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Category: NASCAR Champions

The NASCAR champions series by SpeedwayMedia.com

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Benny Parsons

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Benny Parsons

    Cup Champion: 1973
    Born: July 12, 1941
    Died: January 16, 2007
    Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
    Career: 1964-1988

    Premier Series Stats:
    Starts: 526
    Wins:   21
    Poles:  20

    Racer, broadcaster, mentor, friend; you could use any of these words to describe Benjamin “Benny” Parsons. But his most endearing quality was that he was simply one of the most gracious and unpretentious people you could ever hope to meet. That’s a rare commodity in a sport as competitive as NASCAR.

    To his colleagues and friends, he was known as “Gentle Ben.” His ever-present smile and upbeat attitude was infectious. It was impossible not to like him.

    Pit reporter Matt Yocum probably said it best, describing Parsons as “part Elvis, part Santa Claus and part comedian.”

    As this month marks nine years since we lost our beloved BP, it seems only fitting that we take a moment to reflect on his life and career in NASCAR. Newer fans will remember him as a familiar face and voice in the broadcast booth while more established fans will recount stories from his racing career, highlighted by his 1973 Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) Championship.

    It was a championship that almost wasn’t and it all came down to the final race of the 1973 season at North Carolina Motor Speedway. Parsons undoubtedly thought his championship hopes were over when he came upon a wrecked car on the track.

    “A car had spun and was sitting on the racetrack sideways, just sitting there,” Parsons explained. “I tried to turn under him and when I did I just caught him with the right side of my car and ripped the whole right side off of it.”

    But he headed in for repairs and was able to return to the track and run enough laps to win the championship by 67 points, besting Cale Yarborough.

    Parsons’ most dramatic win came in 1975 at the Daytona 500. David Pearson was leading the race but spun out with two laps remaining. Parsons, who had started the race from the 32nd position in the No. 72 DeWitt Chevrolet, found himself in position to take advantage of Pearson’s mistake and captured the checkered flag, earning his third career Cup victory.

    Parsons was born in Wilkes County, North Carolina but was raised in Detroit where he worked driving a taxi. He won two consecutive championships in the ARCA Racing Series (1968-1969) before moving back down south to pursue a career in the Cup Series.

    He made 526 starts during his Cup racing career, winning 21 races and 20 poles. More impressive, Parsons finished no lower than fifth place in the points standings from 1972-1980. He also had the distinction of being the first Cup driver to qualify for a race at a speed faster than 200 mph, posting a lap of 200.176 mph in 1982 for the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

    He retired from racing in 1988 and entered the world of broadcasting, utilizing his expertise on the track and his gift for storytelling. Parsons won an ACE Award in 1989 and an Emmy in 1996 while working at ESPN. In 2001, he moved to NBC and TNT and also co-hosted the show, “Fast Talk,” with Doug Rice on the Performance Racing Network.

    Parsons’ multi-faceted career also included appearances in several movies including Stroker Ace, Herbie Fully Loaded and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. His gregarious personality made him a natural for the big screen.

    In July 2006, Parsons was diagnosed with cancer in his left lung and underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The treatments were successful and he was declared “cancer-free” but he lost the use of his left lung.

    Parsons was hospitalized on Dec. 26 after doctors discovered a blood clot in his right lung. Shortly after, he was moved to intensive care and placed in an induced coma. Parsons passed away Jan. 16 at the age of 65.

    After his death, Darrell Waltrip said, “Benny Parsons was the kindest, sweetest, most considerate person I have ever known. He was almost too nice to be a race car driver, and I say that as a compliment. In my 30-odd years of racing Benny Parsons, I never knew of anyone being mad at Benny.”

    Jeff Gordon echoed Waltrip’s sentiments, saying, “Benny was a special person and anyone who came in contact with him knew it. He was one of the most genuine and generous individuals I’ve ever met.”

    Greg Biffle was discovered by Parsons who convinced Jack Roush to hire the young driver. “It’s obvious he’s the only reason why I am here in this sport,” Biffle said. “I would still be in Washington racing local stuff if not for BP.”

    Racer, broadcaster, mentor, friend; Parsons’ influence is still felt today. And nine years later, NASCAR continues to mourn his loss.

    Accomplishments:

    1965 – ARCA Racing Series Rookie of the Year Award
    1968 – 1969 ARCA Racing Series Champion
    1989 – Cable ACE Award for Best Sports Analyst
    1994 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
    1994 – Inducted into Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Court of Legends
    1995 – Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame
    1996 – ESPN Emmy
    1998 – Named One of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    2005 – Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee
    2006 – Myers Brothers Award
    2007 – North Carolina Motorsports Industry Lifetime Tribute Award
    2010 –2016 Nominee to NASCAR Hall of Fame

     

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Bobby Isaac

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Bobby Isaac

    Cup Champion: 1970
    Born: August 1, 1932
    Died: August 14, 1977
    Hometown: Catawba, North Carolina
    Career: 1961-1976

    Premier Series Stats:
    Starts: 309
    Wins:   37
    Poles:  49

    Bobby Isaac possessed the one attribute that all NASCAR drivers crave. He was quite simply; fast. In 1969, he captured the record for most poles in a single season with 19. That record still stands today. In fact, only 38 drivers have achieved 19 or more poles throughout their entire career.

