DAYTONA BEACH, Florida -- At an age when many people are slowing down, Jack Sellers (No. 75 Aramark Pontiac) is still charging ahead. Although the long-time veteran stock car driver talked of cutting back his racing schedule more than a year ago – he is still competing on a regular basis in the NASCAR Grand National Division, AutoZone West Series.
He will commemorate two milestones in his life this week. On Thursday, he will celebrate his 62nd birthday. Then on Saturday, July 29, Sellers plans to compete in his 200th race in the AutoZone West Series as the circuit travels to Monroe, Wash., for the NAPA Auto Parts 250 presented by AAA at Evergreen Speedway.
“It’s hard to believe that I’ve been to that many races,” Sellers said of the 200 races that have spanned 22 seasons in the series. “That’s over a third of my life I’ve spent with NASCAR. I didn’t start until I was 40. I started where most people were quitting,” he said with a chuckle.
Sellers looks forward to celebrating his 200th event at Evergreen Speedway. It’s a track he knows well. He has taken the green flag for 17 AutoZone West Series events there – more than any other active driver in the series.
“I’ve always liked going there,” said the Sacramento, Calif., driver who is known to many as the Coca-Cola Cowboy. “Although lately, we’ve just had one problem after another. We’re hoping to get there early this year and maybe we can get rid of the 600-pound gorilla we’ve got hanging on our back every time we go up there.”
Sellers’ best finish on the .646-mile oval was ninth in 1991, one of 31 career top-10 finishes he has registered since joining the series in 1985.
While the race distance for the past eight series events at Monroe has been 200 laps, this year’s race has been extended to 250 laps. The longer distance is fine with Sellers. “I’m looking forward to a little longer race,” he said. “In fact, I wish some of our other races were a little longer. It seems like about the time we get going, that’s the end of the race. So, we’re looking forward to 250 laps.”
Looking back, it’s understandable why 250 laps at Monroe might seem routine to Sellers. He competed in the legendary 500-lap races held annually at Evergreen Speedway from 1985 through 1993.
“When I first started going to Monroe, the races were 500 laps,” Sellers recalled. “It was a three-day event. I remember we would bring all the tires we could bring. They just changed tires left and right. It seems like the sun rose on us and set on us and we were still racing.”
“It was really a big deal,” Sellers continued. “I was sorry to see that go away, but I don’t know if I could go 500 laps again.”
With his 199 starts, Sellers is currently third on the overall career list of most races started in the modern era (since 1970) of the series – behind Bill Schmitt, with 237, and Hershel McGriff, with 236.
