Stephen Mallozzi

Last updated
Stephen Mallozzi
Stephen Mallozzi 2023 standing.jpg
Mallozzi at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2023
BornStephen John Mallozzi
(2001-01-15) January 15, 2001 (age 23)
Swedesboro, New Jersey, U.S.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
5 races run over 2 years
Truck no., teamNo. 22 (Reaume Brothers Racing)
2023 position54th
Best finish54th (2023)
First race 2022 O'Reilly Auto Parts 150 (Mid-Ohio)
Last race 2023 UNOH 200 (Bristol)
WinsTop tens Poles
000
Statistics current as of June 3, 2023.

Stephen John Mallozzi (born January 15, 2001) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 22 Ford F-150 for Reaume Brothers Racing. He also competes in late model racing.

Contents

Mallozzi started competing in childhood by racing go-karts at the age of nine. After winning various karting championships, he abruptly stopped racing when his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. After spending most of his college years working in various journalism and law fields, he eventually returned to racing, citing motivation from his father. Initially joining RBR in 2021 as a development driver, he later made a one-off Truck Series start for the team the following year. He later raced in more Truck Series races in 2023 for both RBR and AM Racing.

Early life

Early racing career

Mallozzi was born to Stephen Anthony Mallozzi (born 1971) and Melissa Marie Miller (born 1970). [1] Mallozzi stated that he became a fan of auto racing when he was three years old, while watching auto racing on television. [1] His interest in auto racing grew after playing NASCAR Thunder 2004 , Mario Kart , and a "bunch of [other auto racing] games". [2] Mallozzi, with assistance from his father, later went to a local go-kart track at the age of nine years old and raced his first event. By the age of 11, he had started to race go-karts on a frequent scale. [1]

During his karting career, Mallozzi won multiple Northeast Karting Challenge championships, which earned him a spot to race overseas in Portugal for the United States. [3] His go-karting career lasted around five years; before a scheduled race in 2016, his father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, with his father only given six months to live. As a result of the diagnosis, Mallozzi decided to step away from auto racing. [4]

Transition to journalism

After stepping away from auto racing, Mallozzi transitioned to a journalism and broadcasting career. After graduating from Salesianum High School in 2019, he originally intended to join Rutgers University due to transport conflicts with the University of Virginia (UVA). However, after talking to a dean at UVA, he was persuaded to commit to Virginia in the fall of 2019, majoring in economics. [5] While at UVA, he worked as a sports commentator for various sports programs. [6]

Gradual return to racing

Early in 2021, Mallozzi talked to his father about frustrations that he had never raced in NASCAR. His father, who at this point had lived five years with cancer, stated, "If I treated my cancer the way you treated racing, I would have been dead five fucking years ago." [4] Self-described as a "verbal smackdown" for Mallozzi, the quote motivated him to pursue a racing career again. [7]

In July 2021, Mallozzi and Reaume Brothers Racing (RBR) crew member Jonathan Cuevas were announced to become the first members of a new driver development program for the team. [8] During this time, he gained a close friendship with team owner Josh Reaume, gained an internship working for RBR, and started racing late models across the Carolinas. [9]

NASCAR Truck Series

By 2022, Reaume let Mallozzi drive an entry at the 2022 O'Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio, with Mallozzi driving the team's No. 43 entry. According to Mallozzi, the effort made to get to the track itself was strenuous; he crowdfunded within a Facebook group, asked former sponsors to sponsor him for the race, and asked numerous personal friends to be spotters for the race. [10] During the race weekend itself, Mallozzi was involved in a practice accident with G2G Racing's Mason Filippi. While the damage wasn't extensive, Mallozzi expressed frustration at G2G Racing, stating, "[G2G Racing] is the biggest joke of a racing organization in NASCAR... I will stand by that statement publicly to anyone." [11] Mallozzi's car was eventually repaired and allowed to qualify, with Mallozzi finishing in 22nd in the race itself. [10]

Mallozzi on track at Bristol in 2023 Stephen Mallozzi 2023 Outback car.jpg
Mallozzi on track at Bristol in 2023

Mallozzi was able to compete in more races in the 2023 season. The season, according to Mallozzi, was precarious. His debut for the season came at Martinsville for AM Racing, in a deal where he was moved from an initial ride from RBR due to a lack of owner's points for RBR's entry. [12] He finished last after the car's battery suffered issues. [13] His next race came at Gateway for RBR; he described the race as "my version of hell", due to the circumstances of both heading into the race and the race itself. He sold his personal Dodge Charger that he had gotten from a sponsorship deal to get to the race itself [3] and during the race, his battery failed, resulting in a poor finish. [14] Around this same time, he was working as a part-time server at a Outback Steakhouse franchise; after the Martinsville race, he made calls on social media platforms for Outback Steakhouse to sponsor an entry for him. [7] After racing one more event for AM Racing at Pocono, a one-race sponsorship deal was announced with Outback Steakhouse in September, with the sponsor to run at the 2023 UNOH 200. [15]

Personal life

Mallozzi is the child of Stephen Anthony Mallozzi and Melissa Marie Miller. [1] Mallozzi cites Stephen as the main motivator for both his initial start in racing and his return. [4]