    Isaac is probably one of the least known NASCAR Champions. Often described as a loner and reluctant to give interviews, he was most comfortable behind the wheel of a race car.

    He was the second youngest of nine children and his father died when he was six. The kids were left to take care of the farm and themselves while their mother found work in town and Isaac eventually quit school at the age of 13. Three years later his mother passed away. Many of the details surrounding his young life vary depending upon who you ask. But most will agree that his life changed when he first set eyes on a race track and that track was Hickory Motor Speedway, otherwise known as “America’s most famous short track.”

    He was around 19 or 20 when he decided that he wanted to become a race car driver and he began competing and winning in other peoples’ cars at the local dirt tracks. Isaac became part of a group of racers including NASCAR Hall of Famers (NHOF) David Pearson, Ned Jarrett and Richard Petty who frequented the same tracks.

    Pearson had seen Isaac around and introduced himself at one such track in Cowpens, South Carolina.

    “He was hard to talk to,” Pearson said. He wouldn’t talk to nobody. He was kind of quiet and everything. I just more or less made him talk to me. I liked him and we became real close friends.”

    Isaac spoke about those early days saying, “One time I drove 200 miles to drive a fellow’s modified car with $4 in my pocket. I figured that I’d have enough to buy gas to get down there and eat a hot dog before the race. The gas was $3, but I had to put two quarts of oil in my car so I was broke when I left town. When the feature started my stomach was not only growling but I didn’t have enough gas to get back home. I drove that car as hard as I could and won. I had to win!”

    Isaac was making his mark on the dirt track circuit but what he really wanted was to move up to the NASCAR Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series). But that required money he didn’t have so he began looking for someone to finance him.

    Unfortunately, while Isaac was becoming known as a fierce and successful competitor he was also gaining a reputation as a hot head. If he felt someone had raced him unfairly, he would settle the dispute with his fists off the track or by running a driver off the track during a race.

    It has been said that Isaac was one of the most fined drivers in NASCAR history. Although there are no records to back up this claim, his temper is well documented. It soon became a battle of wills; Isaac would get in a fight and NASCAR would fine him. The more he fought, the higher the fine.

    The story goes that finally NASCAR had enough and Pat Purcell, the executive manager of NASCAR at the time, laid down the law.

    “Racing doesn’t need you,” Purcell said, “but it’s up to you to decide if you need racing. Racing is going to get along without you unless you change your ways and learn to use your head instead of your fists. Now it’s up to you.”

    Isaac took the advice to heart and later began to golf, which started off as a way to exercise, but became a way to let off steam.

    ‘I’m taking my temper out on the course now,” he explained, “not on the race track. That’s no place to get mad. There’s a difference. You break a golf club, you can always replace it.”

    The turning point in Isaac’s career came when he got a phone call from the famed crew chief and mechanic, Harry Hyde. K&K Insurance, owned by Nord and Teddi Krauskopf, was financing a team and they wanted Isaac as their driver. The plan was to run 12 races in 1967 with the goal of winning a championship in a few years.

    In 1968, he ran his first full season in the Grand National Series and finished second in the series standings to David Pearson. In 1969 his 19 poles and career-high 17 wins earned him a sixth place ranking at season’s end.

    The 1969 season also featured what Isaac called his most satisfying victory, even more so than his 1970 Championship. It came at the last race of the year at the two-mile Texas World Speedway in College Station, Texas. It was the track’s inaugural race, the Texas 500, and NHOF nominee Buddy Baker had the win in sight after leading 150 laps. But Baker crashed during caution as he was apparently trying to read the pit board with only 21 laps remaining. Isaac grabbed the win, leading the last 19 laps.

    It was Isaac’s 20th victory but his first win at a track larger than one mile.

    “We won a lot of short-track races, but we couldn’t pull it all together on the big tracks until the last race of the season at Texas. That win was my biggest moment in racing,” Isaac told Greg Fielden for “NASCAR: The Complete History.”

    In 1970, Isaac won the Cup championship scoring 11 wins, 13 poles and 32 top-fives in his No. 71 K&K Insurance Dodge Charger Daytona.

    “Winning the championship gave me personal satisfaction, but I’d rank it second to the Texas win,” Isaac said. “The way I look at it, it took me seven years to win a superspeedway race and only three years to win the championship.”

    He later came to appreciate the significance of his championship. Isaac appeared in a documentary called “Once upon a Wheel,” hosted by Paul Newman. It was filmed in 1971 and various drivers were asked why they chose to race.

    “This has been a life-long ambition for me since I’ve been in racing, to be the Grand National Champion,” Isaac replied. “I had a lot of good friends that was the champion years before me and I like when we’re standing around to feel that I’m as good as they was. They was the world’s champion and I’m the world’s champion.”

    Isaac’s claim to fame did not end there. In September 1971, he took his Dodge to the Bonneville Salt Flats and set 28 world-class records in one day. Many of those records still stand today.

    In 1972 Isaac walked away from the K&K Insurance team amid problems between owner Krauskopf and NASCAR over rule changes. Those issues led to Krauskopf boycotting some races while Isaac sat on the sidelines. He was also unhappy to learn that the team had agreed to run a second car with Buddy Baker, feeling that it would unfairly divide their resources. More than anything, Isaac just wanted to race every week but he remained appreciative of all the opportunities he had been given by Krauskopf.

