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I woke up on the morning of June 13, 2013 to learn about the devastating news of Jason Leffler. Leffler did what he loved to do, and that was race.

It was bittersweet because I talked with one of my friends the week before about how great it was seeing him back in a Cup car at Pocono Raceway. It was a start-and-park deal in the No. 19 car for Humphrey-Smith Racing, and was Leffler’s first Cup start since Phoenix in November 2012.               

Leffler began his racing career in the United States Auto Club (USAC) ranks winning three straight Midget championships from 1997 to 1999 before making his way to NASCAR.

Car owner Joe Gibbs took a chance on him and signed him to drive the full 2000 NASCAR Busch Series season.

Chip Ganassi made his venture into NASCAR in 2001 by teaming up with Felix Sabates and hiring Leffler to drive the No. 01 Cingular Dodge in Winston Cup.  Leffler won the pole for the inaugural race at Kansas and recorded his only top-ten in Cup at Homestead.

After his brief stay in Cup, Leffler then bounced back and forth between the Nationwide (NNS) and Camping World Truck Series for the next ten years.

During the time span, he won his first Truck race at Dover in June 2003 and collected two wins on the NNS circuit with his first coming with Gene Haas at Nasvhille Superspeedway in June 2004.

Toyota broke into NNS in 2007 and Leffler had the honors of winning their first race at Lucas Oil Raceway that July.

Leffler remained with Braun Racing and Turner Motorsports until the end of the 2011 season, before signing a part-time truck deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports for 2012.

He would make his return with Turner in NNS for a one-race deal at Iowa in August by grabbing a top-ten finish.  The driver was then looking for a ride toward the end of the season.

To sum up Jason Leffler’s career, he was a talented racer, no matter what vehicle he stepped into it.  Hard to believe it’s been a year since he left this Earth.  Godspeed Mr. Leffler.