# Joe Bessey

Joseph W. Bessey (born June 25, 1961) is a former NASCAR owner/driver. He won one career Busch Series race before heading back to the Busch Grand National North Series in 2001, where he continues to field teams. In his driving career in that series in the mid-1990s, he won 21 races and two championships. Bessey is also a businessman, having started his own trucking companies in his 20s.

## Racing career
### Busch Series

Bessey made his Busch Series debut in 1988 at the Pennsylvania 300 at Nazareth Speedway in the No. 9 Pontiac. Despite an eighth place starting spot, he finished last after a crash on the opening lap. He made five other races in 1988, his best finish being 19th at Dover. He also finished his remaining five races.
Bessey made six more starts in 1989 and finished in the top-20 in four of the six races, with 14th at Dover, a 17th at Nazareth and had a pair of 20ths. He also had a top-10 start at Richmond. However, he did not finish his other two starts, but finished 45th in points. The next season, he only started four races, finishing just one of them.
Bessey made eight starts in 1991. Driving his No. 9 Pontiacs and the No. 64 Pontiacs, Bessey finished six of his eight starts, and managed his career best finish with a 14th place at Daytona International Speedway. He also had three top-10 starts, the best being at Nazareth.
Bessey made nine starts in 1992. Bessey garnered an 11th-place run at Rockingham and then his first top-10 at Richmond. He also closed the year with three straight top-21 finishes. He was 42nd in the points, his highest showing to that date.
Bessey planned to run the full season in 1993. He made all but three races en route to a 17th-place points finish. Bessey had a best finish of third at Rockingham and added on a fourth at Rougement. He also had an eighth and a pair of 10ths. Bessey also earned his best career start of fourth at the inaugural race at Talladega.
With his success in 1993, Bessey focused more on the Busch North Series, but did manage to make 11 Busch Starts in 1994, three of which resulted in top-10s. Driving his No. 97 Bellsouth Chevy, Bessey finished sixth at Atlanta and 10th at Dover and Charlotte. He also had three top-10 starts.
Bessey returned for 1995. He had two top-10s: a ninth at Rockingham and a 10th at Nazareth. (driving for Jimmy Spencer) However, Bessey continued to struggle in finishing races, only running at the end of half of his starts.
In 1996, he drove the No. 9 Delco Remy America Chevy in 12 races. For the first time since 1992, Bessey did not finish in the top-10 in any race, but did have five top-19 finishes. At Rockingham, Bessey made his debut for Power Team; a sponsorship deal resulted in a two-year deal to go Busch Racing full-time.
Bessey returned full-time 1997, driving the No. 6 Power Team Chevy. Bessey picked up his first win at the MBNA 200, despite being ill that day. He also had four other top-10 finishes, the best being a sixth at South Boston. He also earned his first career pole in the inaugural event at Gateway, and finished 18th in points, the best run of his career.
Bessey did not win a race in 1998, but had four top-10s, the best being a fifth at Nazareth. He had a solid weekend at New Hampshire, where he won the pole and led 107 laps. However, in a late race fight for the lead with Buckshot Jones, Bessey crashed while Jones won the race. Bessey had 14 top-10 finishes to finish 18th in standings.
With Bessey going full-time Cup racing in 1999, he only made a few starts that season. His best run was a 17th at Nazareth driving for Geoffrey Bodine and an 18th at Dover (back in his No. 6). He did not finish his other three starts.
Bessey and the No. 6 only returned for one race in 2000. He started 26th at New Hampshire, but crashed on the first lap and finished 43rd.
Bessey made three starts in 2001, with a 17th at Daytona, 43rd at Talladega and a 22nd at New Hampshire (where he started in the 8th position).
Bessey made his last two starts: a 25th at New Hampshire and an 18th at Nazareth. Afterward, Bessey moved back full-time to Busch North Series as an owner, where he continues to this day.

