MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Tim George Jr., Owner of Tim George Jr. Racing, LLC and 2008 MESCO “Building for the Future” Rolex Rookie of the Year
Tim George Jr. has been attracted to cars and speed ever since his father put him in the back of his 1967 Corvette Stingray, at the young age of eight. Born and raised in the commotion of New York City, Tim George Jr. found himself seeking high-octane experiences. He is a man of opposite extremes, from snowboarding to golfing, he has always been focused on his fitness level, and is a certified fitness professional. Though Tim does not work as a personal trainer, the muscle knowledge has helped him develop far beyond most drivers. Being serious about his endurance level, Tim George Jr. does not feel complete without an adrenaline rush each day.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, Tim also enjoys playing chess, squash, chess, gourmet cooking (Italian and healthy cuisine), investing (stocks), reading (how-to books, Shakespeare, fiction), fishing, clay hunting, dirt-bike and ATV riding, writing, boating, cycling, and working out at the gym. He has an interest in trading stocks, as he once had experience trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Tim graduated from the University of Miami with a BA in English and a Double Minor in History and Economics and was drawn to motorsports in 2004, when his passion for cooking led him to cater events for the Ferrari Challenge Series in hopes of someday owning his own restaurant. While attending the University of Miami, he drove in the Skip Barber Race Series and practiced with professional karts.
Tim also lends his time to various foundations including the Karma Foundation of which he is a Board Member. He is also a member of the American Ballet Theatre, the NYC Philharmonic and The WIN Institute.
Tim’s ultimate goal is to be a top Road Racing and NASCAR driver, and a championship winning team owner.
After graduating college, Tim moved on to drive in the Grand-American Koni Challenge Series and had a podium experience in his first season of professional motorsports. Tim quickly moved up to compete in one of the highest forms of sports car racing in the world, the Grand-Am Rolex Series with The Racer’s Group. He earned the title of 2008 MESCO “Building for the Future” Rolex Rookie of the Year, and finished an impressive fourth place in the Rolex GT Championship.
Tim George Jr. is making the switch full-time to a NASCAR development program, and will be driving for Eddie Sharp Racing. The team has a proven track record of taking young talent and bringing them clear to the top of the sport, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Tim will take over the #2 Toyota of Scott Speed, and will compete in the full ARCA Re/Max schedule with some possible NASCAR Truck and Nationwide races TBA. Tim owns his own company, Tim George Jr. Racing, LLC. Merchandise sales and sponsor dollars go into the LLC, and racing related expenses and services come out. www.timgeorgejr.com is updated frequently with news, press, and racing results.
With the transition towards NASCAR for 2009 and future run in the ARCA Re/Max Series in a development program with Eddie Sharp Racing, Tim will be available to represent a new sponsor. His team is a championship winning, first-class organization. ESR is proven to bring new talent up to the top ranks of the sport, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. High-end hospitality and support will be available to entertain sponsors and clients at events. Races will live coverage on FOX, ESPN, and SPEED channel. ESR represents the Toyota, one of the strongest leading automobile manufacturers in this soft economy.
Accomplishments: 2008 Grand-Am Rolex GT Series
- 2008 MESCO “Building for the Future” Rookie of the Year Award recipient
- 2008 Bob Akin Award recipient
- Finished 3rd in the Rolex 24 at Daytona
- Finished on the podium seven times for the season
- Finished 4th in the Rolex GT Championship
2007 Koni Challenge
- Part of the 2007 Koni challenge Series Championship Team
- Finished 20th in Driver Points (out of 101)
- Finished 21st in Driver Performance Index (out of 175)
- 5 top 10 finishes
- 3 top 10 qualifiers
2006 Skip Barber (Eastern Series)
- 2nd place overall in class
- 9th place overall in series
- Runner up for most improved driver of the season
2005 Skip Barber (Southern Series)
- 3rd place overall in class
- 4th place in class of the Triple Crown
Whom You Know is pleased to present him as our latest Mover and Shaker. Peachy Deegan interviewed Tim George for Whom You Know.
Peachy Deegan: What was it like getting in a Corvette for your first time?
Tim George: It was exhilarating. I remember the smell of leather and gasoline, and the four speed white shift knob that controlled the manual transmission.
What is your favorite model and year of Corvette and why?
That 1964 Stingray was incredible, but American muscle car technology has come a long way. The Classics are great, but that new Z06 Corvette is very fast and impressive.
Have you been to the factory in Bowling Green?
I have not yet been to the factory, but it would make a fun trip sometime.
