Maupin starts 10th in Spring Thaw 100 - March 24, 2008

Jeff had a decent weekend during last weekend's Spring Thaw 100. Jeff posted the 5th best time in qualifying out of 46 cars. During the heat race, Jeff struggled with the handling on the car, but managed to finish 3rd in his heat and transfer to the feature.

Jeff started 10th in the feature and spent the early part of the race battling the likes of Ray Cook and Mike Weeks. Later in the race, Jeff tangled with Mike Marlar which resulted in some front suspension damage. He was through for the night. Jeff will be back in action this weekend tentatively at Tazewell Speedway and the Advance Thunder Series race.

Maupin ends night with disappointment - May 3, 2008

Jeff Maupin was looking for some good things going into the May 3rd Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series race at Volunteer Speedway. Maupin had won a couple of crate races at Volunteer and posted good finishes in super late model action. Based off a test sesssion earlier in the week, Maupin entered the race with optimism.

Jeff wound up running in one of the two B-mains. Jeff was comfortably out front until late in the race. With one lap to go, Jeff began to look out of shape with his #0 GRT. As he took the checkered flag to win the B-main, the car began to lose control. Jeff appeared to have the car almost to a stop until he was hit from behind by Steve Smith in turn 1. That ended Jeff's night as his car sustained heavy damage. A broken axle was the cause of the initial trouble.

"All I need is some good luck," a dejected Maupin said afterwards. "We tested this car and it was really fast. We were a bit off in qualifying and I think we had it back right until the axle broke toward the end. I don't know what I need to do to turn my luck around."

Jeff did start the race in his crate car, but soon parked it to end his night.

Maupin wins in crates, finishes 2nd in super late models - May 10, 2008

Jeff Maupin came close to making it 2 for 2 at Volunteer Speedway on May 10th. Jeff scored his second win in the FASTRAK crate class.

Jeff started on the outside of the front row for the super late model feature. But pole sitter Vic Hill took the lead over Maupin. Jeff kept things close for a while, but Hill would pull away late in the race. Jeff's second place finish keeps him on top of the Volunteer Speedway super late model point standings.

Earlier in the week, Volunteer Speedway announced they will not race during the remainder of May. Jeff is undecided on upcoming plans. He would like to race and could use some additional sponsorship.

Maupin takes 2 win in 1 night - July 12, 2008

Jeff Maupin returned to form Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway by winning not one, but two feature events. Jeff claimed victories in both the super late model and crate late model classes at Volunteer.

Maupin took the lead from pole sitter Vic Hill as the pair raced off turn 2 on the opening lap. From there, Maupin led all 35 laps to take the win.

"Man, with the tough fields of cars here at ‘The Gap’ in both the Super Late Models and Crate Late Models, to be able to win both features on the same night and lead flag-to-flag in doing so, this is something I’ll never forget,” said the smiling Maupin in the outside pits following the night of racing. “To be able to beat Vic (Hill) in the Supers and (Shanon) Buckingham in the Crates, that’s two tough competitors you’ve outrun. Both cars ran really well tonight, but I’m just happy to finally get a fuel pick-up problem we’ve struggled with over the past couple of races straightened out in the Super. The car was just bad-fast tonight, it was something else to drive.”

"We were on American Racers (tires) tonight for the first time, and from start to finish I don’t believe I’ve ever been on such good rubber. The tires were really just as good at the end of the race as what they were at the beginning, not really any drop-off. I want to thank my racing mentor and good friend Vic Hill for the strong motor he built that’s under the hood of my car. I also need to thank all the guys who help work on the car during the week and on race-night at the track – Rodney Justice, Josh Bible, Tony Price and Casey Greenlee. We’ll all work hard back at the shop this coming week and maybe we can come back next Saturday and get us another win.”

Maupin followed that up with a win in the 25-lap crate late model feature. Again, Maupin led all the way for the win.

Jeff and team will be back at Volunteer Speedway this weekend.

