Bootie Barker
![]() Barker at Pocono Raceway in 2016 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Birth name | Robert Aldridge Barker III |
Nationality | American |
Born | Halifax, Virginia, U.S. | March 2, 1971
Spouse | Christy Smith-Barker |
Sport | |
Country | United States |
Sport | NASCAR |
Team | 23XI Racing |
Robert Aldridge "Bootie" Barker III
Early life
Barker grew up just next door to South Boston Speedway but was a fan of "stick and ball" sports rather than car racing. He played football as a linebacker and was paralyzed from the waist down after sustaining injuries in a car accident while a senior at Halifax County High School.[2] Barker studied engineering at Old Dominion University and his focus was quickly redirected to motorsports. Barker graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1994.
As a junior studying mechanical engineering, Barker heard Benny Parsons on the radio talking about engineers who build shock absorbers for race cars, Barker realized that racing would be the perfect industry for putting his engineering degree to use while still maintaining his interest in competition. Shortly after hearing Parsons, Barker began to spend time in the infield at South Boston Speedway.
His first racing job was selling tires in South Boston and working for driver Ashton Lewis on his late model team. Barker has written a variety of magazine columns over the years and has been a regular guest on NASCAR RaceHub on Fox Sports 1.[3]
Racing career
For most of 2006, Barker was the crew chief for the No. 66
In 2007, Barker was the crew chief for
On October 1, 2008, Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) announced that Barker would be the crew chief of the #55 Toyota driven by two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip for the 2009 Sprint Cup Series season.
In February 2018, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announced that it hired Barker to its ARCA Racing Series program with Riley Herbst.[5]
In September 2021, 23XI Racing announced that Barker would take over as crew chief for the No. 23 Toyota driven by Bubba Wallace after Mike Wheeler was promoted to Director of Competition.[6] Barker's first race as crew chief for Bubba Wallace took place at the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
On Monday, October 4, 2021, Barker earned his first win as a Cup crew chief (and 23XI Racing's first win) when Bubba Wallace won the rain-shortened YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.[7]
On March 29, 2022, Barker was suspended for four races due to a tire and wheel loss during the
References
- ^ "Robert A Barker from Nathalie, VA". Radaris.com. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ^ Coscia, John (Feb 11, 2003). "Against All Odds". Danville Register and Bee.
Halifax County native Robert 'Bootie' Barker hasn't driven to the top of the NASCAR series in the most conventional of ways, but it might in fact be one of the most inspirational
- ^ "drivers & teams : crew chiefs". NASCAR.com. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
- ^ Bootie Barker, Special to NASCAR.COM (2006-06-02). "Urban Legends: Dover - Jun 2, 2006". Nascar.Com. Retrieved 2012-09-18.
- ^ "JGR hires veteran crew chief Bootie Barker to oversee ARCA program". us.motorsport.com. 2018-02-02. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
- ^ "Mike Wheeler named Director of Competition at 23XI Racing; Bootie Barker to serve as crew chief for rest of 2021". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. September 17, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
- ^ "Bubba Wallace wins at Talladega, becomes second Black driver to win NASCAR Cup race". ESPN. Associated Press. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ "COTA Penalties Announced; Bootie Barker Suspended Four Races". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. March 29, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
External links
- Michael Waltrip Racing - Profile[permanent dead link]
- NASCAR Performance
- Bootie Barker crew chief statistics at Racing-Reference