HEMI Honcho: Joey Arrington
If there ever was a person who truly grew up at a track, it was Joey Arrington. He watched his father work on, and drive cars since the day he was born. Mom Jeanette says she hardly remembers seeing her son without a tool in his hand. A constant presence at the tracks, he was often watching from the shoulders of drivers, the likes of Curtis "Blizzard" Turner. Maurice Petty peaked Joey's interest in engine building, spent time answering his questions, and gave him freedom to test his ideas in his shop in Level Cross, North Carolina. “I think Joey used a ladder to work on his first engines with Maurice,” says Buddy.
By the time Joey graduated high school, in 1975, he was crew chief of Buddy’s operation, and it was not just because he was family and came cheap. “Joey could get more out of an engine than anyone else I have ever met. He could also manage the team well, and I never saw him stop working on something until he fixed it good,” recalls Buddy of his son.
The apple did not fall far from the tree, and Joey is still working on race engines, and also is still loyal to Mopar and Dodge.
By the time Joey graduated high school, in 1975, he was crew chief of Buddy’s operation, and it was not just because he was family and came cheap. “Joey could get more out of an engine than anyone else I have ever met. He could also manage the team well, and I never saw him stop working on something until he fixed it good,” recalls Buddy of his son. The apple did not fall far from the tree, and Joey is still working on race engines, and also is still loyal to Mopar and Dodge.