    “They were awfully good to me. I can’t say anything bad about Nord or Harry. They did what they thought they had to do,” he emphasized. “I won more races in two years than most drivers have in a career.”

    Isaac continued racing until 1976, but he never won another NASCAR race after leaving the K&K Insurance team. His final race was at Hickory Motor Speedway on August 13, 1977. With 10 laps to go, Isaac pitted. He asked for a relief driver and took a few steps after leaving his car, but suddenly collapsed.

    Dr. Jerry Punch, a veteran ABC/ESPN broadcaster, was a second-year medical student at the time and was in the announcer’s booth that night.

    “It was a typical Isaac race, smooth and consistent,” said Punch. “But with about 40 laps to go, he got very erratic. After driving all over the track, Isaac pulled into the pits with 10 laps to go. It looked like a case of heat prostration.”

    “They took him to Catawba Memorial Hospital in Hickory,” Punch continued. “When I walked in, they had Bobby on one of the tables. He still had his fire suit on, but it was unzipped, and he had his sleeves tied around his waist. And he told me, ‘That old car just drove so hard tonight. My arms just ache.’”

    As Isaac was being examined in the X-ray room, he went into cardiac arrest and the doctors were unable to revive him. He was only 45 years old at the time of his death.

    Isaac had a short but impressive career. His quiet demeanor off the track was in stark contrast to the intensity with which he drove a race car. A man of few words, he let his actions on the track do his talking for him.

    Accomplishments:

    1970 – Driver of the Year Award from the National Motorsports Press Association
    1979 – Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame
    1996 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
    1998 – Named One of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    2012 – Nominee to NASCAR Hall of Fame

    Credits:

    Dr. Jerry Punch quotes http://www.caranddriver.com/features/aero-warrior-the-death-of-isaac-page-1

    Bobby Isaac, David Pearson and Pat Purcell quotes: “Bobby Isaac: NASCAR’s First Modern Champion” by Steve Lehto

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring David Pearson

    NASCAR Champions Featuring David Pearson

    Cup Champion: 1966, 1968, 1969
    Born: December 22, 1934
    Hometown: Spartanburg, South Carolina
    Career: 1960 – 1986

    Premier Series Stats:
    Starts: 574
    Wins:   105
    Poles:  113

    David Pearson was not only fast in a race car, he was also quick on his feet. NASCAR’s “Silver Fox,” could outrun and outthink most of his competitors on any given day.

    Pearson made the most out of each opportunity. He never ran every single race in any season during a career that spanned 27 years, making his three Cup championship titles even more impressive.

    He won his first championship in 1966, competing in 42 of 49 races. Pearson’s second championship was earned in 1968 after running 48 of 49 events. His third and final title came in 1969 when he ran 51 of 54 races.

    Over the course of his career, Pearson raced his way to 105 victories and 113 poles in only 574 starts which ranks second all-time in both categories. His winning percentage of 18.293 is the third highest all-time. Only Herb Thomas (21.053) and Tim Flock (20.856) were more productive on the track. Any time he showed up to race, Pearson was a threat to win.

    Richard Petty once said of his rival, “If anybody asks, who is the best driver you ever drove against? I don’t hesitate. It was David Pearson.”

    Pearson drove for fellow Spartanburg, South Carolina native Cotton Owens from 1962 to 1967 and won his first championship in 1966 with Owens. Their partnership produced 27 wins and fostered a lifelong friendship.

    “He meant more to the sport than a lot of people thought,” said Pearson. “He won a ton of races in modifieds. He built the cars himself. He built the motors himself. He drove them. He won at Daytona on the beach. And he was just a good, honest fella.”

    His second and third titles came as a driver for Holman-Moody in 1968 and 1969. The two championship years included 27 wins (16 in 1968 and 11 in 1969), 26 poles and 78 top-fives in 99 starts.

    In 1968 while driving for Holman-Moody, Pearson began his rule of “The Track Too Tough To Tame,” capturing his first win, followed by another victory in 1970.  His domination continued throughout the 1970s with Wood Brothers Racing as he collected six more checkered flags at Darlington Raceway between 1972 and 1977. Two more first place finishes in 1979 and 1980 gave him a grand total of 10 wins and 12 poles, securing his place as the all-time wins leader at one of the most difficult tracks on the NASCAR circuit.

    Pearson’s 10 Darlington victories included wins with three different manufactures between 1968 and 1980.

    Ford – 1968, 1970 – Holman-Moody
    Mercury – 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976 (twice), 1977 – Wood Brothers
    Chevrolet – 1979 – Rod Osterlund
    Chevrolet – 1980 – Hoss Ellington

    Parson joined Wood Brothers Racing in 1972 for one of the most potent combinations of driver and team in NASCAR history. Although he didn’t compete in enough races to contend for a championship while with the team, he was always a formidable opponent wherever he raced.

    Pearson’s dominance on the track was never more evident than in 1973 when he won 11 of the 18 races he entered. “It was just enjoyable to go to a race track, he said, “knowing you had a chance of winning that race before you ever got there.”

    His career with the Wood Brothers also included a dramatic win of the Daytona 500 in 1976 in a car built by renowned car builder Banjo Matthews. Richard Petty was leading as the race wound down when Pearson made his move to the inside for the pass. At the same time Petty dove to the bottom of the track and the two collided as they were racing off of turn four. Pearson managed to keep his car running and inched across the finish line for his lone Daytona 500 win.

