Racer Jesse Iwuji and NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smitth have teamed up to form Jesse Iwuji Motorsports, a team that intends to compete in the 2022 NASCAR Xfinity season.
Right now, that’s about all we know. The prospective team hasn’t announced a prospective manufacturer, car number, team alliance, sponsor, or crew chief. It may be one of those situations where those things are expected to follow once word about the team gets out. Iwuji has said he intends to run a full-time schedule and compete for Xfinity Rookie of the Year.
Here’s a little more from NASCAR:
With a focus on racial equality and improved inclusion in the sport, Iwuji and Smith will use Esports and STEM-style initiatives to connect with lower-income communities in order to empower individuals to believe that anything is possible in life. Their overarching goal is to be more than just a race team, but rather serve as symbol of hope for those with less opportunity to achieve success.
While it may seem like a strange partnership, Emmitt Smith served as the grand marshal for the 2020 Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway, since both men have some serious Texas roots.
Iwuji has been attempting to break into motorsports for a while, where he’s predominately raced on a part-time basis. He’s started 14 events in the NASCAR Trucks Series over the past four years, and he also has five Xfinity Series starts under his belt.
Smith, for his own part, played with the Dallas Cowboys for 13 seasons and ultimately set an all-time NFL rushing record of 18,355 yards over the course of 15 seasons. I personally could not tell you the significance of those numbers, but they are impressive.
We’ll update this post as we learn more about Iwuji’s plans as they solidify in the near future.
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