### Winston Cup Series

Bessey moved his operation up to Winston Cup in 1999, fielding the No. 60 Power Team Chevy driven by Geoffrey Bodine. Bodine was eighth in the second race of the year at Rockingham. Bodine also earned a third-place finish late in the year at Martinsville Speedway. Also, Bodine was able to qualify in every race in 1999, earning the team a 27th-place finish.
Bodine, however, was injured in the season opening Craftsman Truck Series race of 2000, and Bessey was sent scrambling for a driver. The team missed the Daytona 500, but Bessey's new driver, Ted Musgrave made the next five races. After a best finish of 16th, Musgrave left and Bessey moved onto Dick Trickle, who made three starts for Bessey, before Bodine returned to the team at Richmond. Bodine had a solid run of 13th in his return, but the team continued to struggle to qualify. Bodine only made 10 of the next 14 races. Even with a best finish of 12th, Bessey released Bodine after a 41st at Richmond.
Bessey then made his Cup debut the next week at NHIS. He barely made it in with a 42nd place starting position at his home track. He finished 27th.
Bessey then used drivers Trickle and Rich Bickle to finish out the year. However, the team began to struggle to qualifying with Bessey's team only making a handful of the final eight races.
After a failed attempt to get Hermie Sadler to drive his car with The Rock sponsoring in 2001, Bessey closed down his Cup team, and ran selected Busch races after that.

### Craftsman Truck Series

Bessey has also made four career starts in the Truck series. His best run came in his debut at Phoenix in 1995, where he started fifth and finished fourth in the No. 30 Taylor Togs Dodge. His other start in 1995 resulted in a 38th at Phoenix.
At NHIS in 1996, Bessey's lone run resulted in a fourth place start. Once again, he ran a solid race at his home track and drove the No. 9 Chevy to a sixth-place finish.
His sole race in 1997 came at Phoenix, driving for A. J. Foyt. There he started 19th, but struggled home to 35th place after his engine blew.

## 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 | 32 | 33 | 34 | NWCC | Pts | Ref |
| 1994 | Gray Racing | 62 | Ford | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | DAR | BRI | NWS | MAR | TAL | SON | CLT | DOV | POC | MCH | DAY | NHA DNQ | POC | TAL | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | PHO | ATL | | | | NA | - | |
| 2000 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 60 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | MAR | TAL | CAL | RCH | CLT | DOV | MCH | POC | SON | DAY | NHA | POC | IND | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | NHA 27 | DOV DNQ | MAR | CLT | TAL | CAR | PHO | HOM | ATL | 64th | 82 | |

