Jesse Lowe
Jesse Lowe posted a very impressive season in 2017 driving a Crate Late Model in and around the east Tennessee region. The Crossville racer posted 23 feature victories and 45 top-5 results in what proved to be his best season yet in a Late Model machine. Those wins garnered the attention of numerous people in the dirt racing community, including Chip Vineyard of CVR Race Cars.
As a result, Lowe and Vineyard have decided to join forces in 2018 for the purpose of taking on the NeSmith Dirt Late Model Series. That tour focuses on Crate Late Model machines and is centered in the southeastern corner of the United States.
Lowe drove CVR cars for his own team throughout the 2017 season so the pairing with Vineyard’s operation proved to be a natural fit. At the same time, CVR raced its house car in a limited number of races last season.
“Once the 2017 season came to a close we were both talking about 2018 plans,” Lowe explained. “I wanted to travel to some different tracks and hit bigger shows but that was going to be tough. Chip wanted to race a lot more then he did in 2017 and wanted to chase the NeSmith championship. After a couple of meetings we put a plan in place that provided me the opportunity to drive for them this season.”
Lowe is very excited for the opportunity to drive the CVR house car and to pursue a series title.
“I am honestly at a loss for words,” the 25-year-old driver admitted. “Its awesome that the opportunity to drive for Chip and the CVR organization during the 2018 season is really about to happen. I didn’t think I’d be able to top my 2017 season, but this opportunity will allow us to be even better in 2018.”
The young racer realizes there will be challenges ahead during the upcoming racing campaign. However, he believes the pieces are in place to overcome those challenges and find success.
“Chasing the NeSmith Title in 2018 is going to be an awesome deal,” Lowe insisted. “We know going into this thing that there will be plenty of challenges but we are more then ready for it. A lot of these places that the tour travels to I’ve never seen before so I will have to depend on Chip’s knowledge.”
Jesse Lowe will pilot the CVR house car in 2018
The CVR house car will carry the number 1CVR rather than Lowe’s familiar 5J. It will be maintained in Vineyard’s Lenior City, Tenn. shop with the chassis builder himself along with Corbin Moses doing much of the day-to-day work on the machine. Power for the Crate Late Model ride will be provided by Eagle Race Engines.
“This is a really good thing for myself and Chip both,” Lowe said. “Both of us need to be out racing as much as we can to help the CVR program and to help me as a driver. Chip and the CVR staff have had to work really hard to make this possible and the only way I know to repay them is to bring them wins. Our 2018 plans will be to follow the NeSmith Series and to race in as many local shows as possible.”
Lowe acknowledges that his team’s backers have made this opportunity possible.
“We will be combining our sponsors, crew, Eagle Motors, and both of our chassis just so we always have the best of the best each and every night. We are currently looking for a few more sponsors to join our already awesome supporters. Our current sponsors for the CVR house car for the 2018 season are CVR Race Cars, Xtreme Pressure Washing, Vineyard Lawn, Gondola Steakhouse, Mission Transport, A-1 Towing, Hampton Backhoe Services, Racegarages.com, Selk Sanitation, Chattanooga Valley Used Cars, Vineyard Enterprise, Bennett Heating and Cooling, Crossroads Lawn Care, Haircuts by Mel, Martel Sign Company, McBurnett Insurance, Odies Wax Shop, Eagle Race Engines and Hoosier Tire South.”
