J. R. Heffner Explained

J. R. Heffner
Birth Date:31 March 1972
Birth Place:Stephentown, New York
Total Truck Races:4
Years In Truck:3
Prev Truck Pos:75th
Prev Truck Year:2018
Best Truck Pos:52nd (2014)
First Truck Race:2014 Mudsummer Classic (Eldora)
Last Truck Race:2018 Eldora Dirt Derby (Eldora)
Truck Wins:0
Truck Top Tens:0
Truck Poles:0
Updated:December 31, 2021

J. R. Heffner (born March 31, 1972) is an American professional dirt and asphalt stock car driver. He currently competes in various dirt racing events.

Heffner has also raced in the ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Racing career

Heffner's interest in racing started at the age of five, when he and his parents attended races at Lebanon Valley Speedway. In his teen years, he raced three-wheelers and eventually started racing in Lebanon Valley's Sportsman's Division, winning the championship in 1990. He moved up to the Big Block Modified division, winning his first race in the division in 1994. In 1997, he acquired sponsorship from A. Colarusso & Son, Inc.,[1] a highway construction firm.[2] Heffner and Colarusso have developed a longterm relationship. Heffner joined the company in 2003, becoming the Vice President of Operations, a role he still holds today.

In 2007, Heffner made his debut in the ARCA Re/Max Series at Daytona International Speedway for DGM Racing, where he finished 35th after crashing.[3] From 2007 to 2011, he ran eight ARCA races, with his last start being at Lucas Oil Raceway.[4] His best finish in the series is 14th at Kentucky Speedway in 2009.[5]

In 2013, Heffner entered the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series' Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway, the first dirt track race in a NASCAR national series since 1970.[6] In the event, Heffner qualified eighth and finished second in his heat race to Ken Schrader,[7] but was relegated to the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). Despite starting first, he lost fourth gear and retired from the LCQ,[8] finishing last after completing just one lap and failing to make the Feature.[9] The following year, Heffner made the feature after finishing fourth in his heat,[10] finishing 18th in the final.[11] Heffner also ran the Truck race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, finishing 23rd after crashing on lap 137.[12] Heffner skipped the 2015 race at Eldora due to the race clashing with his schedule at Lebanon Valley, loaning the truck to Bobby Pierce, who finished second. In 2016, Heffner returned to Eldora, driving the No. 44 for Martins Motorsports. After winning his heat race from the pole to start fourth in the feature, he finished 15th.[13] [14] A year later, Heffner crashed during practice and with no backup, he withdrew from the race. Heffner would return to the Dirt Derby in 2018, securing a ride with Premium Motorsports. He qualified for the main event by finishing fourth in his heat race, and finished 24th in the feature after fading from a top 15 position late with handling problems.

Heffner made his return to the Truck Series in March 2021 when he joined Jordan Anderson Racing for the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race.[15] However, he withdrew after crashing in the final practice session.[16]

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.)

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223PtsRef
201374 Operations LLC.44ChevyDAYMARCARKANCLTDOVTEXKENIOWELD
DNQ
POCMCHBRIMSPIOWCHILVSTALMARTEXPHOHOM120th[17]
2014MB Motorsports63ChevyDAYMARKANCLTDOVTEXGTWKENIOWELD
18
POCMCHBRIMSPCHINHA
23
LVSTALMARTEXPHOHOM52nd47[18]
2016Martins Motorsports44ChevyDAYATLMARKANDOVCLTTEXIOWGTWKENELD
15
POCBRIMCHMSPCHINHALVSTALMARTEXPHOHOM56th18[19]
2017DAYATLMARKANCLTDOVTEXGTWIOWKENELD
Wth
POCMCHBRIMSPCHINHALVSTALMARTEXPHOHOMNA[20]
2018Premium Motorsports15ChevyDAYATLLVSMARDOVKANCLTTEXIOWGTWCHIKENELD
24
POCMCHBRIMSPLVSTALMARTEXPHOHOM75th13[21]
2021Jordan Anderson Racing3ChevyDAYDAYLVSATLBRI
Wth
RCHKANDARCOACLTTEXNSHPOCKNXGLNGTWDARBRILVSTALMARPHONA[22]

