John Wesley Townley (December 31, 1989 – October 2, 2021) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He competed in NASCAR's Xfinity and Truck Series from 2008 to 2016, winning a race in the latter in 2015.

Townley's father Tony is a co-founder of the Zaxby's chain of chicken restaurants.

Racing career

Early career

A Jeff Gordon fan in his youth, Townley began racing in karts in Georgia and the Carolinas. Prior to entering NASCAR, he drove in the American Speed Association. He began racing in the Nationwide Series in 2008 when he drove in three races for RAB Racing and had three DNFs. He also competed in seven Craftsman Truck Series for Roush Racing with a best finish of 18th at both The Milwaukee Mile and Talladega Superspeedway. He returned to the Nationwide Series with RAB in 2009 and qualified for 26 races. He finished 16 races and finished 23rd in points. Townley's driving style proved controversial, resulting in numerous accidents; he received the nickname "John Wrecks Weekly" from fans.

Townley joined Richard Childress Racing for 2010, but was released before the sixth race of the year at Phoenix International Raceway. It resulted in his replacement for that race by Clint Bowyer, and for the rest of the year by Bowyer and Morgan Shepherd. He rejoined RAB Racing for a few races later in the 2010 season.

2012–2017 Townley returned to RAB Racing for the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, competing for Rookie of the Year honors.

On February 7, 2012, Townley was arrested and charged with DUI following an automobile accident in suburban Oconee County, Georgia. He was subsequently suspended by RAB Racing until an "appropriate" amount of time had passed, and was placed on probation by NASCAR through the end of the year. Townley would return to driving for the team in the Camping World Truck Series at the end of March at Martinsville Speedway, where he finished 23rd. He would finish in the top-20 in the following three races, and would return to the Nationwide Series in RAB's No. 99 Toyota at Dover International Speedway and Daytona International Speedway during the summer.

In August, Townley attempted to make his Sprint Cup Series debut at Pocono Raceway, driving for FAS Lane Racing with sponsorship from Zaxby's. Townley hit the wall on his warm-up lap of practice out of the tunnel turn and was replaced by Jason White. On the same weekend he scored his first career top-ten finish in NASCAR, finishing eighth in the Camping World Truck Series race at Pocono.

After the 2012 season, Townley signed with Red Horse Racing to drive the team's No. 7 Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series for 2013. In addition, Townley drove for Venturini Motorsports in the season-opening race for the ARCA Racing Series at Daytona International Speedway. Starting from the pole, he went on to win the event, running a partial schedule in ARCA and the NASCAR Nationwide Series for the team. Townley finished 11th in Truck points.

For the 2014 season, Townley moved to Wauters Motorsports to drive the No. 5 Toyota in the Camping World Truck Series, as well as running full-time in the ARCA Racing Series for Venturini Motorsports. Mid-season, Townley moved to Athenian Motorsports, which is owned by his father Tony Townley, for the remainder of the Truck Series season as well as a partial Nationwide Series schedule.

At Pocono Raceway in August, Townley was involved in an accident during ARCA qualifying and was forced to sit out the remainder of the weekend as a precaution. In December, it was announced that Townley would return to the Truck Series full-time in the No. 05 for Athenian Motorsports while also running part-time in the Xfinity Series in the No. 25 for Athenian Motorsports.

In 2015, Townley won his first career truck race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when Matt Crafton pitted for fuel with six laps to go. Townley stayed out on the gamble and won in the process.

During the 2016 Drivin' for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park, Townley was involved in an altercation with Spencer Gallagher, after the two crashed on lap 154. Townley and Gallagher's fight began trending worldwide as it was called as one of the funniest fights in sports. Townley was eventually fined $15,000 and placed on probation until the end of the year. He missed the following race at Kentucky Speedway for concussion treatment and was replaced by Parker Kligerman. Townley also missed another race when he skipped the Texas Motor Speedway truck race to treat an injured left ankle, with Cody Coughlin taking over the No. 05 for the event.

