Local earns racing honors

Wins Rookie of the Year at Eureka track

Jeremy Yarberry poses in front of his Chevy Impala at Redwood Acres in Eureka. Yarberry recently won Rookie of the Year honors. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Yarberry

He grew up with a family obsessed with cars that exposed him to their passion from an early age.

His father, Brian Yarberry,  said that when Jeremy was an infant they would put him in a baby seat in the back of his 1957 Nash Rambler.

When Jeremy was little, Brian recalled that even if he was fast asleep in a car, if a Volkswagen passed by and he heard its engines, Jeremy would wake up and  say excitedly, “Volkswagen, Volkswagen!”

“Since the day I was born there’s been cars and more cars,” Jeremy Yarberry said.

The local resident and 2000 Del Norte High graduate thought of one day racing cars but never got to it, although he does work with vehicles as a service adviser and parts specialist in Crescent City at Coast Auto Center.

That changed last year when he bought a race car and began to take part in the Stockcar Sportsman Division at Redwood Acres in Eureka.

Yarberry had a successful first season and was recently named Rooke of the Year, finishing sixth overall. Racing began in April and concluded in September.

“Racing was something I’ve always wanted to do but I never thought I would do it,” he said.

One day his father called saying a race car driver in Eureka was selling his Chevy Impala.

“Dad’s always known I’ve wanted to do this,” Yarberry said. His father told him this was the perfect time to try it out.

Yarberry agreed and purchased the car from Frank Billy, who taught him the ropes of racing, which Yarberry said was of great help to him.

He ran his first race at Redwood Acres in August 2010.

Yarberry said the more he races, the more comfortable he has become.

“It’s been great. It’s such an adrenaline rush,” he said.

Today, at a season-ending awards ceremony, Yarberry will receive his Rookie of the Year award.

Brian Yarberry, who owns B&K Enterprises, an auto repair shop in town, is Jeremy’s crew chief and is also helped by family friends, including former local racer Pete Malone.

“It’s great to have my dad and my good friends helping me with the races each weekend,” Jeremy Yarberry said.

“I’m very proud of him,” Brian Yarberry said.

While Jeremy Yarberry has only raced in Eureka so far he would like to take part in races throughout the region.

“Oh yeah, I’m definitely going to run as many races I can,” he said.

The key is to try to get more sponsorships to pay for the cost of travelling farther, Yarberry said. Currently his lone sponsor is Coast Auto.