Joey “Mooch” Mucciacciaro is a client of Mike Calinoff Management (MCM). Calinoff is one of the longest active NASCAR spotters who also has a knack for driver development. Working with many of the top stars of NASCAR, Calinoff’s forte is developing rookies with names such as Matt Kenseth, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Nelson Piquet.
Calinoff’s 2013 development plan with Mucciacciaro includes racing late models in the Southeast and a season-ending event in the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series.
“Joey has an above average shot at making it to the top levels of NASCAR,” Calinoff said. “He is probably the most talented 15-year-old I have ever seen.”
In 2012, Mucciacciaro competed in the Winter Heat Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Young Lions division, finishing seventh in the championship points, despite not racing in all of the events. Advancing to the Semi-Pro Legends division in 2012, Joey quickly made a name for himself, finishing 2nd in the Semi-Pro division of the Summer Shootout Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway and within the top 10 nationally. This led to Mooch catching the eye of Calinoff and signing with MCM.
Mucciacciaro made his debut in a NASCAR Late Model at the 2013 World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at the legendary New Smyrna Speedway. In just his second race, Mooch headed to victory lane. During Speedweeks nine nights of racing, he accumulated a total of two top 5s and five top 10 finishes.
Mucciacciaro began his racing career at the age of five, driving Quarter Midgets at Silver City Speedway
In 2009, Joey won three championships in the Light Mod, Stock and B series respectively.
In 2010, Mucciacciaro moved out of Quarter Midgets and into Legend Cars where he took Rookie of the Year honors in Saturday’s NASCAR weekly racing series and the Wild N’ Wacky Wednesday division.
2010 also marked the start of Mucciacciaro’s NEMA Lites career at the Waterford Speedbowl where he received an award for being the youngest driver to compete in the series and notched three top-five finishes.
During 2011, in the combined-division Legends Car series at the Waterford Speedbowl, Joey finished fifth in the season points standings. He also raced multiple NEMA Lite features, finishing fifth or better in all events he entered which led to him signing with Steven Ross Motorsports.