Joe Plazek started his racing career in 1973 on motorcycles in motocross racing for the Canadian Motorcycle Association. In 1977 on request from dad and mom (their fear of injury), Joe traded two wheels for four. Purchasing an asphalt compact car and racing Cayuga plus Flamboro Speedways he cut his teeth as a sixteen year old against most competitors old enough to be his dad. In 1982, Joe decided with the demise of the asphalt circuit in Ontario he would move his racing efforts to the DIRT tracks of Niagara and New York State. The accomplishments there would make a career for most but in 2002 Joe returned to the asphalt in the CASCAR SUPER SERIES and won the CASCAR 2002 Rookie of the Year Award.