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This is the second installment in a series of racer profiles aimed at introducing our local racing heroes throughout the season. Featured in this edition is Brad Teague, a local racing legend with nearly 300 starts in NASCAR’s national series over his illustrious career. Teague boasts track championships at Lonesome Pine Raceway and the former Sportsman Speedway dirt track in Johnson City. Currently, he is vying for his first points title at Kingsport Speedway.

 

KINGSPORT SPEEDWAY RACER PROFILE

Brad Teague

 Age: 76

Hometown: Johnson City, Tenn.

Car: No. 3 Chevrolet in Late Model class

 NOTES:  — Won 1987 Xfinity Series (then Busch Series) race at Martinsville, beat Dale Jarrett to the finish

 — 1981 NASCAR Late Model Sportsman national runner-up (precursor to Xfinity Series)

 — Has raced against all three seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champions — Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson, as well as several other Hall of Famers like David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RACING AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

Teague: “I’ve been racing 57 years now. I’ve loved racing from the time I could remember as a little boy. I ran into a boy who was willing to go in partners in a car. We built a race car in 1967 for the Sportsman Speedway dirt track in Johnson City and that’s what got me started.”

 

WHAT IS YOUR FULL-TIME OCCUPATION AND HOW DOES JOB HELP IN RACING?

Teague: “Owner of B&B Auto Repair. I’m doing mechanic work on cars, so you do a lot of the same kind of work on race cars.”

 

WHO WAS OR IS YOUR FAVORITE NASCAR DRIVER AND WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT HIM?

Teague: “I liked Chevrolets with Junior Johnson and Rex White, but my favorite Ford driver was Fred Lorenzen. The first time I saw Rex run, I was about 11 or 12 years old at Asheville-Weaverville Speedway and Rex won the race.

 

PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN RACING, WHAT MADE THEM SPECIAL?

Teague: “Three things that really stick out in my mind. I always heard about Daytona and wanted to go there. The first time I pulled out on that race track, I thought about being on the Daytona Speedway and getting ready to race. The other is getting that grandfather clock (for winning) at Martinsville, and finishing second in the 1981 national points.”

 

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE 2024 SEASON?

Teague: “I actually want to win the points at Kingsport. I’ve come in second there a couple of times, but I’ve never won the championship there. I think we’re prepared now to attempt that.”