Matt Jaskol Explained

Matt Jaskol
Birth Name:Matthew A. Jaskol
Birth Date:15 October 1984
Birth Place:Thousand Oaks, California
Total Busch Races:8
Years In Busch:2
Prev Busch Pos:97th
Prev Busch Year:2022
Best Busch Pos:50th (2021)
First Busch Race:2021 Cook Out 250 (Martinsville)
Last Busch Race:2022 Alsco Uniforms 302 (Las Vegas)
Busch Wins:0
Busch Top Tens:0
Busch Poles:0
Total Truck Races:3
Years In Truck:1
Prev Truck Pos:47th
Prev Truck Year:2022
Best Truck Pos:47th (2022)
First Truck Race:2022 Victoria's Voice Foundation 200 (Las Vegas)
Last Truck Race:2022 XPEL 225 (Austin)
Truck Wins:0
Truck Top Tens:0
Truck Poles:0
Module:
Embed:yes
Prev Series:Indy Pro Series
ASA Speed Truck Challenge
Star Mazda Championship
North American Formula Renault 2000
Formula BMW USA
Prev Series Years:2007
2005, 2008
2005
2004
2004
Titles:ASA Speed Truck Challenge
SKUSA SuperNationals
WKA Constructors
Title Years:2005
1998
1998
Updated:March 13, 2024

Matthew A. Jaskol (born October 15, 1984) is an American professional auto racing driver and spotter. He has competed in a variety of different racing disciplines including kart, open-wheel, and stock car racing (including the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series). As a spotter, Jaskol won the 2016 Indianapolis 500 as the spotter for Alexander Rossi.

After spending much of his early career in karting, Jaskol became a member of the Red Bull Driver Search and competed in Formula BMW USA, where he won Red Bull's first race in North America in 2004. The following year, he won the American Speed Association Speed Truck Challenge championship. He would later race in the Indy Pro Series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

He also works as a skydiver, driving instructor, and stunt driver.

Racing career

Jaskol began his career in motorcycle racing, driving in the World Mini Motorcycle series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1994.[1] After moving into karts, he won the Superkarts! USA (SKUSA) SuperNationals 80cc Shifter Class and a World Karting Association championship in 1998.[2] [3] In 2000, he was recruited by CART driver Paul Tracy to drive for his factory karting team.[4] Two years later, Jaskol won a racing scholarship at the Skip Barber Scholarship Runoffs, which was followed by finishing third in the 2003 Skip Barber National Championship.

In 2003, Jaskol was one of four drivers selected for the Red Bull Driver Search, which provided him with Red Bull sponsorship for the 2004 racing season.[5] [6] That year, he entered the newly created Formula BMW USA series. Jaskol won three races at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as he finished fourth in points;[7] the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve victory marked the first motorsports win for the Red Bull brand in North America. Jaskol also won in his lone North American Formula Renault 2000 start at Molson Indy Toronto.[8]

For 2005, Jaskol raced in the Star Mazda Championship and the American Speed Association's Speed Truck Challenge. In the former, he scored podium finishes in the first two races for Hearn Motorsports before departing the team to focus on the Speed Truck Challenge as he was leading the points in that series at the time. The move was also spurred by a lack of financial support in open-wheel racing and the desire to race in NASCAR.[9] Driving for United Nissan Auto Team,[10] Jaskol would become the first rookie to win the championship in Speed Truck Challenge history. In July, he tested a NASCAR Truck for Roush Racing at Martinsville Speedway as part of the team's "Gong Show".[11] He and his Red Bull peers were also test drivers for A1 Grand Prix team A1 Team USA.[12]

Besides continuing to race stock cars such as late models at Las Vegas Motor Speedway's Bullring, Jaskol signed with Michael Crawford Motorsports to compete in the Indy Pro Series in 2007.[13] He ran five Indy Pro races with a best finish of seventh in the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis and his final start at Infineon Raceway.

He focused on the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series in 2008, primarily competing at the LVMS Bullring and winning three times. He also returned to the Speed Truck Challenge and won on Phoenix International Raceway's road course; another victory in the series came at Firebird Raceway in 2010.

