Robert Pressley
Robert Pressley | |||||||
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Pressley in 1999 | |||||||
Born |
Asheville, North Carolina, United States | April 8, 1959||||||
Achievements |
2002 Florida Dodge Dealers 250 Winner Led Busch Series in wins in 1992 1988 Greenville-Pickens Speedway Late Model Champion | ||||||
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
205 races run over 9 years | |||||||
Best finish | 25th (2000, 2001) | ||||||
First race | 1994 Daytona 500 (Daytona) | ||||||
Last race | 2002 Daytona 500 (Daytona) | ||||||
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NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
244 races run over 12 years | |||||||
Best finish | 3rd (1991) | ||||||
First race | 1983 Miller Time 300 (Charlotte) | ||||||
Last race | 2005 O'Reilly Challenge (Texas) | ||||||
First win | 1989 Texas Pete 200 (Rougemont) | ||||||
Last win | 1993 NE Chevy 250 (Loudon) | ||||||
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NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career | |||||||
69 races run over 3 years | |||||||
Best finish | 7th (2002) | ||||||
First race | 2002 Florida Dodge Dealers 250 (Daytona) | ||||||
Last race | 2005 Ford 200 (Homestead) | ||||||
First win | 2002 Florida Dodge Dealers 250 (Daytona) | ||||||
Last win | 2002 Michigan 200 (Michigan) | ||||||
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Statistics current as of April 17, 2013. |
Robert Pressley (born April 8, 1959) is a former NASCAR driver who now serves as the promoter at Kingsport Speedway in Kingsport, Tennessee.
Beginnings
Because his father, Bob, was a short track racer in Asheville, the younger Pressley naturally followed his father into the sport. In fact, his brother Charley, has been a long-time crew chief in the NASCAR level. Pressley began running at New Asheville Speedway and Greenville-Pickens Speedway and won championships at both tracks. He also put together 150 wins in various Late Model Series in the Southeast. In 1984, Pressley made his NASCAR debut in the Busch Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway, finishing 26th. Five years later, Pressley ran a limited schedule in the Busch Series, and won in just his twelfth series start at Orange County Speedway. He ran full seasons from 1991–1994, his best year coming in 1992 when he won races and finished fifth in points. In 1994, he ran three races in the Winston Cup Series in a car sponsored by Manheim Auctions, his best finish being a 31st at Charlotte.
1990 he became known amongst the garages for being involved in Michael Waltrip's horrific Bristol crash in which he tapped Waltrip from behind, sending Waltrip's #30 Kool-Aid car into a fence, disintigrating the car on impact.
Winston Cup
In 1995, Pressley took over for the retired Harry Gant in the #33 car owned by Leo Jackson Motorsports in Cup. He posted one top-ten finish and was runner-up to Ricky Craven for Rookie of the Year. The following year, he put together two top-five finishes. Unfortunately, Jackson was retiring and sold his operation to crew chief Andy Petree. After Pressley ran just one race for his new owner, he was released, but able to hook onto a ride with Diamond Ridge Motorsports. Pressley just ran ten races for Diamond Ridge in 1997, posting a best finish of 14th, when he was suddenly fired from the ride. While he waited for a Cup ride to appear, Pressley returned to the Busch ranks, running the No. 47 Chevrolet for ST Motorsports, and finished out the year with three top tens. Over in Cup, he joined the No. 77 Jasper Motorsports team, which became one of the more popular tandems in the Cup circuit among fans.
Following his abbreviated Cup run in 1997, Pressley returned full-time in 1998 with the Jasper team, where he posted a then career-best third-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway. Despite being replaced temporarily by Hut Stricklin due to injuries, Pressley finished 32nd in points that year. 1999 was a struggle however, as Pressley and company failed to qualify six times that season, and often had trouble finishing races. Following the addition of Ryan Pemberton in 2000, Pressley was able to increase his position in points to 25th. In 2001, he had five top-tens, nearly won the inaugural Tropicana 400 before finishing in second, and finished 25th in points handing the driving duties to the car for the road course events to Boris Said.
In 2002 he had a one race deal with Melling Racing for the Daytona 500 and locked himself in by qualifying speed on Pole Day, Qualifying 5th overall with the same car they had qualified 3rd or better on the 2001 restrictor plate tracks. After receiving sponsorship from Brand Source he had an engine problem at the end of the race.
