Williamsburg teen finishes in top ten

Williamsburg’s Jerrod Foley is destined to be on a race track. Actually, the junior at WHS has been on the track for sometime. Some may even call him a veteran driver since he began at the age of three when his dad, Jim Foley, put the toddler in his lap and let him drive.

By the age of five, he knew how to drive a stick. Then it was on to the Corbin Speedway where he began racing at age 12. Four years later he has graduated from local driving to racing in the Southeast Asphalt Tour where he finished sixth among 107 drivers from across the Southeast. Although he didn’t win a race he finished in four top 10 events in his 2008 Super Sport Impala.

He hopes this will be a springboard to the NASCAR series. But, being part of the American Speed Association will pay big dividends.

He was consistent in the region competitions, finished 10th in the Beach Tour Schedule and 10th in the Carolina Clash. He notched a ninth in the Blue Ridge Series with 443 points.

“I love the speed and adrenaline rush you get when you get out there,” said Foley, as to why he enjoys racing.

Foley has had a lot of success racing already. He won the Hot Rod Barn Sportsman Series at the age of 13 at the Corbin Speedway.

Much like the past summer when he finished sixth, it was the same back in 2005 when he won the local series by being consistent. He didn’t win a race that season but was second, third, fourth and fifth from time to time and that allowed him enough points to take the title.

It was the same in the ASA Southeast Asphalt Series when he finished in the top 10 four times to garner enough points to place sixth overall, His 1083 points put him in sixth by a single point over John Bolen.

“I’ve had a lot of good races during the season,” Jarrod said. “And, we have been real competitive every where we have gone to.”

Jim Foley agrees with the old saying “To finish first, first you’ve got to finish.”

“That’s the main thing,” Jim Foley said. “If you finish races, then good stuff comes to you eventually.”

“If you keep your car clean and the fenders on it the rest will come to you,” Jarrod added.

“Seeing people have success at it and watching my dad as I grew up racing has always made me want to do it,” Jarrod said.

“I would rather be out racing any day then going out,” Foley said. “Racing keeps me in line instead of going out partying or whatever kids are doing these days. Racing has been my dream since I started watching my dad.”

His father, Jim, was also a young beginner. “I was 13 when I first starting racing and I still race,” said Jim. “I’ve been racing about 30 years.”

Jerrod has run speeds up to 160 mph at raceways like Lakeland and Nashville. “At Bristol, our cars ran faster than the cup cars.”

Most high school kids will play another sport or have a project during the off-season of whatever they are playing. It’s no exception with Foley, he enjoys playing basketball. He is on the Williamsburg varsity but play mostly on the junior varsity.

“I just enjoy getting out there on the court,” he said. “For me it is an adrenaline rush too.”

“The racing has interfered with basketball and he has to pay for it because he misses practices and it has made it hard on him to do the other sports,” Jim Foley said. “I want him to be happy with whatever he chooses and will support him 110 percent.”

“I am extremely happy that he has chosen this,” Jim Foley said.

So, what’s been your scariest moment? “Probably going into the wall at 150 miles an hour and knowing it is going to hurt and your car is going to get totaled,” said Jarrod. He has had two cars totaled.

Dad, the quote, unquote crew chief doesn’t get as nervous as he used to when he just watched his son race. “I’ve got a job to do, so it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to,” he said.

Dad says they are a team. “I provide the product and he goes out and gets the job done. It is always a thrill getting qualified for a race when your going against 50 other cars.”

“I saw talent in him a long time ago or we would have never gone this far,” said Jim Foley.

“He is doing stuff that I can’t do, like driving the high banks,” Jim said.

“It’s always been natural to me,” said Jarrod. “A lot of it was just by watching him (Jim) when I was growing up.”

The next step for the younger Foley may be the Craftsman Truck series. “He has a guy (Clyde Moody) that has been talking to him about it, he actually drove one of his cars this summer. This guy sees something in Jarrod and has been talking to him about the Craftsman Truck.”

That would be Foley’s next step to the NASCAR circuit. Moody feels like Jarrod should go the Craftsman Truck instead of ARCA.