John Blewett III
# John Blewett III

John Richard Blewett III (October 25, 1973 – August 16, 2007) was a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver.

## Career

Blewett started racing go karts at the age of 10. In 1996, at age 22, he won the coveted NASCAR's Northeast Regional Championship, falling only a few points shy of the National Title. During his career he recorded 97 wins between 1993 and 2007, including track championships at Flemington Speedway, Wall Township Speedway, New Egypt, as well as New Hampshire. In 2006, he was honored during the motorsports show in Atlantic City as the northeast's Winningest Pavement Driver, for that year, as tallied by Area Auto Racing News.

## Death and memorial

On August 16, 2007, while competing in a Whelen Modified race at Thompson Speedway, Blewett lost his life in a crash where he spun and was hit in the driver's door by his brother Jimmy's car. On August 18, 2007 Wall Township Speedway held a Special Memorial for John. Fans, family, and friends attended the Speedway to pay their final respects. On the final lap of the scheduled 40 lap modified event, 1990 NASCAR Whelen Modified Titlist Jamie Tomaino piloted the famed No. 76 for a solo lap in John's honor. Three months later, at the season ending Turkey Derby, the Speedway decided to reserve the No. 76 exclusively for use by the Blewett family, effectively retiring the number except that any Blewett family owned team or driver can use it, meaning any car owned by the Blewett family, or driven by brother Jimmy or his son John IV, who started racing in 2017.

The North-South Shootout, a race meet now featuring "Tour-type" Modified (similar to NASCAR Modified Tour cars, but the races are unsanctioned), SK Modified (Jack Arute owns the trademark, a Stafford Motor Speedway formula), Late Model, Super Late Model, and four-cylinder races held at various North Carolina short tracks but it is home to Caraway Speedway in Sophia,Nc, was renamed the John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout starting with the 2007 edition.

## Previous rides

* John Blewett, Inc. No. 5 – 1992–1993 (Wall Stadium)
* John Blewett Inc. No. 76 – 1993–1994 (Flemington Speedway)
* Lou Vasquez No. 9/No. 5 1994–1996 (New Egypt Speedway Paved)
* Dick Barney No. 14 – 1995–1996, 1998–1999 (Flemington Speedway)
* John Blewett, Inc. No. 05 – 1997 (Flemington Speedway)
* Mario Fiore No. 44 – 1999 (Nascar Whelen Modified Tour)
* Curt Chase No. 77 – 2000–2004 (Nascar Whelen Modified Tour)
* Timmy Shinn No. 66 – 2002–2004 (Wall Stadium)
* John Blewett, Inc No. 76 2005–2007 (Wall Stadium)
* Sheba Racing No. 8 2004 (Nascar Whelen Modified Tour)
* John Blewett Inc. No. 66 2005–2007 (Nascar Whelen Modified Tour)

## Accomplishments

* Rookie of the Year (1992)
* Thanksgiving Classic (1993)
* Race of Champions (1995)
* NASCAR Northeast Regional (1996)
* Challenge of Champions (1996, 1997)
* North-South Shootout (2003, 2005)
   * After his death, the race was named in his memory, the John Blewett III Memorial North-South Shootout.
* Turkey Derby (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005)
   * Tour-Type Modified Division
* Garden State Classic (2003, 2004, 2006)

### Track titles

* Flemington Speedway (1996, 1997)
* New Hampshire International Speedway (2000, 2002, 2003, 2006)
* New Egypt Speedway (1996)
* Wall Township Speedway (2006)

## 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.)

**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 | 26 | 27 | NCTC | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1996 | John Blewett Inc. | 0 | Ford | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | TUS | CNS | HPT | BRI | NZH | MLW | LVL | I70 | IRP | FLM 22 | GLN | NSV | RCH | NHA | MAR | NWS | SON | MMR | PHO | LVS | | | | 109th | 97 |
| 1997 | John Blewett Inc. | 05 | Chevy | WDW | TUS | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | I70 | NHA | TEX | BRI | NZH | MLW | LVL | CNS | HPT | IRP | FLM 30 | NSV | GLN | RCH DNQ | MAR 33 | SON | MMR | CAL | PHO | LVS | | 87th | 137 |
| 1998 | John Blewett Inc. | 05 | Chevy | WDW | HOM | PHO | POR | EVG | I70 | GLN | TEX | BRI | MLW | NZH | CAL | PPR | IRP | NHA | FLM DNQ | NSV | HPT | LVL | | | | | | | | | 74th | 85 |
| 1998 | Greenfield Racing | 09 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RCH 26 | MEM | GTY | MAR | SON | MMR | PHO | LVS | 74th | 85 |