He attended Salesianum High School, a Catholic private school based in Wilmington, Delaware. [16] He later attended the University of Virginia, majoring in economics and graduating in 2022. He currently attends the Temple University Beasley School of Law, with Mallozzi scheduled to graduate in 2026. [2] Mallozzi currently resides in Philadelphia after previously living in Mooresville, North Carolina to study at Temple. [2] Before Mooresville, he had lived in his hometown of Swedesboro, New Jersey, moving from Swedesboro in 2021. [17]

Mallozzi currently works part-time as a server at an Outback Steakhouse franchise. He previously had worked at a Domino's franchise as a delivery driver; he was fired for having too many speeding tickets off the job. [7] He also is an occasional writer for NASCAR news site TobyChristie.com, serving as the site's eSports journalist. [18] Mallozzi has also used his writing position at TobyChristie.com to detail his racing career; he has stated on occasions that he believes to be "one of the poorest drivers in the entire Truck Series", stating the amount he has sacrificed in order to pursue a racing career compared to well-funded drivers in the series. [14]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Craftsman Truck Series

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223NCTCPtsRef
2022 Reaume Brothers Racing 43 Toyota DAY LVS ATL COA MAR BRD DAR KAN TEX CLT GTW SON KNX NSH MOH
22		 POC IRP RCH KAN BRI TAL HOM PHO 61st15 [19]
2023 AM Racing 22 Ford DAY LVS ATL COA TEX BRD MAR
36		 KAN DAR NWS CLT POC
24		 RCH IRP MLW KAN BRI
32		 TAL HOM PHO 54th25 [20]
Reaume Brothers Racing 34 Ford GTW
31		 NSH MOH
2024 22 DAY ATL LVS BRI COA MAR
TEX KAN DAR NWS CLT GTW NSH POC IRP RCH MLW BRI KAN TAL HOM MAR PHO -*-* [21]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 DiAmore, Isabella (July 8, 2022). "Dreams with his dad lead to new heights". The Philadelphia Inquirer . pp. D2. Retrieved October 25, 2023– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. 1 2 3 Eubanks, Michael (September 14, 2023). "From Outback to law school to racing at Bristol, Stephen Mallozzi's a man on a roll". Auto Racing Digest. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Whissell, Olivia (May 31, 2023). "Stephen Mallozzi Sells His Car to Make Gateway Truck Race". Kickin' The Tires. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Mallozzi, Stephen (May 31, 2023). "The Memoirs of a Small Time Racing Driver: Part One - Karting, Getting into NASCAR, and RBR Development". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  5. ↑ Ramspacher, Andrew (July 6, 2022). "As His Dad Fights Cancer, This UVA Student Nears Completion of Their NASCAR Dream". UVA Today . Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  6. ↑ Coleman, Anne-Parker (January 18, 2021). "Common Grounds: Stephen Mallozzi". WUVA . Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 Brownell, Bradley (September 14, 2023). "NASCAR Truck Racer Who Works As A Server At Outback Steakhouse Gets Outback Steakhouse Sponsorship". Jalopnik . Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  8. ↑ Srigley, Joseph (July 16, 2021). "Stephen Mallozzi, Jonathan Cuevas Named Inaugural Members of Reaume Brothers Racing Driver Development Program". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  9. ↑ Dalton, Kyle (April 19, 2023). "Meet Stephen Mallozzi: NASCAR Driver by Night, Outback Steakhouse Server by Day, and Lawyer in the Future". Sportscasting. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  10. 1 2 Mallozzi, Stephen (June 27, 2023). "The Memoirs of a Small Time Racing Driver: My First Truck Start at Mid-Ohio". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  11. ↑ Christie, Toby (July 8, 2022). "Stephen Mallozzi Peeved at G2G Racing After Slipping in Oil to Crash in Mid-Ohio Practice". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  12. ↑ Christie, Toby (April 13, 2023). "Stephen Mallozzi Elated to be Running for AM Racing at Martinsville; Physically Prepared for the Event". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  13. ↑ Beard, Brock (April 14, 2023). "TRUCKS: AM Racing team jumps the battery on Stephen Mallozzi's truck before rain stops the action in Martinsville". Lastcar. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  14. 1 2 Mallozzi, Stephen (August 22, 2023). "Memoirs of a Small Time Racing Driver: Gateway, My Version of Hell". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  15. ↑ Christie, Toby (September 5, 2023). "Outback Steakhouse Partners With Stephen Mallozzi, AM Racing at Bristol". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  16. ↑ Greene, Sean (July 8, 2022). "Salesianum alum to make NASCAR debut Saturday inspired by father's cancer fight". WDEL . Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  17. ↑ Srigley, Joseph (July 16, 2021). "Stephen Mallozzi, Jonathan Cuevas Named Inaugural Members of Reaume Brothers Racing Driver Development Program". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  18. ↑ Christie, Toby (June 23, 2022). "Stephen Mallozzi to Attempt Truck Series Debut at Mid-Ohio in No. 43 RBR Entry". TobyChristie.com. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Stephen Mallozzi – 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 23, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Stephen Mallozzi – 2023 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Stephen Mallozzi – 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
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