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Chris Wimmer
Chris Wimmer
Chris Wimmer
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Chris Wimmer (born June 23, 1979) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He has raced mostly in short track competition and as high as the NASCAR Busch Series (now Xfinity Series). Wimmer competed in the ASA Midwest Tour (now ARCA Midwest Tour) where he finished as high as second in his final season (2013).[2] He has run a more limited schedule of touring events since.[1]

Key Information

Early career

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Wimmer's career began in his youth, when he began working on his uncle, Larry Detjens' race car.[3] Detjens was a champion late model racer who competed at Slinger Super Speedway and Wisconsin International Raceway. Detjens had the Slinger Nationals race trophy named after him after his death in 1981. Wimmer would work on his brother Scott Wimmer's cars after Scott started racing at age 14.[3]

He began his racing career at age 17 while still in high school, racing pure stocks. He won the pure stocks track championship at State Park Speedway near Wausau in 1997.[4] Later, he moved over to late models, and he won State Park Speedway's Larry Detjens Memorial Race in 2001.[4] Participating in 149 races, Chris won 17 times and had 53 top five finishes. In 2001, he moved up to the American Speed Association (ASA), competing in more than 50 events over the next three years.

NASCAR career

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On January 9, 2004, Wimmer signed to drive for MB Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series. Piloting the #63 Dave Porter Truck Sales Ford, Wimmer debuted at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway in early April. In the season he competed in twelve races; his best finish was 18th at Kansas Speedway. The following season, he was left without a ride before coming to an agreement with Green Light Racing in June 2005. He raced the #07 Chevrolet at the Milwaukee Mile. He would go on to race five more events for the team, occasionally switching to the #08 Chevy (which was unsponsored) and back to the #07, which had different sponsors in all four races Wimmer drove it. His best finish was 17th.

Despite having only run in 17 Craftsman Truck races, he came to a three-year agreement with Keith Coleman Racing in early November 2005 to drive the #23 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Busch Series. He raced once in the 2005 season at Phoenix International Raceway and finished 37th after crashing. In 2006, Wimmer tried to compete for Busch Series Rookie of the Year, but after missing many races, he was released. He returned to the Truck Series to drive the #08 truck for Green Light at Milwaukee, but finished last after an electrical failure. Later in the season, he made one race at Dover International Speedway, finishing 43rd in the #79 Speedco Chevy. His final race of the year came at Texas Motor Speedway, when he drove the #76 Automotive Fabrication Chevy for Jeff Milburn to a 34th-place finish.

In 2007, he drove one more race for Milburn at Texas, where he finished 30th after an engine failure.

Post-NASCAR career

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Wimmer's 2008 ASA car
Wimmer with his crew after winning the 2014 Slinger Nationals

In 2008, he began competing on the ASA Midwest Tour, finishing fourth in the season points.[2] He had nine Top 10 finishes and was the fastest qualifier in two of 14 events. He was the only driver in the Top 5 in points to have no wins.[2]

Wimmer operated State Park Speedway along with his father.[1] He raced on the ASA series, continuing after it was renamed as the ARCA Midwest Tour,8 until finishing second in series points in 2013.[1] He has also raced in events at State Park Speedway and other area tracks such as Marshfield Motor Speedway and Golden Sands Speedway. Wimmer competed in the 2014 Slinger Nationals. He raced up to second behind Dennis Prunty and took the lead late in the race when Prunty's car stopped running. Wimmer held off a late charge by Matt Kenseth to take the win.[5] He won the final race in a three-race super late model Challenge Series at Madison International Speedway to take the track championship.[6]

In May 2015, Wimmer took over as crew chief for Harrison Burton's Super Late Model replacing Freddie Query.[7] Burton is the son of Jeff Burton.[7]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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

Busch Series

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NASCAR Busch Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NBSC Pts Ref
2005 Keith Coleman Racing 23 Chevy DAY CAL MXC LVS ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX
DNQ 		PHO
37 		HOM
DNQ 		136th 52 [8]
2006 DAY
DNQ 		CAL
DNQ 		MXC
DNQ 		LVS
DNQ 		ATL
DNQ 		BRI
39 		TEX
DNQ 		NSH
40 		PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH 106th 123 [9]
Odle Motorsports 79 Chevy DOV
43 		KAN CLT
Davis Motorsports 0 Chevy MEM
DNQ 		TEX PHO HOM

Craftsman Truck Series

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NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NCTC Pts Ref
2004 MB Motorsports 63 Ford DAY ATL MAR
DNQ 		MFD
36 		CLT DOV TEX MEM
36 		MLW
20 		KAN
18 		KEN
21 		GTW
24 		MCH IRP
DNQ 		NSH
33 		BRI
25 		RCH
36 		NHA LVS
DNQ 		CAL
29 		TEX
27 		MAR PHO
33 		DAR HOM 31st 942 [10]
2005 Green Light Racing 07 Chevy DAY CAL ATL MAR GTY MFD CLT DOV TEX MCH MLW
22 		KAN KEN MEM
17 		IRP BRI
35 		RCH NHA LVS MAR HOM
33 		43rd 504 [11]
08 NSH
34 		ATL
17 		TEX PHO
2006 DAY CAL ATL MAR GTY CLT MFD DOV TEX MCH MLW
36 		KAN KEN MEM IRP NSH BRI NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL 73rd 116 [12]
Jeff Milburn Racing 76 Chevy TEX
34 		PHO HOM
2007 DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT MFD DOV TEX
30 		MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI GTW NHA LVS
36 		TAL MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 98th 73 [13]

ARCA Re/Max Series

[edit]

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

ARCA Re/Max Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ARSC Pts Ref
2003 Bill Davis Racing 22 Dodge DAY ATL NSH SLM TOL KEN CLT BLN KAN MCH LER POC POC NSH ISF WIN DSF CHI SLM TAL CLT
DNQ 		SBO NA 0 [14]
2007 Win-Tron Racing 32 Dodge DAY USA NSH SLM KAN WIN KEN TOL IOW POC MCH
33 		BLN KEN POC NSH ISF MIL GTW DSF CHI SLM TAL TOL 166th 65 [15]
2008 DAY SLM IOW KEN CAR KEN TOL POC MCH
16 		CAY KEN BLN POC NSH ISF DSF CHI SLM NJE TAL TOL 113th 150 [16]

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Chris Wimmer

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Chris Wimmer is an American podcaster, author, and producer known for his long-form narrative podcasts exploring American history and his debut nonfiction book on the Old West. He is the creator, host, and lead writer of Legends of the Old West, a podcast dedicated to telling true stories from the American frontier, and he also hosts the podcast Infamous America. Wimmer holds a master's degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and has received numerous local, state, and national awards for his writing. Before founding Black Barrel Media, the podcast production company where he serves as a key figure, he worked in the film and journalism industries for 18 years. His first book, The Summer of 1876: Outlaws, Lawmen, and Legends in the Season That Defined the American West, examines pivotal events and figures—including George Armstrong Custer, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Wild Bill Hickok, and Jesse James—during a transformative summer that shaped the mythology of the American West. Through his work in podcasting and writing, Wimmer combines journalistic rigor with cinematic storytelling to bring historical narratives to modern audiences.

Early Life

Birth and Background

No verified details about Chris Wimmer's birth date, birthplace, family background, or other aspects of his early personal life are documented in reliable public sources. Chris Wimmer holds a master's degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University.

Career

Early Work in Film and Journalism

Chris Wimmer began his career in the film industry in Los Angeles, accumulating 14 years of experience in film, video production, and screenwriting. He took on various hands-on roles, including serving as an office production assistant on the 2003 film Dreamcatcher, working as a cameraman for the 2006 SXSW Festival TV movie, contributing as an additional assistant editor on the 2006 video Recreating the Eighth Wonder: The Making of 'King Kong', and acting as assistant director on the 2011 short film As Much a Light. His film work involved independently writing, shooting, producing, and editing content, as well as leading teams under demanding conditions and pitching stories successfully. He documented a range of events, such as protest marches in Los Angeles, interviews with legendary filmmakers in New York, music festivals in Austin and Tennessee, and a mid-air interview with Richard Branson aboard the inaugural Virgin America flight from Los Angeles to New York. Wimmer later transitioned into journalism, earning a master's degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He contributed articles to Cronkite News, including pieces on Phoenix's extreme heat published in 2015, and received recognition for his reporting by winning first place in the Community Sports Feature Reporting category from the Arizona Press Club for his story on basketball in the Navajo Nation. Described as an award-winning journalist with numerous local, state, and national honors, he worked in the film and journalism industries for a total of 18 years before founding Black Barrel Media.

