Profile On: Jesse Giannetto!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
360 Owner Points Champion, Jesse Giannetto
(Joanne Cram) After a year’s leave of absence from the Knoxville Raceway’s weekly racing scene, 31 year old Cedar Rapids native Jesse the Bulldog Giannetto made a run for weekly points competition in the 360 class. All signs pointed to Jesse winning the championship, with a consistent year and great racing… until the floods of 2008 hit. With the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids being one of the most devastated areas in the entire Midwest, all roads to Knoxville went no where. Jesse was unable to get to the raceway, but his car however, made it. This is how the 360 class ended up with two different winners in the driver and owner categories. Jesse as a driver was unable to race one weekend, but his high points car was able to make it for all the races- giving us a very narrow point’s race for the championship this season!
Jesse has been coming to Knoxville Raceway for sprint car racing action since he was four years old and recalls when he was growing up, telling everyone around him that he was going to race sprint cars some day. Although the Giannetto’s werenE2t originally a participating race family, they were huge fans. Jesse’s grandfather took Jesse’s father, Dave to the races when he was a youngster, and in turn, Dave took Jesse and brother Justin as well.
Such big sprint car racing fans, Dave actually got into racing Quarter Scale remote control sprint cars which used weed eater engines (using the number D1) where he was the National Champion one year. Jesse thinks that he got into racing go karts partly because he wanted to, and partly because it was his father’s dream as well.
So, at the age of 15, Jesse had a two year stint in karts and then moved up to cage karts in 1996. In both classes, Jesse traveled around Iowa competing at tracks such as Delaware, Newton and Fayette, and earned himself a nickname by racing hard all the time. Highlights from the “Bulldog’s” cage karting career include IKF National Champion in 1997, and winning the Tulsa Shootout in 1998.
In 1999, Giannetto moved up to a 360 sprint, and began driving it part time. On his first race out at Burlington, he crashed his car. But, that didn’t get him down, and Jesse continued to race here and there at tracks like Burlington, the Des Moines Fairgrounds, and East Moline. He even came over to the famed half mile two or three times.
Then in 2000, Jesse moved on over to Knoxville for the weekly competition. He had begun to improve his consisten cy, and earned himself Rookie of the Year honors at Knoxville. That season found Jesse running many other tracks as well, whenever the race didn’t conflict with his Knoxville races.
2001 brought Jesse his first career win in a sprint car, at Knoxville Raceway. He says he remembers it well- as he was running 2nd to John Kearney. He got John on the last lap for the win.
The next season, Jesse got a head start on all the Midwest racers by going down to the East Bay Winter Nationals, where he made the feature. He also started his season out with a pre-Knoxville win at Capitol Speedway in Missouri with the Winged Outlaw Warriors, and then started the Knoxville schedule out with a season opening win. Giannetto was leading the points at Knoxville and having an otherwise outstanding year, when he crashed hard at Husets Speedway and broke his T5 vertebra, ending his season early in July.
Giannetto returned the next season of 2003 and added another win at Knoxville, runner up points championship to Billy Alley, and a 410 debut with 2 wins at Cameron, Missouri.
2004 brought Jesse a change in his sprint car program, as he moved classes to compete with the 410s. He finished in the top ten of points. Jesse attributes a lot of his success that first year in a 410 to his crew chief and good friend, Glenn Freeland. Jesse says that Glenn helped him to feel confident in the car, and taught him a lot about20set ups. In addition to his 410 racing at Knoxville, Jesse continued to compete with the Sprint Invaders when possible. Giannetto racked up three features with the Sprint Invaders- two at Donnellson and one at Jacksonville, Illinois. The most memorable win though, was the Donnellson race where he passed Terry McCarl on the last lap in turn 4.
Jesse continued to move up in the sprint car ranks the following season as well. Memorable in 2005 was Jesse’s third place finish at the Summer Classic (formerly the 1200 Pound Nationals). Giannetto also earned the Sprint Invaders points championship with three victories at Columbus Junction Speedway.
Who wouldn’t want a 360 Nationals win to add to their resume as well? In 2006, Jesse earned himself one of those too. He finished 7th in overall 410 points at Knoxville, and won a race with the Sprint Invaders at West Liberty also. At the conclusion of the regular season however, Jesse’s father decided it was time to step away from sprint car ownership, and the Giannetto’s sold their sprint car equipment.
Hoping to get hired to drive for another car owner, Jesse went into the prospects of the 2007 season unsure of what his racing future would hold. Jeff and Jerry Smith of Columbia, Missouri were looking to hire a driver, and Jesse had his ride. He mainly raced with the WOW, earning a win in California, Missouri. Back at Knoxville to run the 360 Nationals, Giannetto suffered another season ending wreck when he got together with another car in turn one of the heat, rupturing a disc in his back which required surgery.
This past season found the familiar black and red D1 back at Knoxville regularly in the 360 class. Jesse said he felt much more confident in the 360 than the 410, and there are more racing opportunities as well. Jesse partnered up with his dad to race again, but this time he is the primary car owner, so the 360 class made more sense. His goals for this season included having fun and getting his car to the front. Jesse was less than impressed with his ability to draw a good number for his heats, however. He was frustrated with his starting positions, and had to work hard to get the D1 to the front of the mains, which obviously he did!
Jesse has a very supportive family where his racing is concerned. His wife, Charity and their two kids, 8 year old Antonnio and 5 year old Serena are at the track every week. In addition to his immediate family, Jesse’s dad, Dave and Brother Justin help out on the car, and Jesse’s mom, Claudette supports from the stands as well. Jesse is also very grateful to his very faithful crew which includes Brian Deeds, Jordan Ross, and afore mentioned brother, Justin and dad, Dave.
When Jesse isn’t racing, he works for his dad’s company, Professional Freight Sales as a shop manager. Giannetto enjoys golfing and spends as much time with h is family and friends as he can when he’s not working or racing.
Sponsors of the Eagle-Wesmar 360 this season include DMI, Bell Helmets, Butler Built Seats, Afco Shocks, and Wesmar. Jesse can’t thank his crew enough for all their hard work and says that without them, none of his racing dreams would be possible. Jesse’s wife, Charity and his parents, Dave and Claudette are also a very important part of his racing success and he says he couldn’t do it without their support.
(Pictured): Jesse Giannetto poses with wife Charity (M) at the banquet
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