own team. Speedweeks 1994 was marred by the deaths of fellow Alabama driver Neil Bonnett, and reigning Goody's Dash Series Champion Rodney Orr. The deaths of Bonnett and Orr convinced Means that he had no more reason to be racing. Means announced his retirement in the days following qualifying for the 1994 Daytona 500. He was winless in 455 starts.
In 1995 he had a brief stint as team manager for the Bud Moore-owned, Lake Speed-driven No. 15 Ford Quality Care Thunderbird.

## Car owner

Means continued to own NASCAR cars through the 1990s and 2000s, primarily in the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). In 2012, he was a part-owner of the new Hamilton Means Racing team, which fielded his traditional number 52.

## Motorsports career results
### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led)

#### Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | NWCC | Pts | Ref |
| 1976 | Jimmy Means Racing | 5 | Chevy | RSD | DAY 40 | CAR | RCH | BRI | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 24th | 1752 | |
| 1976 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | | | | | | ATL 34 | NWS | DAR | MAR | TAL 31 | NSV 15 | DOV | CLT 39 | RSD | MCH 23 | DAY 11 | NSV 24 | POC 23 | TAL 11 | MCH 24 | BRI 19 | DAR 18 | RCH 24 | DOV 27 | MAR 20 | NWS 27 | CLT | CAR 23 | ATL 17 | ONT DNQ | | 24th | 1752 | |
| 1977 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | RSD | DAY 8 | RCH 29 | CAR 28 | ATL 20 | NWS 27 | DAR 20 | BRI 9 | MAR 8 | TAL 34 | NSV 9 | DOV 29 | CLT 19 | RSD | MCH 14 | DAY 20 | NSV 29 | POC 20 | | MCH 17 | BRI 27 | DAR | RCH 10 | DOV 14 | MAR 9 | NWS 11 | CLT 28 | CAR 22 | ATL 40 | ONT DNQ | | 19th | 2640 | |
| 1977 | Osterlund Racing | 98 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | TAL 36 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 19th | 2640 | |
| 1978 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | RSD | DAY 35 | RCH 12 | CAR 10 | ATL 32 | BRI 23 | DAR 12 | NWS 14 | MAR 10 | | DOV 17 | CLT 37 | NSV 30 | RSD | MCH 15 | DAY 13 | NSV 24 | POC 13 | TAL 32 | MCH 15 | BRI 19 | DAR 11 | RCH 13 | DOV 32 | MAR 23 | NWS 23 | CLT | CAR 13 | ATL 23 | ONT 22 | | 16th | 2756 | |
| 1978 | Champion Racing | 10 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | TAL 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 2756 | |
| 1979 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | RSD | DAY DNQ | CAR 24 | RCH 27 | ATL 33 | NWS 30 | BRI 28 | DAR 30 | MAR 28 | TAL 12 | NSV 11 | DOV 31 | CLT | TWS 23 | RSD 31 | MCH 16 | DAY 22 | NSV 10 | POC 16 | TAL 13 | MCH 22 | BRI 19 | DAR 16 | RCH 20 | DOV 16 | MAR 17 | | NWS 24 | CAR 31 | ATL 19 | ONT | 23rd | 2575 | |
| 1979 | Cunningham-Kelley Racing | 14 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 40 | | | | | | | | 23rd | 2575 | |
| 1980 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | RSD 21 | | RCH 30 | CAR 20 | ATL 12 | BRI 24 | DAR 28 | NWS 14 | MAR 12 | TAL | NSV 12 | DOV 27 | CLT 14 | TWS 19 | RSD | MCH 22 | | NSV 16 | POC 14 | TAL 15 | MCH 14 | BRI 22 | DAR 16 | RCH 13 | DOV 27 | NWS 12 | | | CAR 13 | ATL 20 | ONT 31 | 17th | 2947 | |
| 1980 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Buick | | DAY 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAY 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2947 |
| 1980 | Price Racing | 45 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 30 | CLT | | | | | | 17th | 2947 | |
| 1981 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | RSD 18 | | | | | BRI 14 | NWS 14 | | | | NSV 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NWS 9 | | | | | 14th | 3142 | |
| 1981 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | | DAY 21 | RCH 14 | CAR 29 | ATL 21 | | | DAR 23 | MAR 12 | TAL 27 | | DOV 9 | CLT 23 | TWS 19 | RSD 28 | MCH 28 | DAY 18 | | POC 19 | TAL 16 | MCH 25 | BRI 12 | DAR 38 | RCH 16 | DOV 19 | MAR 15 | | | CAR 20 | ATL 35 | RSD | 14th | 3142 | |
| 1981 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Buick | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14th | 3142 | |
| 1981 | Negre Racing | 8 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 12 | | | | | | 14th | 3142 | |
| 1982 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Buick | DAY 17 | | | ATL 16 | | DAR 11 | NWS 18 | MAR 13 | TAL 9 | | | CLT 14 | POC 24 | RSD 18 | MCH 20 | DAY 21 | | | TAL 17 | MCH 11 | | | RCH 19 | | | CLT 11 | | | | | | 11th | 3423 | |
| 1982 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | | RCH 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NSV 14 | | | | BRI 14 | | | | | | MAR 9 | CAR 15 | ATL 13 | | | | 11th | 3423 | |
| 1982 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | | | BRI 16 | | CAR 17 | | | | | NSV 23 | DOV 31 | | | | | | | POC 17 | | | | DAR 23 | | DOV 17 | NWS 14 | | | | | RSD 12 | | 11th | 3423 | |
| 1983 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Buick | DAY 14 | | | ATL 32 | | | | TAL 7 | | | | CLT 38 | | | MCH 21 | DAY 36 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18th | 2983 | |
| 1983 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | | RCH 16 | | | | NWS 14 | MAR 10 | | NSV 12 | | BRI 14 | | RSD 18 | POC 20 | | | NSV 12 | | | | BRI 26 | DAR 20 | RCH 24 | DOV 21 | MAR 15 | NWS 22 | CLT 23 | CAR 9 | ATL 18 | RSD 16 | | 18th | 2983 | |
| 1983 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | | | CAR 14 | | DAR 12 | | | | | DOV 12 | | | | | | | | POC 35 | TAL | MCH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18th | 2983 | |
| 1984 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | DAY 17 | RCH 28 | | | | NWS 25 | | | TAL 40 | NSV 22 | | | | | | | | | | MCH 26 | | | RCH 18 | DOV 15 | | | | | | | | 25th | 2218 | |
| 1984 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | | | CAR 13 | ATL | BRI 17 | | DAR 14 | MAR | | | DOV 16 | CLT 27 | RSD | POC | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC 25 | TAL | | BRI 30 | DAR 18 | | | MAR 15 | CLT 19 | NWS 16 | CAR 18 | ATL 16 | RSD 21 | | 25th | 2218 | |
| 1985 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | DAY 14 | RCH 21 | | ATL 28 | BRI 12 | | | | TAL 12 | | | RSD 37 | | | DAY 32 | | | | | DAR 27 | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 2548 | |
| 1985 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | | | CAR 30 | | | DAR 15 | NWS 17 | MAR 14 | | DOV 30 | CLT 32 | | POC 22 | MCH 35 | | POC 23 | TAL 42 | MCH 15 | BRI 27 | | RCH 23 | DOV 13 | MAR 13 | NWS 21 | CLT 38 | CAR 18 | ATL 41 | RSD 20 | | | | | | 23rd | 2548 | |
| 1986 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | DAY 39 | RCH 11 | CAR 19 | ATL 41 | BRI DNQ | DAR 25 | NWS 20 | MAR 12 | | DOV 24 | CLT DNQ | RSD 22 | POC 22 | MCH DNQ | DAY 24 | POC 13 | TAL 15 | GLN 21 | MCH 25 | BRI 27 | DAR 15 | RCH 26 | DOV 24 | MAR 22 | NWS 27 | CLT 18 | CAR 22 | ATL 29 | RSD 17 | | | 22nd | 2495 | |
| 1986 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | TAL 16 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 2495 |
| 1987 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | DAY 24 | CAR 22 | RCH 14 | ATL 32 | DAR 36 | NWS 30 | BRI 29 | MAR 14 | TAL 33 | CLT 15 | DOV 13 | POC 19 | RSD 23 | MCH DNQ | | | | GLN 19 | | BRI 13 | | RCH 9 | DOV 22 | MAR 30 | NWS 21 | | CAR 20 | RSD 27 | ATL 29 | | | 23rd | 2483 | |
| 1987 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAY 29 | POC 38 | TAL 36 | | MCH 37 | | DAR 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 2483 | |
| 1987 | Hendrick Motorsports | 52 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 40 | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 2483 | |
| 1988 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Chevy | DAY 25 | RCH 24 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 30th | 2045 | |
| 1988 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | | | CAR 40 | ATL 42 | DAR 35 | BRI 32 | NWS 30 | MAR DNQ | TAL 23 | CLT 12 | DOV 27 | RSD 43 | POC 20 | MCH 36 | DAY 27 | POC 39 | TAL 23 | GLN 14 | MCH 38 | BRI DNQ | DAR 24 | RCH 29 | DOV 19 | MAR 23 | CLT 42 | NWS DNQ | CAR 39 | PHO 24 | ATL 38 | | | | 30th | 2045 | |
| 1988 | Donlavey Racing | 90 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NWS 24 | | | | | | | | | | 30th | 2045 | |
| 1989 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | DAY DNQ | CAR 33 | ATL 18 | RCH DNQ | DAR 38 | BRI DNQ | NWS 32 | MAR DNQ | TAL 41 | CLT 41 | DOV 24 | SON DNQ | POC 29 | MCH 28 | DAY 12 | POC 24 | TAL 39 | GLN 33 | MCH 27 | BRI DNQ | DAR 26 | RCH 19 | DOV 21 | MAR 31 | CLT 37 | NWS 22 | CAR 31 | PHO 25 | ATL DNQ | | | 31st | 1698 | |
| 1990 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | DAY 29 | RCH 18 | CAR 21 | ATL 31 | DAR 31 | BRI 29 | NWS 28 | MAR 19 | TAL 21 | CLT DNQ | DOV 22 | SON DNQ | POC 27 | MCH 39 | DAY 12 | POC 21 | TAL 30 | GLN 39 | MCH 27 | BRI 22 | DAR 36 | RCH 18 | DOV 24 | MAR 16 | NWS 30 | CLT 39 | CAR 28 | PHO 25 | ATL 28 | | | 29th | 2271 | |
| 1991 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | DAY 39 | RCH 31 | CAR 27 | ATL 31 | DAR 23 | BRI DNQ | NWS DNQ | MAR DNQ | TAL 20 | CLT 38 | DOV | SON | POC 26 | MCH 27 | DAY 26 | POC 21 | TAL 23 | GLN 39 | MCH 27 | BRI DNQ | DAR 28 | RCH 35 | DOV 23 | MAR DNQ | | CLT 24 | CAR 35 | PHO | ATL | | | 33rd | 1562 | |
| 1991 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NWS 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | 33rd | 1562 |
| 1992 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Pontiac | DAY DNQ | CAR 33 | RCH 35 | ATL 38 | DAR 20 | BRI | NWS 32 | MAR 30 | TAL 34 | CLT 42 | DOV 31 | SON | POC 35 | MCH 23 | DAY 39 | POC 39 | TAL 32 | GLN | MCH 39 | BRI 24 | DAR 22 | RCH 29 | DOV 23 | MAR DNQ | NWS DNQ | CLT 38 | CAR 26 | PHO | | | | 32nd | 1531 | |
| 1992 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ATL 21 | | | | 32nd | 1531 | |
| 1993 | Jimmy Means Racing | 52 | Ford | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL 22 | DAR 31 | BRI 16 | NWS 27 | MAR DNQ | TAL 32 | SON | CLT 38 | DOV 26 | POC 22 | MCH 28 | DAY 36 | NHA 34 | POC DNQ | TAL 25 | GLN | MCH 25 | BRI 18 | | RCH 26 | DOV 17 | MAR DNQ | NWS DNQ | CLT | CAR 29 | PHO | ATL DNQ | | 36th | 1471 | |
| 1993 | Jimmy Means Racing | 53 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 39 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36th | 1471 | |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1976 | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | 20 | 40 |
| 1977 | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | 23 | 8 |
| 1978 | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | 39 | 35 |
| 1979 | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1980 | Jimmy Means Racing | Buick | 26 | 15 |
| 1981 | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 26 | 21 |
| 1982 | Jimmy Means Racing | Buick | 40 | 17 |
| 1983 | Jimmy Means Racing | Buick | 42 | 14 |
| 1984 | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | 41 | 17 |
| 1985 | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | 25 | 14 |
| 1986 | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 42 | 39 |
| 1987 | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 40 | 24 |
| 1988 | Jimmy Means Racing | Chevrolet | 37 | 25 |
| 1989 | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1990 | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 37 | 29 |
| 1991 | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | 39 | 39 |
| 1992 | Jimmy Means Racing | Pontiac | DNQ | DNQ |

#### Busch Series

NASCAR Busch Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | NBSC | Pts | Ref |
| 1989 | Mac Martin Racing | 92 | Pontiac | DAY 30 | CAR | MAR | HCY | DAR | BRI | NZH | SBO | LAN | NSV | CLT 30 | DOV | ROU | LVL | VOL | MYB | SBO | HCY | DUB | IRP | ROU | BRI | DAR 10 | RCH | DOV | MAR | CLT | CAR | MAR | 65th | 280 | |