J. J. Yeley Bio: Parents, Wife, Kids & Crash

J. J. Yeley has been competing for 18 seasons but is deprived of a single win in his professional NASCAR career.

Born on October 5, 1976, Christopher Beltram Hernandez “J. J.” Yeley is an American professional stock car racing driver.

He competes part-time in the NASCAR CUP Series for Rick Ware Racing, driving the No 15/51 Ford Mustang.

Beginning his career in Open-wheel racing, he won the 1997 edition of Indiana Sprintweek and was named the Rookie of the Year Award in the USAC National Sprint Car Series.

Moreover, he also won three USAC national championships, making him one of the only six drivers ever to win the USAC Triple Crown.

The 47-year-old racer competed in Indy Racing League races and USAC before eventually starting his NASCAR career with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2004.

Later in his career, he drove for several other teams, including Hall of Fame Racing, Tommy Baldwin Racing, and Reaume Brothers Racing.

Since 2004, he has competed in three formats of NASCAR series, the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and Craftsman Truck Series.

However, he hasn’t had any luck in all of the competition and is still thriving to register a win to engrave his name in NASCAR history.

J. J. Yeley Parents Are His Biggest Supporter

J. J. Yeley was born in a very supportive household, with his father and mother being involved in racing.

JJ’s father, commonly known as Cactus Jack Yeley, won seven Arizona Midget Racing championships and two World of Outlaws midget championships.

Similarly, his mother, Judy Yeley, is a racing enthusiast and served as the president of the Midget Racing Association.

Interestingly, Christopher got his name J. J. after his father (Jack) and a close family friend (Jimmy).

Being a part of the racing community themselves, JJ’s parents introduced him to racing at a very young age.

By 14, he had already been racing at the midgets and got his USAC license at 16, becoming one of the youngest drivers.

JJ’s father, Jack, sacrificed a lot of things to help his son pursue a career in racing.

Although he didn’t get much time to be involved with his son’s quarter midget races, he dreamed of racing with his son in the full-size midget.

Moreover, Jack left no stone unturned to make sure J. J. became a prominent racing driver, which is why J. J. considers his father his biggest inspiration.

J. J. Yeley Wife And Children

J. J., 47, has been married to his wife Kristen Marie Yeley for more than 25 years.

The Yeley couple tied the knot on December 3, 1998, in a private wedding ceremony where his family members and only a few close friends made attendance.

Kristen has been the constant support in Yeley’s life, showering him with unwavering love in the ups and downs of his career.

Similar to J. J., his wife also seems to have a knack for racing, as she has also competed in several racing competitions.

In the 4th Better Half Dash of 2014, she qualified for the finals of the race with the fastest time and eventually emerged victorious.

In their 25 years of togetherness, they welcomed a daughter named Faith Anne Yeley on May 31, 2005.

Faith attended Lake Norman High School and graduated in June 2023. Following her graduation, she joined High Point University for her further education.

Moreover, Faith is into golf and has participated in several regional tournaments.

Net Worth

As of 2024, J. J. Yeley is estimated to have a net worth of $1.4 million. A significant chunk of his net worth comes from his driving career and sponsorship deals.

It is estimated that in his debut season in NASCAR, he took home $355,145 as prize money while racing only 17 events out of 34 for JGR.

Similarly, in his second season in 2005, it is speculated that he bagged more than a million from competing in 35 events.

The year 2006 was a prosperous year for J. J., as he garnered a total of $4,285,513 with Joe Gibbs Racing and $4,292,671 in the following year.

Transitioning to Hall of Fame Racing in 2008, he earned $1,765,255. With Whitney Motorsports, he brought in $1,232,825 in 2010 and $2,537,729 in 2011.

Moving to Robinson-Blakeney Racing in 2012, he reportedly bagged $1,860,756.

J. J. continued his successful career with Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2013, earning $3,043,363.

Similarly, in 2014, he earned $1,377,870 with Xxxtreme Motorsports and $3,016,013 with BK Racing in 2015.

Later, he drove for several other racing teams, earning him handsome money, but the figures are not available to the public.

According to various sources, he has been able to attract various lucrative sponsorship deals despite competing for low-funded teams.

Moreover, Patriot Mobile has tied a sponsorship deal with J. J. and his Rick Ware Racing team. He also signed a deal with Fr8Auctions for two races in World Truck Series.

Similarly, other brands he has collaborated with include PODS Moving and Storage, DriveSmartWarranty.com, and MBM Motorsports.

Nonetheless, the racing driver with more than 18 seasons of experience, Yeley has garnered quite some fortune allowing him to live a comfortable life with his family.

Unfortunate Incident On The Tracks

In pursuit of his first win in NASCAR, Yeley had an accident with Mark Martin at the Bank of America 500 in 2006.

Although Martin had some dissatisfaction with the outcome of the race, there were no major injuries to all the drivers involved in the crash.

Similarly, in 2009 in the Sprint Bandit Series, he suffered a severe injury that broke three cervical vertebrae, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Yeley also had crashes in the 2015 Bristol race and 2020 Daytona 500, depriving him of possible wins.

In the 2022 SRS Distribution 250 race, going into turn 4, Alex Labbe lost control of his car and made contact, sending J. J. into the outside wall.

Moreover, in the 2023 Richmond Raceway event, Yeley was racing in front of Denny Hamlin.

As Hamlin was pushing hard, he drove through the rear of Yeley, winding the #15 Ford Mustang into the wall.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is J. J. Yeley’s daughter?

The name of J. J. Yeley’s daughter is Faith Anne Yeley, who was born on May 31, 2005.

Has J. J. Yeley won a NASCAR series?

J. J. Yeley has not been able to secure a single title in any of the NASCAR series races.

Did J. J. Yeley race in F1?

J. J. Yeley has never raced in F1.