Maupin crusies to Sizzler win

By Robert Walden

BULLS GAP, Tenn. (Aug. 2) — Pizza Plus presented the “Summer Sizzler” Saturday night at Volunteer Speedway and no driver was hotter than Jeff Maupin of Greeneville. Maupin powered into the lead at the drop of the green flag and never looked back en route to capturing his second “Gateway Ford” Super Late Model victory of the season.

With a tacky, hooked-up surface greeting the competitors during pole qualifying, Mike Smith ran a fast-lap of 12.092-seconds (119.092 mph) to get close to the Super Late Model track record of 12.004, with Maupin timing-in second fastest at 12.159.

Maupin beat Smith into the first turn on the opening lap to jump into the lead, with Vic Hill, Shanon Buckingham and Austin Dillon rounding out the top-five. Hill passed Smith racing off turn two on the eighth lap to move in second, but his night ended just one circuit later when rear-end suspension broke on his car and he slowed to a stop at the end of the front straightaway to bring out the event’s first caution.

Maupin was all alone out front for the Delaware double-file restart, with Smith and Buckingham side-by-side behind him, followed by Dillon and Dale Ball. With Maupin hard on the gas (pedal) going back green he launched like a rocket down the front straightaway, with Buckingham getting past Smith to move into second place.

Dillon and Ball tangled between the third and fourth turns, with both almost spinning, allowing Mike Jackson to slip by and into fourth place. With Dillon and Ball reeling their mounts back in, Dillon got around Jackson on lap 10 to move into fourth, and Ball also got past Jackson for fifth in the running order. Jackson spun on lap 12 to bring out the caution, which would be the last yellow during the 35-lap feature.

Going back green using the Delaware double-file restart Maupin was riding in style out front, with Buckingham and Smith in the row behind, followed by Dillon and Ball. Maupin quickly put some distance between his Landair Transport Inc./TEG Enterprises/ G&W Hauling and Rigging/Jerry's Auto Salvage/Tolliver Heating & Cooling/Greenlee Farm/Allstar Performance/O'Reilly Auto Parts/Performance Rod & Custom/GRT Race Cars/Vic Hill Racing Engines/American Race Tires/No. 0 Chevrolet Impala SS, and both Buckingham and Dillon, who passed Smith for third place as the field accelerated back up to speed.

With the race running clean-and-green through the mid-stages headed towards the finish, Maupin was setting a blistering pace out front and pulling away to a comfortable margin over Buckingham and Dillon, while Smith and Ball were battling for the fourth spot.

Maupin completed his green-to-checkers romp to victory in impressive fashion as he won by a little over a full-straightaway over Buckingham and Dillon, with Smith and Ball rounding out the top-five.

Completing the top 10 at the finish were Bobby Mays, Bryan Hendrix, Jackson, Terry Wolfenbarger and Gary Blanken.

“Man, what an awesome track we had to race on tonight,” said a smiling Maupin in victory lane. “I don’t know that I’ve ever had this much fun in a race car. I’m telling you, this place was just wicked-fast tonight and you could about run wide-open. Between the first and second turns, all you did was just barely burp the (accelerator) and then you were back on the floor with the gas pedal. I want to commend track owner Joe Loven for having the surface in such good shape. I just hope whatever he did to get it this good, it will be like this in a couple of weeks for the big World of Outlaws Late Model Series double-header nights of the ‘Scorcher.’

“To be able to outrun (Shanon) Buckingham, Austin (Dillon), Mike (Smith), Dale (Ball), and early in the race Vic (Hill), that was an unreal feeling. I knew I had a very good car, and it seemed the longer we ran (especially that last long green-flag run) the faster we got. Ever since I switched over to the American Racer tires a few weeks back it’s really just picked my racing program up big-time. With the strong Vic Hill Racing Engine under the hood and the tires (American Racer), that’s a potent combination. That is as long as the driver does his job and doesn’t make any dumb mistakes driving the car.