Season still in progress
Ineligible for series points

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (

Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Racing Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223PtsRef
2007DGM Racing72ChevyDAY
35
USANSHSLMKANWINKENTOLIOWPOCMCHBLNKENPOCNSHISFMILGTWDSFCHISLMTALTOL175th55[23]
2008Roulo Brothers Racing39ChevyDAY
16
SLMIOWKANCARKENTOLPOCMCHCAY77th300[24]
Darrell Basham Racing94ChevyKEN
16
BLNPOCNSHISFDSFCHISLMNJETALTOL
2009BCR Racing74ChevyDAY
DNQ
SLMCARTAL
27
KEN
30
TOLPOCMCHMFDIOWKEN
14
BLNPOCISFCHI
16
TOLDSFNJESLMKANCAR60th510[25]
2011BCR Racing99ChevyDAYTALSLMTOLNJECHIPOCMCHWINBLNIOWIRP
13
POCISFMADDSFSLMKANTOL106th165[26]

Notes and References

  1. News: Martin. Tim. 'Mr. Dirt Track' JR Heffner has seen it all. River Chronicle. Columbia-Greene Media. September 6, 2015. July 14, 2016.
  2. Web site: J.R. Heffner Among Daytona Testers. ARCA Racing Series. December 19, 2007. July 17, 2016.
  3. Web site: 2007 ARCA 200 at Daytona. Racing-Reference. July 19, 2016.
  4. Web site: Caraviello. David. Bloomquist leads list of dirt aces at Eldora. NASCAR. July 18, 2013. September 6, 2013. August 22, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130822113025/http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2013/07/18/nascar-camping-world-truck-eldora-entry-list-scott-bloomquist.html. dead.
  5. Web site: 2009 Click It or Ticket Buckle-Up Kentucky 150. Racing-Reference. July 20, 2016.
  6. Web site: Bruce. Kenny. Richard Petty recalls NASCAR dirt race. Yahoo! Sports. July 23, 2013. September 6, 2013. September 26, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130926125204/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/richard-petty-recalls-last-nascar-132030292--nascar.html. dead.
  7. Web site: NASCAR Eldora 2013: Austin Dillon holds off Kyle Larson to win NASCAR's return to dirt. SB Nation. July 25, 2013. July 19, 2016.
  8. Web site: Allaway. Phil. JR Heffner Partners with Martins Motorsports for Eldora. Frontstretch. June 19, 2016. June 19, 2016.
  9. Web site: 2013 Mudsummer Classic Last Chance Qualifier. Racing-Reference. July 19, 2016.
  10. News: Ryan. Nate. Pay dirt: Darrell Wallace Jr. wins truck race at Eldora. USA Today. July 24, 2014. July 19, 2016.
  11. Web site: Lautenschlager. Tyson. Dirt Ringer J.R. Heffner Returns to Trucks at Eldora. OnPitRoad.com. July 11, 2016. July 19, 2016.
  12. Web site: 2014 UNOH 175. Racing-Reference. July 19, 2016.
  13. Web site: 2016 Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby Heat Race #4. Racing-Reference. July 29, 2016.
  14. Web site: 2016 Aspen Dental Eldora Dirt Derby. Racing-Reference. July 29, 2016.
  15. J.R. Heffner Partners with Jordan Anderson Racing for Bristol Dirt NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race. Jordan Anderson Racing. March 18, 2021. March 18, 2021.
  16. News: Estrada. Chris. Bristol Truck dirt race starting lineup. NBC Sports. March 27, 2021. March 27, 2021.
  17. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  18. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  19. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  20. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  21. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  22. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results. Racing-Reference. December 31, 2021.
  23. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2007 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  24. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  25. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2009 ARCA Re/Max Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.
  26. Web site: J.R. Heffner – 2011 ARCA Racing Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. June 25, 2020.