    Pearson also had an affinity for Charlotte Motor Speedway. In 46 starts, he earned a record 14 poles, including 11 consecutive poles from 1973 to 1978. Three of those poles translated into wins for Pearson.

    In 2011 he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame by Leonard Wood. Pearson called Wood, “the smartest man in the world,” in his acceptance speech. “If they needed something for that car and they couldn’t find it or couldn’t buy it, he made it.”

    He went on to thank Richard Petty. “He’s probably the one who made me win as many as I did. I’d run hard because he’d make me run hard. Sometimes he’d even make a mistake and I’d pass him. Of course I didn’t ever make no mistakes,” he said laughing.”I always accused him of having big engines when he passed me.”

    Pearson concluded by saying, “I knew if I ever went to a race track and he was there, if I could beat him, I’d win the race.”

    Pearson’s natural talent plus the ability to outwit his competitors made him one of NASCAR’s most successful and influential drivers both on and off the track.

    Accomplishments:

    1960 Rookie of the Year
    1966, 1968, 1969 Sprint Cup Champion
    1979 and 1980 Most Popular Driver Award
    1990 International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee
    1991 National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame Inductee
    1993 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee
    1998 Named One of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    1998 Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends
    2011 NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Richard Petty

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Richard Petty

    Cup Champion: 1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979
    Born: July 2, 1937
    Hometown: Randleman, North Carolina
    Career: 1958 – 1992

    Premier Series Stats:
    Starts: 1185
    Wins: 200
    Poles: 123

    With his tall, slender frame, signature feathered cowboy hat and sunglasses; he is easily one of the most recognizable figures in the racing world. His accomplishments on the track will likely never be equaled and a worthy successor may never be found. There has only been one king in NASCAR and that king is Richard Petty.

    His success in the Sprint Cup Series is unparalleled and includes the most wins (200) and the most poles (123). He is tied with Dale Earnhardt for the most championships (seven) and holds the record for most Daytona 500 wins with seven. In 1967 he set two records with the most wins in a season (27) and the most consecutive wins (10). His 1,185 starts set the bar for the most starts in the series.

    Petty retired from driving in 1992 and assumed the role of car owner with Petty Enterprises. The organization won a total of 268 races before they merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2009 to form Richard Petty Motorsports. In 2010, Petty was inducted into the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    With Petty at the helm, Richard Petty Motorsports currently fields two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola and a Nationwide Series team with Dakoda Armstrong.

    Petty’s legacy and influence, however, extend beyond mere statistics. It cannot be truly measured by numbers in a record book but rather is reflected in the lives he has touched.

    In 2003, John Force (16-time NHRA Funny Car champion), was asked what kind of legacy he wanted to leave in drag racing.

    “Hell, that’s an easy one to answer,” he said. “I want to be the guy that signed more autographs for the fans than anyone else. When I was first getting into this sport I watched Richard Petty. I watched the way he treated his fans. He would stand and sign autographs as long as people wanted them. I never saw him refuse to give a fan an autograph. I saw the love that his fans had for him and the way he seemed to really like them. I want to be like Petty except I that I want to sign even more autographs than he has. I want to take care of my fans the way he has.”

    For some fans, it was Petty’s prowess on the track that inspired their allegiance. Jimmy Taylor shared this memory from August 1979 at Michigan International Speedway.

    It was “20 laps to go,” he told me. “Petty is following Baker lap after lap. They take the white flag coming down the back stretch. Baker goes low to block the slingshot. Petty goes high instead, coming off turn four, side by side, screaming to the checkered, Petty wins by four feet! This 13-year-old boy cried like a baby with joy, the second greatest moment of my life besides my child’s birth.”

    For Mike Neff, Senior Writer at Frontstretch.com, it was a chance encounter that left a lasting impression.

    “In 2003 the fall Nationwide race at Charlotte was scheduled to run on Friday night but it was rained out,” he explained. “Saturday morning I packed up the kids and the wife and headed to the track. When we got there we stopped at the restroom for mom and the kids to take a break before we went to our seats. As I waited on them I saw Richard Petty leaning against the wall waiting for Lynda to come out of the restroom as well. I took the opportunity to shake his hand, having never met him before.

    “The family comes out of the restroom and we head down to our cheap seats, three rows up from the track at the flag stand and settle in to watch the race. As the pace laps are going on, who comes to sit directly behind us, in the cheap seats, but Richard Petty. Couldn’t believe he was sitting in such crappy seats.

    “Throughout the race people come by and talk, take pictures, get autographs, tell stories and just get their own little piece of the King. We did get to talk a little about racing during cautions and spent the whole race just being fans. It was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had at a race track.

    “When the day ended I wished him well, he thanked me for spending the race with him and we went on our way. I can’t imagine Dale Jr. or Jimmie Johnson sitting four rows up at a Nationwide race and spending 75 percent of the time interacting with fans. There is a reason he’s called The King.”

    Randy Claflin’s favorite story is about a special birthday present courtesy of Petty.

