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Part-time NASCAR Cup Series driver J.J. Yeley recently made headlines in the motorsport world after a TV blooper portrayed him as the 2009 F1 champion. The mishap occurred during the qualifying session for the NOCO 400 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday (April 15).
Driving the #15 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing, Yeley was running in Group 4 in the qualifying session when the graphics on FOX Sports introduced him as the 2009 F1 World Champion. The displayed information was quickly recognized as an error from the broadcast network, as Yeley has never raced in F1.
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Jenson Button was the driver's champion of the 2009 Formula 1 season; he won the title with Brawn GP. The Brit recently made his debut in the Cup Series, driving the #15 Ford Mustang in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas.
J.J. Yeley and Button are sharing the same car for the 2023 season, driving for Rick Ware Racing. The mishap from the broadcaster might have occurred because they used the same graphics for the #15 car they used in COTA.
While FOX Sports tried to redefine history by crowning Yeley as the 2009 F1 champion, he was driving #41 for Mayfield Motorsports in the Cup Series that year. Although the RWR driver has not raced in F1, he has plenty of experience driving open-wheelers.
After securing the Rookie of the Year Award in the USAC National Sprint Car Series in 1997, Yeley participated in the NTT IndyCar Series the following year. He made five starts in the series formerly known as the Indy Racing League. The 46-year-old secured his best finish in the prestigious Indy 500, managing a top-10 finish.
After another year in the series, he switched to Sprint cars before making his NASCAR debut in 2004.
Yeley and Button will share the #15 for the rest of the season, as the former F1 champion will return to make two more appearances. Button will make his second start on the inaugural Chicago Street Circuit, followed by his third start on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course on August 13.
Fans react to 2009 F1 Champion blooper during NASCAR qualifying session
When Fox Sports portrayed NASCAR driver J.J. Yeley as the 2009 F1 World Champion, fans quickly took to social media with images of the same. The major blunder from the broadcasting network started doing the rounds on social media in no time.
The blooper left many NASCAR fans in splits as they reacted to the incident on Twitter. Here are a few reactions:
Jenson Button himself reacted on Twitter, sharing an emoji:
Blaming Fox Sports for the mishap, a few tweets read:
