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| Joey Arrington | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | (1956-07-25)July 25, 1956 (age 69) Rocky Mount, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||
| NASCARCup Series career | |||||||
| 9 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 84th (1980) | ||||||
| First race | 1974Capital City 500 (Richmond) | ||||||
| Last race | 1980Richmond 400 (Richmond) | ||||||
| |||||||
Joey Arrington (born July 25, 1956) is an American formerNASCAR driver, team owner, andcrew chief fromRocky Mount, Virginia.[1] He made nineWinston Cup Series starts with a best finish of twelfth.[1] He made his first start in 1974 as a seventeen-year-old and raced until 1980.[1]
Arrington was the owner of Race Engines Plus LLC[2] and is the son of former NASCAR driverBuddy Arrington. Arrington was a partner inBobby Hamilton Racing. He started Arrington Manufacturing and Arrington Engines in 2000. After selling his interests in both entities, he moved the majority of his business ventures toConcord, North Carolina, before founding anewNASCAR Camping World Truck Series team in 2012.
Arrington is the son ofBuddy and Jeanette Arrington, and often was present at his father's races. His interests in engines and car tuning were sparked byPetty Enterprises engine builderMaurice Petty, and Joey would tweak his skills in the Petty shop inLevel Cross. After graduating high school in 1975, the younger Arrington became the crew chief and engine builder for his father's racing efforts.[3]
Arrington was an integral part ofDodge's return to stock car racing, building engines and providing parts for Dodge teams for their return toARCA in 1991,Trans-Am, and theCraftsman Truck Series in 1995.[3]
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2000 (2000) |
| Founder | Joey Arrington |
| Defunct | 2023 (2023) |
| Successor | Speed Engines |
| Headquarters | |
Area served | United States worldwide |
Key people | Joey Arrington Buddy Arrington |
| Brands | Toyota, GM, Dodge, Ford |
| Services | Engine building and parts |
| Website | Race Engines Plus ShopHemi.com |
In 2000, Arrington foundedArrington Manufacturing, Inc. inMartinsville, Virginia, also operating asArrington Engines. Arrington built engines for Dodge truck teamsBobby Hamilton Racing andUltra Motorsports, winning championships in 2004 and 2005 withTed Musgrave andBobby Hamilton.[3]
In 2009, with Dodge pulling support from the Truck Series, Arrington shifted its focus and expanded into the aftermarket parts industry.[4] That same year, they began providing engines to rookie Cup teamTommy Baldwin Racing, a team he had worked with in theNASCAR Nationwide Series.[5]
In 2011, Arrington began his new entity, calledRace Engines Plus and located in the auto racing hub ofConcord, North Carolina.[6] Headquartered on Weddington Road, the company built race engines for teams in NASCAR, NHRA, and SCCA, and also provided engine building contract services for businesses and individuals. REP and the shop were purchased byRobby Gordon in 2023, who rebranded the company to Speed Engines.[7]
Arrington's association with Dodge remains, providing customizedHEMI engines for street cars.Buddy Arrington, Joey's father, was a 2015 Mopar Hall of Fame inductee.
Tommy Baldwin could be rolling the dice by starting a new Sprint Cup team in this depressed economy. But the longtime crew chief is feeling awfully lucky, writes David Newton.