In May 2015, Jaskol competed in the Best in the Desert's Silver State 300, finishing third in the UTV Pro 1900 alongside Scott Yancey, Derryke Rich, and Robert Casey Wiesel.[14] His driving career would be halted that year as he concentrated on his family business. In 2016, he was the spotter for Alexander Rossi in practice for the Indianapolis 500, a race that Rossi went on to win; Jaskol previously tutored Rossi in karting.[15] The two also entered the SKUSA SuperNationals later in the year.[16] For the 2019 Indianapolis 500, Jaskol served as the spotter for Rossi's Andretti Autosport teammate Marco Andretti.[17]

In 2021, Jaskol joined MBM Motorsports on a four-race schedule in NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning at Martinsville in April.[18] The opportunity arose when Jaskol was introduced to team owner Carl Long by driver Stan Mullis.[3]

On February 10, 2022, it was announced that Jaskol would run full-time for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2022 for the new G2G Racing team owned by Tim Viens, driving his No. 46 Toyota Tundra.[19] Jaskol would fail to qualify for the season-opener at Daytona. Jaskol would fail to qualify again at Las Vegas, this time in Las Vegas and with the No. 47, but Brennan Poole gave him his No. 46. On April 7, Jaskol revealed in a tweet that he had parted ways with G2G Racing. Prior to the Martinsville race, G2G suspended Jaskol's contract due to a disagreement between the team and Jaskol's sponsor AutoParts4Less.com.[20]

Jaskol did not make any NASCAR starts in 2023. On March 11, 2024, Jaskol tweeted that he would be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the race at Circuit of the Americas in the No. 66 car for MBM Motorsports, who he previously drove part-time for in the Xfinity Series in 2021 and 2022.[21] Two days later, Jaskol posted that he had failed to secure sponsorship in time for the race (the No. 66 would be driven by Timmy Hill), but that he still plans on making a start with MBM later this season.[22]

In media

Jaskol has worked as a stunt driver for productions like the movie Smiley Face Killers.[23]

In 2018, Jaskol participated in the ABC reality television series Castaways.[24] He was one of five contestants who survived all 41 days.[25]

Personal life

Born in Thousand Oaks, California, Jaskol lives in Las Vegas, where he works as a driving instructor and skydiver. He was the head presenter for Bridgestone's Teens Drive Smart program from 2011 to 2015.[26] [27] From 2011 to 2016, he was the track manager and lead teacher at Dream Racing in Las Vegas. Jaskol also provides drifting and driving demonstrations at SEMA and meetings for car manufacturers like Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota.

His family operates Mountain West Floors, a woodworking business in Las Vegas. In 2015, Jaskol took over the company, which was facing bankruptcy, after his father suffered a heart attack.

Motorsports career results

American open–wheel racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Indy Pro Series

NASCAR

(key) (

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

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
YearTeamNo.Make123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233PtsRef
2021MBM Motorsports13ToyotaDAYDAYHOMLVSPHOATLMAR
TALDAR
DOV
COACLT50th51[29]
66MOH
ROA
ATLNHAGLNIND
MCHDAYDARRCHBRILVS
TALCLTTEXKANMARPHO
61TEX
NSHPOC
202213DAYCALLVSPHOATLCOARCHMARTALDOVDARTEXCLTPIR
NSHROAATLNHAPOCINDMCHGLNDAYDARKANBRITEXTALCLTLVS
32
HOMMARPHO97th01[30]

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223PtsRef
2022G2G Racing46ToyotaDAY
LVS
ATL
COA
MAR
BRIDARKANTEXCLTGTWSONKNONSHMOHPOCIRPRCHKANBRITALHOMPHO47th37[31]
47LVS