Recent years
At the end of 2001, Pressley was released from Jasper, and he tackled on a new venture, the Craftsman Truck Series. He signed with Bobby Hamilton Racing and won his Truck Series debut at Daytona International Speedway. He also ran the season opening Daytona 500 in Cup for what was the last race for Melling Racing, finishing 22nd. In 2003, Pressley moved to HT Motorsports in the Trucks, finishing 12th in points. He returned to the Busch Series to drive the 47 again for ST Motorsports, finishing in the top-ten twice, before moving back to the trucks with HT in 2005, finishing 20th in the standings.
Robert has been helping his son Coleman Pressley as his career in NASCAR is starting.[1]
Pressley is currently the promoter at the Kingsport (TN) Speedway, moving the track to NASCAR Whelen All-American Series-sanctioned status beginning with his first season starting in 2011.
Motorsports career results
NASCAR
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Winston Cup Series
Daytona 500
Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1994 | Leo Jackson Motorsports | Chevrolet | 19 | 40 |
1995 | 31 | 26 | ||
1996 | 25 | 30 | ||
1997 | Diamond Ridge Motorsports | Chevrolet | 19 | 39 |
1998 | Jasper Motorsports | Ford | 30 | 32 |
1999 | 15 | 19 | ||
2000 | 32 | 20 | ||
2001 | 39 | 14 | ||
2002 | Melling Racing | Dodge | 31 | 22 |
Busch Series
Craftsman Truck Series
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | NCTS | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||
2002 | Bobby Hamilton Racing | 18 | Dodge | DAY 1* |
DAR 2 |
MAR 14 |
GTW 31 |
PPR 30 |
DOV 2 |
TEX 6 |
MEM 12 |
MLW 7 |
KAN 7 |
KEN 3 |
NHA 9 |
MCH 1* |
IRP 5 |
NSH 9 |
RCH 15 |
TEX 7 |
SBO 24 |
LVS 7 |
CAL 7 |
PHO 14 |
HOM 4 |
7th | 3097 | [26] | ||||||||||||||||
2003 | HT Motorsports | 59 | Dodge | DAY 3 |
DAR 10 |
MMR 11 |
MAR 17 |
CLT 31 |
DOV 10 |
TEX 26 |
MEM | MLW | KAN 5 |
KEN 8 |
GTW | MCH 14 |
IRP 18 |
NSH 15 |
BRI 2 |
RCH 2 |
NHA 14 |
CAL 11 |
LVS 11 |
SBO 10 |
TEX 13 |
MAR 27 |
PHO 8 |
HOM 26 |
12th | 2773 | [27] | |||||||||||||
2005 | HT Motorsports | 59 | Dodge | DAY 15 |
CAL 24 |
ATL 20 |
MAR 25 |
GTW 8 |
MFD 25 |
CLT 22 |
DOV 26 |
TEX 31 |
MCH 17 |
MLW 14 |
KAN 33 |
KEN 17 |
MEM 32 |
IRP 7 |
NSH 25 |
BRI 17 |
RCH 8 |
NHA 14 |
LVS 24 |
MAR 31 |
ATL 27 |
TEX 26 |
PHO 22 |
HOM 24 |
20th | 2493 | [28] |
ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | ARSC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||||||||
1989 | 24 | Pontiac | DAY | ATL | KIL | TAL | FRS | POC | KIL | HAG | POC | TAL | DEL | FRS | ISF | TOL | DSF | SLM | ATL 40 |
120th | [29] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
1990 | Alliance Training Centers | DAY DNQ |
ATL | KIL | TAL | FRS | POC | KIL | TOL | HAG | POC | TAL | MCH | ISF | TOL | DSF | WIN | DEL | ATL | NA | - | [30] |
References
- ↑ Hembree, Mike. "Father's experience helping Coleman Pressley navigate move into NASCAR". Scene Daily. Retrieved 8 June 2010.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1999 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1984 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1989 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1990 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1991 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1992 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1993 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1994 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1996 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1997 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1998 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1999 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2004 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2005 NASCAR Busch Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2008 Kroger On Track For The Cure 250 qualifying results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 29, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2002 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 7, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1989 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Robert Pressley – 1990 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
External links
- Official website
- Robert Pressley driver statistics at Racing-Reference