Joe Bessey - Busch Series Career

Busch Series Career

Bessey made his Busch Series debut in 1988 at the Pennsylvania 300 at Nazareth Speedway in the #9 Pontiac. Despite an eighth place starting spot, he finished last after a crash on the opening lap. He made five other races in 1988, his best finish being 19th at Dover. He also finished his remaining five races.

Bessey made six more starts in 1989 and finished in the top-20 in four of the six races, with 14th at Dover, a 17th at Nazareth and had a pair of 20ths. He also had a top-10 start at Richmond. However, he did not finish his other two starts, but finished 45th in points. The next season, he only started four races, finishing just one of them.

Bessey made 8 starts in 1991. Driving his #9 Pontiacs and the #64 Pontiacs, Bessey finished six of his eight starts, and managed his career best finish with a 14th place at Daytona International Speedway. He also had three top-10 starts, the best being at Nazareth.

Bessey made nine starts in 1992. Bessey garnered an 11th place run at Rockingham and then his first top-10 at Richmond. He also closed the year with three straight top-21 finishes. He was 42nd in the points, his highest showing to that date.

Bessey planned to run the full season in 1993. He made all but three races en route to a 17th place points finish. Bessey had a best finish of 3rd at Rockingham and added on a 4th at Rougement. He also had an eighth and a pair of tenths. Bessey also earned his best career start of 4th at the inaugural race at Talladega.

With his success in 1993, Bessey focused more in the Busch North Series, but did manage to make 11 Busch Starts in 1994, three of which resulted in top-10s. Driving his #97 Bellsouth Chevy, Bessey finished 6th at Atlanta and 10th at Dover and Charlotte. He also had three top-10 starts.

Bessey returned for 1995. He had two top-10s: a 9th at Rockingham and a 10th at Nazareth. (driving for Jimmy Spencer) However, Bessey continued to struggle in finishing races, only running at the end of half of his starts.

Bessey, however, still went on and in 1996, he drove the #9 Delco Remy America Chevy in twelve races. For the first time since 1992, Bessey did not finish in the top-10 in any race, but did have five top-19 finishes. At Rockingham, Bessey made his debut for Power Team, a sponsorship deal resulted in a two-year deal to go Busch Racing full-time.

Bessey returned full-time 1997, driving the #6 Power Team Chevy. Bessey picked up his first win at the MBNA 200, despite being ill that day. He also had four other top-10 finishes, the best being a 6th at South Boston. He also earned his first career pole in the inaugural event at Gateway, and finished 18th in points, the best run of his career.

Bessey did not win a race in 1998, but had four top-10s, the best being a 5th at Nazareth. He had a solid weekend at New Hampshire, where he won the pole and led 107 laps. However, in a late race fight for the lead with Buckshot Jones, Bessey got wrecked while Jones won the race. Bessey had 14 top-10 finishes to finish 18th in standings.

With Bessey going full-time Cup racing in 1999, Bessey only made a few starts that season. His best run was a 17th at Nazareth driving for Geoffrey Bodine and an 18th at Dover (back in his #6). He did not finish his other 3 start.

Bessey and the #6 only returned for one race in 2000. He started 26th at New Hampshire, but got crashed on the first lap and finished 43rd.

Bessey made three starts in 2001, with a 17th at Daytona, 43rd at Talladega and a 22nd at New Hampshire (where he started in the 8th position)

Bessey made his last two starts: a 25th at New Hampshire and an 18th at Nazareth. Afterwards, Bessey moved back full-time to Busch North Series as an owner, where he continues to this day.