    “In October of 1988, some of my family went to Florida on vacation,” he began. “On our way back home to Michigan, we stopped at the Petty museum for my birthday. While watching a movie in the museum, I heard a race car start up. Soon you could hear it moving around the building I was in. I went running through the museum with my camera (an old 110 film camera) out the front door. Here is Richard driving one of his Pontiacs around the parking lot. When he saw me and my camera, he stopped so I could take a picture. I went over to him and introduced myself to him and he shook my hand. He wished me a Happy Birthday, started the car back up and drove off. I lost the picture long ago but the memory of a great birthday present will live forever.”

    Terry Strange recounted a touching memory from Bristol about how a small gesture from Petty had a huge impact on a young boy.

    “Many years ago, the infield at Bristol was grass, and racers, their families and some fans could drive their own vehicles inside to park. My wife and I were sitting in our car eating a sandwich before we pushed the cars out to line up pre-race. A lady driving a pickup with a disabled child in the back (in a wheelchair) drove into the infield. She couldn’t find a place to park, as all the spaces in our section were full. A yellow tape separated us from the press parking, which was half-full. I held the rope up and let the lady come through.

    “She thanked me, and said that her son loved Richard Petty, and that his dream was to one day meet him. I had talked to him earlier,” Terry said, “and knew where his truck was parked. I walked over to his truck, where he was eating his own sandwich. I told him about the young man, he promptly put the sandwich down and told me to take him to the boy. As we walked across the infield to the truck, the boy lit up with a huge smile, Richard got up into the back of the truck and sat and talked with the youngster for quite a while. The boy’s mother cried. I waved and walked back to my car, then to work. I knew that afternoon why they call him The King.”

    Many drivers look at signing autographs as an obligation. Today’s fans often have to jump through hoops just to be part of autograph sessions that are first come, first served and limited to a strict period of time. Petty is a different breed of driver and as Bob Waas discovered, “He is the real deal.”

    Bob was an official from 1967-1977 at the now defunct, Islip Speedway in New York and his story dates back to July 5, 1967 when he drove the pace car for a NASCAR event.

    “Back then when the Sprint Cup cars (Grand National) visited Islip they didn’t have their own pace car driver,” he revealed, “so they entrusted the local officials with the duty of driving the pace car.

    “At the conclusion of the race I had the pleasure of driving the winner around the track so he could wave to the fans. It was a convertible in case you were wondering. On this night Richard Petty won so I picked him up at the start/finish line and took him around the track a few times. They told me over the radio to bring him to the press box afterwards so he could sign some autographs.

    “I was standing next to Richard when he signed his first autograph and it seemed to take a very long time. I looked over his shoulder and noticed that his autograph had lots of swirls and circles and other lines that I think would be hard to duplicate. I said to Richard, ‘You’re not going to sign all of them like that are you?’ He gave me that dumbfounded look and said, ’Of course I am Bob, it’s my autograph!’ I replied, ‘But, look at all the people!’  By now the line had grown so long it went down the entire length of the stairs and wrapped around the corner. Richard said to me, ‘It’s okay, I’ll stay here all night to sign autographs for the fans.’”

    Bob’s story doesn’t end there. A year later he was walking through the pits and passed by Petty and his brother Maurice who were sitting on the tailgate of their truck.

    “I kept walking as I gave a wave in his direction while shouting out, ‘Hi Richard.’ When he replied, ‘Hi Bob,’ it floored me. All those miles traveled between stops at our little track and somehow, he remembered my name.”

    These are only a few of the stories that came pouring in when I asked Petty fans to share some of their favorite moments. There were far too many to share them all but there was one sentiment expressed throughout. Richard Petty may be called The King because of his achievements on the track but it is his actions off the track that make him NASCAR royalty in the hearts of the fans.

    Accomplishments:

    All Time Wins Leader: 200
    All Time Poles Leader: 123
    1959: Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year Award
    1962, 1964, 1968, 1974-1978: Sprint Cup Most Popular Driver Award
    1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1979: Sprint Cup Champion
    1964. 1966, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981: Daytona 500 Winner
    1967: Most Sprint Cup Wins in One Season – 27 Wins
    1967: Most Sprint Cup Consecutive Wins – 10 Wins
    1973: North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
    1989: Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee
    1992: Awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom
    1997: International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee
    1997: North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame Inductee
    1998: Named One of NASCAR’s Greatest Drivers
    1998: National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame Inductee
    2010: NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee

    John Force Quote from dragracingonline.com June 16, 2003

    Special thanks to Randy Claflin, Mike Neff, Terry Strange, Jimmy Taylor and Bob Waas for their contributions.

     

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Joe Weatherly

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Joe Weatherly

    Cup Champion: 1962 and 1963
    May 29, 1922 – January 19, 1964
    Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia
    Career: 1952 – 1964

    Premier Series Stats:
    Starts: 229
    Wins: 25
    Poles: 18

    Joe Weatherly had a short but extraordinary career. His exploits off the track were as legendary as his accomplishments on the track. He was well known for his love of liquor, women and hard racing. Weatherly was also the king of practical jokes, earning him the nickname, “The Clown Prince of Racing.”

    In the days before start switches, Weatherly would sneak along pit road and steal the keys to all the cars. When the command, “Gentlemen, start your engines,” was given, only one car fired up. It didn’t take much detective work to figure out that Weatherly was the culprit.

    His partner in crime was usually fellow driver Curtis Turner. Once, in Darlington, they paid a farmer $100.00 for a mule. That evening they kept the mule out on the balcony and spent the night laughing at the reactions of the other motel guests. But they weren’t done yet.

