Jon's racing career can be broken up into three main eras.
Jon first became interested in motorsports when he did a book report on the Indianapolis 500 in the third grade. After he did the report and showed an interest in the 500, his father, Ray, took him to the Indianapolis 500 in 1985.
In the years that followed Jon attended IndyCar, IMSA and NASCAR racing events. He learned about the ins and outs of racing by sneaking into the garage areas and talking with the drivers and owners. Jon can be seen in the picture on the right after he jumped a fence to meet AJ Foyt at Pocono International Raceway
When Jon was old enough to get a job and save some money, he decided to make the jump from spectating to participation. Jon was 17, and it was time to put his foot in the door.
Jon worked landscaping for a summer and saved up $1500 and used it to purchase a used racing kart, an engine and a trailer. His first race was in May of 1993, almost eight years after he stood in turn one of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and watched 33 drivers scream around the track fighting for glory.
Jon spent four years in racing karts where he raced ovals and roadcourses. His success included a fifth place two different years in the South Carolina Asphalt Championship, and a third place at the first ever four cycle day at Daytona International Speedway.
After running karts for three years Jon started to double dip. In addition
to the kart, Jon had bought a Honda CRX and he started running it in the SCCA Solo II program. Over the next couple of years Jon would become competitive in the CRX, where he was winning in North and South Carolina, and finished 27th in the 1997 SCCA Solo II National Championships.
With success in both karts and the Solo II series, it was time to move up. Jon saved up $5500 and found himself the proud owner of a 1983 Van Diemen Formula Ford. Formula Fords are small single-seat racecars that were a big part of many famous racing drivers. Formula One champion Ayrton Senna, and two time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyke both raced in Formula Ford on their way to the top.
Jon won his first event in the Formula Ford at Roebling Road, and followed it up with victories at Daytona International Speedway, Charlotte Motorer Speedway, and Carolina Motorsports Park. Before long Jon was making a name for himself.
With continuing success in both the Formula Ford and the little bit of Solo II that Jon was doing, people were starting to throw his name around. MarshPoint Motorsports in Charleston, SC came to Jon and asked him to head their SCCA E-Production Honda CRX. Jon developed the 200 horsepower Honda into a nationally competitive car, which caught the eye of some of the pro teams in US motorsports.
Jon gladly took the attention, and made it into the 2002 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona driving the Sezio Florida Racing prototype. His experience developing the MarshPoint Motorsports CRX, and driving the pro cars allowed Jon to take many opportunities that would come his way.
Jon continues to drive and do research and development work for teams, and now runs his own performance driving program where he teaches people how to push themselves and their cars to the limit.