Jeff Gluck

Did You Know?

• Gluck's first newspaper job was in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he was asked to cover a race at Rockingham Speedway, sparking his interest in NASCAR.
• In 2009, Gluck was laid off from NASCAR Scene due to economic issues caused by the Great Recession, then hired by SB Nation CEO Jim Bankoff.
• Gluck and his wife welcomed their second daughter in March 2021.

Career

Jeff Gluck began his NASCAR journalism career in 2007 as an associate editor for NASCAR Scene. Two years later, the Great Recession led to his layoff from that publication. Around the same time, the fledgling sports blog SB Nation needed a NASCAR reporter, and CEO Jim Bankoff brought Gluck on board. He stayed with SB Nation until the end of 2012, when he moved to USA Today.

In 2016, Gluck drew NASCAR’s ire for an article titled “NASCAR looks beyond declining attendance, TV ratings.” During a midseason update meeting, a high-ranking official told Gluck and the drivers present that his reporting was “killing the sport.” In a separate meeting Gluck did not attend, someone held up a copy of the article as an example of damaging coverage. Several drivers, including Carl Edwards, were upset, and one driver who hadn’t read the piece confronted Gluck at the track.

Gluck left USA Today in 2017 for family reasons, launching a reader-supported website. His wife, Sarah, was pursuing certification as a Child Life Specialist, which required the family to be flexible about relocating. In 2019, Gluck joined The Athletic when it began covering motorsports. The Daily Downforce, a NASCAR website, named him one of the best NASCAR personalities to follow on social media in April 2024.