    The next day, the mule made another surprise appearance. It’s doubtful the spectators will ever forget that day as Weatherly rode the mule, complete with race stickers, in the Darlington parade.

    Born in Norfolk, Virginia, “Little Joe” began his racing career on motorcycles. Between the years of 1946 and 1950, he won three American Motorcycle Association national championships.

    Weatherly switched to racing stock cars in 1950 and found immediate success.  In 1952 and 1953 combined, he won an amazing 101 races. Weatherly went on to win the NASCAR Modified National crown in 1953.

    He also became a top driver in NASCAR’s Convertible division between 1956-59, winning a dozen races and finishing among the top five in points for three consecutive years. When the division folded, Weatherly made the move to race full-time in the NASCAR Grand National series.

    Weatherly won his first Cup Series championship in 1962 with legendary owner Bud Moore. He followed that up with another championship in 1963. The second title is truly impressive when you consider the fact that he drove for nine different owners that year.

    But that’s not all.

    His back to back championship titles are even more remarkable when you take into account the fact that Weatherly only ran a full Cup schedule twice and both times he won the championship.

    His love of fun was equaled by his love of racing and he was a master at both. In 2015 Weatherly will be honored as an inductee into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Joe Kelly, a longtime Richmond radio host, once said of Weatherly, “He was the consummate racer. He could race anything and he could win anything he raced.”

    Weatherly started the 1964 season with consistent finishes and was leading the standings going into the fifth race of the season at Riverside, California. This particular race, however, was not going well and mechanical problems forced him into the pits for lengthy repairs. He finally made it back on the track in an attempt to finish the race and gain as many points as possible.

    But suddenly, everything went horribly wrong. Weatherly slid off the track, crashed and struck the retaining wall. His helmet was undamaged and it’s likely that his head hit either the front roll bar or possibly struck the retaining wall.

    He was killed instantly but the exact cause of the accident is unclear. There is speculation that his engine blew and that a piece of the engine cut his brake line, resulting in brake failure.

    At the time of his crash, Weatherly was only wearing a lap belt. In 1964 wearing a shoulder harness was not mandatory. Ironically, one day before he died, Weatherly told The Associated Press that he preferred only a lap belt.

    Weatherly was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Norfolk, Virginia. As a memorial to this “good old boy” who raced hard and lived life to the fullest, his headstone depicts a replica of Riverside Speedway with an “X” marking the location of Weatherly’s fatal wreck.

    His tragic death prompted NASCAR to require all drivers to wear some type of harness restraint the following year. They also began looking at ways to provide some protection at the driver’s side window. In 1971, the sanctioning body developed the window webbing that is still used today.

    Joe Weatherly was only 41 years of age when he died.

    It’s impossible to predict what he might have accomplished had he lived but chances are it would have been memorable.

    “He was as good as anyone who’s ever been at this,” said Junie Donlavey, Richmond-based NASCAR pioneer and former team owner.

    “He would have been right at the top of the list. He would have been right there with all the greats. He was that good.”

    Accomplishments:

    1953 NASCAR Modified National Champion

    1962 Grand National Champion

    1963 Grand National Champion

    Three American Motorcycle Association championships

    1961 NASCAR Most Popular Driver award

    1965 The stock car racing museum in Darlington, SC which opened in 1965, is named for Weatherly.

    1976 Inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame

    One of the grandstand areas near the start-finish line at Daytona International Speedway is named for Weatherly.

    1994 Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame

    1998 Named one of the NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers”

    2009 Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America

    2015 Will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Ned Jarrett

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Ned Jarrett

    Cup Champion: 1961 and 1965
    Born: October 12, 1932
    Hometown: Newton, N.C.
    Career: 1953-1966

    Ned Jarrett was the quintessential NASCAR champion. His consistency coupled with the ability to win races led to two Sprint Cup championships.

    He called himself “a thinking man’s race driver” and said “I never considered myself to be a thrill seeker.” His unassuming demeanor earned him the nickname “Gentleman Ned,” but his competitiveness on the track was undeniable.

    In 353 Cup starts he earned 50 victories and 35 poles. He is tied for 11th place in all-time wins with Junior Johnson. In 1964 and 1965, he led the series in wins with 15 and 13 respectively. He also made a name for himself in the Sportsman Division, winning two consecutive titles in 1957 and 1958.

    Jarrett won his first Cup championship in 1961. He only had one win but finished the season with 34 top 10s in 46 starts. In 1965, he captured his second series title picking up 13 wins and 42 top fives along the way. Jarrett added to his list of accomplishments that year by winning the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway by 14 laps, setting a record for the largest margin of victory in NASCAR Sprint Cup history.

    Jarrett was only 33 when he retired from racing in 1966. It was a decision based on his desire to leave when he was on top.

    “People have a tendency to remember you for the last thing you did,” he explained. “I was still the reigning champion when I drove my last race.”

    He then decided to reconnect with his roots as owner and promoter for Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. In 1976, he sold his ownership in the track and began looking for another way to make a living. It was at this point that Jarrett returned to the sport as a radio broadcaster and eventually he found his way to television where he flourished.

    Ned Jarrett was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, displaying the same humility that has endeared him to followers of the sport.