What is your favorite street to drive on in Manhattan and why?
I would have to say Park Avenue. There seems to be less traffic on Park and I can get from one end of the city to the other a little quicker than some of the other streets. I also like the West Side Highway. I am not a big fan of the FDR though- they need to fix those potholes!
If Mayor Bloomberg told you he would shut down traffic in Manhattan for a day and you could design the racetrack, what would it be and what would be the details and regulations of the race? What would be awarded to the winner?
That would be great! I would get some racing and car enthusiasts together for a charity event, benefitting the Karma Foundation. I am their "resident racecar driver" and have been extremely involved in the foundation since it started. I'd like to help build this brand on the East Coast as I am a firm supporter in the success of both the company and its CEO, Eric Stotz. The winner would receive an all-expenses paid trip to one of our charity events in California and would receive $10K to donate to their charity of choice. The race would begin in front of the Ferrari dealership on Park Avenue and 55th Street and would continue towards Grand Central. The route would continue past Gramercy Park- leading to the West Side Highway for higher speed action, before returning to Grand Central terminal. The race would be followed by a private reception at the Core Club.
What are you proudest of and why?
I am most proud of achieving the “Rolex Rookie of the Year” title and my education from the University of Miami. Both achievements show how I set forth goals and worked hard to achieve them. I am looking forward to continuing this pattern in the future.
What is your ultimate ambition?
I'd like to be happy and successful in the world of racing. That may encompass achieving the coveted Sprint Cup, becoming a team owner, involvement in another aspect of the sport, or maybe all of the above. I still have a lot to learn and one thing is certain-- marketing partners are essential.
What or who has had the most influence on your pursuit of excellence?
My father has been instrumental in giving me advice and letting me know when I am going down the wrong or right road. He has the uncanny ability to ask concise questions that encourage people to evaluate their own character and the people around them. He has a unique approach to business, and life in general, that seems to affect anyone he's around. There is a glow that surrounds my father and I hope to someday have this type of effect on people.
What is your favorite place to be in Manhattan?
If I still lived in NYC, I would like to reside in the Gramercy Park area. However, since I don't live in NYC right now, I like being anywhere that my friends are. I often find myself in the meat packing district when I am in town as well.
What is your favorite shop in Manhattan?
My new favorite shop in NYC is Chrome Hearts! They sponsor me, and I recently went there for the first time. As I pulled up to the storefront, I realized that Chrome Hearts is located right across from a space that was formerly a restaurant, Da Giaccomo, which was where I discovered that racing was in my future. After high school, I interned in their kitchen and we catered events for the Ferrari Challenge Series, which took place in Lakeville, CT. Working the events led me to the Skip Barber Racing School. The restaurant’s chef and I got into a disagreement and I stepped out of the catering tent and discovered the Ferrari racecars on the track. I was hooked at first sight. Since then, I have figured out that I need to be involved with the #1 spectator sport - NASCAR.
What is your favorite drink?
I should say a caipirinha, made with Cabana Cachaca rum (one of my sponsors), which I enjoy... but I also love Dom Perignon. I lived in Napa Valley for a year as well. I worked for a race team called The Racer's Group and it was there that I acquired a pallete for red wine. One of my favorites is Opus One.
What is your favorite restaurant in Manhattan?
My favorite restaurant is hands down "The Pump," which is a fast food physical fitness restaurant. There are several locations around the city and it is a healthy way to eat well while living within the "New York Minute."
What has been your best Manhattan athletic experience?
I love to work out in the private gym at the Core Club, as it is never too crowded and has state-of-the-art equipment.
What is your favorite thing to do in Manhattan that you can do nowhere else?
I love to absorb the various cultures and different people that exist within a one block radius.
What has been your best Manhattan art or music experience?
I worked for the marketing department at the American Ballet Theatre, and enjoy going to see them. The NY Philharmonic and The MOMA are always impressive. I am intrigued by the architecture and history around the city in general.
What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
I am single, and would be excited to find a sophisticated yet fun woman who can keep up with my active lifestyle. In addition to racing, I also enjoy cooking up a storm in my kitchen, strolling on the beach in the Hamptons, riding mountain bike trails at the US Olympic Training Center in Charlotte, NC, playing golf in Ireland, hopping out of a helicopter at the top of some peak in Canada ready to go snowboarding, playing chess, or hiking the Appalachian Trail with nothing but a backpack and campfire stories.
How would you like to be contacted by Whom You Know readers?
Via my website contact form: www.timgeorgejr.com