“I want to thank all the guys who help work on the car during the week and on race-night at the track – Rodney Justice, Josh Bible, Tony Price and Casey Greenlee. They get just as pumped-up when we run well and win races as I do. With as good as the car is running right now, I’d love to be able to come back at the ‘Scorcher’ and run well against all of those World of Outlaws traveling guys. And I believe we can do it, too.”

Good night, bad night at Scorcher

It was time for the annual Scorcher event at Volunteer Speedway. On the line, was a pair of $10,000 to win races instead of the 100-lap race as in year's past.

After winning the last time out at Volunteer, Jeff was excited about his chances. The first night lived up to that excitement.

A total of 53 drivers signed in for the first night and Jeff posted the 6th fastest time in qualifying. From his outside pole spot in his heat, Jeff ran away from the likes of Chub Frank, Steve Francis, and Rick Rogers to win that first heat.

A pill draw in World of Outlaws series races determines the top 8 starting positions. Jeff drew a "7" and had to start 7th in the feature.

Jeff hung with the big boys throughout much of the race. He traded spots with Vic Hill and Brady Smith. He posted a 7th place finish in the 60-lap main event.

The second night wasn't as good. Jeff could only manage the 33rd fastest time out of 49 cars. Jeff continued to look for the handle on his car in the heat and could do no better than a 10th place finish in his heat. Jeff did not return for his B-main and did not make the feature on the second night of racing.

Maup's World 100 experience

One thing Jeff Maupin has always wanted to do was go to Eldora to race. He finally did just that at last weekend's World 100.

Jeff and crew made the trip to Rossburg, Ohio for the biggest dirt late model race in the country, the World 100. Jeff was one of 175 entrants trying to race into the starting grid.

Night one was qualifying. After two rounds of qualifying, Jeff was the 52nd fastest of the 175 cars on hand. After lineups were set, Jeff would be starting from row 5 in the 4th heat race on Saturday.

Saturday rolled around and Jeff was feeling good about his chances to make the World 100. But the excitment sooned turned to frustration and disappointment. Jeff was spun on lap 1 and sent to the rear of the field, eliminating him from a chance to make the race. He finished his heat, but did not come out for the B-main.

After the disappointment wore off, Jeff was thrilled with the experience and is looking forward to a return trip to Eldora.

"I had the time of my life...and learned a lot," Jeff said. "I can't wait to go back, and maybe draw a little better a qualifying spot and do really good. But that was the most fun I've ever had racing, ever."

Jeff will be back at Volunteer Speedway this Saturday night trying to secure the super late model championship.

Jeff crowned Volunteer Speedway champion

After starting the year not knowing where he'd be racing, thing paid off for Jeff by winning the 2008 super late model championship at Volunteer Speedway.

Jeff contemplated making a bid for the Advance Auto Parts Thunder Series Rookie of the Year title. But sponsorship concerns put that idea in limbo. Instead, Jeff decided to stay at home at "The Gap" with decision paying off as a championship.

Jeff won four races this season and even won a crate late model race. He also posted good showings in Volunteer's special events such as the World of Outlaws Late Model Series and the O'Reilly Southern Nationals.

Jeff says his championship is the effort of a lot of hard work, not deep pockets.

"A lot of people think Landair and the other deals back me a lot, but they don't," Jeff said. "We race now with such a low budget a lot of people would never believe."

Around mid-season, Jeff made the switch to American Racer tires. Jeff said the switch allowed him to dominate in his late season wins.

"Those tires are really great," Jeff said. "The tires are so consistent, they never really fall off. They've been a big boost to my program."

For 2009, Jeff is still looking for additional sponsorship help or even a ride for a competitive race team. Jeff would like the opportunity to travel across the region.

"I believe I'm to the point I can travel," Maupin stated. "But then again, I pay for it all myself and I couldn't afford to travel with no money help. I really want to (travel), but I wanna do it right. I would love the opportunity to drive for a bigger team and go different places, but no opportunity ever came about."