Jesse Iwuji facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jesse Iwuji
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Iwuji at ISM Raceway in 2018
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| Birth name | Jesse Ekene Iwuji | ||||||
| Born | August 12, 1987 Carrollton, Texas, U.S. |
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| Allegiance |  United States of America |
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| Service/ |
Navy | ||||||
| Years of service | 2010–present | ||||||
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander | ||||||
| Website | www.jesseiwuji.com | ||||||
| College football career | |||||||
| Navy Midshipmen – No. 3 | |||||||
| Position | Free safety | ||||||
| Major | General science | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||
| Weight | 182 lb (83 kg) | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| College |
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| Bowl games | 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl 2007 Poinsettia Bowl 2008 EagleBank Bowl 2009 Texas Bowl |
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| High school | Hebron (Texas) | ||||||
| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 17 races run over 4 years | |||||||
| 2022 position | 43rd | ||||||
| Best finish | 43rd (2022) | ||||||
| First race | 2020 Henry 180 (Road America) | ||||||
| Last race | 2023 Beef. It's What's for Dinner. 300 (Daytona) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career | |||||||
| 16 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| 2022 position | 105th | ||||||
| Best finish | 39th (2019) | ||||||
| First race | 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 250 (Mosport) | ||||||
| Last race | 2022 Heart of America 200 (Kansas) | ||||||
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| Previous series | |||||||
| 2018 2017 2016 2015–2018 2015 |
ARCA Racing Series NASCAR K&N Pro Series East NAPA Big 5 Late Model Series NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Whelen All-American Series |
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| Last updated on: February 18, 2023. | |||||||
Jesse Ekene Iwuji (born August 12, 1987) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is also an officer in the United States Navy Reserve. Jesse used to compete part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He has also raced in other series like the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and ARCA Racing Series.
Jesse Iwuji attended the United States Naval Academy. There, he played college football as a free safety for the Navy Midshipmen. He also competed in track and field. After serving seven years on active duty, Jesse moved to the Navy Reserve. As both a sailor and a race car driver, Jesse Iwuji helps connect the military and NASCAR communities. He supports military groups and takes part in NASCAR events that honor armed forces members and veterans.
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Jesse Iwuji's Early Life and Military Journey
Jesse Iwuji went to Hebron High School. He was a top athlete, earning awards in both football and track. In football, he was named first-team all-district in his senior year.
During his junior year, the Naval Academy offered him a scholarship. This meant he could continue his football career while getting a great education. Before joining the Naval Academy, he attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School. He officially enrolled at the Academy on June 30, 2005.
Even though Jesse played linebacker in high school, he became a free safety for the Navy football team. In 2006, his first year, he played on special teams. In 2007, he started two games at safety. However, an ankle injury caused him to miss six games that year.
In 2008, he played in important games like the Army–Navy Game and the EagleBank Bowl. Jesse was a backup in 2009 but still saw action in games. He also competed in track and field, running short-distance races like the 60-meter, 100-meter, and 200-meter dashes. He also ran in the 4 × 100-meter relay.
Jesse graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He became a surface warfare officer in the Navy. After coaching football at the Naval Academy Preparatory School, he began his active service.
In 2012, Jesse worked in mine countermeasures and was sent to Bahrain. Later, he was deployed on the USS Comstock. This ship's name even appeared on a NASCAR Xfinity Series car in 2016. In May 2017, Jesse moved to the Navy Reserve. He is currently stationed in Ventura, California.
Jesse Iwuji's Racing Career
How Jesse Started Racing
Jesse Iwuji first became interested in racing while at the Naval Academy. His football team visited the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. The players got to ride around the track, which sparked his interest.
During his final year at the Academy, he started drag racing at Capitol Speedway. He drove a Chrysler 300. After graduating, he raced a Dodge Challenger. Four years later, he took part in the Mojave Mile speed trial. He upgraded his Challenger's engine to 1,100 horsepower. With this powerful engine, Jesse reached a speed of 200.9 miles per hour (323.3 km/h). This made him one of the few modern Mopar drivers to achieve this at the Mojave Mile.
Afterward, he joined the Naval Postgraduate School staff in California. There, he got into road racing with a Chevrolet Corvette. Soon, he decided to switch to stock car racing.
Racing in NASCAR and ARCA Series
In 2014, Jesse tested a stock car for Performance P-1 Motorsports. A year later, he began racing for the team after returning from his deployment. He first competed in the Whelen All-American Series, finishing 15th in his first race. He also made two starts in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West that year.
In 2016, Jesse started racing full-time in the K&N Pro Series West. He drove the No. 36 car for Patriot Motorsports Group. He was even named to a list of "Mighty 25: Veterans poised for impact in 2016" by a military website. His best finish that year was tenth place at Orange Show Speedway. He also won the "Move of the Race Award" at the Utah Motorsports Campus race. This award goes to the driver who gains the most positions in a race. Jesse finished tenth in the overall standings and sixth among rookies.
In February 2017, Jesse received the NASCAR Diverse Driver Award. This award honors a minority or female driver who shows great performance on and off the track. They also encourage people to learn about NASCAR.
Before the 2017 season, Jesse became the main owner of Patriot Motorsports Group. Former National Football League player Shawne Merriman joined the team as an owner. Jesse continued to race Outlaw Karts to improve his skills on both dirt and asphalt tracks. In February, he raced in his first NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race, finishing 21st.
In February 2018, Jesse tested an ARCA Racing Series car. He planned to focus on ARCA races, especially on larger tracks. In August, Reaume Brothers Racing announced that Jesse would make his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut. He finished 25th in that race.
Jesse continued to race in the Truck Series with Reaume Brothers Racing in 2019 and 2020. In August 2020, he made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Road America. Later that year, he joined B. J. McLeod Motorsports for three more Xfinity races.
In 2021, Jesse returned to Reaume Brothers Racing for his fourth part-time Truck Series season. He also got a chance to drive the #74 car for Mike Harmon Racing in an Xfinity Series race. He finished 31st in that race.
In August 2021, Jesse Iwuji announced exciting news. He was partnering with Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith to start their own Xfinity Series team for the 2022 season, called Jesse Iwuji Motorsports.
Jesse Iwuji's Personal Life
Jesse Iwuji is from the Igbo ethnic group, who live in Nigeria. His parents, Sebastian and Enderline, moved to the United States in the 1980s. His mother, Enderline, was a track runner in Nigeria. His sister, Emenderlyn, also ran track for Arkansas State. Jesse's younger brothers, Justin and Bryan, both played football at Texas State. Even though Jesse and his siblings were born in the U.S., they also hold Nigerian citizenship. In 2017, Jesse was one of only three African-American drivers actively competing in a NASCAR series.
Jesse is very involved in helping others and supporting the military. He is the racing ambassador for the Phoenix Patriot Foundation. This group helps wounded soldiers and their families. Jesse said, "We dedicate each race weekend to a wounded veteran and his family." He believes it's a way for everyone to give back to those who have sacrificed for their country. In 2016, he drove a four-year-old boy with cancer in a two-seat stock car. He also hosted a veteran's family at a NASCAR event as part of the NASCAR Salutes program, which honors U.S. military personnel.
Images for kids
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Iwuji at ISM Raceway in 2018
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Iwuji standing beside his No. 36 car before a race at Sonoma in 2017
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Iwuji (No. 36) racing Nicole Behar (No. 33) and Derek Kraus (No. 19) at Sonoma in 2017
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Iwuji's No. 40 car at Sonoma in 2018
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Jesse Iwuji, driving the #74 Gap 'Em Chevrolet for Mike Harmon Racing.