In January 2017, it was announced Townley was retiring from motorsports and Athenian Motorsports would subsequently be shutting down operations.

Personal life A native of Watkinsville, Georgia, Townley was named after English clergyman John Wesley. He graduated from North Oconee High School in 2008 and later attended the University of North Georgia.

He was a recreational mountain biker and snowboarder, and also enjoyed playing the piano, banjo, and guitar. Townley announced his engagement to girlfriend Laura Bird in late 2016.

According to court documents, in 2019, Townley was charged with three misdemeanor counts, including family violence battery, after he reportedly threw his wife to the floor, causing her to have reasonable fear for her life. Townley pled guilty to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 12 months probation. In February 2021, he filed for divorce, which was granted in September of that year.

Death On October 2, 2021, Townley, age 31, reportedly attacked his ex-wife Laura Townley and Zachary Anderson with a hatchet at her home in the Five Points area of Athens, Georgia. Anderson shot and killed Townley, and accidentally shot Laura, who sustained serious injuries. The investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 2012 FAS Lane Racing 32 Ford DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL MAR TEX KAN RCH TAL DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON KEN DAY NHA IND POCWth GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH CHI NHA DOV TAL CLT KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM NA -

Xfinity Series NASCAR Xfinity Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 2008 RAB Racing 09 Ford DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRIDNQ CAL RCH DOV30 KAN CLT27 MEMDNQ TEXDNQ PHO38 HOMDNQ 92nd 204 2009 DAY21 CAL22 LVS38 BRI16 TEX36 NSH18 PHO36 TAL18 RCHDNQ DAR34 CLTDNQ DOV38 NSH42 KEN32 MLWDNQ NHA28 DAY36 CHI21 GTY21 IRPDNQ IOW29 GLN MCHDNQ BRI33 CGV ATLDNQ RCH DOV18 KAN31 CAL17 CLT28 MEM40 TEX18 PHO23 HOM24 23rd 1989 2010 Richard Childress Racing 21 Chevy DAY23 CAL30 LVS15 BRI26 NSH18 PHOWth† TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT NSH KEN ROA NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP 47th 866 RAB Racing 09 Ford IOW24 GLN MCH17 BRI27 CGV ATL22 RCH DOV KAN CAL CLT GTY TEX PHO HOM 2012 RAB Racing 24 Toyota DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX RCH TAL15 DAR IOW CLT 126th 01 99 DOV20 MCH ROA KEN DAY25 NHA CHI IND IOW GLN CGV BRI23 ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT32 KAN TEX PHO HOM 2013 Venturini Motorsports 25 DAY PHO LVS BRI17 CAL TEX RCH TALDNQ DAR CLT35 DOV IOW MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN CHA TEX PHO HOM 114th 01 2014 Athenian Motorsports DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL13 IOW CLT22 DOV MCH ROA KENWth DAY18 NHA CHI27 IND28 IOW GLN MOH BRI18 ATL32 RCH CHI KEN DOV KAN31 CLT TEX23 PHO23 HOM33 100th1 01 2015Chevy DAY33 ATL27 LVS19 PHO CAL23 TEX17 BRI14 RCH TAL15 IOW13 CLT29 DOV15 MCH CHI DAY19 KEN32 NHA IND IOW GLN39 MOH BRI23 ROA DAR26 RCH30 CHI13 KEN DOV CLT22 KAN TEX PHO HOM 97th 01 2016 05 DAY17 ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL26 DOV CLT POC MCH IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCH CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN TEX PHO HOM 111th 01 † - Replaced by Clint Bowyer