    “God has truly blessed me in so many wonderful ways,” he said. “He gave me some talent, willpower, strength and many opportunities to use those attributes.”

    Jarrett’s achievements on the track and in the broadcast booth have made him an integral part of NASCAR’s legacy and one of its most influential ambassadors.

    Accomplishments:

    1957 – Sportsman Division Champion
    1958 – Sportsman Division Champion
    1961 – NASCAR Grand National Champion (Now Sprint Cup)
    1965 – NASCAR Grand National Champion (Now Sprint Cup)
    1973 – Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame
    1991 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
    1997 – Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
    1997 – Inducted into Talladega Walk of Fame
    1998 – Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    2011 – Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Rex White

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Rex White

    Cup Champion: 1960
    Born: August 17, 1929
    Hometown: Spartanburg, S.C.
    Career: 1956-1964

    Rex White is a perfect example of what it takes to achieve success. He grew up while the country was in the grip of the Great Depression and spent much of his youth working long hours on a farm. He also suffered from polio as a child but none of this deterred him from his dream.

    “Most of the lessons I have learned have stayed with me all my life. The biggest one was how to conquer fear,” White wrote in his autobiography, “Gold Thunder.”

    White was born in Taylorsville, N.C. but later moved to Maryland and began racing on the short tracks in the area. In1956, he entered his first race in the NASCAR Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup). He was winless during his first two seasons but in 33 races, he captured 20 top-10 finishes.

    In 1958 White moved to Spartanburg, S.C. and joined forces with his friend Louis Clements. Clements became his partner and chief mechanic. Together, they evolved into a formidable team.

    They quickly found success with two wins that first year and 17 top-10s that included 13 top-five finishes. White was ranked seventh in the point standings at the completion of the season.

    White’s consistency and ability to run up front paid off in 1960 when he won the Grand National Championship. He competed in 40 races with six wins, three poles and 35 top-10s, including 25 top-five finishes. His dominance during the season earned him the title of stock car driver of the year and the most popular driver award.

    The following season, White had another impressive year. He took home seven wins and finished second in the point standings. In 1962 his eight victories earned him a fifth place spot at the end of the year. He finished the 1963 season in ninth position.

    Rex White retired in 1964 after running in only six races, stating that he couldn’t make enough money to make a living. His total career earnings were $223,51. In comparison, Denny Hamlin’s first place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2013 paid $322,350.

    His career may have been short compared to today’s standards but it was significant. He finished in the top-10 70 percent of the time. His 28 victories places him 23rd on the all-time list of premier series winners and his average finishing position of 8.983 is the fourth best in the history of NASCAR.

    White remains active in the racing community and enjoys making appearances where he can interact with his fans and sign autographs. If you love the history of NASCAR, pick up his autobiography entitled “Gold Thunder,” the nickname of his famous No. 4 gold and white Chevy. It’s a slice of stock car racing history from White’s unique perspective of NASCAR’s beginnings.

    Accomplishments:

    1960 – NASCAR Grand National Series Champion (Now Sprint Cup)
    1960 – The Most Popular Driver Award
    1960 – Driver of the Year Award
    1974 – Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame
    1998 – Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    2003 – Inducted into Georgia Racing Hall of Fame
    2003 – Received Smokey Yunick Pioneer Award
    2004 – Author – Gold Thunder: Autobiography of a NASCAR Champion
    2008 – Inducted into Talladega Walk of Fame
    2011 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
    2014 – Nominee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Buck Baker

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Buck Baker

    Cup Champion 1956 and 1957
    March 4, 1919 – April 14, 2002
    Hometown: Charlotte, NC
    Career: 1949-1976

    Elzie Wylie “Buck” Baker was one of the most dominant drivers in NASCAR during the 1950s. He quickly rose to the top by becoming the first driver to win consecutive Sprint Cup Championships in 1956 and 1957. Baker also had two runner-up seasons in 1955 and 1958.

    His strategy was a mixture of determination and the belief that he was capable of winning any race. It didn’t hurt that Baker had a natural talent that cannot be taught.

    “You can’t let anyone think you’re not going to win a race,” he said during the interview. “If you talk yourself out of believing you are a winner, then you might as well stay in the pits and let someone else do the driving.

    “There were times we left home without money to buy new tires. We didn’t know where the money was coming from. Heck, there’s times we didn’t have money to put gas in the truck to get to the track.

    “But someone always came through for what we needed. We always could have used more and better equipment, but I’m talking about don’t let yourself believe you can’t be a winner.”

    Baker was known as a hard charger both on and off the track. His competitors knew that too much beating and banging on the track would be dealt with in the pits after the race.

    “My dad won his share of races on the track,” said Baker’s son, Buddy, “but I don’t think he ever lost a battle in the pits.”

    Baker’s first championship was won while driving for Carl Kiekhaefer, owner of the first mulit-car team in NASCAR. His second championship was won while driving his own cars.

    In 636 starts, he won 46 times including three wins at the historic Southern 500 at Darlington Speedway. Baker’s career victory total of 46 ranks 15th all-time.

    Baker was also known as one of the most versatile racers of his time. He won races in NASCAR’s Modified, Speedway and Grand American series.

    After retiring from NASCAR, he opened the Buck Baker Driving School in 1980. Many of today’s top drivers have attended his school including Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Ward Burton and Tony Stewart.