#### 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 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | NBSC | Pts | Ref |
| 1988 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Pontiac | DAY | HCY | CAR | MAR | DAR | BRI | LNG | NZH 38 | SBO | NSV | CLT | DOV 19 | ROU | LAN | LVL | MYB | OXF 21 | SBO | HCY | LNG | IRP 27 | ROU | BRI | DAR | RCH 21 | DOV 24 | MAR | CLT | CAR | MAR | | | | | 48th | 428 | |
| 1989 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 09 | Pontiac | DAY | CAR 20 | MAR | HCY | DAR | BRI | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 45th | 573 | |
| 1989 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 19 | Pontiac | | | | | | | NZH 17 | SBO | LAN | NSV | CLT | | | | | | | | | IRP 34 | ROU | BRI | DAR | | DOV 14 | MAR | CLT | CAR | MAR | | | | | | | | | | 45th | 573 | |
| 1989 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | DOV 20 | ROU | LVL | VOL | MYB | SBO | HCY | DUB | | | | | RCH 30 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 45th | 573 |
| 1990 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Pontiac | DAY | RCH 22 | CAR | MAR | HCY | DAR | BRI | LAN | SBO | NZH | HCY | CLT | DOV | ROU | VOL | MYB | OXF 35 | NHA | SBO | DUB | IRP | ROU | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV 39 | MAR | CLT | | | | | | | 66th | 256 | |
| 1990 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 19 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 36 | CAR | MAR | | | | | | 66th | 256 | |
| 1991 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Olds | DAY 14 | RCH | CAR 31 | MAR | VOL | HCY | DAR | BRI | LAN | SBO | NZH 26 | CLT | DOV | ROU | HCY | MYB | GLN | | NHA 36 | SBO | DUB | IRP | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 623 | |
| 1991 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 91 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | OXF 34 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 623 | |
| 1991 | Shoemaker Racing | 64 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ROU 30 | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV 32 | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 623 | |
| 1991 | Shoemaker Racing | 64 | Olds | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 24 | CAR | MAR | | | | | | 44th | 623 | |
| 1992 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Pontiac | DAY 35 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 21 | TAL | IRP | ROU | MCH | NHA 17 | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | MAR | | | | | | 42nd | 922 | |
| 1992 | | 7 | Pontiac | | CAR 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 42nd | 922 |
| 1992 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 91 | Pontiac | | | RCH 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 42nd | 922 | |
| 1992 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Olds | | | | ATL 23 | MAR | DAR | BRI | HCY | LAN | DUB | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 42nd | 922 | |
| 1992 | Shoemaker Racing | 64 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | NZH 24 | CLT | DOV 26 | ROU | MYB | GLN | VOL | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 42nd | 922 |
| 1992 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 93 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 15 | HCY | | | | | | 42nd | 922 | |
| 1993 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 97 | Olds | DAY 18 | | RCH DNQ | | | HCY 12 | ROU 4 | MAR 13 | | | DOV 22 | MYB 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2834 | |
| 1993 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 97 | Pontiac | | CAR 21 | | DAR 23 | BRI 30 | | | | NZH 29 | CLT | | | GLN 24 | MLW 18 | | IRP 16 | | | BRI 12 | DAR 14 | RCH 8 | DOV 10 | ROU 10 | | MAR 20 | CAR 3 | HCY DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2834 | |
| 1993 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 97 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | TAL 20 | | MCH 16 | NHA 23 | | | | | | CLT 16 | | | | ATL 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2834 | |
| 1994 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 97 | Chevy | DAY 16 | CAR 28 | | ATL 6 | MAR | DAR 29 | HCY | BRI 31 | ROU | NHA 15 | NZH | CLT 10 | DOV | MYB | GLN | MLW | SBO | TAL DNQ | HCY | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV 10 | CLT 24 | MAR | CAR 11 | | | | | | | 37th | 1152 | |
| 1994 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 97 | Olds | | | RCH 36 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 37th | 1152 | |
| 1995 | Davison Motorsports | 97 | Chevy | DAY 23 | CAR 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 733 | |
| 1995 | Davison Motorsports | 97 | Pontiac | | | RCH 29 | ATL | NSV 37 | DAR | BRI | HCY | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 733 |
| 1995 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | NHA 25 | | | | | | | | | IRP 14 | MCH | BRI 24 | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 733 |
| 1995 | Moroso Racing | 20 | Ford | | | | | | | | | | NZH 10 | CLT | DOV | MYB 24 | GLN | MLW | TAL | SBO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 733 |
| 1995 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 31 | HOM | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 733 | |
| 1996 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Chevy | DAY 11 | CAR 28 | RCH 18 | ATL 43 | NSV 17 | DAR 27 | BRI 36 | HCY 19 | NZH | CLT 33 | DOV | SBO | MYB | GLN | MLW | NHA 13 | TAL 29 | IRP DNQ | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 1023 | |
| 1996 | Martin Racing | 92 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 26 | HOM DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 44th | 1023 | |
| 1997 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 6 | Chevy | DAY 29 | CAR 23 | RCH 22 | ATL 29 | LVS 37 | DAR 28 | HCY 22 | TEX 27 | BRI 36 | NSV 32 | TAL 28 | NHA 21 | NZH 6 | CLT 36 | DOV 20 | SBO 10 | GLN 26 | MLW 19 | MYB 27 | GTY 9 | IRP 19 | MCH 41 | BRI 17 | DAR 23 | RCH 42 | DOV 1 | CLT 18 | CAL 16 | CAR 22 | HOM 9 | | | | | 18th | 2835 | |
| 1998 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 6 | Chevy | DAY 40 | CAR 30 | LVS 12 | NSV 12 | DAR 36 | BRI 37 | TEX 43 | HCY 25 | TAL 21 | NHA 35* | NZH 5 | CLT 19 | DOV 28 | RCH 17 | PPR 28 | GLN 28 | MLW 9 | MYB 7 | CAL 9 | SBO 19 | IRP 31 | MCH 34 | BRI 33 | DAR 27 | RCH 23 | DOV 16 | CLT 28 | GTY 35 | CAR 42 | ATL 16 | HOM 30 | | | | 18th | 2763 | |
| 1999 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 6 | Chevy | DAY DNQ | CAR 38 | LVS | ATL | DAR | TEX | NSV | BRI | TAL DNQ | CAL | NHA DNQ | RCH | | | DOV 33 | SBO | GLN | MLW | MYB | PPR | GTY 39 | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV 18 | CLT | CAR | MEM | PHO | HOM | | | 71st | 380 | |
| 1999 | Shoemaker Racing | 64 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | NZH 17 | CLT | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 71st | 380 |
| 2000 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 6 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | NSV | TAL | CAL | RCH | NHA 43 | CLT | DOV | SBO | MYB | GLN | MLW | NZH | PPR | GTY | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | CLT | CAR | MEM | PHO | HOM | | | 120th | 34 | |
| 2001 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 6 | Pontiac | DAY 17 | CAR | LVS | ATL | DAR | BRI | TEX | NSH | TAL 43 | CAL | RCH | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 77th | 243 | |
| 2001 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 6 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | NHA 22 | NZH | CLT | DOV | KEN | MLW | GLN | CHI | GTY | PPR | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | PHO | CAR | HOM | | 77th | 243 | |
| 2002 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 6 | Chevy | DAY | CAR | LVS | DAR | BRI | TEX | NSH | TAL | CAL | RCH | NHA 25 | NZH 18 | CLT | DOV | NSH | KEN | MLW | DAY | CHI | GTY | PPR | IRP | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | KAN | CLT | MEM | ATL | CAR | PHO | HOM | 85th | 197 | |

#### Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck 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 | NCTC | Pts |
| 1995 | Grandaddy Racing | 30 | Dodge | PHO 4 | TUS | SGS | MMR | POR | EVG | I70 | LVL | BRI | MLW | CNS | HPT | IRP | FLM | RCH | MAR | NWS | SON | MMR | | | | | | | | 62nd | 209 |
| 1995 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PHO 38 | | | | | | | | | 62nd | 209 |
| 1996 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Chevy | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | TUS | CNS | HPT | BRI | NZH | MLW | LVL | I70 | IRP | FLM | GLN | NSV | RCH | NHA 6 | MAR | NWS | SON | MMR | PHO | LVS | | | 87th | 150 |
| 1997 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | 50 | Ford | WDW | TUS | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | I70 | NHA | TEX | BRI | NZH | MLW | LVL | CNS | HPT | IRP | FLM | NSV | GLN | RCH | MAR | SON | MMR | CAL | PHO 35 | LVS | 132nd | 58 |

### ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde 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 | ABSC | Pts |
| 1994 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 7 | Chevy | DAY | TAL | FIF | LVL | KIL | TOL | FRS | MCH | DMS | POC | POC | KIL | FRS | INF | I70 | ISF | DSF | TOL | SLM | WIN | ATL 3 | | | | | 111th | 475 |
| 1995 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 9 | Chevy | DAY | ATL | TAL | FIF | KIL | FRS | MCH | I80 | MCS | FRS | POC | POC | KIL | FRS | SBS | LVL | ISF | DSF | SLM | WIN | ATL 2 | | | | | 106th | - |
| 1996 | Joe Bessey Motorsports | 7 | Chevy | DAY | ATL | SLM | TAL | FIF | LVL | CLT | CLT | KIL | FRS | POC | MCH | FRS | TOL | POC | MCH | INF | SBS | ISF | DSF | KIL | SLM | WIN | CLT | ATL 1 | 126th | - |