Camping World Truck Series NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Pts Ref 2008 Roush Fenway Racing 09 Ford DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT MFD27 DOV TEX MCH MLW18 MEM KEN21 IRP NSH30 BRI35 GTW NHA LVS TAL18 MAR ATL TEX PHO24 HOM 39th 622 2009 Billy Ballew Motorsports Toyota DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLTDNQ DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI CHI IOW GTW NHA LVS MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM 120th 0 2012 RAB Racing 09 Toyota DAY MAR23 CAR20 KAN16 CLT16 DOV16 TEX27 KEN31 IOW20 CHI14 POC8 MCH25 BRI24 ATL19 IOW15 KEN10 LVS14 TAL25 MAR18 TEX16 PHO13 HOM32 16th 521 2013 Red Horse Racing 7 DAY21 MAR32 CAR11 KAN32 CLT8 DOV11 TEX15 KEN11 IOW12 ELD22 POC17 MCH7 BRI30 MSP12 IOW11 CHI6 LVS7 TAL7 MAR13 TEX9 PHO27 HOM6 11th 641 2014 Wauters Motorsports 5 DAY14 MAR20 KAN11 CLT4 DOV12 TEX5 GTW8 KEN21 15th 499 Athenian Motorsports 05 IOW22 ELD19 POC MCH BRI29 MSP CHI15 NHA18 LVS11 TAL8 MAR33 TEX20 PHO33 HOM35 2015Chevy DAY22 ATL12 MAR8 KAN12 CLT6 DOV18 TEX3 GTW11 IOW10 KEN8 ELD14 POC17 MCH17 BRI11 MSP25 CHI10 NHA26 LVS1 TAL16 MAR11 TEX17 PHO3 HOM10 8th 730 2016 DAY26 ATL7 MAR21 KAN26 DOV29 CLT16 TEX17 IOW19 GTW23 KEN ELD POC29 BRI10 MCH12 MSP12 CHI20 NHA12 LVS13 TAL28 MAR21 TEX PHO HOM 17th 255

Busch East Series NASCAR Busch East Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pts Ref 2007 STI Motorsports 3 Chevy GRE 10 ELK IOW 23 SBO STA NHA TMP NSH ADI LRP MFD NHA DOV 42nd 228

Season still in progress Ineligible for series points

ARCA Racing Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Racing Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Pts Ref 2008 RAB Racing 09 Ford DAY 11 SLM 7 IOW 12 KAN 15 CAR 12 KEN 5 TOL 16 POC 20 MCH 13 CAY 9 KEN 34 BLN 8 POC 9 NSH 33 ISF 15 DSF 11 CHI 40 SLM 7 NJE 18 TAL 7 TOL 6 7th 4540 2009 DAY 4 SLM CAR TAL 17 KEN TOL POC MCH MFD IOW KEN BLN POC ISF CHI TOL DSF NJE SLM KAN CAR 75th 355 2010 Venturini Motorsports 35 Toyota DAY 3 PBE SLM TEX TAL TOL POC MCH IOW MFD POC BLN NJE ISF CHI DSF TOL SLM KAN CAR 84th 215 2012 Venturini Motorsports 35 DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH WIN NJE IOW CHI IRP POC BLN ISF MAD SLM DSF KAN 28 129th 100 2013 15 DAY 1 MOB TAL 34 TOL ELK POC MCH KAN 3 25th 1095 55 SLM 13 ROA 15 WIN CHI NJE POC BLN ISF MAD DSF IOW SLM KEN 2014 15 DAY 11 MOB 8 SLM 21 TAL 2 TOL 5 NJE 14 POC 3 MCH 4 ELK 9 WIN 8 CHI 22 IRP 6 POC INQ† BLN ISF MAD 10 DSF 12 SLM KEN KAN6 8th 3295 2015 Mason Mitchell Motorsports 88 Chevy DAY MOB NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH CHI WIN IOW IRP POC BLN ISF DSF SLM KEN KAN 5 89th 210 2016 Athenian Motorsports 05 DAY 1 NSH 4* SLM 7 TAL 29 TOL NJE POC 19 MCH MAD WIN IOW IRP POC 2 BLN 15 ISF 20 DSF SLM5 CHI2 KEN23 KAN7 12th 2125 † – Qualified but replaced by B. J. McLeod.

References

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