    In 1998 Buck Baker was named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers and in 2013 he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 83.

    Buddy Baker is proud of the talent and tenacity that his father demonstrated in racing and in life.

    “He could do things in a race car I could only dream about,” he said. “Throughout the entire racing world, I don’t know of anybody who would have said he didn’t give 110% from the time they dropped the green flag until the race was over. He was the same way in life, too.”

    Accomplishments:

    1982 – Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame
    1990 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
    1998 – Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
    1998 – Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    2010 – Nominee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame
    2011 – Nominee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame
    2012 – Nominee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame
    2013 – Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

     

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Lee Petty

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Lee Petty

    Cup Champion 1954, 1958, 1959
    March 14, 1914 – April 5, 2000
    Hometown: Randleman, N.C.
    Career: 1949-1964

    Petty is one of the most recognized names in the history of NASCAR. But Lee Petty didn’t begin competing in NASCAR for fame or fortune. It was a means to an end. On a good day it was a way to put food on the table and pay the bills. His career bore little resemblance to the pampered lifestyle of today’s stock car racing elite.

    “We had to win,” he once said. “We was lucky to have enough food and enough gas to get to the racetrack. That’s the truth. We even carried our sandwiches. We even drove the racecar to the racetrack. We didn’t have no luxury at all.”

    The desire to succeed and provide for his family made Petty a tough competitor on the track. His won 54 Grand National Series (now Sprint Cup Series) races, more than any other driver, until his son, Richard, passed him. He ranks ninth today on the all-time wins list. Petty went on to become the first driver to capture 3 championships (1954, 1958 and 1959) in the series.

    His career was further distinguished by winning the first Daytona 500, although it took three days for NASCAR to officially announce Lee Petty as the winner. Petty and Johnny Beauchamp battled for the lead on the final lap and when they both crossed the finish line, it was too close to call. Photos and newsreel footage taken at the event were used to finally confirm Petty’s victory in one of the closest finishes in Daytona 500 history.

    One could argue that Petty’s most significant contribution to NASCAR was the legacy he passed on as patriarch to one of NASCAR’s most influential dynasties. After his driving career was over, the company he formed, Petty Enterprises, continued for many years as an integral part of the sport. Petty was father to Richard “The King” Petty, grandfather to Kyle Petty, and great-grandfather to Adam Petty.

    He passed away on April 5, 2000 at the age of 86. On May 23, 2011, Lee Petty was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Accomplishments/Awards:

    1954 Cup Champion
    1958 Cup Champion
    1959 Cup Champion
    1959 Winner of the first Daytona 500
    1966 Inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
    1990 Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
    1996 Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
    1998 Selected as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    2011 Inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame

  • NASCAR Champions Featuring Tim Flock

    NASCAR Champions Featuring Tim Flock

    Cup Champion 1952 and 1955
    May 11, 1924 – March 31, 1998
    Hometown:  Fort Payne, AL
    Career: 1949 – 1961

    Julius Timothy “Tim” Flock was born in Fort Payne, Alabama and grew up in one of the most famous racing families of early stock car racing. His two brothers, Bob and Fonty were both NASCAR drivers, as well as his sister Ethel Flock Mobley.

    Both brothers tried to discourage Tim from following in their footsteps. It was his sister Ethel and her husband who helped him get his start in racing in 1948.

    In 1949, Tim, Bob, Fonty and their sister Ethel became the only four siblings to drive in the same NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

    Flock won his first championship in 1952 while driving Ted Chester’s Hudson Hornet. In 33 starts, he earned eight wins and had 22 top five finishes.

    In 1955, Flock won his second series title driving a Carl Kiekhaefer Chrysler. It was a record breaking season that included 18 wins, 32 top fives and 18 poles in 39 races. Flock’s 18 wins in a single season was a record that would remain unbroken until 1967 when Richard Petty captured 27 wins in one season.

    Flock also won NASCAR’s only sports car race, in 1955, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL.

    He was one of the most colorful characters of the sport and a fan favorite. Flock competed in eight races with his pet monkey, Jocko Flocko, as a passenger in his racecar.

    In May 2013, it was announced that Flock would be inducted into the 2014 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Richard Petty, an inaugural member of the Hall of Fame, cast his vote for Flock and spoke highly of his driving prowess.

    “I have never in my life seen a smoother driver than what Tim was,” said Petty.  “When I started along, I said look, he’s one of the guys that I want to be as good as, be as smooth as what he is. A lot of times he was in a race and you’d never know he was in it, until they threw the checkered flag and he’d won it.”

    Flock died on March 31, 1998 at the age of 73. However, his wife, Frances, and son Carl, were in attendance to hear the news.

    “I was very surprised and very shocked,” Frances Flock said. “I’m still just shaking all over.”

    Carl Flock was ecstatic, saying, “Coming from the King, saying how smooth Daddy was, that’s a big honor.”

    Accomplishments:

    1952 – NASCAR Grand National Champion
    1955 – NASCAR Grand National Champion
    1955 – NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award
    1972 – Inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame
    1972 – Inducted into the State of Georgia Hall of Fame
    1991 – Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
    1994 – Inducted into the Charlotte Motor Speedway Court of Legends
    1998 – Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers
    1999 – Inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
    2006 – Inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
    2010 – 2013 Nominee to the NASCAR Hall of Fame
    2014 – Will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame