Journey Brown

Last updated

Journey Brown
Journey Brown.jpg
Brown in 2019
No. 4
Position Running back
Personal information
Born: (1999-03-19) March 19, 1999 (age 26)
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight216 lb (98 kg)
Career history
College
High school Meadville
(Meadville, Pennsylvania)

Journey Jay Brown (born March 19, 1999) is an American stock car racing pit crew member and former American football running back. He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Contents

Following his football career, he became a NASCAR Cup Series tire changer for Trackhouse Racing.

Early years

Brown attended Meadville Area Senior High School in Meadville, Pennsylvania. [1] During his career, he rushed for 7,027 yards and 106 touchdowns. [2] During a game his junior year in 2015, he broke Pennsylvania high school records for rushing yards in a game with 722 and rushing touchdowns with 10. [3] [4] He committed to Penn State University to play college football. [5] Brown also ran track in high school and broke the Pennsylvania record for 100 meter dash which was held by Olympian Leroy Burrell. [6]

College career

After redshirting his first year at Penn State in 2017, Brown played in eight games in 2018 and had 44 yards on eight carries with a touchdown. [7] As a redshirt sophomore in 2019, he started 10 of 13 games, rushing for 890 yards on 129 carries and 12 touchdowns. [8] [9] He was named the MVP of the 2019 Cotton Bowl after rushing for a school bowl game record 202 yards. [10] [11] [12]

On November 11, 2020, PSU head coach James Franklin announced Brown could no longer play football due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. [13]

NASCAR

In 2023, Brown was hired by Trackhouse Racing as a tire changer. Brown had little familiarity with NASCAR prior to his reruitment, but his footwork and athleticism as a running back were viewed by the team as commodities for pitting. [14] The occupation was also intense but short enough that he work at full strength while managing his hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with medication. [15]

Brown made his pitting debut at the 2023 Coke Zero Sugar 400, where he changed tires on Justin Haley's No. 31 car for Trackhouse client Kaulig Racing. [15] In 2024, he became the front tire changer for Zane Smith and the No. 71 of Spire Motorsports. [16] [17]

Personal life

Brown has a daughter Aleigha. [18]

References

  1. ↑ Scranton, Donnie Collins | The Times-Tribune. "PSU's Journey Brown finds strength in Meadville memories". GoErie.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Minemyer, Chip. "Penn State football | Brown eager to 'make an impact'". The Tribune-Democrat.
  3. ↑ "Pa. HS RB has 722 yards, 10 TDs in 107-90 win". ESPN.com. September 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ How Journey Brown rushed for 722 yards and his offense scored 107 points — in one game
  5. ↑ Copper, Mike. "Meadville running back Journey Brown bound for Penn State". GoErie.com.
  6. ↑ "Penn State football signee Journey Brown breaks former Olympic champion's 100-meter dash record".
  7. ↑ Service, Elton Hayes CNHI News. "Journey Brown in line for increased role in Penn State backfield". Meadville Tribune.
  8. ↑ Bodani, Frank. "Best running backs in the nation? Penn State runs with a 'faster' Journey Brown". York Daily Record.
  9. ↑ Scarcella, Rich. "Penn State's Journey Brown receives high praise from his running backs coach". Reading Eagle. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020.
  10. ↑ "Journey Brown's journey at Penn State is far from over after a record-setting performance in the Cotton Bowl". pennlive. December 28, 2019.
  11. ↑ "Penn State's Journey Brown is set to turn track speed into football stardom after big Cotton Bowl". pennlive. April 14, 2020.
  12. ↑ How Journey Brown surprised with memorable performance in Penn State Nittany Lions' Cotton Bowl win
  13. ↑ "Penn State Running Back Journey Brown Ends His Football Career". SI.com. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  14. ↑ Pockrass, Bob (October 18, 2023). "Journey Brown's unlikely path from Penn State football star to NASCAR pit crew member". FoxSports.com . Fox Sports . Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  15. 1 2 Long, Dustin (September 1, 2023). "New Journey: Former Penn State football star finds new purpose in NASCAR". NBC Sports . Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  16. ↑ Tatarevic, Bozi (February 14, 2024). "2024 NASCAR Cup Series Pit Crew Charts". Racing America. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  17. ↑ Maciborski, Walt (March 22, 2024). "Penn State running back drafted to a new role on NASCAR's pit lane". KEYE-TV . Retrieved September 14, 2025.
  18. ↑ Bohls, Kirk (March 22, 2024). "What a journey for Penn State football star-turned-NASCAR pit crew member Brown". Austin American-Statesman . Retrieved September 14, 2025.
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