**Featherlite Modified Series**

NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series results :

| Year | Car owner | 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 | NFMSC | Pts | Ref |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1995 | Dick Barney | 14 | Chevy | TMP 23 | NHA | STA | NZH 36 | STA | LEE | TMP | RIV | BEE | NHA | JEN 8 | RPS | HOL | RIV | NHA | STA | TMP | NHA | STA | TMP | TMP | | | 42nd | 291 | |
| 1996 | Dick Barney | 14 | Chevy | TMP | STA | NZH | STA | NHA | JEN | RIV | LEE | RPS | HOL | TMP | RIV | NHA | GLN | STA | NHA | NHA | STA | FLE 30 | TMP | | | | NA | - | |
| 1997 | John Blewett Inc. | 05 | Chevy | TMP 22 | MAR | STA | NZH | STA | NHA | FLE 18 | JEN | RIV | GLN | NHA 9 | RPS | HOL | TMP | RIV | NHA | GLN | STA | NHA | STA | FLE 16 | TMP 24 | | 45th | 494 | |
| 1997 | | 77 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RCH 27 | 45th | 494 | |
| 1998 | John Blewett Inc. | 05 | Chevy | RPS | TMP 13 | MAR 32 | STA 28 | | STA 3 | GLN | JEN | RIV | NHA 5 | NHA 11 | LEE | HOL | TMP 8 | NHA | RIV | STA | NHA | TMP 7 | | | | | 24th | 1562 | |
| 1998 | Dick Barney | 1 | Chevy | | | | | NZH 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | FLE 32 | | 24th | 1562 | |
| 1998 | | 76 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | STA 37 | TMP 14 | | | | 24th | 1562 | |
| 1999 | Mario Fiore | 44 | Pontiac | TMP 33 | RPS 26 | STA 33 | RCH 13 | STA 17 | RIV 1 | JEN 5 | NHA 37 | NZH 28 | HOL 9 | TMP 7 | NHA 37 | RIV 3 | GLN 22 | STA 8 | RPS 13 | TMP 34 | NHA 35 | STA 36 | MAR 6 | TMP 13 | | | 16th | 2227 | |
| 2000 | Curt Chase | 77 | Chevy | STA 28 | RCH 6 | STA 30 | RIV 6 | SEE 22 | NHA 1 | NZH 34 | TMP 6 | RIV 5 | GLN 29 | TMP 11 | STA 1 | WFD 8 | NHA 3 | STA 2 | MAR 18 | TMP 8 | | | | | | | 7th | 2209 | |
| 2001 | Curt Chase | 77 | Chevy | SBO 13 | TMP 5 | STA 1 | WFD 15 | NZH 3 | STA 6 | RIV 11 | SEE 5 | RCH 13 | NHA 7 | HOL 9 | RIV 5 | CHE 3 | TMP 2* | STA 7 | WFD 7 | TMP 11 | STA 7 | MAR 4 | TMP 25 | | | | 3rd | 2891 | |
| 2002 | Curt Chase | 77 | Chevy | TMP 23 | STA 23 | WFD 25 | NZH 34 | RIV 3 | SEE 10 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9th | 2377 | |
| 2002 | Curt Chase | 78 | Chevy | | | | | | | RCH 18 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9th | 2377 |
| 2002 | Curt Chase | 77 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | STA DNQ | BEE 3 | NHA 4* | RIV 21 | TMP 13 | STA 11 | WFD 3 | TMP 4 | NHA 3 | STA 31 | MAR 5 | TMP 1* | | | | | | | | 9th | 2377 |
| 2003 | Curt Chase | 77 | Pontiac | TMP 2 | STA 7 | WFD 7 | NZH 2 | STA 10 | LER 2 | BLL 1* | BEE 5 | NHA 3 | ADI 25 | RIV 8 | TMP 6 | STA 4 | WFD 7 | TMP 29 | NHA 1* | STA 6 | TMP 27 | | | | | | 3rd | 2610 | |
| 2004 | Curt Chase | 77 | Pontiac | TMP 13 | STA 11 | WFD 7 | NZH 33 | STA 27 | RIV 2 | LER 11 | BLL 26 | BEE 12 | NHA 26 | SEE 7 | RIV DNQ | STA 15 | TMP 27 | WFD 14 | TMP 38 | NHA 20 | STA 31 | TMP | | | | | 16th | 1863 | |
| 2005 | Blewett Motorsports | 66 | Chevy | TMP 31 | STA | RIV | WFD | STA | JEN | | | | | | | | MAR 3 | TMP 18 | NHA 10 | STA 9 | TMP 13* | | | | | | 21st | 1509 | |
| 2005 | | 80 | Chevy | | | | | | | NHA 40 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21st | 1509 |
| 2005 | | 00 | Dodge | | | | | | | | BEE 20 | SEE 2 | RIV 27 | | | WFD 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21st | 1509 | |
| 2005 | Blewett Motorsports | 66 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | STA 8 | TMP 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 21st | 1509 |
| 2006 | Blewett Motorsports | 66 | Chevy | TMP 36 | STA 21 | JEN | TMP 11 | STA 1 | NHA 1 | HOL | RIV | STA 23 | TMP 22 | MAR | TMP 3 | NHA 1 | WFD | TMP 20 | STA 5 | | | | | | | | 23rd | 1439 | |
| 2007 | Blewett Motorsports | 66 | Chevy | TMP 29 | STA 28 | WTO 2 | STA 27 | TMP 33 | NHA 10 | TSA | RIV | STA | TMP 16 | MAN | MAR | NHA | TMP | STA | TMP | | | | | | | | 36th | 720 | |
