After having a week off, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to action for the first of two races this season at Martinsville Speedway. This marks the beginning of a stretch that will see two of the next three events take place on half-mile tracks. Here’s a look at Ford’s history at Martinsville.
A FIRST FOR FRED
The first time Ford won a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway also marked the first career victory for 2015 NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen. The date was April 9, 1961 and Lorenzen battled Rex White, who led the first 118 laps after starting on the pole. Lorenzen, was driving for Holman-Moody when he grabbed the lead on lap 119 and held it until rain came ending the race prematurely after 149 circuits. Little did anyone know that 54 years later both men would be enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the same induction class. Martinsville was a place Lorenzen dominated, winning six times, including four straight from 1963-65. He was absolutely unbeatable in 1964 as he led 990 out of a possible 1,000 laps (487 in the first and 493 in the second) in winning both races. Continue reading →
A general view of the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Imagees
Bill Elliott (R) speaks with Joe Gibbs (L), owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, prior to the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
NASCAR Hall of Famer Rex White walks the red carpet prior to the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
Fred Lorenzen(C) is escorted by daughter Amanda (L) and son Chris (2L) as host Mike Joy (R) looks on during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
The Wendell Scott family reacts on stage after receiving the NASCAR Hall of Fame jacket in honor of the late Wendell Scott during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Chevrolet, speaks during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
Franklin Scott, son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott, speaks during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen (L) looks on as his son Chris speaks during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing and driver of the #14 Chevrolet, speaks during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
NASCAR Hall of Famer Rex White speaks during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
ranklin Scott (L) and Wendell Scott Jr.(R), sons of NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott, speak during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
Franklin Scott, son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott, speaks during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
Driver Kasey Kahne introduces inductee Bill Elliott during the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Bob Leverone/Getty Images
Bill Elliott makes his acceptance speech during the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Bob Leverone/Getty Images
Lesa France Kennedy, CEO of International Speedway Cooperation, speaks during the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at NASCAR Hall of Fame on January 30, 2015 Photo – Lance King/Getty Images
Elliott, Lorenzen, Scott, Weatherly, White Officially Enshrined
Five legendary drivers with distinct styles and contributions to NASCAR were enshrined into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina tonight during the Induction Ceremony held in the Crown Ball Room at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Those who added their names to the list of now 30 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees, included: Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Rex White.
The group makes up the Hall’s sixth class in its history. Continue reading →
1960: Chevrolet driver Rex White was the 1960 NASCAR Cup Series champion, after posting six wins and 35 top tens in 41 starts. Photo – Getty Images Archive
Rex White, a NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2014 -Photo – RanierEhrhardt/Getty Images
Inductee Rex White looks on during the announcement of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2015 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 21, 2014 Photo – Ranier Ehrhardt/Getty Images
1959: Rex White of Spartanburg, SC, ran in 233 NASCAR Cup races during his career, winning 28 times and taking 163 top 10 finishes. White was the 1960 NASCAR Cup champion. Photo – Getty Images Archive
Rex White entered 233 NASCAR Cup races from 1956 through 1964, scoring 28 wins and the 1960 Cup championship. Photo – Getty Images Archive
1961: Rex White is shown at speed in his 1961 Chevrolet NASCAR Cup car during a race. White, the 1960 Cup champion, started 47 Cup events during the year, winning seven times, taking 38 top-10 finishes and second in Cup points. Photo – Getty Images Archive
April 16, 1961: Driver Rex White (L) and his crew chief Lewis Clements (R) hold their trophies in victory lane at North Wilkesboro Speedway after White won the first Gwyn Staley Memorial NASCAR Cup race. Photo – Getty Images Archive
1960 NASCAR Premier Series Champion Earns Sport’s Top Honor
Note: This release is part of a series in advance of the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Jan. 30, broadcast live at 8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network, Motor Racing Network Radio and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Rex White are the five 2015 inductees.
Over the years, NASCAR premier series champions have come in all shapes and sizes – tall, short, muscular and lean. The single constant? It’s impossible to judge a book by its cover.
Based upon first impressions, Rex White – at 5 feet 4 inches, weighing just 135 pounds and with his right leg withered by childhood polio – might have seemed the unlikeliest championship contender of all.
White, however, was tough as nails fearing neither competitor nor track conditions. He won the 1960 premier series title and posted 28 victories over five seasons, finishing among the top five in nearly half of his 233 starts. Continue reading →
Elliott, Lorenzen, Scott, Weatherly, White Comprise List Of New Inductees
NASCAR announced Wednesday the inductees who are the 2015 class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The five-person group – the sixth in NASCAR Hall of Fame history – consists of Bill Elliott, Fred Lorenzen, Wendell Scott, Joe Weatherly and Rex White. In addition, NASCAR announced that Anne B. France won the inaugural Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR. Next year’s Induction Day is Friday, Jan. 30, 2015, broadcast on NBC Sports Network from Charlotte, N.C. Continue reading →
