Jimmy Means

NASCAR Driver/Team Owner, was born in Alabama, but moved to Rutherford County in the early 1980s. Means made his debut in 1976 in Daytona, driving in 455 races and making 17 top-ten

finishes. He finished 11' in the Winston Cup in 1982 and 1983, 7" at Talladega in 1983, and 10th at

Darlington in 1989.

In 1994 he announced his retirement from driving. Although winless, he posted 113,945 career laps and $2 million in earnings. In 1995, Means was team manager for the No.15 Ford Quality Care Thunderbird owned by Bud Moore Engineering out of Spartanburg. Means has continued as

an owner to this day, with Jimmy Means Racing competing in the Busch Series - now the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

During his long career, Means has had many fans, but one of his biggest fans has always been Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Earnhardt grew up watching Means on the track and hanging out with Means' son, Brad. "He was my favorite driver besides my father," Earnhardt said in an interview with Racin'Today.com in 2009. "It was amazing to me how he did everything with nothing.