Adam Lemke will join Josh Berry in a two-car Late Model Stock effort for JR Motorsports in 2019.
Lemke, a native of Hollister, California, is the reigning USAC Western Midget Series champion and also the recipient of the Madera Speedway RPM Pro Late Model Series rookie of the year award in 2018. Lemke won eight of the 12 races on the USAC Western Midgets tour and 11 of 12 heat races.
The 16-year-old was also the pavement portion and champion and finished second in the dirt portion of the mixed surface division.
Lemke began driving quarter midgets at 8-years-old and gradiated to the western USAC division last season. Thus begins his transition to NASCAR style racing.
“Having a driver of Adam’s capabilities is very important to the future of JR Motorsports,” said L.W. Miller, director of motorsports at JRM. “We’re very happy to have a young driver of his caliber to continue on the trail blazed by drivers like Josh Berry, William Byron and Sam Mayer. He’s been winning races and championships out West, and we think he’s going to continue to do so here in the Southeast.”
Lemke’s exact schedule, car number and team personnel will be decided at a later date.
“For a young driver like me, there is no better place to race than JR Motorsports,” Lemke said on the announcement. “William Byron started here and is now in the NASCAR Cup Series, and drivers like Josh, Sam, Anthony (Alfredo) and Christian (Eckes) are progressing up the ladder after having raced here in Late Models. I am looking forward to the opportunity this year to learn and grow and climb that same ladder.”
JR Motorsports is fresh off a three-year stretch in which its Late Models have won 35 races in 148 starts. Berry won the CARS Tour championship in 2017 and finished fourth in series points this past season, while Mayer was fifth in points with a CARS LMSC victory and earned the series’ Most Popular Driver award.
The JRM Late Model program has earned CARS LMSC drivers (2017) and owner (2016) titles, and track championships in 2012 and 2014. Berry also won the CARS Late Model Stock Car owner championship in 2016.
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