Transition to Podcasting and Audio Production

After working in the film and journalism industries for 18 years, Chris Wimmer—an avid podcast listener—created Black Barrel Media, a podcast production company specializing in cinematic audio. Black Barrel Media focuses on unique audio entertainment experiences through cinematic storytelling and sound design to bring history to life, emphasizing high-quality production for historical and true crime narratives. Wimmer serves as a writer, host, and producer at Black Barrel Media, which he co-owns. He previously spent 14 years working in Hollywood's film industry and is an award-winning journalist who has drawn on knowledge from both fields to produce informative and entertaining podcasts. This combination of film techniques and journalistic rigor informs his approach to immersive, narrative-driven audio content. His transition began as a side project while employed as a small-town newspaper reporter in Texas, reflecting a shift from traditional media to independent audio production driven by his passion for podcast listening.

Podcasting Career

Legends of the Old West

Legends of the Old West is a long-form narrative podcast created, hosted, and lead-written by Chris Wimmer that tells true stories of the American West. Wimmer also serves as producer for the series, which is released through Black Barrel Media, the audio production company he founded after nearly two decades in film and journalism. The podcast employs cinematic music and sound design to immerse listeners in historical narratives. Launched on March 23, 2018, the show focuses on the people and events that shaped the American frontier, covering the toughest lawmen, wildest outlaws, and deadliest towns. It examines iconic figures such as Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, and Butch Cassidy, alongside Native American tribes including the Lakota, Comanche, and Apache, as well as broader themes of wars, gunfights, and robberies. Many stories unfold across multi-part series, with examples including episodes on the Donner Party, the Bloody Benders, and Red Cloud's War. The podcast has achieved strong listener approval, maintaining a 4.8 out of 5 rating based on more than 3,500 reviews on Apple Podcasts. With over 300 episodes across 45 seasons, it continues to release weekly content, including encores of earlier series for the free feed and early access for subscribers.

Infamous America

Infamous America is a historical true crime podcast hosted, written, and produced by Chris Wimmer, featuring cinematic storytelling enhanced by signature music and sound design to bring historical events to life. Launched on September 25, 2018, the series explores the wildest and darkest chapters of American history, including infamous figures and events such as assassins, gangsters, outlaws, traitors, scandals, manhunts, and unexplained phenomena. Key seasons have delved into topics like the Salem Witch Trials (Season 1), the Black Sox scandal (Season 2), Billy the Kid (Season 3), John Dillinger (Season 4), John Wilkes Booth (Season 5), Alcatraz (Season 6), D.B. Cooper (Season 7), Leopold & Loeb (Season 8), and Lizzie Borden (Season 9), among others covering figures like Bonnie and Clyde and events like the Pierre Hotel heist in later seasons. The podcast is produced under Black Barrel Media, the cinematic audio company co-owned by Chris Wimmer and his sister Mandi Wimmer, who serves as executive producer. Wimmer's role as the single narrator emphasizes detailed, immersive historical narratives drawn from true crime and American history. The series has earned strong listener acclaim, reflected in high ratings across platforms including 4.9 out of 5 on Apple Podcasts. A notable milestone includes Chris Wimmer and Mandi Wimmer's appearance on the History Channel series Greatest Heists, hosted by Pierce Brosnan, where they discussed stories overlapping with the podcast's content, such as the Pierre Hotel robbery. This exposure highlights the podcast's contribution to popularizing rigorous historical true crime storytelling in audio format.

Media Appearances

Television Interviews and Guest Spots

No television appearances are documented. In addition to his own podcasts, Wimmer has made guest appearances on other podcasts focused on history and related topics. He was featured on Based on a True Story, discussing the real events behind famous stories and their portrayals in media, including episodes on films such as Tombstone and Young Guns. He also appeared on Stacking Benjamins, where he explored wealth lessons and historical financial topics from the Old West and their relevance to modern listeners. These spots have complemented his work in audio storytelling by allowing him to discuss themes from his own podcasts in conversation with other hosts.

Legacy and Impact

Influence on Historical Storytelling in Audio Media

Chris Wimmer produces narrative-driven podcasts through Black Barrel Media, incorporating his background in journalism and filmmaking. His series Legends of the Old West and Infamous America present stories from the American Old West and historical true crime using cinematic audio techniques. In 2023, Wimmer appeared on the History Channel series Greatest Heists, hosted by Pierce Brosnan, contributing to episodes on notable robberies including the Pierre Hotel Heist and Dunbar Armored Car Robbery. His work remains primarily within the podcasting community, with limited mainstream media profiles or critical analyses in major outlets. There are no confirmed book deals, television adaptations, or other major media expansions associated with his podcast series, and public information about his personal life and future projects is sparse.
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