Season still in progress

Notes and References

  1. News: SKUSA: Matt Jaskol SuperNationals preview. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. November 20, 2009. March 26, 2021.
  2. Web site: SuperNationals II – 1998. Superkarts! USA. March 26, 2021.
  3. News: Christie. Toby. Castaway, Stunt Man and Racer Matt Jaskol to Make Xfinity Series Debut With MBM at Martinsville. TobyChristie.com. March 17, 2021. March 26, 2021.
  4. News: Feschuk. Dave. Tracy's passion to go all out has family ties. National Post. Newspapers.com. July 14, 2000. March 26, 2021.
  5. Bullish on Americans: In its second year, the Red Bull Driver Search is trying to put fresh Yanks on Euro tracks. Autoweek. November 23, 2003. March 26, 2021.
  6. News: USA: Driver search awards four young drivers. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. February 14, 2004. March 26, 2021.
  7. News: USA: Matt Jaskol 2004 season review. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. September 29, 2004. March 26, 2021.
  8. News: NARenault Jaskol takes Toronto win. Racecar. July 12, 2004. March 27, 2021.
  9. News: Wheldon aims to repeat. AP. Tampa Bay Times. Newspapers.com. April 28, 2005. March 26, 2021.
  10. News: ST: Matt Jaskol racing news 2005-05-11. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. May 13, 2005. March 26, 2021.
  11. News: Local duo picked for competition in reality series for racecar drivers. Las Vegas Sun. July 28, 2005. March 26, 2021.
  12. News: A1 Team USA – a Red Bull connection?. GrandPrix.com. August 23, 2005. March 26, 2021.
  13. News: North Las Vegas resident takes detour to Indy cars. Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 25, 2007. March 27, 2021.
  14. News: Bretzing. Rachel. Best in the Desert: 2015 Canidae Tap It Silver State "300". RM Rider Exchange. May 5, 2015. March 26, 2021.
  15. News: Cole. David. Matt Jaskol: Watching Indianapolis 500 History from the Beginning to the End. eKartingNews. May 31, 2016. March 26, 2021.
  16. INDYCAR: Rossi enters kart race with first instructor. Racer. October 12, 2016. March 26, 2021.
  17. News: Kantowski. Ron. Las Vegan to work as Marco Andretti's Indy 500 spotter. Las Vegas Review-Journal. March 24, 2019. March 26, 2021.
  18. News: Matt Jaskol Making Xfinity Debut at Martinsville with MBM Motorsports. Jayski's Silly Season Site. March 18, 2021. March 26, 2021.
  19. Web site: Toby . Christie . G2G Racing Fielding Two Full-Time Trucks in 2022, Sauter and Jaskol to Run Daytona . TobyChristie.com . February 3, 2022 . February 18, 2022.
  20. Web site: Matt Jaskol Releases Statement Why He is No Longer with G2G Racing . . NASCAR Digital Media, LLC . April 7, 2022 . April 8, 2022.
  21. Web site: Farah Ben . Gamra . Part-time NASCAR driver-team pairing Matt Jaskol and MBM Motorsports look for primary sponsors ahead of 2024 Cup Series appearance . Sportskeedia . March 13, 2024.
  22. Web site: MBM Motorsports Making Cup Return with Timmy Hill at COTA . Srigley . Joseph . TobyChristie.com . March 14, 2024 . March 14, 2024.
  23. Web site: Resume. Matt Jaskol. March 26, 2021.
  24. News: Lawrence. Christopher. Las Vegan stranded on an island for reality TV show 'Castaways'. Las Vegas Review-Journal. August 5, 2018. March 26, 2021.
  25. News: Kwiatkowski. Elizabeth. 'Castaways' finale recap: Five castaways are rescued after soul searching and learning valuable life lessons. Reality TV World. September 19, 2018. March 26, 2021.
  26. News: Brudenell. Mike. Racer works to keep teens safe. Detroit Free Press. Newspapers.com. July 24, 2013. March 27, 2021.
  27. Web site: Caution: Student Driver. WGN. July 18, 2013. March 26, 2021.
  28. Web site: Matt Jaskol – 2007 Infiniti / Indy Pro Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 27, 2021.
  29. Web site: Matt Jaskol – 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. December 27, 2021.
  30. Web site: Matt Jaskol – 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. April 25, 2023.
  31. Web site: Matt Jaskol – 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results. Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. February 18, 2022.